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Is this what bad frame welds look like?

Beat Army

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Jeep Gladiator Is this what bad frame welds look like? F402996F-D8FB-4F91-A380-DAD7190A598F

Or is this something I just hit with a wire brush and rustoleum? What’s the best color of spray paint to use on the frame of my new 50k vehicle? These aren’t the only spots. Do I get to look forward to the entire frame looking like this after a few more months?
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jac04

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That doesn't look like a bad weld at all. Unfortunately, the welds will typically have some paint flaking because the slag wasn't removed from the welds prior to the paint process. A 'bad' frame weld will have porosity and signs of poor penetration.

IMO, just use a small wire brush to clean off the loose rust, clean it, then use oil-based RustOleum brush-on semigloss black paint.

If you want to see what some of the early bad frame welds look like, head over the the JL forum.
 

ilovebikes99

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I'm getting a lot of this crap as well on a November built vehicle, driving on salted roads. Plan is to go at it in the Spring and touch up with semi gloss Rustoleum
 

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Deadeye

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That’s all fine and good…not looking for “patina” at 2 months though.
you’d be shocked how quick surface rust can form. In the right humidity conditions, blasted metal can look like that within 12 hours. The important thing is that it won’t go much deeper than the surface, and it actually will prevent deeper rust penetration of the rust, similar to a scab.

id wipe it down to get the dirt off, and then just use a can of rust oleum or any otheroutdoor spray paint. I recommend spray paint over brush on, as the paint has more carrier which allows it to seep in to the microscopic cracks. And then fluid film or hot oil sprays are the absolute best thing you can do for the under body of your car. (Source: Coatings Engineer who is the Plant Manager of an Industry leader)
 

jac04

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I recommend spray paint over brush on, as the paint has more carrier which allows it to seep in to the microscopic cracks.
No doubt that spray paint has a much lower viscosity than brush-on paint when it goes on, so it seeps into places better. However, with RustOleum's Stops Rust line, the oil-based brush-on paint is way more durable than the spray version. The spray version seems much harder when cured, so it chips easier. I have lots of experience using both, and anything that needs to stand up to any abuse gets the brush-on version (which can be thinned for easier brushing or spraying).

So, spray-on for restoration work and brush-on for the Mojave.

Land Rover 1/2 Ton Air Portable restoration:

Jeep Gladiator Is this what bad frame welds look like? Lightweight


Mojave:

Jeep Gladiator Is this what bad frame welds look like? JT Rear
 

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ilovebikes99

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you’d be shocked how quick surface rust can form. In the right humidity conditions, blasted metal can look like that within 12 hours. The important thing is that it won’t go much deeper than the surface, and it actually will prevent deeper rust penetration of the rust, similar to a scab.

id wipe it down to get the dirt off, and then just use a can of rust oleum or any otheroutdoor spray paint. I recommend spray paint over brush on, as the paint has more carrier which allows it to seep in to the microscopic cracks. And then fluid film or hot oil sprays are the absolute best thing you can do for the under body of your car. (Source: Coatings Engineer who is the Plant Manager of an Industry leader)
Are you saying just hit it with rustoleum over the surface rust? OR clean surface rust first with wire brush. Thanks for your input
 

jac04

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You should remove any loose paint, slag & rust before cleaning & painting. How you do it is up to you - small wire brush, roloc disc, spot sand blaster, etc. My experience is that you don't need to remove all the rust, just the loose stuff, if you are using the brush-on RustOleum.
 

ilovebikes99

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You should remove any loose paint, slag & rust before cleaning & painting. How you do it is up to you - small wire brush, roloc disc, spot sand blaster, etc. My experience is that you don't need to remove all the rust, just the loose stuff, if you are using the brush-on RustOleum.
Yes this is my experience as well. I was just wondering if the engineer had any tricks us mortals are not aware of.
 
 







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