Frame Damage

[S550_Matt]

Hi Everyone,

A couple of months back I hit what looked like a block or rock/concrete on the road.

Everything seems fine at the time. I had the car on a lift this past weekend as i was changing my shocks and struts and saw the damage :(.

Can this be repaired? How severe is this? I'm not sure how to get the picture to upload with the proper orientation

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[PJR202]

I don't know much about pullers, but I would think cut and splice is your only option. Personally, I wouldn't touch it.

What the hell did you REALLY hit??? It would take something seriously hard to do that kind of damage. I wouldn't think a rock could do that kind of damage to thick steel.

 

[wireeater]

If you hit something THAT hard, you should have most certainly been concerned at the time and should have inspected it. That's not just something you floated over. I would have had gone back to try and take pictures or something and contact the county/state & insurance.

 

[notstok5.0]

I hit a rock on the road, did the same thing. Being lowered didnt' help!

 

[Cardude99]

Turn it into insurance, it will be an at fault accident and u will have a deductible but they will cover it. Damage like that could be thousands and of bad enough could total the vehicle. I don't think this will total but it's gonna be pricy.

Get a quote from a good shop and see if it is worth the claim. Just my advice

 

[S550_Matt]

I don't know much about pullers, but I would think cut and splice is your only option. Personally, I wouldn't touch it.

What the hell did you REALLY hit??? It would take something seriously hard to do that kind of damage. I wouldn't think a rock could do that kind of damage to thick steel.

Its was a piece of concrete i believe. i was driving about 1.5 car lengths behind a truck at about 45 mhp with a car next to me and i couldnt break in time.

 

[MikeyV]

Meh, I'd leave it alone. Maybe keep an eye on it?

At most, I'd have a plate welded over it. Then re-seal.

 

[Cobra Jet]

Turn it into insurance, it will be an at fault accident and u will have a deductible but they will cover it. Damage like that could be thousands and of bad enough could total the vehicle. I don't think this will total but it's gonna be pricy.

Get a quote from a good shop and see if it is worth the claim. Just my advice

Turn it into insurance??? For what? A raised insurance premium over a dented subframe?

C'mon now!

The subframes on the Mustang unibody can dent like that if being jacked up improperly too, would you call the insurance company then?

That dent is not harming anything at all and I've seen plenty of Mustangs from the 60's to current woth similar dents or damage - does not affect anything at all. Sure it looks like shit, but big deal.

---

OP -
Next time you run over or hit something THAT HARD, pull over, because it could be your oil pan or bottom of trans next time...

 

[RocketGuy3]

Meh, I'd leave it alone. Maybe keep an eye on it?

At most, I'd have a plate welded over it. Then re-seal.

I'm no expert chassis engineer or anything (though I am an engineer, heh), but to me this sounds like the most sound advice. My opinion probably isn't worth much, but I think that's what I would do.

 

[NoVaGT]

It's fine, don't worry about it.

That dent hasn't damaged or compromised anything about your car. Probably 1/2 the cars on the road have similar damage, it's not an issue.

 

[Cardude99]

Turn it into insurance??? For what? A raised insurance premium over a dented subframe?

C'mon now!

The subframes on the Mustang unibody can dent like that if being jacked up improperly too, would you call the insurance company then?

That dent is not harming anything at all and I've seen plenty of Mustangs from the 60's to current woth similar dents or damage - does not affect anything at all. Sure it looks like shit, but big deal.

---

OP -
Next time you run over or hit something THAT HARD, pull over, because it could be your oil pan or bottom of trans next time...

I would call it in, it's a frame and I've seen dmg like that total a reletivly new car.

Everyone is different on what they care about. I simply gave my opinion as I would not want to drive a car with a bent frame.

 

[NoVaGT]

I would call it in, it's a frame and I've seen dmg like that total a reletivly new car.

Everyone is different on what they care about. I simply gave my opinion as I would not want to drive a car with a bent frame.

The frame is dented, not bent. Big difference.

 

[1320']

I'd keep an eye on it.

It's frame damage, but it's not bent and unless you're noticing it driving differently..doesn't appear to have structurally compromised the car. If you turn it into the insurance it's going to flag it for frame damage which will utterly obliterate your resale if you're interested in selling it down the road.

 

[Southview]

It will be fine if you decide to leave it alone. A reputable shop could tack weld studs on it and use a frame machine and clamp to pull it back into shape. It would be around $5-700 fix with bodywork and paint. I wouldn't spend the money on it!
It will not affect the drivability of the car or the integrity. :cheers:

 

[Gigantor]

I would take it to a laser frame alignment body shop for a piece of mind
to make sure everything is true

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