Bubbles in Paint at Door Hinges

[DaltonGang]

Corrosion with dissimilar metals is a common concern on sailboat masts, but is easily addressed. Stainless steel screws and rivets are frequently used to attach equipment to the mast. This is always done by isolating the 2 metals from each other. When a steel machine screw needs to thread into an aluminum mast, a product called Tef Gel is used. It is a paste that is brushed completely onto the steel threads and into the threaded hole before screwing into the aluminum. This isolates the two metals from each other by not allowing electrolytes between the 2 surfaces, preventing the galvanic cell from forming and thereby preventing corrosion. My sailboat has multiple steel screws and rivets in its painted aluminum mast with zero corrosion after 20 years of salt spray from ocean sailing. Tef Gel is sold at West Marine and on Amazon. It is important to note that an unpainted area of aluminum adjacent to a painted area (like under the door hinge) will be almost guaranteed to start the corrosion process at the edge of the paint and work its way under the paint. Aluminum should never be left just partially painted.

This looks like a must, when repainting, or taking the hinges apart.

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[Bayrat]

I thought maybe the body side part is steel but I just went and confirmed, both sides of hinge are aluminum. The JK hinges were also aluminum (I'm pretty sure I was the first one in 2007/08 to sandblast and bedline them for same chipping reason)
Take a magnet to yours, you'll be surprised, they're definitely not steel.

Personally. I am not even convinced it's a metal mismatch corrosion issue. I think because they paint the doors with the hinges on, small stress fractures occur and let water get in past the paint and we see the issues. Also explains why it doesn't happen to most JLs. So, hopefully by yanking them and having them LineX'd, I have put that problem to bed.

Yes I double checked and they are aluminum. However, we still have the steel bolts and the nuts attached to the inside of the door panel. Add to that the bare metal to metal and some moisture, especially moisture which is not distilled water, and you have a dandy little battery.

 

[Bayrat]

I'm thinking perhaps a nylon bushing under the head of the steel bolts might help also. This way, you are eliminating the possibility of the hinge receiving any corrosion due to the dissimilar metals once the bare inner surfaces are painted and you dielectric treatment is on the threads. I forgot I had that stuff until someone else posted it here.

 

[Dyolfknip74]

Yes I double checked and they are aluminum. However, we still have the steel bolts and the nuts attached to the inside of the door panel. Add to that the bare metal to metal and some moisture, especially moisture which is not distilled water, and you have a dandy little battery.

Ya, I think even the inserts are aluminum. They have that shitty white oxidation you see on aluminium. The bolts are definitely steel. So the only spot you're seeing galvanic corrosion would be where the screw threads into the insert and that isn't causing the bubbles.
I still think it's because they paint the doors with hinges on and there are microscopic holes letting water in. It gets in there, reacts with the aluminium and there's your bubbles. It would also explain the people who have the issues where there isn't much possibility of two dissimilar metals touching like at the bottoms of doors and whatnot.

 

[m3reno]

The paint manufacturing is the same for all Jeeps. But why are some bubbling vs others? Is it possible to add some type of anode? Ships use them on their hull tp prevent corrosion, it's also used in plumbing pipes where there is dissimilar metals to prevent galvanic corrosion.

 

[Bayrat]

The paint manufacturing is the same for all Jeeps. But why are some bubbling vs others? Is it possible to add some type of anode? Ships use them on their hull tp prevent corrosion, it's also used in plumbing pipes where there is dissimilar metals to prevent galvanic corrosion.

This had crossed my mind, and having cathodic protection as one of my departments in the past, I am doubtful of any positive outcome with the anode. Even those devices which claim to do just that and are made for vehicles are just as effective as the magnet on your fuel line ?

But as I mentioned in a previous post. This could be due to faulty metal prep or to the battery effect traveling throughout the skin.

 

[jandersendo]

I got them done at LineX. They can colour match.
I will say that putting them back on and realigning wasn't too bad but because I got both sides of the hinge done it took some patience. The nice thing is you can use the FCA paint job to see where they go. There is no paint. Lol.

How difficult is it to remove the hinges from the doors? Do you have to just unbolt the two screws? Or did you have to cut the paint around the hinges?

 

[Dyolfknip74]

How difficult is it to remove the hinges from the doors? Do you have to just unbolt the two screws? Or did you have to cut the paint around the hinges?

The bolts are on there good, use a breaker bar and you'll be fine. Then, I just pulled the hinge away from the door. No scribing or cutting required.

 

[jandersendo]

The bolts are on there good, use a breaker bar and you'll be fine. Then, I just pulled the hinge away from the door. No scribing or cutting required.

And you removed one at a time I’m assuming to not have to deal with realigning the door?

 

[Dyolfknip74]

And you removed one at a time I’m assuming to not have to deal with realigning the door?

Nah, pulled them all off at once. Ran doorless for a week while they were at LineX. Realignment wasn't hard, it's quite obvious where they were as it's not painted.

 

[jandersendo]

Nah, pulled them all off at once. Ran doorless for a week while they were at LineX. Realignment wasn't hard, it's quite obvious where they were as it's not painted.

Ok thank you ?

 

[JEEP THING *!!]

After dropping it off twice at the dealer and hiring a lawyer, my Jeep has sat at the auto body shop for a total of 15 weeks this year since since February and absolutely no work was done. First was approved for $1500 by Jeep and this second attempt was just rejected as you can see from my dealer receipt. As far as I know I have the worst case of the bubbling on my Jeep out of everyone on this forum. Not sure why some people get theirs fixed with nonissues and some are dragged through the mud like me. My advice is stay away from these Jeeps. My experience has been painful and turns out they do not cover their warranties if they cost them to much $$ to resolve. So they just sell broken promises. My only choice now is to continue the suit and go deeper down the legal rabbit hole or just sell it and take my hit for the paint manufacturing defect and let someone else deal with it. At least it will be out of my life at that point and I can move on without going for months without my car for no reason.

Did they say anything about it being past the 36 month main warranty? I have a 2019 that has bubbling and I'm past the 36 months. Does anyone else know if it's covered by the corrosion warranty beyond 36 months?

 

[Bayrat]

Did they say anything about it being past the 36 month main warranty? I have a 2019 that has bubbling and I'm past the 36 months. Does anyone else know if it's covered by the corrosion warranty beyond 36 months?

It's been mentioned here that corrosion is five years.

 

[ELJL]

... This jeep will never ever go back to Jeep for warranty work. Its not worth the time and hassle. Jeep's customer service is below subpar.

Yes, this is accurate. Like the QA, it seems to be a case of ‘Meh, good enough, let it be someone else’s problem.’

(I work in a QA industry btw)

 

[Bill_P]

It's been mentioned here that corrosion is five years.

Some dealers, like the first one I went to, tell you that the corrosion warranty doesn't cover this and if the original 3/36 warranty is expired it isn't covered. The first dealer I went to also told me since I bought it used I wasn't covered anyway. Just for kicks I went to another dealer who took it in and submitted a claim and now I'm just waiting for my turn in the paint booth. Everything was approved.

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