$20,000 in Damage??!!

hey thx guys I love that green too. I'm thinking she'll be almost like new, but with a salvaged title, whatever...its stayin in the family for a long long time

 

All I can say is for the last 20 years I've been buying wrecked Toyotas and straightening the frames and driving them for 300k. Miles. If they do total this truck, but it back and fix it for $5k and be car payment free for the next 10 years.

Keep me posted.

 

Just wanted to post up a couple views of where the drop bracket for sway bar hit and bent, I'm really struggling to actually see where they say my frame is bent

 

This is the ditch it packed into

The front end was in the ditch, I 4 lowed w rear diff lock to move forward, we then built up the ditch w some rocks the then reversed out, I'll try to post the video

 

I'm seeing damage to the lift kit, not the original frame. Am I wrong?

 

thats what I'm sayin koditten...I just don't see the frame damage but I've had two different body shops tell me it is, by about an inch

 

Well, I guess I would encourage getting a new frame then...or let your IC total it with hopes you can buy it back.

Question: the body shops you have gone to, do they have a frame straightening machine? Those are the only guys i trust to give you the truth when it comes to the frame.

 

Door gap looks pretty even, if it was truly bent an inch, I doubt you would be able to open the doors. With the hood, you might of just shifted up the core support.

 

I ended up getting a new frame and it cost about 18.5k and had to wait about 4 months

 

The frame shops are going to measure from specific points on the frame. When I have dropped older toy trucks off at my local frame shop they usually measure at the frame directly below the rad, then at the rear of the front wheel well, then at rear of cab, mid rear well and at rear horns.

Then they will move on and check steering geometry, but they would call that out and not just say bent frame.

Pereonally I would buy it back. But I have sased a few trucks and know how to turn a wrench. But this could end up being a great learning experience.

 

Koditten-my insurance preferred body shop does not, the manager there says he would have a "frame straightening shop" down the street do the straightening $1000 and then he would weld the new "anchor points" for fenders and fix for $3000 and be almost new. This is if the truck is totaled by my insurance.

Here is the left and right door gaps the left is a bit tighter than the right, everything closes fine

 

How much for me to buy it back??

Estimates?

 

Is your engine fan rubbing on the shroud? How does the gap between cab and bed look on either side? Does it drive straight?

 

The cab/bed gap looks equal, no fan rub, it does pull gently to left when driving, and that's after an attempted alignment

 

Cam tabs in good shape? Does it sit level?

 

It sits level. Where are the cam tabs located?

 

They are what your cam bolts sit tight in where your LCA mounts to the frame. Check your whole front end frame for stress cracks at any welds. If your frame is bent I bet youll see some cracks at welds

 

That door gap change is nothing. That is pretty common for front end contact. Evetything gets pushed back because it's only sheet metal.

 

Couple things:
• this is definitely not $20000 damage what is happened
• 3-5 mph to this ditch can not cause any frame bent, or then the 6" bracket lift kit is designed very badly, way too fragile truck to use
• if there really is a bent frame, it is caused by the lift kit and should be definitely possible to straighten in any decent body shop

 

I'd get a second opinion. Also insurance companies can total a car if the damage is at 65% or greater. This might vary by state.