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Electrolysis for a unibody

slackdaddy1

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 15, 2014
Messages
476
Location
Southern MD
Working with my 15 year old son, building a Jeep XJ.
we picked up a Jeep Cherokee with blown Head gasket and rusted out rockers and some heavy surface rust on the underside and in/on the uni body frame.
We have it stripped to the uni-body and have drilled out spot welds and removed the rockers, new 2x6 tube rocker ready to go in.

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I have cut "slots" of the floor pan out to access limited areas of the frame rails.
I "think" we are going to try Electrolysis to clean the frame/floor pan.
The size tank needed to soak from the firewall to the rear and from the bottom of the frame to cover the floor pan where it goes up over the rear axle would be 12' long, 6' wide x 18" high.

I can easily build a wooden tank lined with pond liner for $100.00
After pulling the axles, I "think" 6 of us could lift the body and walk it into the tank before closing the end of the tank. I could make some anodes with insulating spacers to slide in the unibody frame.

My big concern is AFTER the electrolysis, how to treat the body and protect it. Once the electrolysis is complete and I drain the tank:

1) what will have to be done to the surfaces prior to painting? (alkyd enamel w/hardener). Will there be a layer that has to be cleaned off? how would that be accomplished in hard to reach areas?

2) will rust start before I can get paint on it? It would probably take 48+ hours to get it out, pressure was it, blow dry outside, get the body back in the garage, use propane to direct hot air on it and dry.

3) After taking it out of the tank and "blow drying" should I hose it down with Ospho, inside and out ??

Everything I see online is with smaller parts that do not have hidden areas and are easily cleaned and dried, The post electrolysis handling of a unibody has me concerned.

Has anyone done a "partial" dip of a unibody?

Thanks,
Slack
 
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larry4406

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 27, 2006
Messages
19,325
Location
Northern Virginia
Only electrolysis I have done was on a small vice that I washed with hot water, Dawn soap, and scrubbed with a Scotchbrite to remove the black crude post electrolysis. Got the part real hot then air blow to dry and it did not flash rust on me. I then painted.

Please continue with your thread and show the before, during, and after details along with the tank and equipment used.

Cool project for you and your son.
 
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