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Frame rail crunched in collision


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I am the somber owner of the families 1988 Comanche.  It is 2-wheel drive, and has about 120,000 miles on it.  The truck was purchased new in '88 by my brother's wife's father, and it has been passed around between different family members.  I smashed up the front in an accident in September of 2017, and have been trying to decide what to do ever since.  I towed it to a body shop recently, and they can weld on new front frame rails for $2400.  This is expensive for me, but I probably can't get away without repairing it in some fashion.  Is this the best way to go about repairs? The main damage is on the passenger side, and the third picture shows the buckle in the unibody that is the furthest back, right by the shock.  I can tackle the engine repairs, but don't know how to weld.  I read somewhere on here that unibody damage can be fixed with a tree, a come-along, a big hammer, and heat.  

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Not really sure any other stats on the truck.. 4x4? Miles? Just my $.02...I’d part out what’s salvageable.Interior, glass,bed, tailgate, lights, ect.. I understand the sentimental reasoning behind fixing this. With that being said, for $2400 plus any other costs such as replacing body parts as well as engine work you’re better off finding another MJ. It’s been sitting for over a year. You can find a nice MJ with the money you’ll save in repairs as well as the money you will recoup selling parts.

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19 minutes ago, 13 Legion said:

Not really sure any other stats on the truck.. 4x4? Miles? Just my $.02...I’d part out what’s salvageable.Interior, glass,bed, tailgate, lights, ect.. I understand the sentimental reasoning behind fixing this. With that being said, for $2400 plus any other costs such as replacing body parts as well as engine work you’re better off finding another MJ. It’s been sitting for over a year. You can find a nice MJ with the money you’ll save in repairs as well as the money you will recoup selling parts.

 

This. Legion is right, 2400-3k will get you a decent MJ almost anywhere.

 

Anything can be fixed with unlimited money, but alas I lent my money printer to the FEDS and they refuse to return it.

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That is extensive damage. You might be able to straighten it but it would be weak. That is why they quoted a rail replacement. No matter what you do it will be expensive. If you party it out and add that to the $2400 you should be able to buy a decent MJ.

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Thanks guys.  If it weren't for the family ties, I wouldn't think about repairing it, and I have been tempting myself by looking at MJ's for sale.

 

What is the down side of cutting and welding on a replacement frame section?  Is the end product a weak frame?  Can it be helped with a frame stiffener kit?

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2 hours ago, zithy said:

Thanks guys.  If it weren't for the family ties, I wouldn't think about repairing it, and I have been tempting myself by looking at MJ's for sale.

 

What is the down side of cutting and welding on a replacement frame section?  Is the end product a weak frame?  Can it be helped with a frame stiffener kit?

The frame can always be fixed by cutting and welding with extra bracing.  The problem is the whole cab is tweaked in ways you would never imagine.  Do your door body lines match up anymore?  Any cracks in factory seams across the cab?

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8 hours ago, Dzimm said:

The frame can always be fixed by cutting and welding with extra bracing.  The problem is the whole cab is tweaked in ways you would never imagine.  Do your door body lines match up anymore?  Any cracks in factory seams across the cab?

This is why it needs to go on a frame machine and be straightened. 

 

The original sub-frame will be stronger if straightened and reinforced than for some jackwad to take a sawsall to it. 

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OP, 

 

If it were me, assuming no rust and truck is otherwise in good shape............

 

 

Remove the hood, fenders...etc........strip the entire front end.......I'd even pull the engine and trans right there at home. 

 

It's probably not as bad as it looks now, not really. 

 

Have it towed to a body shop, have them straighten the frame- $200 in towing both ways and $1200 to straighten frame. 

 

Now all those parts that are damaged can be sourced from an XJ. 

 

Other than finished body work and paint you can be driving it for around $2000.........then paint at your leisure. 

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OP,  

 

The point of you stripping the front end is to make it as easy as possible for the frame guy to do his job. Make it easy for him to measure and attach chains and so forth......this is how you save money. Not only that you are more likely to get the body shop to work with you........you make it easy on them and they make it easy on you. 

 

 

And yes, looks like the truck is worth saving. 

 

 

It's never as bad as you think once you actually dig in. 

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I would agree with those who suggest just buying a different vehicle ... if this was an XJ, of which there are a lot around. But this is an MJ, it was in pristine condition before the ouchie, and there just aren't that many MJs around. To me it seems almost a sacrilege to scrap such a nice truck when it can be repaired.

 

Cab tweaked? I doubt it. The windshield isn't even cracked -- how badly tweaked could it be? My 2000 XJ was hit almost that badly in the right front corner a couple of years ago. It was repaired, and by looking at it (or driving it) you can't tell that anything ever happened. I think this truck is worth repairing. The key is to investigate the most cost effective way to accomplish that. I think welding in a replacement subframe "ear" is the preferred route, rather than trying to straighten the pretzel. Jeep Driver's suggestions on making the body shop's work easier by doing as much prep and removal as you can have a lot of merit.

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Thanks for all the advice and information.  Here are my options, as I see them.  I am leaning toward #3 of #4 after removing the engine, transmission,  and anything else that may be in the way.  Getting to do a bunch of work on it is half the reason I like the vehicle.

 

1) Buy another MJ, and use this one for parts to get the other working.

Pros: No worries about a weak frame.  Similar in price to repairs.  Possibly fewer man-hours for me.

Cons: Loss of a long time family vehicle, possibly family strife.  Similar price to repairs. One less MJ in the world.

 

2) Bend and tweak on it myself.

Pros: Cheap way to get it drivable.  

Cons: Weak frame.  Frame will never be truly straight.  Will never drive the same again.  Unsafe for normal roads, only for use on trails.  Its days would be numbered.

 

3) Have the body shop cut the frame and weld on a new frame rail.

Pros: Fully working and drivable vehicle once everything else is done.  Strengthens the world MJ herd.  May be able to pass it to the next generation.

Cons: Expensive (cost can be mitigated by stripping it down myself).  If the cab is tweaked, this will not address that problem.  Frame stiffener kit will probably need to be installed (not a bad idea anyway).  Lots of man-hours of work for me.

 

4) Have the body shop straighten the frame.

Pros: Fully working and drivable vehicle once everything else is done.  Any other problems with the frame would be discovered and could be addressed.  Strengthen the herd, grandkids may love this MJ one day.

Cons: Expensive (cost can be mitigated by stripping it down myself).  Frame stiffener kit will be required.  Lots of man-hours of work for me.

 

I plan to open up a rebuild thread for that process.  Winter has been rough, so it may be a while before working in the driveway is feasible.

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