North Carolina Diminished Value Experts / Collision Services Investigators of North Carolina, LLC

Hydroformed Frames

Today many of the later model pickup trucks and SUV’S have hydroformed frames and the number of these vehicles is increasing rapidly. Vehicle manufacturers are increasing the usage of high strength steel (HSS) and high-strength low alloy steel (HSLA). This is for lowering the weight of the vehicle for better fuel mileage, while increasing the strength and durability.

With the usage of hydroformed frames increasing, the decision of repairing or to replace these frames after a collision is very crucial. All vehicle manufacturers have specific guidelines in repairing damaged frames, which many body shops seem to be ignoring. By ignoring the manufacturer guidelines and improperly repairing the hydroformed frame (especially frontal repairs), will affect how the hydroformed frame will collapse in the event of another impact.

Many body shops allow insurance adjusters to dictate how damaged vehicles are to be repaired, forgetting the vehicle manufacturer’s guidelines.

Vehicle Manufacturer’s Guidelines

DO NOT REPAIR front frame rail “crush zones”. (All vehicle manufacturers).

The usage of heat. Absolutely “No Heat” to be used on Chrysler-Dodge and Toyota-Lexus, COLD STRAIGHTEN ONLY. 1200 F. degrees maximum; Chevrolet-GMC and Ford-Lincoln- Mercury.

DO NOT REPAIR damaged engine cradles. (All vehicle manufacturers).

Damaged frame rails if repaired, MUST BE restored to its original shape and form. (All vehicle manufacturers).

Repairing and/or Replacing GM’S Hydroformed Frame

The photo below is a front “Crush Cap” Not Damaged.

The photo below is a “crush cap” with damage on the “replaceable” front bumper mounting bracket . The “crush cap” absorbs 35% of the impact. It is NOT TO BE REPAIRED.

The photos below are the front right side of the GM hydroformed frame. The damage is to the front crush cap and the front bumper mounting bracket. Other damage in this area is to the radiator support mounting bracket and frame rail. The radiator support mounting bracket is a replaceable part, but due to the damage to the frame rail itself, the whole frame had to be replaced. Notice the “inward bulge” of the frame rail. This is NOT TO BE REPAIRED.

Repaired Compromise GM Hydroformed Fames

In the following photos are GM hydroformed frames that were damaged in a collision and then repaired. Both body shops allowed the insurance adjusters to dictate that both vehicles frames would be repaired. Neither of the two body shops followed GM’S specific repair guidelines. The question is who wrote the repair guidelines? The insurance adjusters or the GM?

An inspection on a 2003 GMC Yukon for “Diminished Value” found the right front “crush cap” repaired. (Mistake number one). In the below photo is the same “crush cap”. Notice the “rust” at the bolt heads. “Heat” was applied, in an attempt to repair the “crush cap”, (Mistake number two), allowing rust to form. General Motors has specific guidelines about the use of heat on their hydroformed frames. GM DOES NOT CONDONE the repairing of damage “crush caps”. Heating will “distort” the metal and comprise the collapsibility of the frame.

The same vehicle, with damage to the engine cross-member is bent; this is marked by the pink lines. The bend is in the center..

In the photo below is a view of a hydroformed frame from a 2005 GMC 3500 Sierra. This GMC truck was severely damaged in the left front end. The frame was also damaged in the suspension mounting area, including the frame rail itself.

The lower photo is a view of the left front lower control arm mounting area that was damaged. EXCESSIVE HEAT was also applied to repair this area. As indicated, by the “Rust” that is now forming due to the melting away of the frame’s protected rust coating.

Compromised Ford - Lincoln – Mercury Hydoformed Vehicles

The photo below is a damaged frame rail to a 2004 Lincoln Navigator. While being test driven, the Navigator was wrecked. The dealer patched up the damage and still sold the vehicle as “brand new”, thus failing to comply with the N.C. 5% New Vehicle Damage Disclosure Rule.

Due to the frame damage, it no longer met Ford’s specifications and design. If another frontal impact occurred, the frame would then collapse differently, also causing the air bag timing to be off causing possible further injuries.

There were also other damages found to the Navigator that were not repaired. The emphasis is still being put on proper frame damage repair and/or replacement. Since the damage to the frame can not be restored to its original shape and form, it should have been replaced.

Heavily Damaged 2004 Ford F-150

The 2004 Ford F-150 was heavily damaged in a frontal collision. The insurance adjuster dictated the repairs to the Ford body shop. The owner of the F-150 contacted CSI-NC for help. The F-150 was totaled.

The damaged to the frame of this 2004 F150 is not repairable. Yet the Ford body shop was going to repair the frame, as dictated by the insurance adjuster.

The photos below are of a damaged frame removed from a N.C. Highway Patrol car. The vehicle was struck in the left rear frame rail. The N.C. Highway Patrol body shop repaired body damage and replaced the frame.

Do you see the damage in the left rear frame rail?

When a type frame has been damaged to this extent, repairing is not an option.

Ford Motor Company uses this type of frame on the Ford Crown Victoria, Mercury Grand Marquis and the Lincoln Town Car. There is already a problem with the design of this type frame. There is, on record, from the Center for Auto Safety, the fuel tanks of these vehicles have been known to exploded, when impacted from behind.

So it is very crucial that these frames be replaced when damaged, if repairing of the damaged frame rails will not restore the frame back as designed by Ford repair specifications.

To learn more, please read the following ABRN articles on frame repairs:


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