Rear ended

Crooks · December 12, 2014

How is a bent frame not a total loss?

SouthernSilveradoGuy85 · December 12, 2014

How is a bent frame not a total loss?

If a body shop is able to bend it back, any decent body shop will have a frame machine. Wouldn't be able to get it back exactly, but can get it close. If it was me if the frame was bent even a little I wouldn't want it anymore. An older truck that's just a play truck I wouldn't care, but for a daily and new truck then ya I would.

AZGMCZ71Leveled · December 12, 2014

I have a 2014 GMC no accidents. But my wife's 2015 pilot was hit after 30 days of ownership. There was 5k worth of damage and we have a special attorney suing for diminished value. The only good thing is I got all the chrome painted white to match....

junkyardz · December 12, 2014

So new update. Adjuster called me yesterday and my truck is now at the body shop. I was able to choose my shop which is the only guy around here I trust to work on my vehicle. Her adjuster fed me a line about how he had to twist their arm to get them to take it (I know them well) which was untrue. But anyway my body guy glanced at my truck last night and feels the frame is most certainly bent though the extent of which we cannot tell until the bed is pulled off. He had a truck on the frame rack and gave me a demo of the computer system that specs the frame during the straightening process which is pretty cool I have to say. Anyway, he like me feel a new bed is the best bet and makes the most sense given how new the truck is. I'm riding around in a chevy sonic now (WOW shes fast)... But I still have a few issues. Her adjuster was really shady about depreciated value of my truck and they are offering me a settlement for pain and suffering (rather small figure) and I am unsure if I am happy with that. An interesting thing about my line of work is I am a physical therapist so I see whiplash and MVA pt's daily so issues from neck soreness or pain are not limited to immediately following the accident and often reoccur. My question is how do I determine a dollar amount to request for compensation related to my truck's depreciation? My body guy said we can fix it but itll never be the same truck. There are no KY laws regarding depreciated value calculation etc.

I'm also a PT and see those types of injuries ALOT. when my truck was wrecked I had the salesman print up a trade in value pre condition and post wreck to prove there was in fact a hit on trade in value...which was almost 3k bucks. I'm still dealing with the ins company on mine since the truck is still in the shop, but my ins adjuster has been really good and said there won't be any issue getting part of that lost money back....we will see...good luck go you sir, keep us posted

02suburbanZ71 · December 12, 2014

If a body shop is able to bend it back, any decent body shop will have a frame machine. Wouldn't be able to get it back exactly, but can get it close. If it was me if the frame was bent even a little I wouldn't want it anymore. An older truck that's just a play truck I wouldn't care, but for a daily and new truck then ya I would.

Yea most body shops have a frame puller. I've pulled a few frames myself. Thats dangerous stuff

Wannabebad · December 12, 2014

10.5k is the estimate the shop provided. So totaling the truck is not even optional. Sucks on one hand as a truck with a tweaked frame is not what I bought.... So I'm trying to get a couple quotes from dealers in the area pre and post accident trade value so I can go back to her adjuster. As I've said over and over I don't want an attorney involved but as time passes I'm thinking it may be the only option. Also, I'm running around in a chevy sonic now reallllllly makes me miss the truck!!!!

BigBadSierra · December 12, 2014

I know two people the insurance company actually had the body shops replace the entire frame with a new one.

They took the entire SUV apart and reassembled it on the new frame.

Mickey_D · December 13, 2014

Had an 81' Silverado that had a hay fork mounted on the back. After a couple of years of use it broke the frame over the wheel arches on both sides - figured that out when the bed floor (the only thing holding it together) started bending and making strange noises. Pulled the bed and welded it back together with stiffener plates and it went at least another ten years without problems. A couple of years later it hit two telephone poles and broke them off after hydroplaning and made the bumper touch the master cylinder on one side. After a lot of frame pulling and welding in a splice to get the length back right and a new front clip it was again fine. Tracked fine, looked good, and no extra rattles. Not sure if you can weld on the new high strength frames, but that truck is a lot tougher than you think and will be fine after they straighten it out. That frame was originally flat steel until they bent it at the factory.