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Rust on the driveshafts
So maybe having a lift in my garage isn't all that great of an idea sometimes. When I changed the oil recently I was under the Trailhawk for the first time, and got a look around from the bottom looking up. Honestly, I have never seen a shade of rust that I really liked much. And those driveshafts sure looked rustier than I would like them to be at this early stage of the game. So this has been eating at me, and today I decided to put the TH back up on the lift and see if I could do something about that.
I broke open a small can of POR (Paint Over Rust) and with a small paint brush I touched up those rusty driveshafts. Unfortunately the central driveshaft was just a bit out of my reach without removing the entire exhaust system, so I just had to let that be. I might have been able to get to some of it with some novel arm contortions, but I think it would have been a real messy job. And I didn't really want to get POR on the exhaust pipes. It is supposed to be good to 450 degrees (according to the manufacturer), but after using it on the exhaust system on my home standby generator, I discovered that it smokes like crazy when heated up enough. POR is nasty stuff to be breathing as it is, so certainly the smoke from it can't be real good neither. But at least I feel better about what I was able to do to smack back the rusting on the shafts I could reach underneath the Trailhawk. Surprisingly, except for at some spot welds, the exhaust system seems to be relatively rust free so far. http://www.usajeepin.com/pics/drive_shaft_rust_01.jpg http://www.usajeepin.com/pics/drive_shaft_rust_02.jpg http://www.usajeepin.com/pics/drive_shaft_rust_03.jpg http://www.usajeepin.com/pics/drive_shaft_rust_04.jpg http://www.usajeepin.com/pics/drive_shaft_rust_05.jpg http://www.usajeepin.com/pics/drive_shaft_rust_06.jpg Yeah, I have tried a product that was really nothing more than spraying goop on everything metal underside on my Wrangler, but really didn't like the mess that this made even a little bit. I forget what it is called, but I still have a few cans sitting in my storage cabinet that I will never use. POR is pretty good stuff, so this will do me. |
Meanwhile, underneath the Trailhawk...
So I am underneath the Trailhawk today touching up the rust on the driveshafts, and something caught my eye. The exhaust pipe at the rear, coming out of whatever that large central flat canister thing is, is crimped or dented in two places on the pipe on the passenger side.
http://www.usajeepin.com/pics/exhaust_pipe_dent_01.jpg http://www.usajeepin.com/pics/exhaust_pipe_dent_02.jpg Now since this has a slash of green paint over top of it, that is indicating to me that someone saw this and made those marks on the pipe. But what does that mean? Is this the way that pipe is supposed to be? It does look like the crimps are intentional and not accidental. But exhaust restrictions just aren't a real good thing for performance, at least from what I understand. So I don't understand why something like this would have purposely be done. Any ideas? |
And still something else I have a question about...
So yeah, I am underneath the Trailhawk poking around, and spotted something else that just looks odd to me. Yeah, I know, this is my first Grand Cherokee, and likely this is just something that is the way it is because Jeep wanted it to be this way.
But still..... There is a part on the frame on the passenger side, and there is what looks like a place where that same part should be on the frame on the driver's side, but it isn't. That wouldn't bother me so much, except on the spot on the frame on the driver's side, it actually looks like something USED to be there and was removed. Now THAT does get me curious. http://www.usajeepin.com/pics/unknown_part_01.jpg http://www.usajeepin.com/pics/unknown_part_02.jpg http://www.usajeepin.com/pics/unknown_part_03.jpg http://www.usajeepin.com/pics/unknown_part_04.jpg http://www.usajeepin.com/pics/unknown_part_05.jpg http://www.usajeepin.com/pics/unknown_part_06.jpg I tried looking up that part number on the label, but didn't come up with anything to tell me what that part is I'm looking at. And just looking at it, darn if I can figure out what the heck it is there for or what it is supposed to do. Anyone have any ideas? And if you have looked underneath of your Trailhawk, do you have the same situation on your vehicle? Sorry if I seem full of suspicions and paranoia, but I had a REAL bad situation happen several years ago with a vette I had a couple of shops work on. So I am nowhere near as trustful as I used to be. If something seems questionable to me, I question it. |
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