Frame question

i was rear ended in my 03 Tacoma. Needs a tailgate and some other minor stuff. After the dealer did a inspection they said the frame had a "diamond" in it and the insurance company what's to total it. I drove it for a month after I was hit and it drove perfectly fine. They have offered me $14,350 for the truck to total it but I don't want to do that. The offer for a salvage title is $9,500 and then I have to get it to pass an inspection by the DMV to get it re-titled. Anyone have experience with this? I am inclined to leave the frame as is but don't know if it will pass for a title. Anyone know what I could pick up a used frame for if I had to go that route? Contacts?

 

What's a diamond in the frame. Sounds like you need to go to a gemologist. It is hard to believe that they want to offer you $14+ for a vehicle that you drove of a month after it was hit. The damage can't be that bad.

 

Take it to a place that has a frame puller! That is an easy fix and you'll be off and runnin!

@CD20H when a frame has been tweaked where one rail is offset from the other it is considered to be in a diamond shape. The damage isnt that bad. Heck even trucks that have been wheeled real hard and flex out all the time have diamond frames. Piece of cake for a shop with a puller.

 

'zactly.

All my trucks were wrecks and all had to have the frame pulled. A "diamond-ed" frame just means that the frame is not perfectly rectangular. A frame shop can quickly pull it straight. This is one of their easiest "pulls".

Wanna know a secret?

Many vehicles have diamond shaped frames right from the factory.

As for the inspection process? It more involved for safety features than the repairs. In my state, the only thing the inspector cares about is: Wipers, horns, seat belts and crack free glass. They don't even care if the air bags are blown.

In my state, if the owner "buys" back a totaled vehicle, often the salve part never shows up on the title because the title never leaves the owners hand.

It sounds like you have a great chance at getting an easy fix vehicle for a great price. I know if I came across an easy fixer at an insurance auction, I'd be all over it.

Keep us posted. I'm all about rehabbing vehicles and encourage others to do it as well.

 

I need to move to your state, screw California lol

 

Once you wrench on a 4 year old truck and every bolt requires a torch, you might change your mind. Fvcking salt we use around here makes everything rust up tight.

 

This is true, I scored an '04 recently out here with low mileage and a perfect frame, I guess that's one trade off we have given our horrendous smog regulations

 

Shit theres a million and one reasons to leave California! Take his advice, you dont wanna move over there with koditten though! Your nice clean purddy frame would be a rust bucket in no time flat!

 

Thanks.

Learned something.

OP
Like everyone else says find a shop with a Frame Machine.