XJ “frame” rust repair questions
- Thread starter strange1
- Start date
ghost
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- May 25, 2006
- Location
- Hartsville/Camden,SC
Anything in the rail means you got a lot elsewhere. Most of us XJ guys just ditch them at that point and swap parts over to another cheap xj. I had a nice 5 speed 95 xj that developed an elctrical problem. When I pulled the carpet you could see the ground and inside the "frame rail." It was parted and scrapped. JMHO.
untchabl
I like rocks
- Joined
- Mar 30, 2009
- Location
- Bear Creek, NC 27207
Avoid anything that has rust in the actual unibody rails. Check around the leaf spring mounts, control arm mounts, etc. If it has rusty floor boards but the unibody rails look solid, I wouldn't worry about it if it's just going to be a cheap off-road toy. I had one years ago that I cut the rusty floors out and welded in some flat sheetmetal to replace them. It was just a wheeling rig so who cares.
Wouldn't worry about any body rust on a cheap off-road toy that's just going to get beat up anyway.
Look for cracks in the unibody around the steering box, not a rust issue but a somewhat common issue on XJ's.
Wouldn't worry about any body rust on a cheap off-road toy that's just going to get beat up anyway.
Look for cracks in the unibody around the steering box, not a rust issue but a somewhat common issue on XJ's.
The channels seem solid, the floors have almost completely removed themselves. Not a terrible amount around the suspension mounts, except for the spring seats on the front axle itself. I’m gonna get some rail stiffners and sheet metal and play with it.
untchabl
I like rocks
- Joined
- Mar 30, 2009
- Location
- Bear Creek, NC 27207
Worst part of floor rust will be the seat mounts, hopefully those are still solid and you can replace the floor around them. When I redid some years ago, I had to drill the spot welds and remove the front seat mounts. Welded in some sheet metal and then welded the front seat mounts back in.
Post some pics of what you're working with.
Post some pics of what you're working with.
Drivers side west mount looks solid enough, passenger side needs some work but both bolts came out and the nuts are still in the correct spot. I think I’ll clean the rails up and add some frame stiffners before i do much of anything else. After I give it a tune up and confirm it runs decent.
95, 4-cyl, 5-speed, manual windows, but has rear air and cruise. Seems odd on what would otherwise appear to be a very basic vehicle. I washed it with a scotch brite pad to remove years of neglect, so there are some swirls to be addressed and the paint that’s left is pretty dull.
ghost
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- May 25, 2006
- Location
- Hartsville/Camden,SC
Not as bad as the one I scrapped but that is bad floor rot.
The passenger side seat channel is the part I am most worried about. Everything can be ugly, but that has to be strong as well
skyhighZJ
Gov retirement < needs to live
- Joined
- May 31, 2012
- Location
- Aberdeen, NC.
They are just spot welded and come out pretty damn easy. Rosette welds or bolts with washers to put it back together. When I did floors I just removed them from the equation and added them back after the floor pans were finished. Made it actually easier in the long run than trying to fit pans around them. YMMV.
untchabl
I like rocks
- Joined
- Mar 30, 2009
- Location
- Bear Creek, NC 27207
Drill the spot welds and pull the front seat mounts on both sides. Cut out the rust and weld in new metal, then weld the seat mounts back in. That will get them out of your way and make it easier to fix the floors.
I figure this was the most cost efficient way to fix the floor considering…. It needed a transmission, and the rust bucket had a good one. The radiator support is pushed back some and the fenders were hacked to pieces. Will be swapping as much of the green front clip as I can.
