Not sure where to put this so here goes.

The Cliff's notes;

On 19 March 2007 I was rear ended by an HHR traveling at 35+ mph, my truck survived but it was ugly. In short it was a hunchback for a while having a bent frame on both sides. This was repaired and I continued to drive the truck


On 20 September 2007 I was rear ended by an E-250, again the frame was bent in the exact same place as before...on both sides.

The body shop told me that the frame was actually TORN and they would not fix it. Sounds fair enough right? No, enter the insurance company. They sent the truck to another shop (without my consent) who said that they can fix the damage. Now the kicker to this is that the repair from the first accident actually caused more damage to be done in the second, they heated the frame to get it straight. Heating it removed or reduced the temper from the steel. I've read that Ford does not recommend welding torn or cracked frames, but I need more info. The area of the tear was most likely (I didn't see it myself) right where the hitch mounts to the frame.

What can I do to force the insurance company to either replace the frame or total my truck? I have no confidence that this so called repair will be safe and I do not want my wife and kids riding in a cobbled together death trap. Any Ford techs or body guys on here have any insight on this matter?

 

There is literature about how heating a hydroformed frame will greatly reduce the strength of a frame on the internet. Just use Google.

http://www.i-car.com/html_pages/tech...4/091304.shtml

http://www.csiofnc.com/hydroformedFrames.aspx

PS: I wish you the best of luck, don't settle for anything less than a new frame.

 

I found that icar site earlier, I believe at least sections 2 & 4 apply to my situation. I hate to do it but this might turn ugly and I'll have to involve an attorney. There is more to repairing vehicles than dollars.

 

get insurance to get you a new truck, 04+. our frames are beastly

 

This is my second 04+ rental and I don't like them too much. The seats suck and the cabs is not ergonomic for me. If I get another truck it will be an 01-03. I think I have an uphill battle with these idiots.

 

Well crap, I swore you had a 2004+ F150.

I don't think any F150s prior to 2004 had hydroformed frames.

 

Excellent article here - don't know if you've already read it. How are they going to repair it? Gas axe off the damaged section and weld in a new one? Any information on that?

 

I've got to agree on that a little bit... now I'm not saying my '07s interior isn't that great... but the placement of certain things makes my life a little awkward. Like the cup holders... there are no cup holders because I've got a stick. On my '99, even though I had a stick, I still had a nice ashtray and that nice cupholder. Not only that, but I don't like the fact that there is no glovebox light and no underhood light. It makes it look like the NBS F150's weren't supposed to be equipped with a manual transmission.

Now if I had it my way... I'd have a short throw, a nice floor console, bucket seats... and maybe a Supercharged 5.4l and some 4x4 with that short throw 6 speed....

 

alrite the first day i brought my truck home one of my neighbors said that it had a really really strong frame, i have any 05 scab, ne way he said that he used to have an 05 f150 and somebody hit him at a red light going 65 mph and didnt do anthing to his frame. im pretty shur this is a complete load of BS. haha cup holders. if anything i have too many, 8 cup holders and counting if there are anymore hiding somewhere else

 

I found that link earlier (I think someone posted it) and there is some good information there, thanks.


Rear ended at 65mph and it's all good? I don't have a BS flag big enough to throw. Freight trains don't survive 65mph impacts unscathed. Your neighbor is an idiot.

George Eh,

I have no idea, but I will be calling them this morning.

 

I've seen the results of alot faster than 65 and not touch the frame on amany cars/trucks. It all depends on angles. How low or high the other car or object is, what angle it hits at, if it deflects off or is a direct hit, if the driver let off the brake and let the impact push them. etc etc etc.

I got away from a 35 mph impact in my wifes old 1994 Beratta when she was prganat with out first child with nothing more than a scratched bumper cover. We where at a light, I heard the tires squealing, looked in the rear view and saw the car sliding sideways towards us. The light was getting ready to change so I let off the brake and knocked it into neutral. As soon as I felt contact then I was back on the brake to bring us both to a stop before we got to the middle of the intersection.

 

And to answer your question, a frame can be welded, but very very etremely few people can do it properly. I personally only know one guy I would trust to do it.
When done improperly then it is severely weakened.
It must be preheated throughly to a certain temperature before welding then welded at exactly that temperature or less, then cooled evenly and slowly with warm oil (Used motor oil or other Fossil fuel) to replace the carbons that were lost, other wise it crystalizes and becomes brittle.

If it's between the axles or near any of the axle attaching points I wouldn't even attempt it personally. Might let someone else if I thought they knew what they were doing.

If it's at the hitch mounts.... that can always be reinforced.
If you have just decided that you are done with the truck and it's time for something new, then I'd pursue replacing.

 

I've had several sub 65mph impacts and nothing came away unscratched no matter what angle was involved. I wasn't even on the brakes for these last two and it bent the frame each time.

The place that worked on it is supposed to be the best in the business around here. Been around forever. That still does not change the fact that I'm leery of it. I am also peeved that they worked on my truck without my authorization.

 

I've only been in 3 accidents, one other of them at 50 mph ish into an embankment ded stop like hitting a wall, and the other one at 80 that we rolled, and have never bent a frame. Not saying unscaved but never frame damge.

But I've sen a wide variety of mix come through the body shops that I worked at, some you could tell where 15 mph hits and had frame damage so was totaled, others were extreme high speed and the frame was the only thing that wasnt hurt.....

Yea I wouldn;t be happy about them doing un authorized repairs. I belive, if I'm not mistaken then I think it's actually against the law here..... I wouldn't take possesion of the truck until I talked to my lawyer.....

 

Any ideas where the frame is damaged relative to the bumper ie 1 foot, 2 feet , etc. Any pictures?
If it was me I wouldn't have an issue with a weld repaired frame provided the following critical conditions were met:
1. Ford approves weld repairs to this section of the frame
2. Ford produces replacement frame horns for the damaged section
3. Ford supplies welding procedures for repairing the frame (ie. joint prep, preheat, electrode type, post heat & weld finish)
4. The entire frame including the new joint and section are Mag Particle Inspected for cracks after the repairs
The problem is dictatating your wishes to your insurnce company. Let us know how things turns out.