Farmers want to total my truck

No they don't. They pay actual cash value for the vehicle, and then sell the salvage at auction to the highest bidder, which usually doesn't bring in much.

 

yep, if its in "any" condition to be fixed, they auction it off for "whatever" they get for it as long as its at least at or above scrap metal value, if its not considered auction sellable, they just scrap dealer for its steel value in weight (usually between $200-$300)

lots of small car dealers, that's all they do is buy cheap cars that need work, fix em, pretty em up with new paint, and resell them for something around $1000 profit above the purchase price plus repair costs

 

...^^^... Thanks for that info.

One of the insurance companies here was chastised in the the local newspaper for having partial ownership in a salvage operation.

 

Insurance companies total vehicles when they can get more to part it out/scrap it than paying to repair to current value. Its not always "it cost more to fix than it's worth". They look at what they can get out of it.

 

I noticed a bend in the frame. It's right over the axle. It moved the shackle 1/4 inch closer to the forward eye of the leaf spring. I don't think it moved the axle any.

 

if you noticed a bow in the frame that changed the shackle then the axle definitely moved too.

im sure there is more that you just haven't noticed yet

you wont listen, and I know you are just going to drive it the way it is, going slightly crooked down the road, but I suggest you buy a no rust junker to swap frames with, maybe something someone rolled over off roading, because you are never going to get that thing straight unless you do a frame off, put it in a jig and rebend and straighten the frame and that is just insane cost and amount of work and if you go frame off its cheaper to swap frames at that point then try to straighten yours

 

The axle is located by the forward part of the spring. I need a pro I trust to look at it.

 

You know what that means, right? Totaled. It will cost more than the truck is worth. They knew this. You were to stubborn and attached to think logically. Now you will be stuck with junk.
Trust me when I tell you this, although I know you won't. It will never be right.
Those of us with more life experience tried to explain this to you. But you knew it all.
Now your fucked.

 

I don't think so. A good fab shop can heat this up, beat it back and then reinforce it.

I think that it bent a little sideways and put the spring on a bind. That may have a small effect on the alignment. It's probably the cause of the noisy bushing I've been hearing.

 

this is a very naïve statement, metal can always be unbent but you cant give it its rigidity back.

once it is bent, it will never be as strong as it was before, and if you plan to completely re-straighten and re-build the frame and/or box it in to make it strong again, you will spend more then it costs you to just replace the frame

you are going down the rabbit hole on this, we are just trying to warn you that the money pit train is about to run you over and step off the railroad tracks

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuqHwDDOLR0

 

Perhaps. I grew up watching my grandpa beat red hot steel in to place. He was a blacksmith. I have enough money for this.

 

If I'm understanding this right:

-They made a total loss offer
-You turned it down, fought tooth and nail
-Fought them some more due to wrong options
-Insisted the truck was still solid
-Finally got a check for less than the repair estimate, and took it for some odd reason

...

Then, after ALL that, finally actually gave the frame a good look and noticed it was bent?

 

Im not a second gen guy.

 

I got more money and kept the truck. I won (with help.)

If they would have entered my truck into CCC one It would have came out $8000-$8500 even with their fake condition hit. I know, a friend used to do it. But no, they wanted me to have a rusted out stripper with worn out tires. Not my truck.

So, I lost? Not yet though. I've still not signed anything. I can sue.

 

I'm glad you noticed the frame issue before signing anything.

 

well as long as you know what you are in for, most likely you wont have the only old wrecked Tacoma someone spent $10,000 on trying to fix it, but I find it impossible to believe anything short or replacing the frame will make it drive straight down the road again. sure it may go straight but I follow vehicles often where I can see both front and back tires at the same time because it goes straight but drives at a crooked angle lol.

advice can be given but its not always received and accepted, sometimes people just don't want to hear the truth but good luck to you my friend, I hope you turn this into the exception to the rule but I see sadness in your future when you look back to the choices you are making.

go back with the new info about the frame and get the most you can from the insurance, if you still want to, buy the truck back and sell the good parts from it or go get a solid truck to fix up that needs an engine and tranny or a new cab and use whats still good on yours to fix THAT truck up. seriously I don't see why you cant see the logic in that.

 

anyone have good info on how to check the frame?

Mine came from fighting insurance for a family member, they took insurance money and didn't want to fix truck. Kept the money and gave me the banged up truck for helping them out, worked out well for all.

Put in lots of effort but never really gave the frame and super close inspection.

 

A good body shop can check a frame, even fix it if need be.

I sent bozo in Kansas another email asking for that $525 car rental check he promised me.

I got this bullshit from him after the bigger check that I wont sign.

http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g153/Conroe278/EPSON022.jpg

4x2?