If your truck is not operating like it used to , and especially if you have recently been in a collision or otherwise sustained damage to your vehicle, you could be experiencing the symptoms of a compromised truck frame. The frame of a vehicle is its skeleton, which supports the rest of its structures; if the frame is damaged, your truck could not only be more dangerous to operate but also break down quickly. Learn more about a truck frame repair.
Types of Truck Frame Damage and Their Causes
The types of damage that a truck frame can sustain vary. Rust may immediately come to mind as an issue for many vehicles, especially in the salt belt where road salt and chemicals are used to clear driving areas in the winter months.
When a frame is allowed to rust, it may begin to develop iron oxide on the surface. This is not immediately threatening to the vehicle’s operation, but it should be treated as soon as possible before it worsens to penetrating rust, which can eat holes into the frame and compromise its integrity.
If your truck has recently been in a collision, either with another vehicle or an object such as a tree, the frame will likely have diffused at least some of the impact shock.
This can cause cracks or even bends in the truck’s frame that may alter the way the vehicle drives and make it more likely to crumple unsafely should another collision occur.
Symptoms of Frame Damage in a Truck
Frame damage can come in many forms, and you may not even notice that your truck drives any differently. Frame damage is not necessarily obvious.
However, you may experience some symptoms depending on how your frame is bent or cracked, including uneven door closing or inability to close doors, drifting while driving or rattling and grinding sounds.
A tire alignment will not fix drifting, and sudden lurches or unexpected pull contributes to a higher likelihood of additional accidents and collisions after truck frame damage.
Methods of Truck Frame Repair
The type of repair needed on a truck frame will depend upon what damage has been sustained and the symptoms that the driver is experiencing, if any.
Not all frame damage is noticeable while driving; however, this does not mean that repair can be left for another day.
Fixing frame damage is a critically time-sensitive issue, and with roughly 50% of all auto accidents resulting in some form of frame damage, you should be cognizant of the possibility that your truck has been damaged, even if you do not feel it.
Welding a Frame
For frames that are cracked or frame damage that resulted in punctures or cracked panels, welding is an option. An experienced technician using a MIG welder can help you salvage your truck and avoid costly part replacement by restoring the frame and its surrounding features. Welding is a detailed process that can enable fine-tuned repair and save you money over full replacement.
Straightening a Frame
If your truck’s frame has been bent out of shape during a collision, you will need to seek the assistance of an auto body restoration shop that has access to frame straightening tools.
These typically include hydraulic machines that use torque and leverage to exert enough pressure in the correct locations to bend the frame back into its correct shape.
Many shops also utilize laser measuring tools to ensure that the frame is exactly the shape that it should be according to the manufacturer’s specifications.
Fillers and Other Options
For truck frames that are suffering from rust, an auto body shop can remove surface iron oxide with grinders and use wire and body filler to restore holes that compromise the frame’s integrity.
Rust can be a severe problem that can permanently weaken your truck’s frame, so it is important to repair the rust as soon as you are aware of it, before it can cause significant damage.
Rely on the Truck Frame Repair and Auto Body Restoration Experts
If you believe that your truck may have sustained frame damage, either due to a collision, accident or rust, be sure to reach out to an auto body restoration shop that has the tools needed to repair your vehicle. Not every location has the chains, hydraulic presses and laser measurement tools that make for a high-quality frame repair for your truck.
At Robs Customs and Restorations, we understand how important a frame is to a vehicle and will ensure that your truck is safe to drive while helping you to work within your budgetary requirements. Reach out to schedule an appointment with one of our experts.