Enjoying a New Auto

Why Damage to the Frame of Your Truck Should Be Good News

If your truck was involved in a hefty accident, you know that it is going to take some effort to repair. Most of the panels involved have been damaged beyond repair, and you will be pleased that nobody was injured in the wreck. Yet that panel damage may only be part of the story, and further damage may be hidden beneath the surface. What do you need to think about as you worry about the repair?

Hidden Repercussions

In reality, you should thank government regulators and truck designers in helping to keep you safe during that sizeable crash. Most cars and trucks these days have to be built to comply with strict specifications, and most of the panels must be designed so that they crumple and fall away in a collision. This means that they will absorb a lot of the energy and keep it away from the passenger compartment, and this, in turn, helps to protect the occupants from harm.

Redirecting the Energy

However, this type of design may make the vehicle itself prone to more extensive damage. As the outer panels fail and crumple, some of the impact from the collision may find its way to the lower frame.

As you may know, the frame (or chassis) is the part of the truck that holds all the mechanical components in place and provides ultimate rigidity for the vehicle. It must be maintained in good condition at all times, as otherwise, the vehicle may not handle safely and could be dangerous to drive.

Assessing the Frame

Consequently, you will need to ensure that the frame is in perfectly good condition before the vehicle can be classified as fit for purpose. A panel beater will need to measure the dimensions of the frame accurately using special tools, with reference to the manufacturer data, and they'll need to do this before they even get to work on the panels themselves.

Best Scenario

If you do need to get your chassis repaired, then this will undoubtedly add to the amount of time involved, and you may have to be without your car for a little longer. However, this may be a small price to pay in relation to your own safety, and you may be thankful that those designers were willing to sacrifice the frame of your truck instead of the occupants.

Finding Out

Take your truck into a truck body repair shop so that they can have a close look at the situation. They will let you know how long it's going to take and whether they do, indeed, need to straighten that frame.