Trailbreak74

This is what I was thinking. Back in the day they used to straighten a frame out. People were rarely happy with this. I'm guessing they got wise and figured out a new frame is better than a straightened one.

HappyChappy

I completely agree. I was hit last month and considering how hard I was hit, I was surprised that the truck wasn't fully crumpled. That being said, my bill was $9k to fix the truck but I know we would have been in a totaled car if we were in my little SUV. I think the truck took the hit very well.

gopherman

So when they do a frame swap...everything get's changed over. Engine, transmission, drive axle, brakes, everything....by a body shop?

No thank you. I would not take that deal.

21RRF150

iTrader: (1)

Yes. Why not? Body work isn't only body filler and paint. It's a lot of mechanical work too. You know when a vehicle gets in an accident, and any suspension needs to be replaced. Or any mechanicals really, the body shop always does it. Body men can be mechanics, but mechanics can't be body men.



Not to mention labor hours. Body shops $40-60 per hour. Or mechanic labor: $110+ per hour

J15

You do realize that collision repair centers are body shops right?

volvodoc

Like many members have said no big deal. Years back I use to do side work for a body shop and did a few Range Rovers. Now that was a rodeo.

ls2c6vette

a friend of mine just had a new frame installed under his Tacoma due to rust. his truck is somewhere around a 2005ish. It was covered under warranty and the dealer only had it for a couple days. That was about 2 months ago, and he hasn't had any issues. i would think it would be even easier on a new truck.

T_R

Why not? It's very basic work. Any competent shop can handle it. It's just nuts and bolts and plugs. Bed comes off, cab goes up on a lift, sit on a stool and swap everything over.

Also insurance mechanical work pays very good hours. So the tech won't be rushed to finish it.

gopherman

When you're talking about a mechanic essentially pulling the entire truck apart and rebuilding it (not rebuilding everything, but a substantial portion of the vehicle), wouldn't you want someone who has been trained by Ford to do it properly? This isn't a 1967 Mustang. Far more complex and quite honestly, too complex for the guy who hasn't done it before.

I respect body work technicians, what they do is tough. I'm not doubting that an ASE certified technician can do the job...but how well is it going to be done for 40-60/hour on the insurance company's dime? I just assume corners are going to be cut. The only people I'd trust doing that job are Ford certified technicians / assembly line that know each and every part that they're moving/installing on my vehicle. Is the body shop going to follow Ford's service manual? You would hope so, but there are no guarantees.

But hey...if you guys are willing to trust your 40K+ vehicle to the hands of a body shop, go for it. I wouldn't and that's just my opinion. That vehicle will never be the same.

bleda2002

They're not rebuildng anything, they are just swapping things over. There isnt a lot of mechanical work here, you arent having them rebuild your engine, or fix your transmission, just unbolting and then rebolting which is exactly what a body shop specialist is best at.

Honestly I would much rather have a body shop specialist do this than I would a ford mechanic, much like I would rather have an upolsterer do my seats over a ford tech. Different specialists for different kinds of jobs.