I totalled a 1996 Probe but someone may be willing to repair it for just parts cost. The only problem is if the frame is bent. Does anyone know how far back the "frame" goes? What type of metal is the frame made out of? How easily are they bent? Can the frame be fixed or replaced?
Car Frames
- Thread starter amdforever2
- Start date
Uni-body car, basically the shell of the car is made rigid enough to make its own frame.
If the "frame" of a uni-body car is bent, the whole car is bent.
If the "frame" of a uni-body car is bent, the whole car is bent.
iirc, if the frame of the car is bent, whoever is fixing it must disassemble your entire car to replace it (basically take apart your entire car piece by piece and reassemble it like a b1tch of a jig saw puzzle)
Evadman
Administrator Emeritus<br>Elite Member
- Feb 18, 2001
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A good body shop can true the frame on a machine. but I would not want a unibody car that has been on one. Steel (just like most everything else) has memory, and can return to the previous position over time. The steel can also be weakend when this is done depending on how bad it is. I got into a discussion with someone here on this exact topic, but I hold firm in my beliefs 
No.............rear axle?
So would a rear wheel that is like |--/ indicate a bent frame?
| = left wheel
/ = right wheel
So would a rear wheel that is like |--/ indicate a bent frame?
| = left wheel
/ = right wheel
99.9% of all cars (not trucks and SUV) are of unibody design. Frames became obsolete a long time ago.
Even if it had a frame, I wure wouldnt want a car with a frame thgat had been straightened unless it was one of those things like a classic where you were kinda stuck. Even then I'd be looking for a replacement frame.
Yeah, it may be steel, but straightened frames arent my thing.
Yeah, it may be steel, but straightened frames arent my thing.
It's a Ford Probe with only 60K miles. They are dying out I tell ya. It must be preserved!
So even if the frame is bent to hell a machine can fix it?
As for not liking fixed frames, is it kinda like preferring a retail proc to an OEM proc, or is there a real difference I can expect after the frame is reformed or whatever?
Will it be less strong in crashes? Snap suddenly? Anything bad I'll notice?
So even if the frame is bent to hell a machine can fix it?
As for not liking fixed frames, is it kinda like preferring a retail proc to an OEM proc, or is there a real difference I can expect after the frame is reformed or whatever?
Will it be less strong in crashes? Snap suddenly? Anything bad I'll notice?
Originally posted by: Evadman
A good body shop can true the frame on a machine. but I would not want a unibody car that has been on one. Steel (just like most everything else) has memory, and can return to the previous position over time. The steel can also be weakend when this is done depending on how bad it is. I got into a discussion with someone here on this exact topic, but I hold firm in my beliefs
Yes, it has a memory, in the shape that it is originally formed, that's what allows you to bend it back. It is possible, and it is done thousands of times every day. It is perfectly acceptable if done within manufacturer guidelines. It is a MYTH that once a frame is bent, the car is totalled. It is not economically feasible sometimes, meaning it will cost more than the car is worth to repair or replace damaged structural items.
A unibody car has no frame, rather, many parts of the body are welded together to form the load bearing structure. Quarter panels, rockers, a,b& c pillars, aprons, roof, etc. are all considered structural parts of the car. IIRC, the Probes used high strength low alloy (HSLA) steel in the structure. That steel can be straightened if it is not mashed or the metal has no kinks in it. If it is smoothly bent, without a crease, it can be straightened with little or no heat. Each different car manufacturer has different tolerances. The German and Japanese cars have the smallest tolerances, (plus or minus 3 mm), whereas some domestic cars are as much as plus or minus 5 mm. This is pretty significant, if you consider a given point on one side can off to the left on one side 3mm and off to the right 3mm on the opposite side. This gives us a total of 6mm difference, and still within tolerances from the factory! A good frame man, with the right equipment can get the different measurement points much more exact than they are coming right out of the factory. Yes, many hack shops, will heat the metal to the point that ruins the steel, and it will be within tolerances, but the steel will not be as strong structurally as it was before the accident. That's why manufacturers have guidelines, they will tell you what parts can be heated and to what temperature without ruining the structural integrity. If the part cannot be straightened within the manufacturers guidelines, the part or parts must be replaced. The manufacturer also has guidelines that specify what welding equipment (MIG or TIG welders) and techniques must be used so as to not to unsafely heat the undamaged part you are welding to, which ruins the molecular makeup of the steel. If the manufacturers didn't think a part could be safely replaced, why would they open themselves up to the liability of selling a part that could not be safely replaced? Remember, these same manufacturers have bodyshops of their own, and they provide training to their technicians. If what Evadman says is true, a manufacturer would or could have their reputation ruined in a large class action lawsuit from unsafe repairs or techniques.
Evadman and I have had this discussion before. I have been to several frame straightening schools and tell you from experience and knowledge that it can be done safely without ill effects. The key is having the proper knowledge and equipment to doing it properly, to include the measurements of the car in question (They're available from several companies, try Chief or Mitchell for starters)
Evadman is uneducated in body and frame work. Like I told him during the last discussion, he needs to educate himself before giving out false information.
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