Many people are quite surprised to learn they have damage to the frame or unibody of their vehicle. Instead, they feel they have persistent problems with the suspension and alignment. Problems they have not been able to get repaired. Most frame and unibody repair comes to us for other reasons. We often hear:
My car keeps “going out of alignment.”
My vehicle leans to the right or left.
There is a vibration in my car.
My vehicle is very unstable.
My car is dog-tracking.
We also discover quite a bit of frame and unibody damage when doing pre-purchase inspections. Possibly the vehicle was traded in because of persistent problem, the previous owner could not solve. This does not necessarily mean the vehicle has been in a collision. We have found unibody and frame damage can occur in a number of ways.
Hitting a curb or large hole in the road.
Improper towing of the vehicle.
Running into a ditch.
Improper previous repair.
Cracks and rust damage.
Running over something in the road.
Regardless of how damage occurs, it can normally be corrected. Specialized frame repair equipment is needed, but more to the point, a highly trained person. Even the best equipment cannot properly repair a vehicle. Highly skilled and trained technicians repair vehicles, using equipment. Advanced equipment simply makes the job quicker. A thorough knowledge of metals, including HSLA, HSS and martensitic steel as weld as weld skills are also needed.
There are things the average person can check if they suspect the frame or uni body of their vehicle may be damaged. Any one of the below problems may indicate a frame or uni body problem on a vehicle.
Alignment of the body panels. Excessively wide or narrow gaps between body panels. Gaps that vary from one end to the other, (i.e., wide on one end and narrow on the other.) Also be aware, a vehicle may have damage even with no misalignment to the body panels.
Wheels that lean in or out at the top or bottom. Most wheels and tires should appear to stand up straight when viewed from a straight ahead position. This applies to front as well as rear wheels.
A wheel that is not in the center of the wheel opening, when looking from the side. This is particularly true when the other three wheels appear normal.
A vehicle that leans more than ½” (13MM) from one side to the other.
Persistent tire wear, pulling to left or right even after wheel alignment. Being told the vehicle cannot be aligned.
Excessive or unexplained wear to suspension parts or breaking of suspension components.
If you suspect your vehicle may have frame or unibody damage, contact the experts at AGCO. We can diagnose and correct the problem if needed. AGCO will set you straight.
For more information on the types of damage frames and unibodies sustain, see our Detailed Topic Frame and unibody Damage Types.
