School me on frame machines.

lowenbrau · 10-19-09, 03:50 PM

How much is too much damage? I have a frame that is visibly different from side to side and the front right frame horn is bent down by a couple of inches forming an obvious kink in front of the coil bucket. This rig will never be a show piece but do you think a good frame guy could make it pass inspection? I just have no idea how much frame straightening is possible.

antFJ · 10-26-09, 07:14 PM

collision places have some complex straightening machines that can take very precise measurements - they would be able to tell you yes or no.

beaufort-fj60 · 10-27-09, 07:44 AM

doesn't sound like a problem. Is the frame still attached to the cruiser? if not, it might be super easy for a shop to bend it back. My grandfather has an old bear frame jig in his shop.. it can rip a unibody car into pieces

SabreTooth · 11-09-09, 07:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lowenbrau

How much is too much damage? I have a frame that is visibly different from side to side and the front right frame horn is bent down by a couple of inches forming an obvious kink in front of the coil bucket. This rig will never be a show piece but do you think a good frame guy could make it pass inspection? I just have no idea how much frame straightening is possible.

Lowenbrau, you might want to talk to our webmaster. His FIL has frame straightening equipment / shop and MIGHT be able to get you a deal.

When I went to talk to a recommended pro frame straightener here in Calgary (I can provide the location, if they are still in business) he wanted a small fortune, had a waiting list of 2 months but his acceptance criteria was +/- 2 mm from factory spec. I have seen his jig / table and would agree that, like a medieval rack, it could take a truck apart without breaking a sweat.

As I'm sure you well know, the trick is reversing the course of events that put the frame out in the first place. That's where the skill is and of course not wrecking anything else in the process.

I eventually sold the bent truck for parts. It would have been cheaper to buy a second hand good frame in my case (about 1/2 what the guy was saying it might cost me.)

Jim

Toyo FJ40 · 11-13-09, 05:28 PM

My 74's frame was bent in an accident that basically totaled the cruiser. The drivers side frame was pushed in about 3 inches over the front axle. I straightened it using portapower and a backhoe till it was right on the measurements on the frame chart. When I mounted the body the steering box and steering wheel shaft didn't line up. I called several frame shops to see if they could fix it and was told that they wanted the body on it so they could use it as a guide. I was welding together parts from 2 body's so I didn't want to trust the body being straight so I bought a frame from cruiserparts.net for $600 plus $100 shipping and got a straight frame.

lowenbrau · 11-16-09, 11:49 AM

Thanks for the input, guys. I found somebody who will do it but have also found a replacement frame for a good price. Trouble with that one is that it is in CO. HZJ79 truck frames are much heavier than 40 series frames and are fully boxed so there will be some challenges if I decide to have it straightened. I'm told that pulling unibodies apart is child's play by comparison.