Frame Question
 

Hi there folks, I have a question...I recently rear-ended someone and damaged my hood, fender, grille, and bumper...I took off all those pieces already but i noticed that my frame on the driver side was bent within the last foot of it...pretty much making it impossible to mount a new bumber onto that side of the frame...am I totally screwed or is it possible to get my frame bent back to normal? like I said, it's only within the last foot or so of the frame it's not like the whole frame is messed up, where would I go to get my frame fixed and how much should it cost? Thanks

It can be repaired. Most body shops have frame straitening machines. That is where I would take it, because they have lazer gear to check for alignment and so on. WES www.ClassicHeartbeat.com

Just go to a machine/body shop or a welding place in town and just ask around and see if any of those can help you.
Sorry about the accident:(
But good luck!

-Michael :D

Take it to a body shop, NOT a welding or machine shop. The problem lies in that most body shops won't have specs that go back that old. Do you have a pic available so we can see the extent of the damage? Did you hit straight on, or at an angle? Is the rail kinked, bowed, or pushed straight back? These are all variables that will affect the labour required to straighten the frame.

It may be a good idea to ask the shop if they want your sheetmetal for alignment purposes. That way, they can align everything at the shop so that they know the frame is straight. Without the specs, its the only way to know for sure the repair is accurate.

Also, ask the shop foreman or manager how often they do full frame repairs, and if they have a full frame specific frame machine. There are a lot of shops (in my area, anyway) that don't do full frames anymore.

Find a shop with a computerized frame machine (genisis)and get me their fax # and i'll fax them the specs for 1/2 ton coil or leaf spring long or short frames. I'm still working on 3/4 and 4x4 specs. Can anybody offer help on these?

I know the problem doesn't lie in the welding or machine shop, but if you ask around you might be suprised that some places like that will have and straightening machine... I work at my friends machine shop and he has a straightening machine and another guy in town that owns a welding company has one. You might find someone that will be able to help you if you have trouble of finding someone; because not everyone has a bodyshop in town or they ask a lot for labor.

- Michael