I just moved to CO from NY and brought my 89 YJ along. Unfortunately the frame took a beating with the salt in the winter. Certain parts of the frame are perfect and some parts are really bad. Just recently the skid plate fell off on the driver side frame rail. The frame is rusted through where the skid plate bolts to the frame. I dont really have any welding experience and don't know what to do. Any ideas would be very helpful. Is the frame salvageable? Is it time for a new frame? Should I be looking for another Jeep? Thanks for any suggestions <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

you're kinda between a rock and a hard place here. if the skid plate is coming off, the prob is pretty bad, and obvious. not to mention you have the 4 banger. how much do you have invested in it now? maybe it's time for the dealer trade in on a new rubicon <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />. i would bite down hard and get rid of it, but that's just me. nobody will want to buy this with that kind of rust, esp. in colorado. how about looking for another jeep that's been in a bad accident, or some such deal where you could scavenge yours for all it's worth? rob

Thanks, thats what I figured. I don't wanna get rid of it being that I am very attatched to it, but rust is a never ending battle. I figure Ill take all my extras off and salvage what I can like you suggested. I just don't wanna see it go to a junkyard, especially with such a well running engine, cause it could be a good project truck for someone who has the right tools and time.
Chris

Im with my south of the border amigo. Take what ya can and salvage the rest. Rust is like a death blow on jeeps. And if its to the point you say it is...give it the ol <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/patriot.gif" alt="" /> a retire it. Maybe try sellen the engine if its still good. Always someone looken to replace the lil ol four they blew... Or tryen to get better MPG with gas prices <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> Good luck... Go for a Rubi if ya got the $$$ <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />

if you just weanna make it run and last a little longer..... get the wleder out and the angle grinder. make your own SUPER frame...

buy a tube chassis from one of the rock buggy fab shops and switch everything over. for the same cash you drop on another jeep, you could have an excellent trail rig and something in the garage not too many people have. a rusted out frame with good parts on it sounds like an excellent excuse for a project. just make sure it has a 7 slot grille on the front. then you can still call it a jeep.

just read

you're right, but it doesn't sound like it will be you. too bad <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

I come from the land of 10000 rust buckets and have dealt with this before and won. Take a hammer to the frame and tap the whole thing down. Tap out all of the rust and then wire brush the rest. Take the shop vac to it and get all the dirt and excess out of the inside of the frame that you can. Now spray the whole thing down with a rust converter. (not a paint). The rust converter is clear but will turn all of the remaining rust black. Now look around for a welding shop and have a professional weld some new metal on for you. These guys usually work cheep if you donÆt piss um off somehow and will probably do the whole thing for a around a hundred bucks.

My CJ had rust on the frame right at the rear frame perchesà not sure if the YJÆs had that same issue but you only need to drive a CJ past a salt shaker to have um rust out at the rear perches. If yours is rusty in the rear, consider swapping the springs with Comanche springs. There six inches longer from the axel to the perch so you can move the perches off of the rusty area. If you need to do this, do it before you go to the welder so he can weld a metal bracket from frame to perch. When done paint the frame with a rust resistant paint.

If the frame is so bad that its sagging then forget everything I said and start looking for a new frame or a new ride.