BUILD - 1990 XJ Wagoneer Limited

TheWeeWaggy said:

I’m still kicking around. Not much to post right now.

I’m still waiting on some parts, and trying to find some parts, lol. Once I have em we. An finish the exterior for now.

I also got a little side lined by taking possession of my late fathers e30, which was on pretty rough shape. It’s pretty good now though!

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Same general post really, but I'm still around. I haven't abandoned the WW yet, though in my weaker moments I consider offloading it. I don't need or want two projects.

The aforementioned late father's e30 has come along nicely. I've got it pretty sorted at this point. It needs some electronics stuff, a new radio (though that probably qualifies as "electronics stuff", and the A/C system converted. That last one isn't really a rush. Since it's a convertible I don't really know if I care about the A/C system.

On the Waggy - The body shop/restoration guy called awhile back and said he noticed some rust creeping towards the passenger side leaf spring hanger that concerned him. He suggested it would be fine so long as there aren't any plans to off road the WW or do anything hardcore with it - of which that was never the plan....

....but I don't like the sound of that. Obviously structural integrity is important. I've not seen the rust in detail / up close yet, and even so I'd trust his opinion over mine.

I've been researching spring hanger relocation kits in the meanwhile, but at the same time wondering if it's enough that I should cut my losses.

I suspect anything is fixable with enough cash. I'm in pretty deep as it is. I'd prefer to save it, still.

Try to get some pictures of that rust and post them up here (you have to host them somewhere and then link them to here).

Folks will be able to give you input on how serious that rust may be and what your best options are for dealing with it.

Update. So I finally hauled my ass over to the body shop where the waggy has been languishing to check out the rust issue. Rust issue is an understatement I suppose.

Some of this we knew - the passenger side floorpan back to slightly behind the rear seat needs to be replaced. We obtained a donor section from a junkyard to facilitate that. As we've picked away at it though, the metal around the spring hanger was considerably weak and looks like this now:



Another view from the top down.



The resto guy on this one is concerned with structural integrity and getting the suspension geometry right at this point.

The donor panel does have the spring hanger attached and intact, but is there enough space on the other side to make it work? I'm not sure.




I'm not sure on this one. I'm wondering if, after many thousands of dollars, if I have a lost cause on my hands here. Any input is welcome and wanted, of course.

Full link to photos if wanted:
https://imgur.com/gallery/rGtN9Kc

Anything can be fixed but that would be some major work. You have to weigh the time/cost against the truck value, and that's based on the rust you can see. A cheap investment before you decide would be a bore scope, the one I have is 1080HD and 16' long.

RCP Phx said:

Anything can be fixed but that would be some major work. You have to weigh the time/cost against the truck value, and that's based on the rust you can see. A cheap investment before you decide would be a bore scope, the one I have is 1080HD and 16' long.

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Fantastic suggestion, thank you. I just ordered one.

I know you're trying to keep this thing all original/OEM, but if the frame rails are still solid and straight it might be easier to get an Ironman4x4 Leaf Spring Stretch Mount Kit and move away from the OEM front hangers under that seat from a "suspension geometry" standpoint.

That kit bolts/welds to the frame rail and floor under the rear seat as opposed to how the OEM hanger mounts. I'm eyeing laying in a set of those "for a rainy day" (I just had their no-lift shackle brackets installed to replace my rotting-out OEM shackle). They bolt into the nutstrips in the frame, the rear panel the bumper hangs on after cutting off the entirety of the OEM boxes, and up through the cargo floor. Even without the ones through the floor (I have patching to do), they are SOLID.

https://ironman4x4fab.com/collectio...spring-mount-stretch-kit?force_isolation=true

https://ironman4x4fab.com/collectio...no-lift-shackle-brackets?force_isolation=true

Word of wisdom from someone who wasn't smart enough to do it - if you get the no-lift brackets for the shackle ends, either get shackles with them (it's an option) or get new shackles at from elsewhere e same time - if the shackles have been in any length of time, the bolts are likely permanently siezede nto the bushing sleeves. I had to scramble to get new shackles to get my truck back together...

Rob Mayercik said:

I know you're trying to keep this thing all original/OEM, but if the frame rails are still solid and straight it might be easier to get an Ironman4x4 Leaf Spring Stretch Mount Kit and move away from the OEM front hangers under that seat from a "suspension geometry" standpoint.

That kit bolts/welds to the frame rail and floor under the rear seat as opposed to how the OEM hanger mounts. I'm eyeing laying in a set of those "for a rainy day" (I just had their no-lift shackle brackets installed to replace my rotting-out OEM shackle). They bolt into the nutstrips in the frame, the rear panel the bumper hangs on after cutting off the entirety of the OEM boxes, and up through the cargo floor. Even without the ones through the floor (I have patching to do), they are SOLID.

https://ironman4x4fab.com/collectio...spring-mount-stretch-kit?force_isolation=true

https://ironman4x4fab.com/collectio...no-lift-shackle-brackets?force_isolation=true

Word of wisdom from someone who wasn't smart enough to do it - if you get the no-lift brackets for the shackle ends, either get shackles with them (it's an option) or get new shackles at from elsewhere e same time - if the shackles have been in any length of time, the bolts are likely permanently siezede nto the bushing sleeves. I had to scramble to get new shackles to get my truck back together...

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Great tip, and thank you very much. I ran this by the body guy to see what he thinks.

Still waiting on the borescope to look down inside to see what's doin'.

Well it's been awhile. The long and short of it is the Waggy is pretty much dead I think. The corrosion appears to be done with the side of the Jeep over to the rear passenger spring hanger and hasn't progressed, but I've not been able to find a professional around here willing to take it on.

It comes down to two things from what I've been told - one, no one wants a rust related project because once you take it on you're married to it, and two it's difficult getting someone to sign off on a unibody vehicle that's been structurally compromised to the point where the suspension is affected.

I always get the same line - anything is repairable with enough money, but at this point I'm pretty far in already. I had hoped this would be a minor issue but I was wrong.

So I'm pretty sure we've decided at this point to chalk this one up as a loss and try to find a home for it where someone can benefit from the parts. I'll be getting together an inventory of what's good on it and all the stuff I bought for it and putting it here.

Maybe someone here would be interested in the complete unit to use for their own resto. If that sounds like you, shoot me a PM or an email at [email protected].

It's a bummer and I hate to see it, but so it goes. It was a risk from the beginning.

Got any pictures of the mochine?

TheWeeWaggy said:

It's a bummer and I hate to see it, but so it goes. It was a risk from the beginning.

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"Car"cinoma is always tough to deal with!

jeep ride said:

Got any pictures of the mochine?

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Yeah, I'm going to go over there - hopefully this weekend - and take a good inventory and current pics. I'll probably post it up here.

I called a couple of body shops around here just as a head check and one of them suggested Maaco as they advertise in-depth rust repair.

I didn't have a good experience with Maaco years ago, so I'm reluctant to give them a call.

RCP Phx said:

"Car"cinoma is always tough to deal with!

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One of those once it starts it's hard to stop deals. I suspect it may have rusted from the inside of the frame rail on that side out. It's the only reason I can think of for the speed of it.

It's a shame because there's little to no rust on the rest of it.

If the rest of it's that clean, then it sounds like it can still be saved with something like the brackets I mentioned previously.

Depending on how long it's been, it may well be a different crew of people at that Maaco and you might have a better experience.

Any 4x4/fab shops in your area? One of them might be willing to at least look at it and give an appraisal on the repairs...