Calling All East Coast Daily Drivers! Corrosion Question

[mechedjun1]

Hey guys, my name is Dave. Soon to be a first time owner of a CJ7 (Crossing finger). My current prospect vehicle is a 83 CJ7 with minimal or no rust. The vehicle has original paint, no interior liner, and no liner or seal on the undercarriage. Original Body/Tub and Frame.

I plan to DD this thing even in winter. No garage, parked off street outside. I plan to clean the thing normally but no plans for liner, etc. So I started to read about rust and corrosion and found opinions flying in all directions. So I wanted to come straight out and ask those of you who've lived it. If you live in the East Coast (or somewhere with all four seasons and salt every winter) and DD your CJ I'd love to hear from you.

The comments about how bad the rust problem is on a CJ really make it seems like all it takes is a single bad winter and the thing melts to the ground. But how bad is it really? Is the corrosion so rapid that I need to seriously consider re-painting the body/tub and put liner on it to keep rust off? How about the frame? How fast does a normal CJ corrode? Again, will be parked outside, and will be driven everyday including days when the roads are bright white. FYI, will not be offroading. Thanks guys.

 

[Woolyworm]

I'm in central northern Maine. I'm lucky enough to garage mine in the winter now but drove it for a few years through. I had pretty good luck with Fluid Film. It's a wax based oily spray. I just touch up any spots that need attention in the spring and then would coat everything with Fluid Film again in the fall. I'd also power wash as much of the inside of the frame as I could every couple of weeks through winter. Seemed to work well for me. Salt sucks and that liquid spray is even worse.


Wooly

 

[mechedjun1]

I'm in central northern Maine. I'm lucky enough to garage mine in the winter now but drove it for a few years through. I had pretty good luck with Fluid Film. It's a wax based oily spray. I just touch up any spots that need attention in the spring and then would coat everything with Fluid Film again in the fall. I'd also power wash as much of the inside of the frame as I could every couple of weeks through winter. Seemed to work well for me. Salt sucks and that liquid spray is even worse.


Wooly

Hmm.. I heard good things about Fluid Film but never had any personal experience with it. I'll definitely read more up on fluid film. Thanks! Have you ever just driven through with applying any preventive measures?

 

[steve1973]

Best thing you can do is power wash the underside completely. In the Northeast. It doesn't need to be a CJ to rust. They all will.


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[WireEd]

Hi Mech,

To put into perspective the body on my 79 CJ5 was beyond repair and had to be replaced in 1982 because of rust. It was replaced w fiberglass. The frame was toast but lasted about 10 years. I replaced that. It was a dd back then. I garage it now and no winters.

Oh and I live in Syracuse lol. Understand it won't last long as dd with salt.


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[Dolf]

Grew up in Northern Minnesota and now live in Northern Virginia. I get Ziebart on all of the vehicles that I plan on keeping for a while. If it’s done right, it can stave off rust for a long time. Sometimes if it’s not done right, people have problems, but it sounds like you have a good vehicle to start off with. If you have the money, I would definitely consider it.

 

[Woolyworm]

Not in my CJ. Most of the guys in my club are DD year round. The salt will in a year start to rust any unpainted steel. It will then get worse and worse. Within 5-6 years you'll likely have rust creeping under the paint and starting to cause problems. A brand new vehicle can expect rust through on the body in typical locations, corner areas and running board where salt and sand and crib get in and stay in including books and crannys of the frame in about 10 years.

If you are talking about that sweet CJ for $6500, you'll defiantly want to do something to protect it. I wheel mine through the tight woods and drag it over rocks and all the time so I just go with flat camp paint and touch everything up a couple of times a year to keep rust at bay.

If you really want to do it right I think your talking about POR-15, but that's a pretty serious undertaking to do it correctly.

I bought my CJ for about $3k, have probably another $3-4k in it in off road stuff and work and drive a truck in the winter to preserve my jeep investment.

I don't think the CJ will rust any faster or slower than anything else but it will rust. Yearly upkeep and regular washing is your best defense next to a winter vehicle.

Here's my truck - kind of a shame to rust this out as well.

Wooly

 

[PaRenegade]

I'll just throw this out there. My tubs been off for a resto so I was able to go the extra steps of metal repair, etch, POR15 seams & welds, seam seal those and then coat it all with POR15. But what I used for the finish coat you may consider. It's called FlexCote and it's made by POR. It's a heavy solids paint and comes in colors and it was originally made for boat hulls because it resists salt water. It goes on with a brush or spray gun and it's finish reminds me of an epoxy or gelcoat.
FLEXCOTE

 

[Fastatv]

Dang Wooly.....I hope you dont drive that truck much in the salt. That truck is fairly rare in itself....especially with four wheel drive!

 

[Peanut Butter]

Although I currently don't live in the North, I've lived all over the US while I was in the military. atriot: I think there are a couple of different factors as to why people think a Jeep will rust more so than any other vehicle. Modern vehicles are dipped in a rust preventive primer. That process coats everything. Jeeps were not dipped back in the day. 4 Wheeling, even if just in tall grass or brush has a tendency to rub the paint off of metal in areas that you don't look at daily. This rubbing produces bare metal and bare metal will rust even without salt. What I'm getting at is even with a modern dipped vehicle, rust in the North will be a problem. A good coat of paint, proper maintenance, and a good wash every now and then will extend the life of your Jeep. Are you still going to have rust, Yes. But when you see rust, take care of it. Too many people let it go because it was just the old jeep.

 

[Hedgehog]

I lived in the Adirondacks until my early 20's and we had a few jeep vehicles. I believe the CJ's rust is partially the way they were put together and how they were used. Jeeps sported snow plows and hauled hay and pulled wagons and hauled maple sap for syrup. They weren't thought of as "The Family Car", so they weren't expected to have the same fit and finish. Jeeps had/have lots of exposed nooks and crannies for salty sand to build up in. I believe that is what causes the really bad rust in vehicles especially in a jeep that almost never got washed. It was worked and worked hard then parked in a damp shed of field until it was needed again. Our jeeps would have rust in places you couldn't wash like in the body seams. My dad knew a fellow that would find those cavities, drill them and occasionally pump in old motor oil, his vehicle would occasionally drip, but they were practically rust free.

 

[Dan77CJ7]

Not in my CJ. Most of the guys in my club are DD year round. The salt will in a year start to rust any unpainted steel. It will then get worse and worse. Within 5-6 years you'll likely have rust creeping under the paint and starting to cause problems. A brand new vehicle can expect rust through on the body in typical locations, corner areas and running board where salt and sand and crib get in and stay in including books and crannys of the frame in about 10 years.

If you are talking about that sweet CJ for $6500, you'll defiantly want to do something to protect it. I wheel mine through the tight woods and drag it over rocks and all the time so I just go with flat camp paint and touch everything up a couple of times a year to keep rust at bay.

If you really want to do it right I think your talking about POR-15, but that's a pretty serious undertaking to do it correctly.

I bought my CJ for about $3k, have probably another $3-4k in it in off road stuff and work and drive a truck in the winter to preserve my jeep investment.

I don't think the CJ will rust any faster or slower than anything else but it will rust. Yearly upkeep and regular washing is your best defense next to a winter vehicle.

Here's my truck - kind of a shame to rust this out as well.

Wooly

Nice ride... did you swap the grill? or did that year have an option for single headlight w/bowtie?

 

[Dan77CJ7]

Hey guys, my name is Dave. Soon to be a first time owner of a CJ7 (Crossing finger). My current prospect vehicle is a 83 CJ7 with minimal or no rust. The vehicle has original paint, no interior liner, and no liner or seal on the undercarriage. Original Body/Tub and Frame.

I plan to DD this thing even in winter. No garage, parked off street outside. I plan to clean the thing normally but no plans for liner, etc. So I started to read about rust and corrosion and found opinions flying in all directions. So I wanted to come straight out and ask those of you who've lived it. If you live in the East Coast (or somewhere with all four seasons and salt every winter) and DD your CJ I'd love to hear from you.

The comments about how bad the rust problem is on a CJ really make it seems like all it takes is a single bad winter and the thing melts to the ground. But how bad is it really? Is the corrosion so rapid that I need to seriously consider re-painting the body/tub and put liner on it to keep rust off? How about the frame? How fast does a normal CJ corrode? Again, will be parked outside, and will be driven everyday including days when the roads are bright white. FYI, will not be offroading. Thanks guys.

I like fluid film it has work very well for rust prevention ..... Fluid Film Undercoating

 

[Woolyworm]

Nice ride... did you swap the grill? or did that year have an option for single headlight w/bowtie?

Thanks. No-it's been restored and I think that was all he could find?? A new GMC grill and lights is $500 plus. I'm going to at least see if I an take the tie off - or sell the tie grill and find a gmc.


Wooly