Jeepfreak81

Hey everyone! So up here in New England winter fast approaches and good car detailing weather is getting scarce. So I'm planning to take this weekend to do a deep clean of the JKU and I'm just wondering what else could/should I do besides a good wash and was. I'm not opposed to buying some product, although I'd like to keep the cost down. I've never been great with this, usually just wash and wax and call it a day but I'd like to give her some extra love this year. Just paid it off last week, guess I'm feeling motivated.

Here's what I'm hoping to accomplish:
Wash with Dawn to strip all the dirt, oil, and old wax as best I can. Use a soft bristle brush and give the soft top a good scrub.
Use Meguiar's Ultimate Black on the Fenders and Bumpers, door handles, to give them a bit of a face lift and protect them better.
Wax the paint with Turtle Wax Ice
Oil the zippers on the top
Give the interior a thorough clean and protect

I don't give a crap about the rims and tires....stock rims and I plan to upgrade in the spring.

Some stuff I'm not sure about - I'd like to treat the top with something but I'm limited to Oreilly's, Harbor Freight, and Walmart as sources. Next spring I'll hit it with some 303, but what's easily available for now?

I'd also like to fluid film underneath but that may be for another day, what spots are especially good to hit or avoid?
I understand that stock JK's dont' have any greasable joints? I've replaced a couple U-joints and I'll hit those, but what else?

Anything I'm missing? Thanks in advance....pics to come

Dat

1 - wait till the mud dries

2 - drive down a rough road, most will fall off
3 - what ever is left beat on with hammer till it drops free
4 - repeat steps 2 and 3 if needed
🍺
​​​​

Mark Doiron

Or (if you have a bumper that you trust) ...

icrashbikes

Oh my god this is amazing. I want this!

In response to the OP though, for winter I generally wash and wax and give the underside a good cleaning, hit surface rust with ospho, spray some fluid film or WD40 around, etc. Any measures you take now won't last all the way through winter anyway. If there's a warm enough day or two mid winter I'll hook up a hose and thoroughly spray down the underside of the Jeep. Ideally you'd be able to hose the salt and spray off after every drive but that's asking an awful lot.

dmwil

I clean up the bottom as much as I can with reasonable effort, flush out the frame rails, and let it all dry for at least a couple days. then....

1. Hit any hint of rust on the frame or underbody with Rustoleum Rust Reformer and Sealer. It dries fast, so I usually put a second coat on it. This includes everything, such as shock mounts, welds, etc.

2. I spray Fluid Film up inside the frame rails and other nooks/crannies using a 24" hose attachment with a 360 degree spray head. This stuff STINKS but it displaces moisture and does a nice job of protecting.

The result is a 13 year old Jeep that gets plenty of road salt baths in the winter, but looks new underneath. The only places I have rust are the edges of the gas tank skid toward the rear, and on the hinges where rocks have chipped them. That's it.

And, this Jeep has done plenty of off-roading, so it doesn't get spared from normal wear and tear.

The Rubicon rock rails did rust pretty good, so I found a "new" set off Craigslist that a guy had sitting in his garage. He took them off a 2015 Rubi when it was new. He sold them to me for 50 bucks. I then had a local shop spray them with Line-X. They look great and are sealed up, so they should not rust. I wish I'd done this to the originals when it was new. I'll be doing it with my JL in the next year or so.

akguy09

Mover somewhere that doesnt destroy the environment with salt on the roads for peoples convenience

LeonWatson

<!--td {border: 1px solid #cccccc;}br {mso-data-placement:same-cell;}-->Hi Jeepfreak81! Congrats on paying off your Jeep; it's great to hear that you want to give it some extra love this winter. For the winter car detailing, you have a great plan laid out! Dawn to strip all the dirt, oil, and old wax, Meguiar's Ultimate Black for the fenders, bumpers, and door handles, and Turtle Wax Ice for the paint and oiling of the zippers on the top.
As for treating the top, you might want to check out sparklewash.com for some good options. They have a wide range of products perfect for winter car detailing, including some specifically for the soft top.
Regarding the fluid film, hitting the underside of your Jeep is a great idea to protect it from rust and corrosion. You can consult with a professional or check out online tutorials for specific spots to see where to apply them best.