Steel Gauge Conversion Table

When making repairs to your Jeep, such as removing rust patches or cutting out a damaged section of body panel from a particularly nasty section of trail, it’s important to note the different gauges of steel incorporated into your Jeep’s body, which will serve as a helpful guide for repairing the damage properly. 

Steel gauge is measured in a way that, the higher the gauge, the thinner the metal. This thickness, or lack thereof, makes a huge difference in how a vehicle performs. In the vehicles of old, a very thick metal was used, typically between 16-18, and sometimes as low as 14 gauge. This resulted in a vehicle which was nearly impervious to dents and dings and was very slow to rust through. However, it also resulted in a very heavy vehicle, which is a big reason why many of these older cars have single-digit gas mileage and are very slow to start and stop when the gas or brake pedals are applied. In most modern vehicles, the gauge used is between 20-22 which, of course, results in a vehicle more prone to body damage and quickly rusts through when stripped of its protective paint job. However, the upside is that the vehicle is much lighter and, therefore, is more fuel efficient. This means you can go further down the trail without stopping for a fill-up. Plus you can start and stop on a dime.

When picking out steel gauge for your Jeep repairs, it helps to know how these gauges match up to other more commonly used measurements. Using the chart below, you can measure and match the thickness of your Jeep’s body steel in inches or millimeters, allowing you to make the right sheet metal purchase to fix that troublesome blight on your Jeep’s otherwise flawless body.

 Courtesy of www.offroaders.com