Comanche Tailgate Rust Repair

[ComancheFan]

Hello so within the next month my dad is finally selling me his 1988 Comanche Chief. He had it repainted about 12 years ago. Now the paint is starting to show its age and i'm looking to have it repainted. The bottom seam on the tailgate is rusted out and i'm wondering whats the best way to repair this before I have it repainted. 

[sloride]

Posting some pics would help.

[sinkrun]

Find rust free gate if you have the funds as rust in a seam will come back almost every time.

[ComancheFan]

Ok so here are pictures of what i'm dealing with. 

 

[sloride]

Find a replacement tailgate is a good option if that's within your means. If it was mine, I would try fixing it first, but I've got the time and I've had previous experience dealing with rust. But also keep in mind that 1 inch of visible rust you see usually gives way to more hidden interior rust..... I would use a pneumatic cutoff wheel to cut what needs cutting and use that waste for a template to replicate new patch. Prep all metal to get good welds with a grinder. Any areas that have rust inside I would Por15 the heck out of it. Be sure to use weld primer where needed. You don't need to reproduce the seam exactly but create a flange to fasten one side of tailgate to another side. I hope you're able to save the gate.

[sloride]

One more trick I like to do is clamp or drive screw new patch panel over the rusted panel I'm cutting. That way i'm cutting the old piece with the new piece at the same time and the edges match exactly. This is done when you want to butt weld pieces together.

[Eagle]

One more trick I like to do is clamp or drive screw new patch panel over the rusted panel I'm cutting. That way i'm cutting the old piece with the new piece at the same time and the edges match exactly. This is done when you want to butt weld pieces together.

Butt weld? You don't use a flanging tool?

[sloride]

I wouldn't think a flanging tool would be needed, but I could be wrong.  This looks like a lower door seam repair.  You grind away the seam this side while leaving the tailgate 'skin' alone.  With the doors I've dealt with, the skin was rusty on the inside not needing replaced, but the seam as well as some adjacent metal needs replaced.  You maintain the edge as best you can, leaving the skin alone as much as possible and cut back this side of the seam. I would bet once he hits it with a grinder, its not as bad as it looks.

[ComancheFan]

Thanks for the reply. I think I will head to my local U pull and see if they have a rust free Mj tailgate. Either way I would like to save this tailgate and keep it for a spare. I have done rust repair in the past and for the most part it has held up, then again I'm in Florida without salt on the roads and the repairs I have done were in the middle of a pannel. I guess we will have to see how it turns out.

[zetabird]

the seam is totaly gone on mine, so bad that the gate flexes when you stand on it. the rest is solid so on mine i plan on cuting the flange off and replacing the bottom with angle iron. not the pretty way to do it but should be fairly stout

[ComancheFan]

Ok so the local salvage yard I went to today didn't have a single MJ on the lot. However it wasn't a wasted trip I did manage a 2 door XJ to pull the seats out of, I'm not sure what year XJ it was but it did have power windows. 

 

[64 Cheyenne]

At least go get the 2dr window switches, they're kind of rare and if you want power windows in your MJ, they look right.

[ComancheFan]

[gogmorgo]

The MJ doors are the same as the pre-96 4-door XJ front doors.

[johnj92131]

Do go back and grab the power window and power door lock stuff form that XJ.  Get the door wiring harness also, all the way into the interior of the car.  The more the better.

 

You will need MJ seat brackets to mount the XJ seats.  You scored good with the 2 door XJ seats.

[ComancheFan]

I do need to go back to that salvage yard I didn't even make it to where all the Jeeps were when my friend spotted the XJ about halfway to where the domestic cars should be. I was expecting to find a 4 door and have seats that didn't fold forward, I was overjoyed when I saw it still had the seats.

 

So I need the locks and window switches and all the wireing, then I can find a 4 door XJ and put the 2 door switches on them?

[64 Cheyenne]

Just get the 2dr switches first, thats the peach. Any 4dr, power window, front XJ doors, 96 down for ease of swap, will fit. You can get these anytime, like I said "the 2dr switches...." Pull your wiring when you pull your doors, or fab your own harness, there is a schematic posted on the board somewhere.