Any autobody experts????

[catmandude]

My body shop and insurance adjuster is telling me that I need a completely new frame under my 2006 Chev Silverado 4x4 Ext Cab. I hit a curb doing 15 mph (honest...). The wheel was turned all the way to the right, and it hit on the passenger side, it broke the wheel (aluminum) and pushed/bent the A-arm. The truck is mint, w/20k miles, not a scratch, and pretty loaded.

My question is, should a frame need to be replaced after being in a 15 mph impact? What is the cost to replace the frame on this truck? The body shop is still figuring their estimate... I have an inkling that the adjuster and body shop are a little chummy.... How common is it to replace a frame on a 3 year old truck? Or any truck? The adjuster is telling me there is no way he is going to total it, it must be repaired.

 

[skid]

Yeh, they are probagly right. The frame is a hydroformed boxed frame. The factory does not want much pulling done to the frame, what happens is the boxed pard gets kinked and can not be repaired correctly. If the car gets in another accident the frame wont absorb energy in the correct way and may bend farther back were the occupants may get hurt. The 97-04 F150, excursion and expedition where even worse. They do make a sectioning kit but all the frame damage has to be up towards the frame horns. Yours sounds like it is under the engine more so that would require a new frame.

 

[Wyoming T/A]

we did the same thing on a toyota this spring--the front was pushed back where the bumper mounts about 1 inch and the insurance company wanted it replaced--we got a used one--i think it was about 5000.00 job--did also have some body damage but not much---pretty common--they dont want the frames straightened any more--it weakens them and they dont want the liability