Bent frame!

[rrdstarr]

When PNWX was out two weekends ago we had a particularly challenging hill that we all successfully made it up! But three of us suffered steering wheel tweeks, MudPhud and a new member were able to correct theres through a simple front end alignment. When I had my truck aligned on Monday the guy at Les Schwabb told me I had bent my frame! HE had to manually line up the steering because it was to far out of spec! So off I go next week for estimates on what it's going to cost to get a frame straightened! Anyone had this experience before or not what it is going to cost?

I was going uphill and dropped into a rut and popped the tire of the bead. When I got a safe place to stop the tire was deflating and my steering wheel was tweeked 30 degrees to the left. The truck drove fine down the highway without any pull to one side or the other.

[superjens]

Strange ... I made it up that very same hill with my stock truck and stock BFG Long Trails

Sorry about the bad news on the frame Rick, I hope it won't cost too much to get it straightened out. Definitely sucks. It's all part of the fun right? I know I'll curse when I break something on the trail. Good luck!

[wilburburns]

Do you have any pics or video of the area? Nissan Frames are strong and I would think it would take a very massive blow to bend them...At least I'd hope so.

Where exactly is it bent? Did the Alignment guy show you where?

Cliff

[Philosopher]

Originally posted by rrdstarr
When I had my truck aligned on Monday the guy at Les Schwabb told me I had bent my frame! HE had to manually line up the steering because it was to far out of spec!

The truck drove fine down the highway without any pull to one side or the other.

Then I call fiction. Sounds like the "frame bending" is bullshit to me ...

[Schludwiller]

Originally posted by Philosopher



Then I call fiction. Sounds like the "frame bending" is bullshit to me ...

I'm with Philosopher on this one. That spot was mud and dirt with a tree root. You must have impacted the tree root with your tire, and my guess is more things would fail before a frame rail.

Have you checked out your steering stabilizer? You might have hit the tire hard enough that the stabilizer mount shifted and is affecting your steering. (maybe over extended or something).

[superjens]

Do you have any pics or video of the area?

I'm not sure which line Rick took, there were two ways to get up that section, neither was easier than the other. In both lines you don't have a choice but to wham into a root to keep momentum going and to get above the point of no return.

In this pic I think it's Big Marlin taking his turn, looks like he's about to hit the tree right? When the passenger wheel hits the root it bounces you left, up and over.

In this pic you can see Claus doing the other side, but it's pretty much the same situation.

In both cases it was something I never would have done if it wasn't for the fantastic power of peer pressure! I was amazed to see you could actually make it up in a stock truck, but I wouldn't have been happy breaking something.

[rrdstarr]

I will take a closer look this weekend. I got my front two Skid Row plates this morning!!! So I'll be under there for a couple hours checking things out. Anyone have good pics of the engine skid install, Eric's directions are pretty good, but I'd like some comments from you guys that have installed them also! The front is self explanatory!

[FSRBIKER]

Check your centerlink, I highly doubt you tweaked your frame without having an accident. Now Mike from AC has had to make several sets of custom A-arms since the trucks were not able to get aligned..maybe you have a truck like one of those and now you are just far enough out of the specs to get an alignment...you can also go to another place for an alignment..just do not tell them what the other shop said. I use a highly regarded guy now that has been recommended by lots of alignment shops and 4 wheelers as the place to go when you modify your truck..maybe a 4x4 shop in the area can recommend someone like him, plus he is actually cheaper than the bigger guys. Good luck and hopefully your frame is fine.

PS EOE is now a dealer for Skid Row, I could have discounted them a bit to you...when you want the other skids let me know.

[rrdstarr]

Dang, Was that listed on your site three weeks ago? I would have purchased them from you!!

I am going to get a second opinion on the alignment.

Anyone have any recommendations for Pugettroplis area?

Thanks again to everyone for your suggestions!!!!

[FSRBIKER]

Actually no it wasn't, but EOE sells almost anything you can buy at a 4x4 shop so don't hesitate to give me a shout out. Good luck

[Mike H]

Originally posted by FSRBIKER
PS EOE is now a dealer for Skid Row, I could have discounted them a bit to you...when you want the other skids let me know.

Discount ya say? Is this for everybody, or just the AF "clique"?

[Schludwiller]

Originally posted by Mike H


Discount ya say? Is this for everybody, or just the AF "clique"?

I believe you have to have at least a picture under your name (100 posts to get the "good" discount. :silly2:

[wqbang]

Originally posted by superjens
Strange ... I made it up that very same hill with my stock truck and stock BFG Long Trails

Lots of trucks made it up that hill. The problem is the right line is really close to that root. If I recall, two people lost centercaps, one person had some plastic damage and Rick blew a bead. All I know is that I made it up no problem first try. However, I made up for it being pulled up that hill.

[FSRBIKER]

Originally posted by Schludwiller


I believe you have to have at least a picture under your name (100 posts to get the "good" discount. :silly2:

Yep your right, 15 more posts for me...must post more!

Actually I will be putting pricing up on the site shortly for the entire line of Skid Row skids(Wranglers, Cherokees, Grand Cherokees, Xterras and Frontiers) but if anyone is interested in the meantime just e-mail me.

[mudphud]

Yup, I blew one of my hub caps and knocked my alignment out of whack. That was about 5 minutes after I put a big-ass scratch down the left side of my truck. $50 alignment fixed the second problem. When I get around to it, a $8 hub cap will fix the first problem. I think the scratch will be staying. It's been raining so much here I haven't had a chance to try to wax/buff it out.