OP
That's what I was thinking; I went to the Safe T Cap website and had a look. I am going to take a look around because that is highway robbery!!!
Rust on the passenger side frame rail
- Thread starter darkangel07760
- Start date
That quote is astronomically high. It should be around $1500 - $2500. And it is very hard to find a nice rust free TJ for anywhere near $5k. When I was searching for my frame, I wanted to buy a whole Jeep and rip the frame out of it. I didn't care about anything besides rust and it had to have a 6 cylinder. You can barely find a clapped out 1997 4 cylinder for $5000. To buy a rust free TJ with less than 150,000 miles on it, you'll be paying out a lot more than what it would take to fix this Jeep. In terms of investment, it makes more sense to get a rust free one. But in terms of short term cost, it makes more sense to fix this Jeep.
You will be hard pressed to find a completely rust free TJ in NJ for a reasonable price. If you plan on getting a new TJ, waiting until you move to the south is a much better option by far.
OP
I really appreciate all the honest feedback. I was not expecting nearly $5k. I was expecting $2.5k at the most. I am looking at the SafeTCap website right now trying to make sense of their invoice and what parts I would need. I bet I can buy them myself and get someone else to do it! I am going to look into mechanics in NJ that do this sort of stuff because this is way too high and it makes me think they may not know what they are doing.
OP
Aha! I found someone an hour away that is listed on the SafTCap website as an installer! Sadly they are closed right now, but I will call tomorrow!
Really wish I knew how to weld and had a life in my garage right now. Ugh.
Really wish I knew how to weld and had a life in my garage right now. Ugh.
Imapepper
TJ Enthusiast
If you have a garage purchase a mig welder and teach yourself. A plasma cutter will come in handy also. Wire feed welding is no more complicated than operating a caulking gun. The price on those 2 items will most likely be less than the frame repair.
I should have mentioned this earlier, but considering you're in NJ, I would go to Globex Performance in Toms River. My Jeep has been in there a few times and it is a good shop. I'm sure they will write you up something reasonable and I know they'll do good work.
Find someone with a welder.I made my own safety caps and welded them in.
Any chance you have a write up on making your own caps? Dealing with the same issue on a tj I picked up
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OP
OP
Just spoke to a fellow Jeep person. He welds and all that jazz. If he has a day or two to spare for me we might go that route.
The ones I made were all from 1/8" x 2 1/2" cold rolled steel. The rails are 2 1/2" wide so I cut the bottom 1" out of the frame and wire wheeled and cleaned the rust as best I could from the inside. I believe safety caps go up 3" and the rails are 2 1/2 x 4. It is easier to weld with the mig.I never lifted the frame from the body. My centre mount was shot so I made the caps for each side for that also.I will put a pic of them also. 
Depending how far your rails are bad will decide on how long you need to go.If someone is doing it for you you may only have to do the area under the skid. You can see I had to bend the side rails first and c clamp them on the frame. Then I fit the bottom right to were they turn. Then cut the bottom ends to the angles needed. Tack them in place from the bottom well they are clamped on the sides. Then remove the tacked assy from the frame and put a few 2 1/2" spacers of steel tubing inside to keep it spaced. Then fully weld the inside edges. I put drain hole between the nuts I welded in . Before you weld the assy onto the frame you have to reclamp in place ,set the skidplate up and mark were the 6 bolt locations.remove ,drill the holes,weld the nuts in place and then reinstall,bolt the skidplate up and leave in place .Then put some 1/2" welds here and there so you know the skidpate will rebolt up. Drop the skid and fully weld.
Depending how far your rails are bad will decide on how long you need to go.If someone is doing it for you you may only have to do the area under the skid. You can see I had to bend the side rails first and c clamp them on the frame. Then I fit the bottom right to were they turn. Then cut the bottom ends to the angles needed. Tack them in place from the bottom well they are clamped on the sides. Then remove the tacked assy from the frame and put a few 2 1/2" spacers of steel tubing inside to keep it spaced. Then fully weld the inside edges. I put drain hole between the nuts I welded in . Before you weld the assy onto the frame you have to reclamp in place ,set the skidplate up and mark were the 6 bolt locations.remove ,drill the holes,weld the nuts in place and then reinstall,bolt the skidplate up and leave in place .Then put some 1/2" welds here and there so you know the skidpate will rebolt up. Drop the skid and fully weld.
OP
OP
Ok so I dropped off my Jeep this past Thursday at a shop that is authorized by safe t cap. I talked to the owner and informed him about the previous quote that I shared with you guys on here and he too was surprised at how high the quote was.
Really looking forward to getting it back and checking out the work!
Thanks everyone for the info, I will keep everyone posted. Now I have to make sure I take better care of it than the previous owner!
Really looking forward to getting it back and checking out the work!
Thanks everyone for the info, I will keep everyone posted. Now I have to make sure I take better care of it than the previous owner!
OP
Got my Jeep back a short while ago, they put on SafTCaps and then covered it in Rhino liner.
Now onto the next list of stuff to get done!
It's raining today but I will take pics when the weather is better.
Now onto the next list of stuff to get done!
It's raining today but I will take pics when the weather is better.
