Removing the Floor Above the Frame Rails...

**Gnl.Weirdness** · 11-23-2009, 10:56 AM

So this weekend well sandblasting etc, I got to use the snap on fiber optic camera to look inside my frame rails to see how bad the rust was in them.

Typical, just surface rust etc, but I know come 5+ years from now, my car will rot from the inside out.

So I am curious, would it be a frivolous task to cut along the frame rails all the way and just pull the floor right over them (leaving the rest of the floor in tact), then cleaning them out, and poring in some Por 15?

I have not seen anyone do this, I have seen people remove the entire floor, but I'd prefer to just remove the flooring over the rails if at all possible.

Anyone have any thoughts?

**CJ7-Tim** · 11-23-2009, 12:51 PM

Clean the frame rails out with a garden hose. You are seriously over-obsessing this.

You want to cut open and compromise the main structural elements of the unibody to "fix" a non-existent problem ? Your time and efforts would be better spent washing the Jeep (and the frame rails) and fixing any specific rust issues as they occur.

**Gnl.Weirdness** · 11-23-2009, 02:35 PM

not over obsessing, maybe just taking it further then you would probably care too...

And I think I am gonna use a garden hose with salt water, I hear that's just awesome for dealing with rust.

Just messing around man, but seriously I am not gonna flush water into frame rails that are already showing signs of serious rust when the water would just sit there and make the issue worse.

If cutting the floor out above them would really be a bad idea, then tell me that, but don't base your answer on a guess. Curious to hear from those who have done similar things, and I know there are some of you on here.

Either way thanks for the advice Tim, sorry to seem obsessive, but she is my jeep after all and I wanna treat her well.

**CJ7-Tim** · 11-23-2009, 03:07 PM

Do what ever you want dude, it's your Jeep.

I live in Minneapolis and deal with same road salt you deal with. None of my 5 Cherokees have had significant rust inside the frame rails. Simply flushing any salt residue from the frame rails with clean water is all you need to do.

I am a machinist and welder, and worked in a body shop for about a year. I have replaced rusty floor pans on my 97. I rebuilt two wrecks, one needed a front cross member removed and replaced and one needed an inner fender from the coil spring tower forward. I did all the cutting and welding in my garage.

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**Gnl.Weirdness** · 11-23-2009, 03:23 PM

see if I knew all that I prolly woulda taken the advice a bit more seriously haha.

Either way I am going for longevity with this build, not just a quick off road truck that will last a few years.

I want to do everything I can to ensure my jeep will live another 10 years without hitch body/frame wise. If flushing the rails with water alone will ensure that, then yes I will do that. If there is a more extreme method to use, then I want to do it.

Either way, thanks for the advice man, you def have more experience then me with body work/welding.

Would you still offer the same advice after I have said that I am looking for longevity out of this vehicle, vs short term fixes?

Thanks man

Low98Dime · 11-23-2009, 03:34 PM

Just cut out whatever is bad, and weld in new pieces of the floor, if a piece of the floor above the unibody is bad then cut it out and replace it. If the frame rails are accessable while you are doing this then go ahead and clean them up and por-15 them. If you dont need to cut that much out, I would maybe think about spraying oil inside the rails, there are many access holes on the frame rails to get a sprayer in, a lot of the old school people do that around here and their cars last forever. Some shops still do it if you are worried about making a mess. As long as the unibody rails look solid, I wouldn't mess with them too much other than cleaning them up and painting them, maybe bracing it up in some areas.

**Gnl.Weirdness** · 11-23-2009, 03:42 PM

yeh I have been told by a few to just spray some oil in, do they just use normal oil behind a pressure sprayer?

I am also looking into waxoyl, but daum the $$$$, if it can be done cheaper that'd be ideal

1996BlackXJ · 11-23-2009, 03:48 PM

If you really wanted to, spreading grease all over the frame will keep every drop of water off the metal. It won't really come off unless you hit it good stream of water from a hose or something.

There are different types of grease, not sure which on is used for this...searching on this subject will probably bring some answers to that.

**Gnl.Weirdness** · 11-23-2009, 03:51 PM

I'd need to access the inside of the rails to apply the grease though, and if I was gonna do that I'd prolly just por 15 them after cleaning em.

lazyxj · 11-23-2009, 04:53 PM

I have relatives that live in upstate NY.
They use a service called Rust Stop on their cars and it seems to work.
Home Page :: Rustop
It is a oil spray and is usually applied by auto body shops.

**MAX_Xj** · 11-23-2009, 04:58 PM

what if you drill a small hole right above the uniody rails and you can feed oil in from there

**Gnl.Weirdness** · 11-23-2009, 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by greenjeepmax

what if you drill a small hole right above the uniody rails and you can feed oil in from there

Quite a sound idea, I'd need to drill holes every foot or so, just big enough to get a mister in, and then I could just mist oil in.

I like this idea quite a bit.

**Gnl.Weirdness** · 11-23-2009, 05:00 PM

haha considering now though that if I do any welding, like frame stiffeners, or something, I am gonna turn the jeep into a fire ball lol.

Will have to play the cards right on this one.

Chris_Walker · 11-23-2009, 10:03 PM

What you really need is something like this:

Or if you want to use POR-15, something like this:

3M sells the hose that attaches to the Schutz gun in the first picture, and I haven't been able to find that 3M coating for sale in the US, but that red sprayer supposedly works better anyway.

On the end of the hose, there's a nozzle that sprays 360 degrees. You feed into in a hole in the frame rail (like by the control arms), and then pull the trigger and slowly pull it back out.

Underseal Spray Gun & Probe - Spray Gun - Apply RustSeal - KBS Coatings
I'll be using that, and POR-15 to coat the inside of the 'frame' rails on my Jeep.

POR-15 bonds to rusty metal, so here's what I'd reccomend:
1. Wash out the frame rail with a garden hose
2. Fill said sprayer with POR-15 Marine Clean > Spray inside rails
3. Rinse
4. Fill sprayer with POR-15 Metal Ready and spray (this preps the surface)
5. Rinse
6. Allow ample time to dry, and spray POR-15

You don't need numerous heavy coats. Two light coats should do it, just to insure complete coverage. The inside of your frame rails aren't going to be getting hit by stones or anything.

**98GooseXJ14** · 11-23-2009, 10:17 PM

I live in NY and Rustop is extremely messy. Yes it does work but you WILL have oil dripping in your driveway and it come up when driving, get on the bottom of your doors and it becomes a mess. But it does work.. I just wouldnt use it for the mess.