Looking for a frame repair shop

[SamsDad]

Putting the truck up on a lift has revealed the need for some frame repair.

Can anyone recommend a good shop in the Boston area? Preferably south of Boston.

Thanks in advance for any assistance.

 

[97RangerXLT]

if it is just spring hangers or cross members, you can order those and do them yourself. just grind/ punch the rivets out and bolt in the new with grade 8 bolts/ nuts.

There is also a company that makes the last 18 inches of the frame where the back bumper and rear spring hanger/ shackle is bolted to, maybe someone can chime in with a link. I don't remember if that is welded in or if it is bolted on tho..

If it is a section of the actual frame, I would call your insurance company and ask them who they send their frame damage claims to. The insurance company will not want to deal with multiple claims for a single incident, so I would imagine that the work will be done right. Might be costly tho...

AJ

 

[SamsDad]

The passenger side looks OK.

The driver's side is shot from just behind the front leaf spring mount back, it may be worse I'm not sure. Lot's of 20-20 hindsight on my part missing this one but what's done is done.

Repair is one option I'm exploring. My first will be a refund under Massachusetts' lemon law (gathering paperwork to that effect).

 

[bigmark303]

I did suspect some frame and bed rust/rot issues from the picture of the truck in the other thread. Could clearly see the bed not lining up with the cab.

Its unfortunate but things do get overlooked. If you purchased the truck at a dealership bring it right back as it should have never been released with any kind of frame damage. Its a safety issue.

If purchased from a private party you are out of luck and any effort you make toward the lemon law is just going to waste your time. All private party sales are as is and frame rot even if you overlooked it before the purchase is something that was present and not hidden from you. The lemon law only helps with a certain amount of mechanical or electrical failures within a certain period of time rendering the vehicle useless for 3 or more consecutive days per repair.

Unfortunately I do not know of anyone around the area you are looking at but any truck utility/equipment supplier will be able to do a frame repair. Find a place that sells commercial truck parts like plows, sanders, custom fitted boxes, and the likes. Those places fabricate and weld so they will have the tools, knowledge, and resources for a frame repair.

 

[Bronco638]

So sorry to hear about this.

You may want to simply look for (a truck with) a good frame. It may end up costing less to swap everything over. And, if you clean-up, repair/refurbish as you go, the truck will end up much better than when you bought it.

 

[adsm08]

Most body shops will do frame repairs. I agree with 97XLT, call the insurance company and ask who they send things to. That means you will at least get a quality repair, and if you mention who referred you you might get a discount.

 

[Bronco638]

True, you can have it straighten but I crashed an '85 STX and bent the frame just behind the cab. State Farm put a new frame under it but it never drove like it did before the accident (I know, I know, there are other things a play here). I sold it shortly thereafter because, in my mind, it was still "wrecked". So, I'm wondering if a frame shop and get it true enough or if it will always "dog walk" or have alignment issues, etc.

 

[bigmark303]

If the frame is rotted though and not warped or twisted which is usually the case its easiest to just have bar stock welded in as a brace and then angle grind out the rotted section and then fill that with bar stock as well so its all solid and welded up without ever having to truly separate the frame where it will not line up perfect again. cant ever separate the frame.

An auto body shop is going to separate the frame and weld in a new section. It will never be the same truck again after the frame has been separated. Auto body shops have all sorts of fancy clamps, braces and laser levels but they will never get the frame factory perfect. Take it to a commercial truck center that fabricates. Pickup truck frame repair especially in new england is super common at those places because the majority of trucks plow. Those guys know how to fix frames without ever separating them.

 

[SamsDad]

I have located a shop (Woodward's Spring Shop in Brockton, they do truck repairs) and they say they can repair the frame, basically they'll cut off the old frame and weld in a donor. I get get a donor at www.alliedautowrecking.com up in NH.

I'm going to get a quote from the shop tomorrow, and have them see if the rest of the frame is in OK shape and if this is worth the effort. Based on everyone's experience, can I expect the frame from the cab forward to be in similar condition?

You all have been very helpful, thanks so far. Wish me luck!!

 

[Bronco638]

If the donor frame is good, I'd use that and swap everything over.