See post #2. mtmuley
Is a fixed bent frame worth it?
- Thread starter Potsie
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Gellar
Well-known member
The frame is a whole nother animal. Most shops aren’t even going to mess with it.
Baloney. The damage looks minimal behind the differential. If a shop " won't mess with it" find another shop. mtmuley
El Jason
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And there you have it. We’ll take your truck from now on…
Potsie
Well-known member
Problem is even though it’s behind the differential, it’s still in front of the leaf spring mount. It’s already got that shackle shoved hard against the frame.
Sent more pictures to my uncle that was a body-man for 20 years, he says it’s fixable with a frame machine, but he would suggest boxing the frame in and welding in a gusset or two.
It’s my daily driver and I put ~35k/year on it, so I need dependability over anything else - even a deal. If it goes bad I can’t have it in the driveway working in it for a week.
MTLabrador
Well-known member
My dad recently had his 2018 Tundra with 110,000 on it totaled, which sucks. He got more from his insurance than I expected, but the cost of a low mileage replacement right now is still insane and has him looking at buying new.
I’d want to fix it if it was mine, but it all depends on what it would cost for the repairs. I could see the frame work getting expensive quick.
I’d want to fix it if it was mine, but it all depends on what it would cost for the repairs. I could see the frame work getting expensive quick.
LCH
Well-known member
When they totaled our suv, it was still running and driving fine. They gave us $14k. I bought it back for only $2k.
To me, $2k for a running/driving 4x4 is a no brainer.
If they let you keep it for a stupid low amount, it would be silly IMO to let it go.
To me, $2k for a running/driving 4x4 is a no brainer.
If they let you keep it for a stupid low amount, it would be silly IMO to let it go.
Mallardsx2
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Buy it as cheap as you can and weld a hunk of chain to the frame and put a 20 ton jack in there and bend it back. It’s a job. But it can be straightened out some.
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cgasner1
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Driving 35k miles a year is keep it and fix it and buy a car with what’s left
Tradewind
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a good shop can fix it. I tweaked the front end of a passenger car. Shop put it on their frame alignment jig.
Said all wheels were in alignment. I drove it another 60k or so. But it had 225k on it already. Same set of tires.
NO problems I noticed. For the back end of a pickup behind the diff, I think you're fine.
be sure to have them check the drive shaft. Had a friend get rear ended. NO one noticed the drive shaft until he started using up U-joints
Said all wheels were in alignment. I drove it another 60k or so. But it had 225k on it already. Same set of tires.
NO problems I noticed. For the back end of a pickup behind the diff, I think you're fine.
be sure to have them check the drive shaft. Had a friend get rear ended. NO one noticed the drive shaft until he started using up U-joints
longbow51
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I have a friend who runs a body shop; it can definitely be fixed. If the insurance company totals it, though, resale will be an issue, as many have said.
If you could just buy another Tundra V8, no brainer. Turbo V6 much more complicated, runs hotter, and we may not be looking at the legendary longevity we've come to expect.
If you could just buy another Tundra V8, no brainer. Turbo V6 much more complicated, runs hotter, and we may not be looking at the legendary longevity we've come to expect.
PNWtrekker
Member
I agree with what others have been saying. What are you using it for? If it's your daily driver, maybe not. I owned a truck the insurance company should have totaled. It never was quite right after the collision, and I didn't know enough back then to keep taking it back on the insurance company's dime until it was right. If it's your wheel'in truck and you expect to put hard off-road miles on it and have another reliable rig for grocery getting, well, it may be a gift horse to buy it back. Also, are you handy or know somebody who is? Pulling the frame yourself, welding plates, and stiffening weak points that will start to reveal themselves is harder than it sounds. It would be way over my head and the beer and pizza costs to beg buddies to work on it would get prohibitive after a while. Actually, absconding from my dad duties evening after evening, would probably be more of a problem than the beer and pizza. Tough choice. Good luck whichever way you decide to go.
44hunter45
Well-known member
Tell me you went and got your back checked out.
rjthehunter
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If you keep it, its harder to sell with a salvage title. Depends on what they offer! Might be worth it
Forkyfinder
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Insurance would give me up to half of book value for it - and i paid a little less than half. Was a good truck to me for over 130k miles. By the time i sold it - the age/use/miles of the vehicle made the difference between repair and clean title pretty meaningless
Potsie
Well-known member
No, but I will admit to being a bit sore the next day.
I’ve bought a few cars back from the insurance company after being totaled. It’s shocking how cheap they’ll sell it back to you because they know they won’t get anything for it at auction and it’s expensive for them to get it to the auction. As others have mentioned, you’d probably end up with an awesome hunting rig for a few thousand dollars.
Also, if the value they offer you isn’t in line with what you can find for your same model with similar mileage within a couple hundred miles, do not accept it. Research what it should be before you discuss the value with them. Also make sure the truck is super clean before they inspect it. You’re essentially getting ready to “sell it” to the insurance company just like selling it to someone as a used truck; they take the condition into account when valuing it. They’ll try to railroad you and say the check is already in the mail for their lowball offer, blah blah blah. They’ll have you on a recorded line and try to get you to accept it. Keep arguing and make them re-value it with comps that you find if needed.
Also, if the value they offer you isn’t in line with what you can find for your same model with similar mileage within a couple hundred miles, do not accept it. Research what it should be before you discuss the value with them. Also make sure the truck is super clean before they inspect it. You’re essentially getting ready to “sell it” to the insurance company just like selling it to someone as a used truck; they take the condition into account when valuing it. They’ll try to railroad you and say the check is already in the mail for their lowball offer, blah blah blah. They’ll have you on a recorded line and try to get you to accept it. Keep arguing and make them re-value it with comps that you find if needed.
perma
Well-known member
This.
Not to mention finding a good body shop with the proper frame bender is getting harder to do.
Gulf of America
Well-known member
I feel like there's a mechanism to argue for actual replacement value with insurance by showing comparable listings, but I haven't actually had to do that so I could be wrong. I'd be going that route - fighting tooth and nail for every dollar insurance will give you and then buy a brand spankin new Tundra
