Frame damage

[timk49]

I went to the off road shop all excited today because I was going to have my new Bully nerf bars installed. When they got the truck up on the rack the mechanic said he couldn't install them because there was damage the the frame bracket. It was bent and it was easy to see that someone had hammered on it from the inside of the bracket to try to straighten it out. I had just had my truck in for oil change and filter at the dealer a couple weeks earlier. The truck has only 5000 miles on it and is like new still. The service manager called the offroad shop and ask them to heat it and install the nerf bars and send him a bill for the extra labor. The service manager thought that the bracket may have been damaged in original transit. Should I let them heat the bracket on Monday and install the nref bars or should I make the dealer send it to his body shop for a real repair?

Here is a pic of the bent bracket drivers side front bracket.

[RyanbabZ71]

Better do some checking.  I thought i heard somewhere your not supposed to do any welding to the frame (heating).  I may be wrong but id call another dealer or something and see what they say

[BlueRado]

Agree w/ Ryan, you might want to check into this first before modifying anything - as if it's modified, GM might deny a claim, if that's the route you're taking.

 

Tim, is this your '03 HD?  BUMMER!  

 

W/ the rust there, it doesn't look recent - the transit thing might be right.  You might even want to call a frame shop to get their opinion?

 

Good luck!  

[timk49]

Thanks Ryan and Rado.

Yep its the 03. 5000 miles on "truck" now.

I,m beginning to agree with you guys. Could you guys see the pics I posted . On y screen it just comes up with a box with the darn rex x. I just hate those red x's. I wanted to link  an album in webphotos where i have four pics of the damage but I cant seem to get it right.

Anyway the damage is only on the bracket flange the frame seems to be ok and I didnt find any other bent or dented areas anywhere.

I 'd appreciate comments from any  body shop guys out there.

[Shaners]

It looks like transit damage to me.  I don't think I'd let the guys at the offroad shop try to fix it.  I'm sure it could be fixed "good as new", but I'd take it some where else...  It looks like minor damage, but there is no way you will be able to put on any bars with that flange bent.

 

The odd thing is that your dealer wants to pay for it?  That's nice of him, but is he hiding the truth behind the mystery?

[Shaners]

BTW I had to right click on the red X and copy the location for you photo and paste it in another window to see it.

[timk49]

Thancks Shaner's

I know it was a lot of trouble to see the picture. I agree with you that someone at the dealer was trying to hide some damage. Somebody hit that flange pretty hard to try to straighten it out. Somebody hit it pretty hard to damage it in the first place. I'm sure when they inspect the truckto take delivery they inspect it better than that.

I feel stupid for not crawling under the truck and taking a good visual look at the frame before I bought it. Next time I'll take a good look all around the truck and under it.

I'm going to let the dealer's body shop repair it as good as new. I'll take the nerf bar hardware to them to make sure it fits before they finish the job.

 

Still love the truck. It is awesome.

 

got any suggestions that will help me load pictures better? If I have to pay for a site thats ok as long as I'm doing it correctly.

[clk7711]

Ok I was bored

[THE BIGPUNN]

can that happen from backing it off the trailer during delivery? we all should go check?

[JimWilson]

Rust can occur rather quickly so it's hard to determine how long ago something happened based solely upon that. I do find it a bit suspicious that your dealer was so accommodating (unless you have that rare one that actually gives a sh%t about it's customers). However, I do think you've made the right choice in having it repaired properly. Good luck with it...

[WileE1]

If the dealer is taking responsibility for it you may want to have the E brake cable replaced as well you never know what is going on under thatplastic where it pass's through that bent area?

Definentl;y make sure it gets documented by the dealer a  paper trail will cover you later if you need it and you just never know?

[timk49]

Got an appointment at the dealer body shop On February 3rd.

Theyu wil fix the flange and I will be sure they replace the E cable.

 

Thanks for all the help guys I'll keep you all posted on how it turns out.

Mught even have the Nerf bars by the 4th.

[timk49]

Well I dropped my truck off at the dealer this morning at 7:15 AM. They promised to have the frame flange repaired by noon. Didn't happen. Seems there was another vehicle on the frame rack that didnt get finished so now it will be tomorrow before I get the truck back. I just hate it when my truck isn't parked right outside.

I'll update you with the results agian tomorrow if anyone cares.

[JimWilson]

Yea, keep us posted...

[odoh]

Yes we care. I'm still trying to rationalize how that could have happened. Could that have been one of the tie-points when on a transporter? Seen a transporter yesterday where the last vehicle on the top deck was angled downward. I wouldn't want to be the car trailing it if some had given way. Looked to me that there would be a lot of stress/pressure the way it was positioned. I checked mine and found no signs but I know it was shipped by rail. ~ odoh