What's holding my rear bumper on??

[mudslinger4x4]

buy a whole new jeep. that thing is a piece of shit. i thought my old one was bad but this takes the cake. can you say death trap on wheels x10000

 

[Art Triggs]

I've seen worse, but that needs a lot of work, I would clean up/remove what is bad, see what you have left, looks like you are going to need to make a crossmember and spring hangers at least, it's a little hard to tell from your pictures, possibly even the rearmost parts of the uniframe. I wouldnt drive it around until I was comfortable with what kind of shape the rear "frame" and spring hangers are in. Looks like you are headed that way anyway, good luck.

 

[RustyBlackXJ]

I've seen worse, but that needs a lot of work, I would clean up/remove what is bad, see what you have left, looks like you are going to need to make a crossmember and spring hangers at least, it's a little hard to tell from your pictures, possibly even the rearmost parts of the uniframe. I wouldnt drive it around until I was comfortable with what kind of shape the rear "frame" and spring hangers are in. Looks like you are headed that way anyway, good luck.

The pictures are kind of misleading. It's really not nearly as bad as it looks. The crossmember that runs above the axle where the shocks bolt up is nice and solid. You can see rust where it meets the floor, but after cleaning it up, it wasn't deep and they're still securely joined. The spring hangers attach on the outside of the "rails", and they're good and solid there. The hangers themselves don't really have any rust on them at all, and where they join to the body is good as well. The shackles are a bit too rusty for me to be comfortable with them, so I'm going to replace those. The rear piece that the bumper mounts bolt to is in surprisingly good shape as well considering what shape the bumper mounts were in. The whole floor section is solid as well, so that saves me quite a bit of work. The only thing that is a concern to me is on the passenger side "rail" where the oval cutout is. As you can see in the photos, it's got quite a bit of rust. I've been wailing on it with a BFH and it's still very solid. Just so I feel better though, I'm going to grind it down and box it in, and will do the same on the other side even though it doesn't really need it.

So basically, all I really need to do is:

1. Remove surface rust and por-15 it.
2. Box in the rails
3. Paint the whole area
4. Replace the shackles

The reason I'm not just abandoning this thing is because the rust really isn't that bad and fairly easily repairable, it runs great, the interior is nice, and there is virtually no rust from the rear axle forward. The floors, rails, and all but the rockers don't even have surface rust, which is very hard to find up here.

 

[lowbox]

Hi Rusty

Yes I have been there, done that, so I do understand. I speak from my understanding of being an perfectionist, sorry can't help it. I had my XJ welded up and replaced springs, shocks, etc. Done me own lift, etc, useful things forums, loads of info and people who have done stuff like repairing rusty XJ's. I have had help and advice from a number of Jeepers. I needed it, I owned Land Rovers for 20 years, so did not fully appreciate the XJ. Now had one for 7 years. However the following is just my view.........

If this car was in England, it would be impounded and crushed if found on the road in the state it is. Off road well thats your choice, but it is dangerous.

You cay the springs are surface rust, this I doubt, from what I can see the leaves are delaminating, you can see warp in the spring, the shocks do not like they have anything in them, but I will take your word for it. Obviously as you say the shackles are gone, therefor suspension not working properly, increased stopping dsitance, reduced contact of tyres on cornering, etc. The bumper is there for a reason. It is designed to protect you, and your vehicle. It also to protect other road users................

If you feel you can drive it on road, that is your choice, your insurance, your license ? As a driver, whatever vehicle I am driving by law I am responsible for it, does this not apply in the US ?

Like I say this is just my opinion as a driver and professional driver. Keep Jeepin

 

[urbanXJ]

nothing, I took it off

 

[RustyBlackXJ]

Hi Rusty

Yes I have been there, done that, so I do understand. I speak from my understanding of being an perfectionist, sorry can't help it. I had my XJ welded up and replaced springs, shocks, etc. Done me own lift, etc, useful things forums, loads of info and people who have done stuff like repairing rusty XJ's. I have had help and advice from a number of Jeepers. I needed it, I owned Land Rovers for 20 years, so did not fully appreciate the XJ. Now had one for 7 years. However the following is just my view.........

If this car was in England, it would be impounded and crushed if found on the road in the state it is. Off road well thats your choice, but it is dangerous.

You cay the springs are surface rust, this I doubt, from what I can see the leaves are delaminating, you can see warp in the spring, the shocks do not like they have anything in them, but I will take your word for it. Obviously as you say the shackles are gone, therefor suspension not working properly, increased stopping dsitance, reduced contact of tyres on cornering, etc. The bumper is there for a reason. It is designed to protect you, and your vehicle. It also to protect other road users................

If you feel you can drive it on road, that is your choice, your insurance, your license ? As a driver, whatever vehicle I am driving by law I am responsible for it, does this not apply in the US ?

Like I say this is just my opinion as a driver and professional driver. Keep Jeepin

I'm not driving it on the road right now. I agree that the springs are pretty tired, but they are not to the point where they're rusted through and going to give out, or they would have been replaced already. Same thing with the shocks. My main priority now is taking care of anything I think may break and pose a serious risk of a catastrophic failure. The rails are one of those areas, which is why I'll be welding up reinforcement for them this weekend. The same thing with the rusty gas tank that was starting to leak. I'm not concerned at all by the bumper. Looking at the way the stock bumper is setup, it would do little more than protecting the hatch in a parking lot mishap.

I appreciate everyone's thoughts and suggestions, save for suggestions to ditch it and get another Jeep. That's kind of ignorant considering nobody has even seen the rest of it. If I wanted to buy something just to drive and not do any work on, I would have. I already have that in my car though, and it is why I bought a Jeep. So, if you have any remarks like that, you're probably best off keeping them to yourself.

 

[mfascuba]

Hi Rusty

Yes I have been there, done that, so I do understand. I speak from my understanding of being an perfectionist, sorry can't help it. I had my XJ welded up and replaced springs, shocks, etc. Done me own lift, etc, useful things forums, loads of info and people who have done stuff like repairing rusty XJ's. I have had help and advice from a number of Jeepers. I needed it, I owned Land Rovers for 20 years, so did not fully appreciate the XJ. Now had one for 7 years. However the following is just my view.........

If this car was in England, it would be impounded and crushed if found on the road in the state it is. Off road well thats your choice, but it is dangerous.

You cay the springs are surface rust, this I doubt, from what I can see the leaves are delaminating, you can see warp in the spring, the shocks do not like they have anything in them, but I will take your word for it. Obviously as you say the shackles are gone, therefor suspension not working properly, increased stopping dsitance, reduced contact of tyres on cornering, etc. The bumper is there for a reason. It is designed to protect you, and your vehicle. It also to protect other road users................

If you feel you can drive it on road, that is your choice, your insurance, your license ? As a driver, whatever vehicle I am driving by law I am responsible for it, does this not apply in the US ?

Like I say this is just my opinion as a driver and professional driver. Keep Jeepin

Don't ya think you're being a little rough on him? In Florida if I can get it to go down the road and it has a place to bolt a tag to it, have at it! Just a little rust, that's all.

Mark

 

[techno1154]

Don't ya think you're being a little rough on him? In Florida if I can get it to go down the road and it has a place to bolt a tag to it, have at it! Just a little rust, that's all.

Mark

I do not know about England but I have some vehicles come out of England to the Caribbean whose road worthiness is questionable. I have spent only 2 nights in England both in transmit (one on my way to Nigeria and the other coming fron Djibouti) so I cannot speak about an inspected and liscenced vehicle.

Florida is by far the most lienient state I have ever been to. Nobody but nobody inspects vehicles there. Like Mfascuba said, hang a tag on it some where and you are good to go.

RustysblackXJ may look bad but one should wait until the rust is cleaned away then one will be able to see what area need paint and what area need a patch.

 

[bcmaxx]

buy a whole new jeep. that thing is a piece of shit. i thought my old one was bad but this takes the cake. can you say death trap on wheels x10000

you're an idiot.

 

[mfascuba]

FL is still a somewhat "free state", no inspection by the govt. If I want to lift, I lift. If I want to take a surplus school bus and cut the roof off of it and drive it down the highway, no problem (I've seen it - used for fruit pickers). Some places are just easier to get along in than others. And I'm still responsible for what happens to me or anyone affected by me when I drive down the road. (didn't meen to hijack the thread into a political discussion, rant over).

Mark

 

[BIGSLVRXJ]

you're an idiot.

x2, your previous statement was uncalled for. We all start somewhere; this thing is by no means a death trap. Atleast he is addressing the issues unlike so many others that are still just driving even worse rotboxes around.

 

[lowbox]

Hi Rusty, well thanks guys I am now educated. Unfortunatley over here in England it is tough, and getting tougher. Especially with this banks and morgate rip off happening.

Insurance is a big issue here, partly because there is now a claims culture where if you fart in the wrong direction assgas:, can get sued for it, I wonder where that came from ?

That explains it, yeah I know it may seem a little rough Mark, I am coming from a different view point. Like I said I was not aware of the er..... "relaxed" laws ur side of the pond .........

Anway, yes you could rid of it, however it were me I would do the works on it. Just buy shares in POR15 first, tehe.

Just to give you an idea this was how it all started, first run out, totally stock. May not look much but this XJ had never seen grass before let alone, off road .............

Found rust hidden under carpet, spent some time with flap wheel, and phosphiric acid, paint etc. Further rust front passenger well, more welding. Did not have my own camera at the time, so no pics

Welding done, new shocks, new heads, push rods, springs, MTRs 235's, custom hitch, roof rack, driving lights, disconnects, no rear sway, etc
Taking in Hobbits Way, a very tight forest trail, lost the cb ariel and decided the rack needed more fine tuning

Upgraded custom suspension, ERG mod, rear carrier (lower centre of grav), Garmin GPS, CB, Hellas, Maxxis 30's, etc improved interior layout
Still more to do, but done for this year...................

It did not all happen over night, and as budget allowed.