Need some advice...........or some help!

[edonprewitt]

I have an 87 4x4 stepside that was hit in the left front tire in an intersection.  The bottom of the frame is twisted in just behind the shock mounts.   Apparently this cannot be corrected by the frame shop where it is currently..........  Is anyone familiar with how this can be corrected, or how it can be replaced (if possible) with a new frame section, or what any other options may be.

Thanks in advance for your help

Don

[Captkaos]

Curious as to why they said it couldn't be fixed?

[Blazin]

Any frame guy thats any good should be able to fix any damage as long as he has the correct tools. I know a guy that is a magician, have seen him straiten stuff that looked like scrap metal to me, and Im a body man!

[edonprewitt]

Well, to be honest with you I don't know.............don't know whether it is a matter of tooling or knowledge.  Or maybe he is holding out for more cash...........just don't know..................... I'm just trying to fix the problem.................I'm into the fix at about $1400 and don't know whether that's a good thing or a bad thing.  They last thing he told me was that the metal had stretched from the accident and he would get it "as close as he could" but "it may lean a little bit to the crash side".  Any advise or information would be helpful.

[bake74]

      If he is telling you that and you already spent $1400.00, I wouldn't spend any more with him.  If you can't find someone who can fix it, I would start looking for a new frame, or search for years that would fit.

[edonprewitt]

Well, not paying any more is pretty easy............This truck is a V-10 with numbers that match all the way around.   I really don't want to change the frame.  Would like to keep it all together.  Other than the tires and wheels is is completely original and in really good shape.    I will start looking for another frame place before he puts the fenders back on.  Thanks for your help and hopefully soon I will post pics.
Thanks again
Don

[VileZambonie]

Pix of the damage would really help.

[1979C20]

Could you find a frame and cut the length that is damaged on both and weld the good frame onto your truck? Kind of like how Vile made his own short bed?

[edonprewitt]

here are some pics of the damage.   the first is from the top, the other two are from the bottom.   The twist starts right behind the shock mounts.

[edonprewitt]

1979C20.............that's certainly a possiblity..........if it can be rendered safe for offroad............don't do much of it but also don't want to find out too late that I shouldn't have.
Thanks
Don

[1979C20]

That poor truck. Broken/bent spring, bent up shock, crushed exhaust. Its always sad to see. Good luck with the repairs!

[jaredts]

I know you don't want to hear it but that ain't worth fixin'.  Buy a donor and swap whatever makes sense to swap.  There is no way to make that frame totally right.  I'm not saying it couldn't work, it just isn't worth it.  The frame is buckled in the second picture, right?

[bake74]

     I have seen worse, get straightened out and work fine, but this is a 4x4, I am with jaredts, I would find anouther frame.

[VileZambonie]

I would do a frame swap. Think of how nice it will look and it will be straight something a bent frame will never be no matter how you pull it.

[beastie_3]

Plus you can detail the frame before you do the swap.