If you are scouring the web for information about car frame damage, you have clearly had a rough week.
The framework of your vehicle is its foundation, its structural backbone. If it is damaged, it may be hazardous to proceed driving.
What is frame destruction on a car?
It typically refers to when a structural component on the frame of a vehicle has been compromised. Though, it doesn’t always suggest a substantial amount of damage.
It may just be that there’s a dent or scratch in a vital area that makes it unsafe to drive.
Thankfully, in this practical guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about frame damage.
Initially, we will investigate the most prevalent frame type, which is unibody. After that, we’ll analyze what factors decide if your car experiences frame harm, and the cost you might incur to fix it.
Let’s get the basics down first!
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A Closer Look At A Unibody Frame
What is a unibody frame? It essentially just means that the body of the vehicle, its floor plan, and its chassis all form a solitary structure.
This type of frame not only reduces weight, which enhances fuel efficiency, but it also provides superior handling and improves ride quality. For these reasons, a unibody frame is the most common construction method on most passenger vehicles.
The other type of frame design is known as a body-on-frame (or ladder frame). This type used to be the standard, but now it’s only found in trucks and massive SUVs due to the extraordinary strength and resistance it offers.
To help identify issues, automotive technicians and mechanics break unibody frames into smaller segments.
Let’s examine each of these now!
Unirail
These are two symmetrical beams on both the front and rear of the car. Because of their sturdiness, they serve as a foundation for other frame components.
Core/Radiator Support
A central support (also known as a radiator support) is a metal frame that surrounds the radiator, securing it in position.
Most of the time, this component is bolted on, meaning it can easily be replaced if it suffers damage.
Strut Tower/Apron Assembly
Cars have front aprons and rear aprons, which are frames that hold the struts in place. The strut tower is part of the apron assembly, which helps prevent chassis flex while cornering.
Floor Pan
The floor base is a metal plate that’s attached to some cross sections, creating the bottom of the vehicle. It has a few openings and grooves made for the drivetrain parts and electric wiring.
Firewall
The firewall is the frame component that separates the engine bay from the passenger cabin. It’s usually comprised of a sheet of pressed 14- to 18-gauge steel clad with a layer of sound-deadening materials.
A/B/C Pillars
These are the vertical supports of a car. The letter “A” refers to the pillar closest to the front, “B” is in the middle, and “C” is in the rear.
Some vehicles, like large SUVs or minivans, also have a “D” pillar.
Quarter Panel
A quarter panel is the sheet metal that forms the passenger- and driver-side rear panels. They consist of the region around the rear tires, as well as where the fuel cap is.
While they’re usually made of metal, in some vehicles, they’re made of carbon fiber or fiberglass to help reduce weight.
Rocker Panel
A rocker panel constitutes the area between the front and rear tires below the doors.
Their purpose is to support the doors, ensuring they stay aligned when closed.
Rear Support
The rear support encompasses the rear portion of the frame, including the floorboards, back bumper support, and a pair of unirails.
Now that you have a better idea of what your frame encompasses. Let’s look at how to check for frame damage.
How To Tell If Your Car Has Frame Damage
It doesn’t take too much for a car to end up with structural damage. Here are a few symptoms to watch out for:
- Visibly bent or damaged
- Alignment is off
- Wheels don’t track correctly
- Panels don’t line-up
- Uneven tire wear
- Unusual sounds
- Uneven suspension wear
Each of the aforementioned symptoms typically corresponds with a particular type of frame damage.
Sagging/Twisted Frame
If your frame is sagging or twisted, it’s likely to leave gaps in between the different body panels. If ignored, a sagging or twisted frame can cause your tires and suspension components to wear faster.
Mashed Frame
A crushed frame is most common after a collision, where the frame itself crumples in on itself. Look for distortions or wrinkles in the body panels, like the hood, fenders, or side rails.
Sway Damage
Sway damage typically occurs when a vehicle gets hit in a corner. The problem with sway damage is that your car won’t be able to drive in a straight line, meaning it’s a hazard to yourself and those around you.
Additionally, if you continue to drive a car with sway damage, there’s a good chance it wreaks havoc on the transmission.
Car Frame Damage Repair Costs
The truth of the matter is that there is no fixed range for frame damage repair costs. It all depends on the severity of the damage.
Take a dented rear quarter panel, for instance. If it’s as simple as removing the dent, repairs may run between $500-$1,000.
However, if the harm is substantial, repairing it may require that entire sections be replaced, which means cutting off the old and welding on the new. Then, industrial machines are used to stretch your car back to its original shape.
Sound costly yet? Depending on the extent of the issues, frame damage repair costs can run as high as $10,0000. Because of this, insurance companies usually total out the vehicle rather than going through the effort of fixing it.
What Does Frame Damage Mean To You?
While you may be able to drive a car with frame damage, that doesn’t mean it’s a good idea.
If it’s something minor, like a dented rear quarter panel, then sure, you should be fine. But if the structural integrity of your car has been compromised, driving it could be exceedingly dangerous.
If your frame has already suffered damage, its ability to keep you safe in the event of a collision is questionable at best.
