Rust remediation recommendations?

I

IronVarmint

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I am just starting a restore of a 2001 Sport and I need some suggestions on a rust issue. I ripped out everything on the inside to clean it up and look for rust, and I found some. The worst is on the driver's side of the tunnel. It's rusted through and soft for several inches around the hole. There's a second second smaller hole is up near the stick. There's also some around the passenger side rollbar to tub weld.

The TJ floor pieces I've seen don't have the tunnel coverage. Are there any prefab sections to replace these areas?

Found the massive HowTo sticky. What a resource!


https://imgur.com/11ohfLQ

https://imgur.com/VUpl5Bm

https://imgur.com/KRx78KJ
 
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IronVarmint said:
I am just starting a restore of a 2001 Sport and I need some suggestions on a rust issue. I ripped out everything on the inside to clean it up and look for rust, and I found some. The worst is on the driver's side of the tunnel. It's rusted through and soft for several inches around the hole. There's a second second smaller hole is up near the stick. There's also some around the passenger side rollbar to tub weld.

The TJ floor pieces I've seen don't have the tunnel coverage. Are there any prefab sections to replace these areas?

Found the massive HowTo sticky. What a resource!


https://imgur.com/11ohfLQ

https://imgur.com/VUpl5Bm

https://imgur.com/KRx78KJ
Click to expand...

Where is that sticky?
I have the same passenger side roll bar rust
Thanks
 
Rut Row said:
I'm surprised no one has responded. Yes, body panels are available. Try Googling "jeep tj body panels"
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I've found floor panels everywhere and a shifter panel either on Genrite or Motobilt, or any of the other larger sites, but nothing that would continue up the side of the tunnel enough to deal with the area. Since then I've take a brush, wire wheel, and chem treatments to the tub. It's much thinner on the tunnel than I thought but everything else is the bare minimum of surface rust you would expect from a little scratching. The amount of crap under the carpets must have insulated it. It's going to a body shop for a better look.

I think the roll cage footer is much easier to deal with, albeit in an awkward location.
 
IronVarmint said:
I've found floor panels everywhere and a shifter panel either on Genrite or Motobilt, or any of the other larger sites, but nothing that would continue up the side of the tunnel enough to deal with the area. Since then I've take a brush, wire wheel, and chem treatments to the tub. It's much thinner on the tunnel than I thought but everything else is the bare minimum of surface rust you would expect from a little scratching. The amount of crap under the carpets must have insulated it. It's going to a body shop for a better look.

I think the roll cage footer is much easier to deal with, albeit in an awkward location.
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I would be very afraid on what it looks like under the roll cage plate. Usually under that plate is the worst, I have yet to see the top of the plate so rusted….
 
This is the first I've seen this thread so this is what I would have posted had I saw it earlier.


Having "rust though" that far up the tunnel I'd expect to see whatever the Jeep is parked on (garage floor, driveway, etc.) in the picture of the bottom of the passenger side roll bar but looking at how the rust there is only on the heavier welded parts of the roll bar and no visible part of the floor my head wants to spin around on this one and I'm trying to keep it in place. Do you have any current pictures of the driver's floor lower than what you've posted or any pictures of anything from underneath?

Please keep us updated as to how bad this Jeep really is, or quite possibly really isn't.
 
This is the untreated underside of the transmission tunnel holes. Not much made it all the way through. Someone told me it looks like a clutch master cylinder leak wasn't addressed by the previous owner.

PXL_20230928_205138598.jpg
 
IronVarmint said:
This is the untreated underside of the transmission tunnel holes. Not much made it all the way through. Someone told me it looks like a clutch master cylinder leak wasn't addressed by the previous owner.

View attachment 461354
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I haven't found an angle for the underside of the roll bar weld. Frame and a heat shield above it were blocking where i thought it might be. I'm taking it by Brandon's in Pompano tomorrow for an opinion/estimate.
 
If there isnt a panel available get some sheet metal and fabricate pieces to weld in. Youtube is your friend and its amazing how much you can get done with a torch, hammer, and things you have around the shop.
 
Thanks. My welding skill was awful 30 years ago in the Navy and I found another rate to work in 😂. I treated all the other surface rust with a rust reformer product that seals and primes. I'm going after the roll bar joint this weekend to see how deep it is.
 
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IronVarmint said:
I haven't found an angle for the underside of the roll bar weld. Frame and a heat shield above it were blocking where i thought it might be. I'm taking it by Brandon's in Pompano tomorrow for an opinion/estimate.
Click to expand...

I thought it was going to the body shop ! what did they say or did they just laugh and give you directions to the scrap yard ?
 
tr21triton said:
I thought it was going to the body shop ! what did they say or did they just laugh and give you directions to the scrap yard ?
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😂

This is a memorial rebuild of a late friend's TJ, so it's still going to a body shop. I'm getting quotes to repair accident damage to the right rear and a full repaint. I want to know exactly what to ask for when I do. I don't want someone to simply spray over a bunch of rust.
 
IronVarmint said:
😂

This is a memorial rebuild of a late friend's TJ, so it's still going to a body shop. I'm getting quotes to repair accident damage to the right rear and a full repaint. I want to know exactly what to ask for when I do. I don't want someone to simply spray over a bunch of rust.
Click to expand...

it's great to rebuild it in memory of your friend ! i understand in that case. if your going to do it I'm glad to see you do it right.
 
Dremeled the roll bar rust to remove all the scaling. Not pretty. The footer is welded to the bed on two sides unlike the driver side. Driver side is welded all the way around and they even scratched a bead around the bolts. Pulled out some putty behind the footer too.

I can see paint through the holes so I'm hopeful there.

PXL_20231007_134551757~3.jpg


PXL_20231007_134614426~2.jpg
 
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