Would you lift this Jeep or cut your losses?

[Irun]

Until you address the rust, I wouldn't put another dollar into it for offroad use. First, I'd buy a cheap camera to fully inspect the inside of the frame. It's also a good idea to:

- remove the inner rear fender liners and inspect there, especially the inner rear quarter panel areas (basically on the inside where the rear tail lights go.
- remove the gas tank and inspect the floor and cross-member areas, including the inner channels where the rear bumper goes
- inspect the inner rocker areas
- lift the carpet and inspect all the floors (Inside and underneath)
- inspect all the body mounts (My bet is that some of the bolts would break off if removed)

As you already know, rust typically works from the inside out, so inspect every place you can, remove all rust scale (and grease and oil), then treat it with some sort of rust converter, self-etching primer, then liberal coats of paint. It's also your choice as to whether you treat the internal frame with Fluid Film, or something like an Eastwood coating. Many here seem to like the Fluid Film route.

Once you've done all this, you'll know whether you want to dump anymore money into it, or start over with something new. If you do start over, you'll know exactly what to look for!

 

[Joseph]

Until you address the rust, I wouldn't put another dollar into it for offroad use. First, I'd buy a cheap camera to fully inspect the inside of the frame. It's also a good idea to:

- remove the inner rear fender liners and inspect there, especially the inner rear quarter panel areas (basically on the inside where the rear tail lights go.
- remove the gas tank and inspect the floor and cross-member areas, including the inner channels where the rear bumper goes
- inspect the inner rocker areas
- lift the carpet and inspect all the floors (Inside and underneath)
- inspect all the body mounts (My bet is that some of the bolts would break off if removed)

As you already know, rust typically works from the inside out, so inspect every place you can, remove all rust scale (and grease and oil), then treat it with some sort of rust converter, self-etching primer, then liberal coats of paint. It's also your choice as to whether you treat the internal frame with Fluid Film, or something like an Eastwood coating. Many here seem to like the Fluid Film route.

Once you've done all this, you'll know whether you want to dump anymore money into it, or start over with something new. If you do start over, you'll know exactly what to look for!

Thanks for the lengthy advice! Doing body work isn’t as scary to me as the frame. The scariest part would be not having my paint match anymore. I had a YJ that was covered in body rust. One of the floor pans could have a screw driver go thru it in multiple spots. I’ve peeked under my TJ carpets a handful of times and haven’t seen much, but I’d like to pull the carpets for the summer and do a bedliner I think

My passenger inner rocker is definitely starting to bubble, I’d like to address that as well. One body mount bolt is snapped in the rear and I’m sure more would too. Debating whether that’s something I have dropped off and done (body lift). Been nothing but rain and thunderstorms forecasted in NJ the last couple weeks.