Purchased a 1999 XLT, wrecked with a tweaked frame

[noteworks]

Hello all.

I purchased a 99 XLT that the driver had ran up on a guard rail. The frame is pushed in about 3 inches right just behind the rear frame mount for the lower control arm.

The strike also broke the knuckle where the tie rod mounts, so steering was lost on the right side.

Very hard to find the pass side knuckle for the 99 with vacuum actuated hubs. But I'll find it.

As far as parts I've either ordered or need to order,..

Torsion Bar
Lower Control Arm with Ball Joint
Radiator
Condenser
Bumper
Oil cooler
Accumulator
Knuckle
Tie Rod End
Upper Control Arm with Ball Joint
Trans Cooler
And I'm sure many other items as I get into it.

My question is around pulling the frame back out 3 inches or so.

Included are pictures of the truck itself, and some of the impacted areas.

I'm not totally against taking it to a frame shop, but I have zero idea what they would charge for the work.

I'm curious if something along the lines of a 10 ton porta power may be successful in this frame adjustment. I have no torches, so I would be attempting this with the porta power and heavy logging chains wrapped around the frame.

Thoughts on the best way to do this?

I'm not afraid to do the work, just want to work as smart as possible.

Thanks in advance for the input. We had a 93 ranger years ago, and I've never heard the end of the grief from the wife after selling it. She loved that truck, and hates driving any of the full size pickups here since. So, I've been a deal on another one when I saw this one on CL for $500 in very good condition. I figured I'd take a shot at a happy marriage again.

The truck has been sitting for about a year, and we couldn't get it to turn over with a good battery, but it was in such good shape, I took the woman's word for how well it ran. Upon getting it home, it either has a broken shift cable, or the accident disconnected it in the column, because the shifter isnt affecting the transmission. I went underneath, removed the cable, and manually shifted it into park, and it started and ran for about 10 seconds before I shut it off.

Best

 

[Uncle Gump]

That took a pretty good lick..

I'm not sure a Porta power is gonna do it. I'm also no expert on frame straightening. The pictures say to me that it's bent... kinked and twisted.

I think if it were me... I would pay a frame guy to give it his best shot.

Welcome to TRS...

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Or maybe buy another truck that was a rollover and swap frames.

 

[noteworks]

Thanks for the responses. I may throw in the towel, and let a shop get it back to spec. I have doubts a porta power would be able to move that rail to be honest. I was hoping for a member that had done something like this with a PP to give an idea that it may have the strength afterall.

 

[tinman_72]

Once you have a kink in the metal it is a weak spot. I wouldn't use it.

 

[noteworks]

Possible for sure. I'll investigate it further. Anyway, I don't have a torch or access to a machine like this, haha.

 

[don4331]

I'd like an interior fender picture to see if there's any damage to the sheet metal between the front clip and firewall.

If the truck was brand new, it would be 50/50 if they would total the truck or fix it. As it in a '99, its totalled. Just because it is possible, doesn't mean it it the right thing to do. You will note in the video, they give up trying to straighten some of the sheetmetal parts and just replace them...

Swapping frames is how I resolved this situation, and it is a ton of work - the truck better have sentimental value.

 

[RonD]

I would look for a 1998-2000 4x4 with bad engine and or trans and just use your $500 powertain
Must be the same engine size and auto or manual match

If its a 3.0l engine you can swap it into any year 1998-2008 Ranger 2WD/4WD, manual or automatic
4.0l has to be 1998-2000

4WD trans can only be used in a 4x4, manual or automatic
If 1999 trans is automatic it can only be used with that engine size and only in 1995-2000 as replacement
Manual the same 1995 to 2000 as well, OSS sensor was added in 2001

 

[don4331]

The $640 question - is it an early '99 without PATS or later with??

If you're swapping into something engine size/transmission doesn't matter - you just have to transfer the appropriate part from this truck into the new one (ECM, GEMS & maybe PATS) At some point, it becomes easiest to swap dashes, but that isn't too complicated assuming you have a couple buddies to hold it in place while you get the 1st couple bolts in.

Yes, it would be a waste to put the 4x4 transmission and transfer case into a 2wd truck, but Ford did it with 2wd Bronco IIs. (2wd Bronco IIs are rare as hen's teeth, so Ford didn't bother with different length driveshaft for a 2wd, they just installed a transfer case -without front driveshaft and used the 4wd rear driveshaft).

p.s. I have a good pair of vacuum knuckles in the garage from when I swapped to live axle. If you decide you need one, I could ship it to you at your cost.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Yes, it would be a waste to put the 4x4 transmission and transfer case into a 2wd truck, but Ford did it with 2wd Bronco IIs. (2wd Bronco IIs are rare as hen's teeth, so Ford didn't bother with different length driveshaft for a 2wd, they just installed a transfer case -without front driveshaft and used the 4wd rear driveshaft).

2WD BII's actually had a special t-case with its own model number. Had no guts in it, basically a dummy shell with a straight thru shaft so they could just use the same almost-too-short rear driveshafts. I wanna say it is like a BW1359 or something like that. Downright comical the lengths they went thru to make the hermaphrodite transfer case instead of another driveshaft.

At least if you used a real t-case on a 2wd you could still use low range.

Anywho... IMO frame swap.

Then you only have to figure out why the thing won't run and then find out how good the rest of it is. And hopefully the cab isn't jacked up beyond the front clip.

Instead of trying to find vacuum hubs for the PS... I would be shopping for live hubs for both sides if you use this frame.

1998-2000 Ford Ranger PVH Hub Swap To Live Axle - The Ranger Station

By: Rick Long (McDonald Ranger) This information is for swapping out the (PVH) vacuum assisted hubs found in 1998 – 2000 Rangers. The replacement hubs and axles are from a 1995-2001 Ford Explorer which is the same front axle … Continued

www.therangerstation.com

 

[Shran]

I think a guy could fix that at home... The big problem is going to be having something solid enough to jack/pull against and brace the rest while doing so. I am pretty crafty and have a ton of tools/know how but I would try to frame swap that truck or leave it to a pro...

 

[noteworks]

I agree it's doable, but that whole anchoring challenge is where I struggle. I had 5 trees taken down over the last few years here. If I have one of them left, I'd love to try this myself to straighten the frame, and bring the wheel back forward a few inches. Someone mentioned They'd like to see the interior of the fender to see what the firewall looks like. I'll try to get that off soon as I'm also curious.

 

[RonD]

You need TWO anchor points
While the vehicle at speed has enough inertia to bend the frame, when parked it is not heavy enough and will just slide when pulling on the frame to straighten it, so vehicle needs to be anchored as well AND in a manner that won't cause damage to those anchor points when pulling on the frame or you end up with more damage

 

[noteworks]

Right, my idea was to anchor to either side of the bend in the frame, and pull the center against those 2 anchor points to straghten.

 

[scotts90ranger]

Right, when I ran into a log that was lengthwise in a ditch (in the snow, didn't see it when I was in the ditch inadvertently) in my '90 and it jacked up the radius arm bracket on the passenger side I tied it to my F350 and tried to pull it with my little 4k pound tractor in low range with the diff locked it didn't budge, I had to take everything apart and straighten it with hammers and my 20 ton press...