Anyone seen frame scratches and cracked weld paint on new Gladiators?

[Pedal Metal]

I’ll start by saying that I don’t think this is the end of the world, but considering that this is new, I would have expected a bit more care and concern to prevent these scratches which appear on both sides of the frame roughly where the cab meets the box and what is going on with these welds?

Now, I realize that many rock crawlers get many more profound scratches on their steel frames, but I’m not a rock crawler, and I didn’t make these scratches on a vehicle that was supposedly made special for my order. I also live in an area wher the roads are salted in the winter and it just eats steel. Let me also point out that I read a story of someone who had an undercarriage warranty claim denied, because of evidence of frame and skid plate scratches. Maybe that was all lies or a misunderstanding, but make no mistake that dealerships certainly pitch undercoating and protecting your investment certainly for some reason, don’t they?

My thought is that I can insist on some type of cleaning and scuffing and paint or undercoat. However, I’ve heard too many horror stories of crappy work at dealerships for such easy tasks, so maybe I take it elsewhere or scuff, clean, undercoat myself so I know it’s done to my satisfaction. However, factory paint certainly has better hardeners then rattle cans! And then there’s the question about these welds.

Here are some facts:
- I ordered this Gobi colored Mojave almost 3 months back, and the sticker said it was made just for me, so I thought I my order was special
- Wheels are in motion and I already have a buyer lined up for my prior driver, so it will be painful to not move forward.
- However, I have not actually completed the purchase paperwork and I did point it out to the service assistant manager who told me he’d make a claim on the scratches.
- As well, I’m also a bit puzzled by what looks like cracking paint on the frame welds. I wonder if the slag wasn’t properly cleaned off the welds before paint. So, that’s also a frustration.

So, I’m annoyed by this and thought I’d put it to the board for feedback. Has anyone else noticed similar scratches under the area where the cab meets the box And issues with the paint covering your welds?

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[Vtur]

Jeep skipped a prep step to save cost by painting over mig welding silicon slacks, instead of grinding it off. Don't chips off those brown silicon as it will exposes bare metal. Like you, i was kinda shock to see Jeep had skipped a crucial step to prevent rust.

 

[Pedal Metal]

So, the brown stuff is silicone and/or slag and not rust? How would you prep for undercoat? Wouldn’t you want to scuff and clean to remove contaminates before you sealed?

 

[Vtur]

I have no experience with body seal coating. You can try apply some over the weld slag and see how it's adhere to it.

 

[Mac]

I think it is just a bad paint job, welds are fine, I would get a couple cans of Steel It paint if you live in an area that doesn’t use road salt, if you do live in an area with salt use black Fluid Film or any of the other similar rust inhibitor sprays.

 

[Pedal Metal]

I think it is just a bad paint job, welds are fine, I would get a couple cans of Steel It paint if you live in an area that doesn’t use road salt, if you do live in an area with salt use black Fluid Film or any of the other similar rust inhibitor sprays.

Should I try to wire brush off the slag first or just wash and seal?

 

[Worksucks69]

I was under my willys the other day and noticed the same thing with the welds.

 

[Hootbro]

Frame scratches are from the transport process and the dirty welds showing through the finish have been an issue for the JL and JT since launch. Jeep is not going to do anything about it as it is cosmetic to them. A dealership if they take concern is just going to throw a couple of coats of black spray can enamel paint on it and send you on your way.

 

[chorky]

I asked the same question months ago. Several people posted pictures with nearly the exact same scratches. We all seemed to have the same scratches, in the same places... So concluded it was from the assembly line or shortly after - weird as that is.. irritating - absolutely!! Specially considering the cost of these vehicles.

What I did was thoroughly clean the outside of the frame with Eastwood Paint Pre (use a respirator). Then I painted the couple areas I had with a chassis paint, or a rubberized under paint from Eastwood (not the best choice but I had some on hand and its a small area to treat). Then, I coated the inside of the frame with 3M cavity wax (5 bottles from Amazon is what you will need). I also then used a total of 4 coats of Amsoil HD Metal Protect on the exterior of the frame - which will be re-done each fall before the salt/snow season. I also sprayed the entire underbody of the truck as well since rock chips no doubt will ope up bare metal.

Honestly, we shouldn't have to do this to a brand new vehicle. And the Ram trucks have frames that are treated and prepared MUCH better IMO. But....for some reason Jeep didn't care to fix these issues. A lot of folks chimed in on other threads saying they have not experienced significant rust problems despite the sub-par frame treatment - so hopefully it all holds out for many years.

 

[mrmo]

Yes, the frame paint sucks basically unless its on a straight, flat part. Any welds, around bends, a lot of the suspension etc. is showing rust or paint cracks/loss. Several places on the bottom of the frame rails were rubbed down to the base metal. looks like a fork lift bashing or something when the truck came on and off the transport vehicle?? Dunno, but Ive had to paint a lot of places as preventative measures. More to go, getting some each time Im under the truck

 

[Pedal Metal]

Thank you all for sharing. What a great community!

What a miss on low hanging fruit by Jeep! Those twits (Perhaps, I should define as the historical British definition of a foolish person given what is now a well recognized social network known as twitter. Huh, maybe there is a connection after all.) Anyways, no matter the marginal cost of properly cleaning the slag and painting and using rubber pads to move through assembly, it should be done at this price point. Note, I assume this to be assembly markets as I don’t see marks at the top of the rails to match with a delivery securitization method. As well, I don’t think any of us would balk at a couple extra hundred to also have the frames dipped. I don’t expect a perfect vehicle, but dang it, if you’re going to make a vehicle at this price point for the advertised uses, take a minute and think through your actions Jeep. It‘s so sad that it’s funny how companies remain “Good” companies and never make it to ”Great“ companies by missing what later turn out to be very basic things.

I’m told an email has been sent to the regional rep.

 

[jac04]

I don’t expect a perfect vehicle, but dang it, if you’re going to make a vehicle at this price point for the advertised uses, take a minute and think through your actions Jeep.

100% guaranteed that Jeep has thought through their actions. It is a mistake to assume that fit & finish (as well as overall quality and/or service) should be commensurate with price point. When buying a Jeep (especially a JL or JT), your eyes need to be wide open.

 

[james_flames]

I just bought a 2023 Gladiator Rubicon. I noticed the scratches on mine and googled "jeep frame paint". This thread was one of the first things that popped up in the results. Mine look almost identical to OP's. I only see them on the rear part of the frame near the control arm mounts. They're also only on the side, which is strange. The paint on the bottom of the frame is fine.

 

[ATL_Rubi]

I just bought a 2023 Gladiator Rubicon. I noticed the scratches on mine and googled "jeep frame paint". This thread was one of the first things that popped up in the results. Mine look almost identical to OP's. I only see them on the rear part of the frame near the control arm mounts. They're also only on the side, which is strange. The paint on the bottom of the frame is fine.

Yep. Pretty standard for the 23s it seems. At some point whatever they use to move the frames, or whole assembly, this occurs.

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