• Notice for iPhone users: DO NOT use the image size reduction option when uploading photos to the forum. This causes portrait images to post as landscape. We have added a warning to the image insert pop-up as well.

How to stop frame from rusting from inside out

F

fourwheelinj1

CJ-8 Member
City
Raleigh
State
NC
I have been looking for a Scrambler for a few years now and I think I might be purchasing one soon. I have one major concern about the frames rusting. I have seen scrambler after scrambler with frame rust/rot and most seem to be doing it from the inside out. If I clean up the outside of the frame and paint/coat it good how do I prevent the inside from continuing to rust?
 
Another approach

Well there is a school of thought that rust is only delayed.....
However, I saw a frame off restore post for a YJ & when I did my son's YJ frame off, we first got a good frame from a Colorado donor that had a dash fire (got tub too). What this guy did & I emulated was tape all the holes in the frame, then tip one end high & pour in some paint (obviously clean it out first best you can & toss some degreaser in!). Then rotate frame 90 degrees each time until all four inner sides are coated. I caught drippings in a pain under low end. He used hammerite Rustoeum paint. I used POR15 (PRICEY!). When I do the Scrmaber this winder I think I will use an SEM product. The guy I bought the Scramber from does restores & he likes the SEM product better than the POR & after he showed me some applied I think I like it better too. Also slightly cheaper. I paid $150 for a gallon of black POR & still have to top coat cause not UV proof.I know I got a decent inner coating on the YJ because I saw the film covering the holes when I peeled off the tape. BTW, I cheated cause I have an electric hard top hoist I made & used that to put one end up in air. People here like pics (me too!) so I posted some from the YJ project. The last two show the black POR film sealing the holes. It did not really need to be blasted but I had it blasted anyway. The inside of the tub needed blasting but they did both reasonably & I could start fresh. Hope this helps someone else. I liked it so well I will definitely use it on the Scrambler frame. I need to decide to patch metal tub or go fiber glass tub next.... but need to post that in a separate thread in right forum. thnx, Danimal
 
Danimal - Clever.

I'm probably going to go the hot galvanizing route once I get the frame structure repaired. Not sure on paint. Something strong. Bedliner! :rotfl:

A customer of mine recommended getting the new tub electro-plated, like the manufacturers do at the factory. Supposed to really help prevent rust....might be something can be done to the frame?
 
Put boiled linseed oil on the inside. Makes an almost impenetrable barrier. Way better than paint. You can put it over bare metal. For best results have the inside cleaned by sandblasting with a 360 degree blasting nozzle or use some kind of chemical rust stripper. When the linseed oil dries(after several weeks, but you can still reassemble stuff on the frame while its drying) you have a rust-salt-water proof barrier. Its almost like a glaze, If you've ever seen glazed pottery.
 
Eastwood's website has a tech section that addresses frame restoration using their products.
 
CJ-8 leaking manual transmission fluid seems to stop rust permanently. I have a completely rusted out tub but the tranny tunnel is in mint condition.:rolleyes:
 
Oil products are a good rust deterant

yes The frame on the side where the power sterring lines on mine were oozing have zero rust for the same reason! :cool:
 
Hot dip galv

I spoke to a local place that does the hot dip galvanizing and they said that vehicle frames can warp because of the extreme temps of the process. Any truth to this?
 
My galvanizer worried that might happen with sheet metal as I asked them about dipping a tub.

Thy didn't mention any concerns when they dipped my frame which came out fine and true BUT it was a new Matkins level 2 HD frame.

I've seen plenty of galvanized boat trailers using lighter steel than a stock Jeep frame is all I can say in response to the concern.
 
tubs

Tubs are different. The were likely stamped out of sheetmetal that was already galvanized. The "galvanization" is very brittle, and when they are stamped of formed, the area that get the most stress flake off.

I wouldn't worry about dipping a frame, unless it had really weak spots to begin with.

KK
 
sequence

racinrudy said:
I had this done several years ago an a new build I did. I couldn't beleive how cheap, fast and easy it was to have done.

Best solution by far.
Click to expand...

So, do you do this before or after you painting/re-painting the exterior of the frame? If you paint it after galvanizing, does it cause issue with paint bonding or require additional surface prep to paint?
 
POR-15. Plug all the holes and pour it in and tip the frame all different ways to coat it.

If you go through my build thread you will see I used it and on the underside of the tub.

I just had the Jeep shipped out West a few weeks ago and it sat for a yr in Florida at a friends house. Got it back and no rust, even in the side holes where I poured it into every which way (I have rock guards going on the sides).

Stuff is great.
 
if the frame is solid, galvanizing is fine. dipping the tub would probably warp the body panels.
 
I'm on the fence. I want to galvanize but I know down the road I will be adding things and then that part will get ruined. I guess as long as the interior part of the frame stays in tact then the rest can be painted though. So for cheep then, what is the average cost to galvanize a frame?
 
Just another thought. I have used a greaselike substance which is called Mike Sanders Korrosionsschutzfett on several frames before (for the inside). You have to heat it till it is an oillike fluid which is then sprayed on. When it's cold it's thick as butter or so. The advantage to paint is that it creeps better and won't crack. I built a trailer once where I wanted to galvanize the frame. However the company told me that I have to expect some distorsion and there is no way of knowing before how much it will distort before you try it. I painted it instead.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top