So one night this drunk guy decides to run into the back of my truck parked along the road. He pushes it about 8 feet up the road. Visually just a dent on the right rear quarter panel and my receiver hitch, and bumper, bent down about 5-6 inches. Come to find out the frame is bent, but no party yet, they want to fix it. They are going to cut the frame from just infront of my rear tires and replace that section of frame. The repair shop has some form of laser or digital do-wappy thing that supposedly can put it back to manufacturers spects? Am I getting rectally violated or is this doable?

 

Is this through your insurance or the drunks? If the later you should fight the repair job and demand proper compensation. If you don't get a new ride at a minimum they also need to compensate you for deprecated value due to the fact that a carfax will lower your resale.

 

i have friends that work in body shops and yes a frame can be straightened but honestly, the vehicles that i have seen and driven, are never the same again

 

The drunks, but I did talk to mine. My insurance did tell me about the depreciated value compensation. The repair shop said it shouldn't post on carfax for a couple of weeks, they knew I was supposed to trade in my truck the day after it was hit. I said I wanted the whole drive line checked since it was pushed 8 feet and they said they would have someone drive it to feel for vibrations. I said take it to a certified Ford repair shop or park it until the insurance company and I figure out what to do. They said they took it to Ford, I don't know if they did or not. I am going to go through the paperwork and have them explain everything they did. The insurance co. hasn't been intouch since they told me where to take it, I told them I wnted it towed and they said that was okey.

 

Sounds like the repair shop isn't a very reputable one if they are asking you to be part of something dishonest. I would tell them no.

vanman250

 

Agreed!!!!!

If what I gather so far from this thread is correct, the bent frame is going to be the least of your worries.

 

Cutting a frame would turn this vehicle into an instant salvage vehicle depending on where you live. In CA if the frame must be cut the title will become a salvage title and must be reinspected. By the way according to the factory ford shop manual cutting, welding or brazing the frame are a no go! The Frame must be replaced to maintan the D.O.T. crumple zones and meet the standards.

 

I've been doing body work for over 12 years, and I've never heard of a shop wanting to splice in a section of frame on a full frame vehicle. I'm not even sure if this is an approved repair by Ford. Call a local Ford Dealer with a body shop and ask them if it is acceptable.
Have you asked your ins company about the repair? Have them send out an adjuster to write an estimate. You're not at fault so you should be able to let your ins company fix it and then go after the other guy's for reinbursment.
If they want to fix your truck, I would demand that they replace the whole frame. As bad as that sounds, it's really not that bad of a job on these trucks.
As far as the "laser or digital do-wappy thing" for straightening frames, yes they do work (on both full frame and unibody vehicles), as long as the tech knows what they are doing.

 

Oh dam that dont sound good at all sorry to hear about that...

 

How can I find out if cutting the frame turns it into a salvage vehicle?

 

Call your local DMV or ask the Ford body shop manager. Your Ins. co. will also know. Also you may want to ask if a certain percentage and what the percentage is that deems the title Salvage or Reconstructed.

 

Hopefully you can end up getting a brand new truck out of all this mess on the drunks tab.

 

Now were talking!!

 

Firemut30, Please keep us posted as to how this is going... Thanks

 

I sent an email to DMV to see if there is any other way to total a vehicle other then cost of repair. Explained that insurance wanted to cut off rear of frame and put on new parts. we'll see