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Frame Rot...how long can I go


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I know you don't want to hear this but...just fix it. Fix it now. Don't wait. Nobody on a forum can give the accurate advice you want. What I CAN tell you is that it needs to be fixed and should be fixed now. Cutting it out and remaking that from thicker steel won't be difficult for someone with some knowhow.

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Anything is fixable. http://www.comancheclub.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=25969&start=15 my frame rot repair thread. I haven't updated it in a while because I've been busy actually fixing it. I got the major patches welded in last week and once I finish the bed, its going to the shop to have the rest of it patched. Try to find cwlongshot 's thread of a similar frame repair.

 

It takes a lot of time and you'll need a small angle grinder and mig/flux core welder. Total, I've spent about $150 so far. $30 in cut off wheels, $75 to rent the flux core for a week, and $50 in paint and random hardware (I had steel from an old project, 1/8"). Labor though, it's taken me hours and hours. And more hours. Had to remove the bed and gas tank to get at it all.

 

As for how long it can go... my frame was probably heavily rotted for years and I had no idea until I decided to poke around with a screwdriver. Key thing to check is the spring hanger and if it is still attached to the frame above it. If not, then it shouldn't move until patched.

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Nothing personal and no offense meant, but that looks like something that has happened over a bunch of time. The fact that you "just noticed" it tells me you don't spend enough time on your back under the Jeep. e.g. The muffler and CAT look like they've had some work in the last, say, 2-3 years. Missing that much rot, :no:

 

Drive the Mustang, park the Jeep til you can fix it.

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Yeah, I haven't had the cause/reason to spend much time under the truck lately. You name it and it's already been replaced and/or repaired.

 

I never thought to look for frame rot-especially since I removed the bed and POR-15'd the entire underbody less than 3 years ago.

 

And yes, the next Jeep pick-up (Wrangler based with the new V6 Pentastar engine) is expected to be available late next year. I love my MJ, but it's time. :cry:

 

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I never thought to look for frame rot-especially since I removed the bed and POR-15'd the entire underbody less than 3 years ago

 

I guess I'm spoiled living out here in the west. My 88 has pretty much zero rust issues and I don't even KNOW how fast the crap can take over once it gets a full winter of salted roads, We use snd/gravel out here, and I have to go to the mountains looking for it. The rest of the time the roads are just...wet.

 

I would expect POR 15 to last longer than ME, let alone allow any corrosion to creep in 3 years later.

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I cut out my bad spots and welded in new patches. Once it was ground down it almost looked like it was never touched. Problem was though, the more I poked around, the more spots I found. Frame rot is what led me to pull the truck off the road for a year, get a new bed, and paint the whole thing. Very common problem for north east comanches. Makes me wonder how many were junked for this reason.

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