Frame damage can sometimes be found under a car's body panels after an accident. In many cases, it can't always be seen by the naked eye and requires professional inspection. Collision shops have specialized equipment that can measure, straighten, and repair certain types of frame damage.
Key Takeaways:
- Frame damage isn't always apparent at first glance—an inspection by a collision shop is the best way to know the extent of the damage.
- Both body-on-frame and unibody vehicles can easily suffer frame damage.
- Collision shops repair frames using specialized machinery.
What Is Frame Damage?
A frame supports every part of a vehicle. Without a properly aligned frame, your car can't perform the way it was designed to. Today's vehicles use either body-on-frame or unibody construction. Body-on-frame construction has a separate steel frame with the body mounted on top of it. Unibody construction combines the frame and body into a single unit. Either structure can suffer frame damage, which is any bending, twisting, cracking, or deformation affecting a car's structural foundation.
What Should You Do If You Think You Have Frame Damage
If you suspect frame damage, the best course of action is to have your vehicle inspected by a qualified collision repair facility. Modern repair shops use computerized measuring systems that can identify structural issues that may not be visible during a simple visual inspection.
Even if your car still drives, don't assume everything is fine. Frame damage can affect your suspension, steering performance, tire wear, and crash protection. In short, driving a car with suspected frame damage can not only make things more expensive down the line, but also unsafe for you and other occupants.
How a Collision Shop Repairs Frame Damage
Repairing frame damage begins with a top-to-bottom inspection by a collision shop. Techs use computerized measuring systems to identify areas that may have been bent, twisted, or pushed out of alignment. These systems can detect even small structural changes that may not be visible during a basic visual inspection. Once techs know where the damage is, they use frame machines and hydraulics to pull, weld, or bend these areas back to original factory specs.
Sometimes a section of the frame takes on too much damage to fix safely, meaning you have to replace those parts entirely. Techs remove the damaged structural pieces and swap them out using factory-approved repair steps. This process is designed to restore the vehicle's original strength and structural integrity. Once all the repairs are complete, techs take one final round of measurements to make sure the frame matches factory standards and is perfectly aligned, safe to drive, and ready for the road.
What You Can Do About Frame Damage
Frame damage is one of the biggest problems a vehicle can face after a wreck because it affects the core structure that everything else relies on. Whether you drive a traditional body-on-frame truck or a modern unibody car, getting a professional inspection is the only real way to figure out how bad the damage is and decide on the best way to fix it. Contact us today at Bob Weaver Collision for your frame repair needs!