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Checking for bent frame / chassis on used wrangler

13K views 24 replies 11 participants last post by  2jeepsinCT 
#1 ·
So buying a used Wrangler tomorrow. It had a "minor fender bender". Front bumper was replaced with an aftermarket one. My wrangler mechanic friend looked the whole car over and thought it was in excellent shape. He could NOT tell if the chassis was bent.

The alignment is definitely off. It pulls in one direction.

I could get it put on a lift and have it checked out. Is it worth the hassle?

Thanks
 
#3 ·
Alignment being off won't tell you anything about the frame being tweaked.

Best words of advise - if you aren't 100% sure and can't get the vehicle on a frame machine, walk away.
 
#4 ·
Agreed, the alignment can be off on a straight frame.

My skepticism is asking: why replace the bumper and not finish the whole job? If it's a $xxxx amount Jeep, isn't it an $85 alignment away from being perfect again? In my mind, any one I'd buy a vehicle from would have done this and not even have an excuse as to why the Jeep doesn't track/drive right. Maybe the frame isn't bent, but other components are, that require much more time and money?

Tell the owner you have second thoughts and need to get it verified by a reputable body shop that has a rack and knowledgable in frame straightening, and that you want the Jeep to drive right before the deal is closed. If he/she has an issue with that, you've already got your answer.
 
#10 ·
What we're saying is that if there is any doubt about the frame, take it to a competent collision repair shop that has a frame jig/machine and check if the frame is not bent/tweaked/out of true.
 
#6 ·
Could the 2.5" lift kit and improper installation of 33" mud tires mess up the alignment? Seller mentioned that he tried to get alignment repaired, but his shop (or maybe shops - more than one place) couldn't fix it.

Should I ask for just a front end alignment or 4 wheel alignment?

In any case, before I plunk down money, I will have the alignment fixed or no deal.

Thanks guys.
 
#9 ·
The only thing you can adjust on a Jeep is the toe on the front end. Nothing on the rear is adjustable. So to answer your question, you only need the front end done, and then even that can be done by yourself in your driveway. I don't see the sense in paying some shop for an alignment when all they are doing is adjusting toe...now, if it has adjustable control arms, then a qualified shop that deals with adjustable arms is the way to go-NOT your local wheel and tire shop, as most techs there probably do not have the experience with adjustable arms
 
#8 ·
Hi again, Branimal. Glad you found a candidate you like a lot and your friend approves of.

Thoughts:

1) If your area has a shortage of Jeeps for sale that meet your specs, and this one does, then it's worth going to some trouble for. If not, obviously just walk away period and find one that's never been hit. But if you're looking for a Commando 2-door 6-speed Sahara with under 20k miles for less than $XXXXX and this meets those criteria, it's worth pursuing.

2) Your problem could be any one of at least four things, or any combination of those four: a) frame could be bent, b) steering or suspension components could be bent, or c) some yahoo could have improperly added lift components that degraded the Jeep's ability to hold a proper alignment, or d) alignment could just be off. Problem is, it could have a bent frame AND tweaked steering components AND a bad lift, etc.

3) Only you can answer this: If you start down the diagnosis path how far are you willing to follow it? If you take to a frame shop and they put it on a rack and confirm the frame is straight, will you then ask to take it to a suspension shop and have all the components checked and get a diagnosis as to why it can't hold an alignment (which will cost at least the cost of an alignment, if not possibly some more as a diagnostic charge.)? What would it take for you to be satisfied now that you're suspicious? Could you take it to an alignment shop first, and if they were able to get it aligned within spec would you be okay with that?

Cuz if you don't know exactly what answers it's going to take to satisfy you, OR if the answers it's going to take are beyond what you or the seller are willing to put up with, then it's a no-go to even start down that path.
 
#13 ·
Have you checked the VIN on CarFax to see how much this "minor" collision really was? --or if there is anything else lurking in its history?

If there is, better to know now than later.
 
#17 ·
If the seller doesn't know what was repaired and the amount dollar amount his insurance covered, I'd be very skeptical. It might be time to walk away, unless you are absolutely you can't find another similar vehicle.

Let's say the frame is tweaked. What are you going to do?
 
#18 ·
All I can add to this discussion is that some jackhole sideswiped me when my Jeep was stock, breaking the turn signal light in the fender, breaking one of the clips on the fender, and denting the stock front bumper. It was a $900 estimate to repair the damage, and either the police report or one of the damage estimates got reported to carfax. Now my Jeep shows a front passenger side collision and I can't do anything about it! On top of that Geico wouldn't pay out a claim to me because this is a no-fault state and the officer wouldn't issue a the guy a ticket because there were no witnesses and he lied and said I cut over on him.

Anyway my point is that carfax doesn't ever tell the whole story.

I also previously owned an Acura Integra with a clean carfax and after a few years of ownership found that the front and rear of the car were welded together. 2 different VIN numbers. It later got totaled (thankfully) and the carfax still showed a clean title, even after the 2nd accident.
 
#19 ·
Anyway my point is that carfax doesn't ever tell the whole story.
Totally agree with you here... I bought a used Toyota with a CarFax accident. It was a minor fender bender. The seller gave me the Toyota original repair bill and after looking it over, I was not very concerned with the damage.

The problem with Carfax is they don't list any details of the accident.

Makes selling a car a pain in the ass. And makes buyers leery.
 
#21 ·
I'm not trying to be a smart-A, but 2 questions:
1. What does your friend think? In his opinion, what is causing this Jeep to not drive correctly?
2. What is so special about this Jeep that keeps you pursuing this very one? (If it's price, then that may be a "too good to be true deal")


There's a million Jeeps out there
 
#24 ·
OP
Good for you for pushing to have seller fix before sale.
I'd ask for paperwork on who did the alignment and look for notes on what resolved the problem.
Also, if someone did a bad alignment, then I'd think the seller would take it back for the shop to realign at no charge. If he/she just paid another shop to redo the same work, I'd really be skeptical.
 
#25 ·
And then.. it could be a nice Jeep with an honest seller who is telling the truth up front and got a bad alignment job.
Just be diligent and check it over. Take it to a good mechanic for look over. It sounds like the guy is trying to work with you. Just be careful. You could run away and pass up a good also.
 
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