I heard two clunks the other day while I was driving, and once I got home I took a look at what had happened. My chassis rusted through right next to my drivers side leaf springs. The whole truck is on a slant now. Only one side is out, the inner piece is just cracked






Could I try to reinforce it with some metal and bolts/weldinh? Or would this be a more heavy duty job?

 

Sorry, park it, it's toast.

 

Did you leaf spring go through the floor? Regardless its only really good for parts, the amount of time and money to fix that right is not worth it.

 

Besides the frame in that spot, everything else is intact. Wheels, fenders and leaf springs are all fine. This jeep is my baby, and I can't really afford anything else right now.

 

If you are handy with a welder you could definitely repair it, but it'd be a bit of work...

 

Part it out and buy another.

 

If you keep driving this thing like this, how much of a hospital stay can you afford?

 

^This, if it really is just that spot (unlikely, usually when you have rust that bad there is more you can't see) and you have plenty of solid metal on both sides to weld to it can be fixed, but it will definitely be some work.


Your best options would likely be to either get a good section of frame rail from a "donor" XJ or replace it with box section, plate, angle-iron, etc.





^This too, definitely don't continue driving it in its current state. Not only will you continue to do more damage and end any hope of repairing it, but if suspension mounting points fail you could loose control of the vehicle, and of course that thing will fold up like an accordion in an accident with the frame compromised like that.

 

I weld for a living, at a trash processing and recycling company. I see banged up, twisted, ripped, sheared, rusty metal all day long, on dumpsters, rolloffs, garbage trucks, heavy equipment, and machinery, and repair said metal. Let me tell you about rust...it isn't what you see, it's what you DON"T see. Only way to get rid of it is to cut it out, and put new metal in its place. Sometimes it's feasible, sometimes you cut your losses. In this case, I would cut your losses. That thing is unsafe. Find a part out, and buy the body, and start swapping parts, you'll thank yourself later.

 

Park it do not drive it like that,Anything can be fixed but its already past the point of no return.To fix it right it needs to be put on a frame table set back to factory specs and weld in a full frame rail on that side.Its not going to be cheap at all and if that side failed i bet it has rust as bad else where.

 

Like all have told you its a parts XJ now, PARK IT!

 

So true.

 

yep. sorry bud, she's done.

probably packed full of mud.

 

Hey guys, thanks for the replies. I found welder that my friend recommened, and they are replacing the rusted metal...all around... for cheap. I have not been driving it. No hospital bills needed.

 

If you're still driving this.. Prayers are headed your way man. This is extremely unsafe.. One obstacle in the road and that side of the frame could say good bye. As previously stated .. That's only the start, rust is hard to see until you really cut into it. I however see potential if you park it and take the time to DO IT RIGHT! Cut probably 6-8" out past the rust of each side and see what you've got. If it's clean metal and you know someone who can weld, and I mean a good welder that you can trust literally your life with, have him weld it up. With rust like that, the whole jeep is going to need an inspection top to bottom for rust, I'd say it's plausible to fix.. But only if it's done right and is parked... Like yesterday.. This is a serious safety issue.

Good luck man