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Front frame bent up?

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Old Feb 15, 2009 | 05:09 AM
  #1  
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From: Burlington, VT
Front frame bent up?

So I temporarily lost my sanity and treated myself to a set of the sdori dring anchors....the driver's side went on perfectly fine, but the passenger side frame where the OE tow hook bolts into is bent up...as if somebody put a chain on the hook and pulled up, and instead of the truck coming up the frame just changed shape. As far as bending it back, I feel like pushing down on the hook with something really heavy would be the best way to do it, but I cant think of how to get enough leverage. Has this happened to anyone else, and how did you fix it?
-Kai
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Old Feb 15, 2009 | 05:28 AM
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can you post pics so we can see what you are talking about?
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Old Feb 15, 2009 | 07:18 AM
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From: mayport FL
I think I know what you mean.
Like there used to be a hook there someone pulled on it at a odd angle and tweaked it up.
It looks like it was pulled at a upward angle the rear nut plate almost out of the frame.
Mine's like that I think the only way to fix it is to heat it up with a torch and use a small sledge hammer to bang it flat again.
I'll have to do that to mine before I weld a spring hanger on for sas.

Last edited by 934rnr; Feb 15, 2009 at 07:30 AM.
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Old Feb 15, 2009 | 08:01 AM
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From: Burlington, VT
Originally Posted by 934rnr
I think I know what you mean.
Like there used to be a hook there someone pulled on it at a odd angle and tweaked it up.
It looks like it was pulled at a upward angle the rear nut plate almost out of the frame.
Mine's like that I think the only way to fix it is to heat it up with a torch and use a small sledge hammer to bang it flat again.
I'll have to do that to mine before I weld a spring hanger on for sas.
Dont have a camera handy now, but you got the jist of it.

Wouldn't heating the frame enough to bend it compromise the strength? I suppose since its bent the strength is compromised already..but...

Last edited by flashkl; Feb 15, 2009 at 11:11 AM.
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Old Feb 15, 2009 | 08:30 AM
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I can't really figure out what part of the frame you're talking about or if it's the front or back BUT

If it is a critical part of the frame (and most of the frame is critical) then you don't want to heat it to fix it. Heating it will make it softer and it will be subject to bending.

It hasn't lost much if any of it's strength now as it was probably bent cold.

Fixing it will probably involve a hydraulic puller/pusher and chains.
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Old Feb 15, 2009 | 09:40 AM
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From: mayport FL
If it's what I think it's the part on the lower part of the frame rail and it's a small area were talking about.
Your frame gets a lot of a abuse from grinding and welding things on it anyways.
That heats it up a lot too.
I doubt a small repair like this would compromise the whole frame intergity.
I think your over reacting to a small repair that would be done honestly.
If the frame is bent from a accident and tweaked yes then a hydraulic straightener would be in order but that's not what were talking about here.
You could try to thread a bolt in the hole and brace it against something then use a pry bar and try to bend it back but chances are your nut plate weld will break too in this process.
If it's really bad your gonna have to heat it up and smack it a couple times.

Last edited by 934rnr; Feb 15, 2009 at 09:51 AM.
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Old Feb 15, 2009 | 09:48 AM
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heating does weaken the frame but a good welding trick is right after you heat it up have a water hose and spray it done it will make it stronger most people dont think to do this and it will weaken the metal to fatige it and it will warp and bend and well you get it but if it is something small like they are talking about then like 934rnr then its not going to make any difference
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Old Feb 15, 2009 | 11:12 AM
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From: Burlington, VT
updated my above artistic diagram. Freakin angelfire wont let me hotlink...gah...
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Old Feb 15, 2009 | 12:43 PM
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Why not put something on it and pull from the opposite direction, like, out the rear...
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Old Feb 15, 2009 | 02:00 PM
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From: Burlington, VT
huh? Like do the opposite of what bent it?
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Old Feb 15, 2009 | 02:07 PM
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Well, Im assuming that would bend it back into place...
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Old Feb 15, 2009 | 02:08 PM
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To keep it for anchor I'd look at plating it. And might as well reinforce though I'm not 100% of what you're trying to put on.
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Old Feb 15, 2009 | 02:17 PM
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bent frame

I would head it and bend it back. Cooling it with water will make it stronger but it will also make it more brittle. So next time you use the hook it might break off instead of bending. If your real worried about it plate it once its strait
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Old Feb 15, 2009 | 02:26 PM
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Originally Posted by muddpigg
To keep it for anchor I'd look at plating it. And might as well reinforce though I'm not 100% of what you're trying to put on.
D Ring anchors , Great little things, They replace the stock tow points...
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Old Feb 15, 2009 | 02:46 PM
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From: chippawa niagara falls ontario
those are sick... id just weld them on solid
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Old Feb 15, 2009 | 02:52 PM
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I thought about it, but when you total your rig, its always nice to be able to take them off, and then give them back to the dude that gave them to you...
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Old Feb 15, 2009 | 03:16 PM
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I have a '93 and I believe I know the exact area that you are speaking of and unless I am way off that didn't happen from someone "pulling" on that point.
I believe that your truck was in an accident and your frame is bent.
I don't believe if you "yanked" or "pulled" on the stock hook that is mounted there that the hook wouldn't be severely bent or broken off and/or the bolts would shear before your frame would bend up.
I think that its time to take it to a reputable body shop and have them take some measurements and assess any other damage that you may have.

Plus its a BAD idea to EVER do a half-assed backyard repair on any vehicles frame and most states frown upon that if its caught during an inspection.
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Old Feb 15, 2009 | 04:30 PM
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lol...I was afraid somebody was gonna say accident. It was sorta lurking in the back of my mind in the swamp back there. Well, the truck has no visible frame damage other than the bent bit and it drives fine, no problem with alignments or anything, and my bracket lift bolted in no problems, so if theres any other bendage, its probably negligible...I'm gonna bang on it some tomorrow and see if it budges at all.
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Old Feb 15, 2009 | 04:39 PM
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Originally Posted by scuba
I thought about it, but when you total your rig, its always nice to be able to take them off, and then give them back to the dude that gave them to you...
and give them back to the dude that gave them to you????

and if you weld them you just gotta use some real tools to get them off and reuse!
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Old Feb 15, 2009 | 04:42 PM
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Raffle pismo 08 !!
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