Hi Everyone,

I recently was in a head-on collision with my 1991 Pickup. No one was hurt, so I got really lucky, but my truck is in pretty rough shape. It's got a steel brush guard that's bolted directly to the frame. The brush guard was pushed up a few inches into the engine compartment, pushing the radiator against the fan and the fan against the pulleys and belts. The truck can still start easy enough, but the fan is stuck, the radiator has a couple holes in it, etc. It needs a new radiator and fan to run properly, at least. Normally, I'd buy new parts, take out the old ones, and put the new ones in, easy. However, I can't currently get a new radiator in as it won't fit. The front cross-bar of my frame is bent pretty badly (that's the part specifically keeping me from getting a new radiator in), and the bracket (not sure if that's the right name) on the front passenger side corner of the frame has been broken off completely (see picture), more or less along the weld lines that normally attach it to the corner of the frame. The part of the frame that passes by the front passenger side wheel is also bent towards the driver's side a bit, so my alignment is likely off. It's not much, but noticeable when looking at it compared to the other side. I posted pictures below in case that helps.

I'm trying to decide between attempting to fix this or parting it out. I love this truck, but I can't afford any fix more expensive than a few hundred, maybe a grand. I'm also trying to determine if having someone weld back and straighten the frame is even a good idea. I drive this truck ~10,000 miles per year and I do some easy crawling-type stuff most summers (just some high-clearance roads in eastern Utah). If I parted it out, it's got an engine with only ~25k miles on it and mechanically it's in excellent condition, so I think I could get some cash parting/selling it as is (I live in Colorado, so there's a decent demand for these trucks here).

So, here's my question:

1) Do you think it's worth it to try to fix the frame? Will it even be safe to drive if I do?

I don't have any friends that weld stuff like this, so I'd have to take it to a frame shop and see if they can do it. I also don't have the time nor expertise to swap frames.









Thanks for any advice or help!

Dan

 

I would take it to a frame shop and have them to look at it. Maybe more damage that you don't know about or it may not be as bad as it looks like. Frame shops are not as expensive as you may think in some cases.

As far as the core support and frame damage and just what you have described in your ability, I would suggest looking for something else as a replacement. Just the damage you have mentioned is going to exceed a thousand real quick.

 

You might be able to get it bent back into shape enough to replace that center section and weld on another body mount bracket. I can't really tell how bad the end of that frame rail is tweaked though. Or if anything is bent behind that, like the control arm tower/engine mount bracket. It doesn't look that bad to me. But maybe it's worse than it looks.


I dunno. I'd fix it. But I'm a little more adventurous than most. That and I know I could. One way or another.

 

Thanks for the advice! I could just bend it back (I can rig a mechanical advantage off a tree to do that) and get a radiator in it and probably drive it around. I'm more worried that as soon as I do something that torques the truck at all (like drive with one whel higher than the other on a dirt road or something), the broken weld will get worse and something really bad will happen. I'm not sure if that's a reasonable worry, though, as I'm not exactly sure what that bracket does.

 

I could fix that so you would never know without looking real close.

If you lack the skills to do this yourself.

Don`t want to or really can`t afford to pay to fix it.

Sell it just how it sits so whomever looks at it can see just what they are getting.

 

See if you can find a clean high mile truck with a blown motor cheap. Swap your 25k mile motor in and what ever parts you want to swap and part it out or just call a pick and pull type yard.

 

How does the rest of the truck look like? If the core support is bent up, it is not hard to swap out. I Spot Weld Cutter is around $6 at Harbor Freight and will make quick work of removing the spot welds. My 86 I just bolted in the core support and have no intentions of ever welding it back in. Having it welded in would not cost much to have it done but if I ever had to pull the complete drive train, it is so easy now.

I dont think it is as bad as it looks. Wish I could come across a truck like that in my area that just needed a little work.

 

That's very repairable. Frame shop could bend it back for less than you think.