Frame fix

Rigss88

Member 2024
VA4WDA
I need to fix my frame is kind of rusty and I both section to fix it. If somebody done that before please shoot me some ideas cause I never did it before.

Any help is welcome


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If you want clear the rust off, Naval Jelly works great. if it’s really bad you’ll have to knock off the thickest parts with a wire brush or a disk or oscillating tool for the nooks and crannies. Then you use the Naval Jelly to dissolve the remaining rust. Then re-coat with a preventative paint.

i‘m a BIG fan of cold galvanizing spray paint.

various manufacturers offer a version of it, they’re basically all the same. Zinc powder mixed with flat clear enamel spray paint. It leaves a flat gray surface that fades to a bluish gray patina. It lasts a long time if it’s on something that doesn’t get a lot of wear.

Its great for preventing rust, or painting over light rust with no prep at all. I’ve used it on a jet ski trailer converted to haul kayaks. I sprayed some raw A36 mild steel with it 5 years ago and there’s still not a trace of rust on it, even sitting out in the weather for 5 years.

you could paint the repair spots with it, then spray flat black over it and be pretty certain it will never rust again.


and then there’s a seasonal fluid-film treatment. That’s a huge help too.
 
It is a TJ, right? Assuming it is bad enough that you have holes in the common places, you will need to look i to Safe-T-Caps. Or look for a frame in better condition and do a frame swap. You can talk to Robyn (@sticksout ) about the Safe-T-Caps. On my CJ, I had it bad enough that I found a frame for sale and prepped it in my garage and eventually moved everything from the old chassis to the new.

Not a fun job either way. Good luck.
 
My TJ was so rusted when I finally parted it out it was ready to break in half just sitting in the driveway.
 
Rustbuster makes a bunch of frame repair kits, that are definitely quite involved, but depending on where / how bad the rust is, it may be worth considering if a new frame is not an option

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just a side note, technically all aftermarket frame repairs fail state inspection.

Could you provide a bit more information as to where that is codified?

19VAC30-70-120 under section one details how welded frame repairs must be "in accordance with the vehicle manufacturer's recommendations."

Not sure exactly what year @Rigss88 TJ is but in the 02 TJ FSM page 13-4 specifically calls out procedures for weld repairs and even goes so far as to say in 13-4.4 that "If necessary when a side rail is repaired, grind the weld smooth and install a reinforcement channel (Fig. 4) over the repaired area."

It does specifically call out however that "A reinforcement should never be used on the front section of the frame." so depending on where the damaged area is that could come into play.

Additional FSMs can be found here if interested!
 
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Well actually my frame wasn’t that bad I just clean it. The only area that I have to weld is where the skid plate go…


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Well actually my frame wasn’t that bad I just clean it. The only area that I have to weld is where the skid plate go…


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Do you have pics of the area? Does it include the area where the skids actually bolts to the frame? That could be a problem if that allows tge skid to drop off.
 
Could you provide a bit more information as to where that is codified?

19VAC30-70-120 under section one details how welded frame repairs must be "in accordance with the vehicle manufacturer's recommendations."

Not sure exactly what year @Rigss88 TJ is but in the 02 TJ FSM page 13-4 specifically calls out procedures for weld repairs and even goes so far as to say in 13-4.4 that "If necessary when a side rail is repaired, grind the weld smooth and install a reinforcement channel (Fig. 4) over the repaired area."

It does specifically call out however that "A reinforcement should never be used on the front section of the frame." so depending on where the damaged area is that could come into play.

Additional FSMs can be found here if interested!
19VAC30-70-120. Frame, Engine Mounts, Coupling Devices and Emergency Chains.
 Inspectors are required to inspect for and reject if – frame or unitized (monocoque) body of any motor vehicle, trailer or semitrailer possesses one or more of the following defective characteristics: rust holes; any area of the frame or its components is broken, cracked, sagging, or bent; or damaged at any location to include any welded joint; the frame is corroded to the point where it is weakened; or any holes are drilled in the top or bottom rail flanges of the frame or the frame or cross-member (except as specified by the manufacturer).
NOTE: Any welded repair of the frame must be in accordance with the vehicle manufacturer's recommendations.

I personally have never been able to find anything published by Jeep with authorized rusted frame repairs. Manufactures usually stay clear of all liabilities. But as long as a recall, tsb or ssm etc could be presented it would be ok. Technically by that code drilling a hole in the frame for a drain would also fail.
 
19VAC30-70-120. Frame, Engine Mounts, Coupling Devices and Emergency Chains.
 Inspectors are required to inspect for and reject if – frame or unitized (monocoque) body of any motor vehicle, trailer or semitrailer possesses one or more of the following defective characteristics: rust holes; any area of the frame or its components is broken, cracked, sagging, or bent; or damaged at any location to include any welded joint; the frame is corroded to the point where it is weakened; or any holes are drilled in the top or bottom rail flanges of the frame or the frame or cross-member (except as specified by the manufacturer).
NOTE: Any welded repair of the frame must be in accordance with the vehicle manufacturer's recommendations.

I personally have never been able to find anything published by Jeep with authorized rusted frame repairs. Manufactures usually stay clear of all liabilities. But as long as a recall, tsb or ssm etc could be presented it would be ok. Technically by that code drilling a hole in the frame for a drain would also fail.
That last sentence is what I was thinking about when I read the part about holes being added. Hell, those get added by owners to prolong and preserve the frame.

My hardass inspextor had let me pass three years of frame repairs, until one day. He said no more. New frame or never bring it to him again. So a new frame it was.
 
That last sentence is what I was thinking about when I read the part about holes being added. Hell, those get added by owners to prolong and preserve the frame.

My hardass inspextor had let me pass three years of frame repairs, until one day. He said no more. New frame or never bring it to him again. So a new frame it was.
I totally agree with you on the drain hole. But, there’s always that one guy that drills 20 holes down each side! So for me it’s case by case. He couldn’t of been that bad for giving you 3 years! Haha. I think a lot of people get confused with accident related frame repairs and rust related.
 
If you have any bad sections of your frame its worth putting a bore scope ($30, amazon) down each frame rail and see what you're dealing with. Heck, its worth doing this on any TJ. TJ frames rust from the inside out and often look just find externally until they fail. SafeTcaps are a good option if you do your own welding, but very expensive if you need to have them done professionally.
 
So far is all done and my car been taste now I will get somebody to test it to se if any inspector will give me hard time


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So far is all done and my car been taste now I will get somebody to test it to se if any inspector will give me hard time


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Sorry I mean that my car I test it off road. I did not eat my car.


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If you have any bad sections of your frame its worth putting a bore scope ($30, amazon) down each frame rail and see what you're dealing with. Heck, its worth doing this on any TJ. TJ frames rust from the inside out and often look just find externally until they fail. SafeTcaps are a good option if you do your own welding, but very expensive if you need to have them done professionally.
The Scrambler was that way. It looked good when I bought it. But it was rotting from the inside out. When I put my finger into many of the opening, I could tell that the flaked rust was very deep layong on the bottom. It was bad.
 
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This is what I use to go on top my frame I didn’t cut nothing on my old frame just clean the rust out and weld from the beginning to the end, inside and outside


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