Re: '88 Grand Wagon frame rusted
 

Mark Corbelli wrote:
> No disrespect but this Jeep spent it's whole life in central Virginia. No
> road salt, no salt air. I routinely washed the undercarriage. It went on the
> beach 3-5 times a year for a total of maybe 15 days spent near the ocean per
> year...If ever there was a frame that was in a geographical region that
> tradition has it that their should be minimum rust, this is it. I've decided
> against finding another Jeep and using it's frame as I think you'll have the
> same problems, or at least the potential for them.
>
>

You have just described the perfect scenario to rot out a gas tank skid
plate. The plates are open which allows sand to get inside if you spin
the tires even slightly. This salty sand hangs on any oil or in corners
and corrugations and holds humidity. It gets wet every time you drive
in the rain. I used a pressure washer for two full days on my frame to
try and get all the sand out of it when I pulled the body off my CJ7.
The stuck sand was a major factor in the frame rot areas.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
(More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)

Re: '88 Grand Wagon frame rusted
 

Mark Corbelli wrote:
> No disrespect but this Jeep spent it's whole life in central Virginia. No
> road salt, no salt air. I routinely washed the undercarriage. It went on the
> beach 3-5 times a year for a total of maybe 15 days spent near the ocean per
> year...If ever there was a frame that was in a geographical region that
> tradition has it that their should be minimum rust, this is it. I've decided
> against finding another Jeep and using it's frame as I think you'll have the
> same problems, or at least the potential for them.
>
>

You have just described the perfect scenario to rot out a gas tank skid
plate. The plates are open which allows sand to get inside if you spin
the tires even slightly. This salty sand hangs on any oil or in corners
and corrugations and holds humidity. It gets wet every time you drive
in the rain. I used a pressure washer for two full days on my frame to
try and get all the sand out of it when I pulled the body off my CJ7.
The stuck sand was a major factor in the frame rot areas.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
(More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)

Re: '88 Grand Wagon frame rusted
 

Mark Corbelli wrote:
> No disrespect but this Jeep spent it's whole life in central Virginia. No
> road salt, no salt air. I routinely washed the undercarriage. It went on the
> beach 3-5 times a year for a total of maybe 15 days spent near the ocean per
> year...If ever there was a frame that was in a geographical region that
> tradition has it that their should be minimum rust, this is it. I've decided
> against finding another Jeep and using it's frame as I think you'll have the
> same problems, or at least the potential for them.
>
>

You have just described the perfect scenario to rot out a gas tank skid
plate. The plates are open which allows sand to get inside if you spin
the tires even slightly. This salty sand hangs on any oil or in corners
and corrugations and holds humidity. It gets wet every time you drive
in the rain. I used a pressure washer for two full days on my frame to
try and get all the sand out of it when I pulled the body off my CJ7.
The stuck sand was a major factor in the frame rot areas.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
(More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)

Re: '88 Grand Wagon frame rusted
 

Mark Corbelli wrote:
> No disrespect but this Jeep spent it's whole life in central Virginia. No
> road salt, no salt air. I routinely washed the undercarriage. It went on the
> beach 3-5 times a year for a total of maybe 15 days spent near the ocean per
> year...If ever there was a frame that was in a geographical region that
> tradition has it that their should be minimum rust, this is it. I've decided
> against finding another Jeep and using it's frame as I think you'll have the
> same problems, or at least the potential for them.
>
>

You have just described the perfect scenario to rot out a gas tank skid
plate. The plates are open which allows sand to get inside if you spin
the tires even slightly. This salty sand hangs on any oil or in corners
and corrugations and holds humidity. It gets wet every time you drive
in the rain. I used a pressure washer for two full days on my frame to
try and get all the sand out of it when I pulled the body off my CJ7.
The stuck sand was a major factor in the frame rot areas.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
(More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)

Re: '88 Grand Wagon frame rusted
 

So given that you are right, and that the salt/sand got stuck in the nooks
and crannies of the skid plate and held water against the frame, is this
region of the frame easier to fix than perhaps somewhere else?

Re: '88 Grand Wagon frame rusted
 

So given that you are right, and that the salt/sand got stuck in the nooks
and crannies of the skid plate and held water against the frame, is this
region of the frame easier to fix than perhaps somewhere else?

Re: '88 Grand Wagon frame rusted
 

So given that you are right, and that the salt/sand got stuck in the nooks
and crannies of the skid plate and held water against the frame, is this
region of the frame easier to fix than perhaps somewhere else?

Re: '88 Grand Wagon frame rusted
 

So given that you are right, and that the salt/sand got stuck in the nooks
and crannies of the skid plate and held water against the frame, is this
region of the frame easier to fix than perhaps somewhere else?

Re: '88 Grand Wagon frame rusted
 

Mark Corbelli wrote:
> So given that you are right, and that the salt/sand got stuck in the nooks
> and crannies of the skid plate and held water against the frame, is this
> region of the frame easier to fix than perhaps somewhere else?
>
>

If it is the part I have in my mind, it is an 'easy' fix, well as 'easy'
as any rotted bolt job is going to be. The skid plate unbolts from the
frame. I did manage to get the bolts out of mine with some PB Blaster
penetrant and an impact air gun. It took some doing and a pile of
impacting, but only had to cut two of them.

Normally when the skid plate is that gone, so is the gas tank inside it
unless you are lucky and have the poly tank like my 86 CJ has.

Our 88's gas tank and it's skid rotted out back about 7 or 8 years ago
so I have had this happen to both of my Jeeps.

You can easily get a replacement skid plate. If that is it, I recommend
some 1" holes in the bottom of the new one to let the sand out.

I hate guessing on something like that which is why I mentioned a
digital camera or even a phone camera to show the area. You can email
them to me and I will post them public if you want.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
(More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)

Re: '88 Grand Wagon frame rusted
 

Mark Corbelli wrote:
> So given that you are right, and that the salt/sand got stuck in the nooks
> and crannies of the skid plate and held water against the frame, is this
> region of the frame easier to fix than perhaps somewhere else?
>
>

If it is the part I have in my mind, it is an 'easy' fix, well as 'easy'
as any rotted bolt job is going to be. The skid plate unbolts from the
frame. I did manage to get the bolts out of mine with some PB Blaster
penetrant and an impact air gun. It took some doing and a pile of
impacting, but only had to cut two of them.

Normally when the skid plate is that gone, so is the gas tank inside it
unless you are lucky and have the poly tank like my 86 CJ has.

Our 88's gas tank and it's skid rotted out back about 7 or 8 years ago
so I have had this happen to both of my Jeeps.

You can easily get a replacement skid plate. If that is it, I recommend
some 1" holes in the bottom of the new one to let the sand out.

I hate guessing on something like that which is why I mentioned a
digital camera or even a phone camera to show the area. You can email
them to me and I will post them public if you want.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
(More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)