Slightly bent frame...big problem? - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

DuckhunterInTN · 07-14-2003, 03:55 PM

I have a 72 Jimmy. We were out in it riding when the front left tire fell into a pretty large hole. After extracting the truck we noticed that the front axle was off center. Apparently the left front tire got caught in the hole pretty good and shoved the rear springs back into a piece bolted to the frame behind the shackle. This caused the lower portion of the frame to become kinked. I carried to to a frame shop and they more or less straightened it, but it is not perfect. During the accident nothing else was harmed on the truck, front axle, body, or suspension-wise. I was actually very suprised to find the frame got bent in this slight of a crash.

My question is this: Should I worry about the frame still having a kink in it? Will this cause me problems down the road? Should a frame shop be able to fix it perfectly? I am about to start sinking a bunch of money into this truck but want to get this sorted out first.

smokekiki · 07-14-2003, 04:51 PM

When the frame shop did the work did they tell you if the frame was checked for square?If I am reading it right it is bent behind the rear rears shackle?I would not worry about it if this is the case.

DuckhunterInTN · 07-14-2003, 05:16 PM

No, it was bent behind the rear shackle on the front springs.... The body shop said that they got it as close as they could and that alignment should be fine.

My main concern is that, if I get down the road and find out that the alignment is off or something else is wrong, that this will turn into an expensive problem to resolve. Basically I don't want to dump a bunch of money into this truck and get it restored and then have to swap frames or something....

What would be the worst case scenario? Like I said, the impact was IMO slight and did no other damage, suspension, axle or body-wise. I don't believe that there would have been any damage at all if the shackle had not impacted the angle piece bolted to the bottom of the frame. (what is that thing anyways???)

Class of 69 · 07-14-2003, 08:37 PM

I would drive it to as many more frame shops as you have in your area, and get as many opinions as possible. A good frame shop should be able to get exact, not close enough. I wouldn't be happy with it either! I know a guy who ran his 78 K 10 into a stalled car in a blizzard at 50 mph. Bent the frame in 7 PLACES!!! Had it straightened, and you couldn't tell it was ever bent! Check around.

Longhorn Man · 07-14-2003, 11:16 PM

Close enough don't sit well with me either.
I'd get a second opinion.

DuckhunterInTN · 07-14-2003, 11:52 PM

But do ya'll think that this is a pretty easy fix?

That it will be no big deal when the time comes around to fix it?

JimKshortstep4x4 · 07-15-2003, 06:38 AM

Finding a good frame guy can be a problem. Look for one that is booked solid and one that "everyone" sends their frame jobs to.

It takes a good frame machine and an experienced frame guy to do the kind of job you want. It sounds like you got a fast job. A good frame guy should be able to do a really nice job on the frame.

Have you had someone follow you to see if the vehicle "dog tracks"?

Jim

DuckhunterInTN · 07-15-2003, 09:41 AM

I haven't followed it to see if it dogtracks yet. I have driven it like this for several months with no ill effects but was going to find out a little more before I started sinking some serious money into it...

landon4421 · 07-15-2003, 10:45 AM

to bad you are not in California ! I had a guy fix my frame, it was in good shpe to start with, but is still was bent a little. It took the guy like a week to fix and you can not even tell the thing was bent to begin with. He did a great job. :p

like a few of the other guys said, get a 2nd or 3rd or 4th opinion, before you get to crazy about it. I drove mine around for two years with the frame bent. Before I found the guy that fixed it.

07-14-2003, 03:55 PM	#1
DuckhunterInTN Registered User Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Brownsville, TN Posts: 88	Slightly bent frame...big problem? I have a 72 Jimmy. We were out in it riding when the front left tire fell into a pretty large hole. After extracting the truck we noticed that the front axle was off center. Apparently the left front tire got caught in the hole pretty good and shoved the rear springs back into a piece bolted to the frame behind the shackle. This caused the lower portion of the frame to become kinked. I carried to to a frame shop and they more or less straightened it, but it is not perfect. During the accident nothing else was harmed on the truck, front axle, body, or suspension-wise. I was actually very suprised to find the frame got bent in this slight of a crash. My question is this: Should I worry about the frame still having a kink in it? Will this cause me problems down the road? Should a frame shop be able to fix it perfectly? I am about to start sinking a bunch of money into this truck but want to get this sorted out first. __________________ 2004 GMC 2500HD 4x4 Crew Cab Duramax 2000 Chevrolet ext-cab Z71 1995 Chevrolet ext-cab Z71 1984 Chevrolet K10 6.2 4x4 1972 GMC Jimmy 4x4 1967 Chevrolet C50 Dump truck 1957 GMC 1/2 ton stepside (not running)

07-14-2003, 04:51 PM	#2
smokekiki Mike Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: west chester pa Posts: 2,474	When the frame shop did the work did they tell you if the frame was checked for square?If I am reading it right it is bent behind the rear rears shackle?I would not worry about it if this is the case. __________________ 70'c/10, 71 suburban4x4 402bb, 72suburban 4/6 drop, 72k/5 4x4 blazer 4" lift 35 tires

07-14-2003, 05:16 PM	#3
DuckhunterInTN Registered User Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Brownsville, TN Posts: 88	No, it was bent behind the rear shackle on the front springs.... The body shop said that they got it as close as they could and that alignment should be fine. My main concern is that, if I get down the road and find out that the alignment is off or something else is wrong, that this will turn into an expensive problem to resolve. Basically I don't want to dump a bunch of money into this truck and get it restored and then have to swap frames or something.... What would be the worst case scenario? Like I said, the impact was IMO slight and did no other damage, suspension, axle or body-wise. I don't believe that there would have been any damage at all if the shackle had not impacted the angle piece bolted to the bottom of the frame. (what is that thing anyways???) __________________ 2004 GMC 2500HD 4x4 Crew Cab Duramax 2000 Chevrolet ext-cab Z71 1995 Chevrolet ext-cab Z71 1984 Chevrolet K10 6.2 4x4 1972 GMC Jimmy 4x4 1967 Chevrolet C50 Dump truck 1957 GMC 1/2 ton stepside (not running)

07-14-2003, 08:37 PM	#4
Class of 69 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Stillwater MN Posts: 1,166	I would drive it to as many more frame shops as you have in your area, and get as many opinions as possible. A good frame shop should be able to get exact, not close enough. I wouldn't be happy with it either! I know a guy who ran his 78 K 10 into a stalled car in a blizzard at 50 mph. Bent the frame in 7 PLACES!!! Had it straightened, and you couldn't tell it was ever bent! Check around. __________________ 69 GMC K10 ..some restoration required....still..

07-14-2003, 11:52 PM	#6
DuckhunterInTN Registered User Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Brownsville, TN Posts: 88	But do ya'll think that this is a pretty easy fix? That it will be no big deal when the time comes around to fix it? __________________ 2004 GMC 2500HD 4x4 Crew Cab Duramax 2000 Chevrolet ext-cab Z71 1995 Chevrolet ext-cab Z71 1984 Chevrolet K10 6.2 4x4 1972 GMC Jimmy 4x4 1967 Chevrolet C50 Dump truck 1957 GMC 1/2 ton stepside (not running)

07-14-2003, 11:16 PM	#5
Longhorn Man its all about the +6 inches Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Hilliard Ohio Posts: 2,693	Close enough don't sit well with me either. I'd get a second opinion.

07-15-2003, 06:38 AM	#7
JimKshortstep4x4 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Muskegon,MI,USA Posts: 6,026	Finding a good frame guy can be a problem. Look for one that is booked solid and one that "everyone" sends their frame jobs to. It takes a good frame machine and an experienced frame guy to do the kind of job you want. It sounds like you got a fast job. A good frame guy should be able to do a really nice job on the frame. Have you had someone follow you to see if the vehicle "dog tracks"? Jim

07-15-2003, 09:41 AM	#8
DuckhunterInTN Registered User Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Brownsville, TN Posts: 88	I haven't followed it to see if it dogtracks yet. I have driven it like this for several months with no ill effects but was going to find out a little more before I started sinking some serious money into it... __________________ 2004 GMC 2500HD 4x4 Crew Cab Duramax 2000 Chevrolet ext-cab Z71 1995 Chevrolet ext-cab Z71 1984 Chevrolet K10 6.2 4x4 1972 GMC Jimmy 4x4 1967 Chevrolet C50 Dump truck 1957 GMC 1/2 ton stepside (not running)

07-15-2003, 10:45 AM	#9
landon4421 Life is Good ! Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Hollister, Ca. Posts: 1,992	to bad you are not in California ! I had a guy fix my frame, it was in good shpe to start with, but is still was bent a little. It took the guy like a week to fix and you can not even tell the thing was bent to begin with. He did a great job. :p like a few of the other guys said, get a 2nd or 3rd or 4th opinion, before you get to crazy about it. I drove mine around for two years with the frame bent. Before I found the guy that fixed it. __________________ '72 Chevy C10 4x4 shortbed "Project" '71 Chevy C10 2wd longbed "partsrunner" '91 Chevy Burb 4x4 "kidrunner" '14 Honda Accord Sport "commuter"



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