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If you buy a TJ, buy a welder. What rusted off your Jeep today?

2K views 20 replies 15 participants last post by  lindel 
#1 ·
Just *****ing. Endless frustration with this Jeep. I’ve replaced center and rear frame sections. All four spring perch’s and upper rear spring mounts. Replaced trans pan, brake lines, emissions line, windshield hinges, front fender, floor pan sections etc.... I’ve had and still have O2 sensor codes(replaced them all). Cutting and grinding is endless. Thank god for harbor freight grinders. Has Jeep ever acknowledged the **** metal they used to build these jeeps(97-03)?
 
#2 ·
Sorry for the problems but your rust isn't caused by cheap steel. Even the very best quality steels rust, especially when in an area where the roads are salted during the winter. The Navy's ships are made from the best grades of steel but they still rust badly enough to keep the sailors busy chipping and painting. Rust isn't a problem for Jeeps in states where the roads aren't salted like yours are. Good luck with it.
 
#4 ·
Sorry for the problems but your rust isn't from cheap steels. Even the very best quality steels rust, especially when in an area where the roads are salted during the winter. The Navy's ships are made from the best grades of steel and they rust badly enough to keep the sailors busy chipping and painting. Rust isn't a problem for Jeeps in states where the roads aren't salted like yours are. Good luck with it.
I spent five years at sea. There was always something to chip and/or paint.
(If it moves, salute it; if not, paint it!)
My CJ-7 lived on Long Island NY and everything rusted. I think there was even rust on the tires. Someone bought if from me, sight unseen, cause they wanted a Jeep that would run on unleaded gas.

TJ lives in San Antonio - no rust, ever. When the roads ice down here, they put crushed sea shells on the road - no salt, no chemicals.

You have to keep the salt and other crud off the steel and keep it painted.
 
#3 ·
My '99 TJ Sahara has lasted 20 years in the rust belt. About 5 years ago I had to replace all the brake lines. Parts of the frame and fenders are now rusted so badly that I am going to have to start up the welder this summer and get to work. The good news is that I don't see anything that I can't do myself. The frame and body design is simple enough that I am confident that I can keep it going for a long time.

Compare that to a friend who had a '98 Honda Accord. It had over 300,000 miles and still ran fine but the body rusted so much that it wasn't safe to drive anymore and he had to junk it. At least TJs are fixable.
 
#6 ·
Last week, discovered that the threads on my Currie control arm rusted just enough that they popped out:



Tried to pull the CA off, discovered the bolt was rusted to the ball:



Threaded it back together, tack welded the adjuster nut to the tube (had to do this in place, under the Jeep, upside down, hence the craptacular weld job):



It's held so far, have a new pair ready to install this weekend (weather permitting).
 
#7 ·
@JEK3
You may want to consider longer arms if the adjustment length shown is required for your setup. A good rule of thumb is the rod end should thread into the tube at minimum as far as the diameter of the threaded portion of the rod end: less than that can result in insufficient thread engagement and strength, along with potentially stripping the threads out.
 
#8 ·
@JEK3
You may want to consider longer arms if the adjustment length shown is required for your setup. A good rule of thumb is the rod end should thread into the tube at minimum as far as the diameter of the threaded portion of the rod end: less than that can result in insufficient thread engagement and strength, along with potentially stripping the threads out.
Good point. I thought I had enough engagement when I set them up, but that was years ago and I don't remember exactly what I did. As I already have new arms in hand, I'll just shorten my lowers if necessary to ensure proper engagement.
 
#10 ·
I would never buy a vehicle I'm going to care about from the rust belt. Especially an older one. And I will never drive a vehicle I care about in the winter.

Do TJs really rust out worse than other vehicles? I think there is evidence both ways. The frame and torque boxes were issues before TJs went out of production. Having those issues on a vehicle that is less than 10 years old is absurd. I don't care what the environment is. And these are the same uncorrected problems (amongst many others) that YJs and CJs have. Having repaired rust on CJs, YJs, and TJs I do believe materials, processes, and designs with regards to corrosion are inferior in comparison to many other vehicles.

On the other hand the youngest TJ is nearly 14 years old, but they are still everywhere. Because they are worth a lot of money and are fun we keep them on the road longer than other vehicles. If the engine dies in a reasonably clean 2005 TJ with 200,000 miles on it, it is definitely worth repairing. Most decide it's not worth repairing a 2005 Malibu of the same condition. To some extent this is just what happens when you try to keep an old vehicle on the road in the rust belt.

In my opinion vehicles are not designed to last as long as they should. There are better materials, treatments, and coatings, and manufacturers shape metal in a way that welcomes rust with open arms. But overall society doesn't care. Consumers want new things for the sake of it, and manufacturers want it that way.
 
#11 ·
That is why I love the CJs. Fiberglass body, stainless steel hinges, mirrors, etc. Frame is a Throttle Down Customs frame and I paid for the optional galvanize dip. If it isn't 'glass or stainless, it is coated in antiseize or painted with POR15 and top coated. I live about an hour south of Cleveland, Ohio. I build this thing to last thru the winters as a DD.



I would highly suggest spending the money for having any vehicle professionally undercoated and rustproofed when new. I have a 2010 Focus from Tennessee now, 70K on it, and it will be getting treated before next winter. It still looks like it came off the showroom floor, it is going to be a sin to drive it in the winter if I cannot take the CJ.



Unfortunately, like Strelnikov said, my 93 Accord runs like a smooth machine, 400K on it, but strut towers are rotted, hardly any floor boards on the driver side, rear wheel wells are rotted out, I can put my hand thru the roof right above the passenger side windshield, and only 3 brakes work as I pinched off the right rear where it blew out. Gorilla tape and heavy rubber mudflaps got me thru the winter, it will be going to the salvage yard next month when I have a chance to clear it our and drive it over there.
 
#13 ·
Nah, the fiberglass bounces back. If it does crack, a few hours with a little sanding, some resin and matting, more sanding, and paint. quick and easy.
 
#15 ·
That wouldn't work for me. A Civic wouldn't be able to get through the unplowed street I live on, or if the street is plowed it definitely wouldn't be able to get through the snow and ice berm at the end of my driveway that the city snowplow leaves.
 
#16 ·
That's why I spray Fluid Film on the underside of both my son's and daughter's Jeep every fall before the winter season hits. I try to hit everything that will be exposed. It has helped quite a bit. I also drilled holes in the frame (against the FSM suggestion) to drain the frame from all the salt, sand, grime and what ever else get's in there. They both get flushed regularly at the car wash. Will it last forever? No but it will help it last longer than most.

Mine stays in the garage all winter. :grin2:
 
#17 ·
I agree the northeast weather has a lot to do with it. But theres something to say when there are endless replacement parts for the frame, torque box, tub and axle brackets. Weather its from materials or coatings these jeeps are on another level from every other model. No other vehicle has this many replace parts
 
#18 ·
Common sense says that's because Jeep owners tend to keep their vehicles for a long time and want to be able to keep them on the road no matter what. Few car owners keep their cars nearly as long as most Jeep enthusiasts keep their Jeeps. Not so with Ford, Chevy, Honda, etc. owners who just buy another car. Same with classic cars like a '57 Chevy. You can buy any parts you need for them but for a '57 Fiat? Good luck.
 
#19 ·
Like Jerry, I’m in California. My 98 TJ has ZERO rust anywhere on it and my chassis looks better today than it did the day it rolled off the line even though I play at the beach a lot with it. I feel for those who live in the rust belt... I’ve seen some that look like they have been parked next to the Titanic for a while..
 
#20 ·
I live in Hawaii, and there is no place in the US I have ever seen that even comes close to what our tropical rain forest with volcanic acid rain does to cars and trucks here- literally, I have stumbled acrossed the outline of a vehicle, only the big cast iron pieces left (block, trans, axles) left, even eats the seats and plastic, and I could nearly make out what the model was by the outline of the rust in the soil! Every day the jungle works to turn us into compost. My CJ and YJ have some rust, my TJ, none. Everything else I have had, no matter the brand, I have chased the rust the entire time I owned it. I am a welder FYI LOL
 
#21 ·
Well, my TJ grew up in Chicagoland, and it shows. It'll need a full frame replacement, if I can make it live long enough that I can afford that. The next part that will need to be replaced would be the frame where the steering box and bumper mount. Very thin there...
 
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