Has anyone had there frame straightened?

[Thomas Clark]

My Sport Trac (2001 4x4) was hit by a drunk driver and totaled by the insurance company.

(bought it back as salvage)



The worst damage is to the drivers side front fender area. I am pretty sure the collision bent the frame though it is not obviously bent. I was wondering if anyone else had and experience with getting their frame straightened?



thanks

Tomclark

 

[George T]

Its done pretty common these days. Mine was sort of straightened. On my ST, the frame was bent in the front. It was straightened in a body shop, not by me though. Hope this helps.

Let me know if you have other questions.



[Broken External Image]:

 

[Thomas Clark]

you have about the same kind of damage I do, just on the other side.



I called a shop and the owner said the frames are very strong and sometimes they are not worth attempting. He said his frame machines are rated a 50,000 lbs and he has broken the chains on his machine and not gotten the frame straight. He also said he get people who had their frames straightened else where and they alignment is bad enough to ruin the front tires in 2 months.



In order to get the truck to a shop to have it looked at I have to put a wheel back on there and the knuckle is snapped clean in half. I am thinking of welding the knuckle together and putting the wheel on just to get it on a tow truck.

 

[Thomas Clark]

George do you have any idea what it cost to straighten the frame?

 

[Kevin Palmer]

Not personally, but i know several that have and they have all had good luck when they were done right.



A good shop will have all the specs and be able to get it near perfect if not perfect...

 

[George T]

It usually varies on how much work is put into it. The total labor charge for the frame, and replacing all the parts, and getting it into fixed and painted condition for me was $1550. So I am guessing it was maybe around a $800-$1000 was for the frame. But I could be wrong.

And again, it depends where the frame is bent and what it will take to straighten it,as mine was in the front end, so those parts had to be removed anyway, and the frame was right there.

I got an alignment after it was fixed, and havent had problems with the alignment. Knock on wood. But get a couple of quotes, and make sure the shop is confident about doing the frame work.

 

[Thomas Clark]

Thanks for the input everyone.



I am trying to decide if can afford to fix up my ST, if anyone wants to recommend a shop they have had good experience with that would be great. I live in Souther California, I live in Corona, somewhere in the Inland Empire or San Gabriel Valley, Orange county and so on would be doable.

 

[Alan Peters]

I've had the rear end/frame rails straigthened. Its acutally a really cool process to watch. When I was rearended, they first lazer measure the frame and pull it within spec. It really depends on the bend and where its located. A dealer repaired the frame twice.

 

[Thomas Clark]

I feel lucky because I got rear ended several times in the ST and the damage was always confined to the bumper cover and the brackets. I even got rear ended by a bobtail loaded with trench plates one time and it was not big deal.