bent frame...

[BSlusser]

I hit a boulder out in silverado canyon here in socal probably in february. wasn't a massive collision but it did enough dammage to put a substantial dent in my frame. It didn't seem necessary at the time to even get it looked at (stupid) so i decided to just keep an eye on it. I hadn't looked at it for a while until I went to pressure wash today after getting stuck yesterday. I don't have a picture from when it first happened, but here's what I'm dealing with now...

I'm worried pretty sick about it so any input or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I'm not totally sure, but i don't think the holes in the frame were bent like this right after it happened. I'm going down to a few different body shops for some estimates tomorrow. thanks.

 

[badge49]

I'm not a professional on frames, but I don't think you have much to worry about. That front IFS cross-member is welded between the frame rails pretty strongly. Unless you dented it enough to mess with the rack & pinion or somehow tweek the camber, you should be fine. If you do get it "fixed", it'll cost you an arm and a leg. Think of it this way... here's your perfect excuse to go SAS!

 

[Tbars4]

...I would just compare it to another 98-99 frame, but I don't see much problem from the pictures..

 

[BSlusser]

thanks guys, im startin to think im makin a big fuss over nothing. my friend's dad is a fleet salesman at the local ford dealership and he was tellin me not long after i posted this that it really shouldn't be getting worse unless i cracked the frame. not to mention, i'm not 100% sure it HAS gotten worse, but even if it hasn't this isn't something to mess around with. keep the input coming, thanks.

 

[Blee1099]

Thats nothing.. Mine was used as a sled on the rocks frequently

 

[Tbars4]

...^^^...I was just going to say that...It did it's job protecting vital parts and as long as it don't get creased bad or cracked, you should be fine....From what I've seen, that is minor...

 

[MONMIX]

worry not.

I mean it is a beater right ? Unless you are after a perscision crafter well tuned automobile ( in a ford ? ) that amount of bend is non issue.

Unless you are an insurance adjuster

Either way the fix would be quite involved.

 

[explornj]

mine is worse then that and have never been worried about it, and the more i bend it i realize i should just to my axle swap

 

[Essex4x4]

Before i totaled my 1991 EB i had a massive damage to the front cross member. I took it out with my friends and drove across a ditch and hit a large rock making a dent about twice the size of a baseball. Now lets see here, that was when it had about 80,000 miles on it and when i totaled it there was around 165,000 - 170,000 miles on the odometer. Trust me, that is nothing, you are more than fine. Take it as a form of pride, and proof that your ex has been offroad.:
I wouldn't replace it unless you don't like your money. Now, if this is true i will do you a favor and take that icky money from you.

 

[BSlusser]

lol alright cool, thanks guys. you have no idea how relieved i am. local body shop woulda had me over a barrel tomorrow if it weren't fer you guys

 

[Essex4x4]

They would have lied to and said it needed to be replaced just so they could take your money.

 

[section525]

Reminds me of mine old one.

 

[gijoecam]

The absolute worst that could have happened there is that the kink in the cross member slightly relocated one or both of the lower control arm mounts. From the looks of it, if it did, yours would be an exceptionally minor change, and something that could easily be corrected with an alignment. There's no need to worry about the cross member itself though... yours is barely scratched.