Bad News - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

solrac8d7 · 01-12-2011, 10:14 PM

I took my truck to a chevy dealership today to get a wheel alignment and the guy said my frame might be bent.

So I contacted the man who sold me the truck and asked if it's ever been in a wreck. He said the truck belonged to his brother who purchased it brand new then passed down to him. Should I take it to a body shop to have them check it out and do some measurements?

pig rig · 01-12-2011, 10:23 PM

hell Id get under it with a tap and pull a cross massurement to see if its out of square and then look down the frame rails to see if they have a twist then go from there

dropd80s · 01-12-2011, 10:49 PM

If the bend is slight and not in a horrible area, getting your frame pulled is not that bad really. Might also try another alignment shop with a little more experience in trucks like yours. I know the first 73-87 I had aligned the bushings were wore enough it couldn't be aligned. Swapped all the bushings and balljoints while I was in there, aligned it, and it drove like a dream.

spudz · 01-12-2011, 11:09 PM

check for worn control arm bushings or even bent control arm.

85silverbeast · 01-13-2011, 01:09 AM

"Might" be bent is either bent or not get under there and check for yourself.

solrac8d7 · 01-13-2011, 09:34 AM

Thanks guys for the feedback. I really appreciate it! Ill take some pics when I get home from work to show you.

**Clyde65** · 01-13-2011, 10:14 AM

Where are you located, there is an independent shop close to me that is a 2nd generation front end/alignment shop, I think they could fix just about anything. it took them about 1hr to remove my entire Front suspension, replace all bushings and etc and put it all back together on my truck, they eye balled the align and when aligned it only took like 15 minutes to put it on the machine set up and align. there are two brothers that own the shop their uncle started about 50 years ago.

motornut · 01-13-2011, 11:33 AM

they didn't say where?
I would think/hope if a gm shop tells you that,they should be pointing to it/where/why they couldn't do it

solrac8d7 · 01-13-2011, 08:49 PM

What the guy had said was LR had .72 and the RR had -.37 with a total thrust line of .52 He might as well of been talking chinese because I don't know what that means or how to fix it.

datguysaL · 01-14-2011, 01:27 AM

could be just the front end bushings as mentioned earlier. or your rear axle leaf spring pin is broken or not centered correctly.

and remember the chevy lean, alot of newbie shops wanna say u have frame damage when really u dont.

motornut · 01-14-2011, 10:15 AM

i duno numbers but
the thrust line is the straight wheels,match the body,match the steering
when you drive it does it track straight
what you could see is if the steering wheel is straight and the truck drives straight?
have someone follow you see if it's dogtailed?
means when driving do the front and back tires track the same to keep the truck straight

01-12-2011, 10:14 PM	#1
solrac8d7 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: E.P.T Posts: 13	Bad News I took my truck to a chevy dealership today to get a wheel alignment and the guy said my frame might be bent. So I contacted the man who sold me the truck and asked if it's ever been in a wreck. He said the truck belonged to his brother who purchased it brand new then passed down to him. Should I take it to a body shop to have them check it out and do some measurements?

01-12-2011, 10:23 PM	#2
pig rig Registered User Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: washington the state Posts: 730	Re: Bad News hell Id get under it with a tap and pull a cross massurement to see if its out of square and then look down the frame rails to see if they have a twist then go from there __________________ my sports car rolls on six wheels only because I'm to fat to get in and out of new corvette http://hubgarage.s3.amazonaws.com/ph...ped_detail.JPG

01-12-2011, 10:49 PM	#3
dropd80s Registered User Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: wichita falls tx Posts: 429	Re: Bad News If the bend is slight and not in a horrible area, getting your frame pulled is not that bad really. Might also try another alignment shop with a little more experience in trucks like yours. I know the first 73-87 I had aligned the bushings were wore enough it couldn't be aligned. Swapped all the bushings and balljoints while I was in there, aligned it, and it drove like a dream.

01-12-2011, 11:09 PM	#4
spudz Registered User Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Branchville SC Posts: 1,647	Re: Bad News check for worn control arm bushings or even bent control arm. __________________ 2004 z71, 96 z71 on 38s, 88 Chevy k5 blazer, 4in lift. 84 swb project, 82 SWB project , 84 chevy 4x4 lwb project, 88 Jimmy beater/highschool ride. 79 c30. 99 tahoe 4x4 project. and a bunch of parts trucks..

01-13-2011, 01:09 AM	#5
85silverbeast Registered User Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 132	Re: Bad News "Might" be bent is either bent or not get under there and check for yourself.

01-13-2011, 09:34 AM	#6
solrac8d7 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: E.P.T Posts: 13	Re: Bad News Thanks guys for the feedback. I really appreciate it! Ill take some pics when I get home from work to show you.

01-13-2011, 10:14 AM	#7
Clyde65 1965 Chevy C10, 2005 4.8L/4l60 Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: DFW Texas Posts: 8,548	Re: Bad News Where are you located, there is an independent shop close to me that is a 2nd generation front end/alignment shop, I think they could fix just about anything. it took them about 1hr to remove my entire Front suspension, replace all bushings and etc and put it all back together on my truck, they eye balled the align and when aligned it only took like 15 minutes to put it on the machine set up and align. there are two brothers that own the shop their uncle started about 50 years ago. __________________ Clyde65 Rebuild of Clyde http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...84#post8338184 69 Aristocrat Lo Liner build http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...84#post7561684 *support our troops!*

01-13-2011, 11:33 AM	#8
motornut 78K & 79C Jimmys Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Ottawa Ont CANADA Posts: 7,901	Re: Bad News they didn't say where? I would think/hope if a gm shop tells you that,they should be pointing to it/where/why they couldn't do it __________________ John 1978 GMCJimmy4X4-350/203 1979 GMCJimmy4X2-305/350

01-13-2011, 08:49 PM	#9
solrac8d7 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: E.P.T Posts: 13	Re: Bad News What the guy had said was LR had .72 and the RR had -.37 with a total thrust line of .52 He might as well of been talking chinese because I don't know what that means or how to fix it.

01-14-2011, 01:27 AM	#10
datguysaL Registered User Join Date: May 2009 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 155	Re: Bad News could be just the front end bushings as mentioned earlier. or your rear axle leaf spring pin is broken or not centered correctly. and remember the chevy lean, alot of newbie shops wanna say u have frame damage when really u dont.

01-14-2011, 10:15 AM	#11
motornut 78K & 79C Jimmys Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Ottawa Ont CANADA Posts: 7,901	Re: Bad News i duno numbers but the thrust line is the straight wheels,match the body,match the steering when you drive it does it track straight what you could see is if the steering wheel is straight and the truck drives straight? have someone follow you see if it's dogtailed? means when driving do the front and back tires track the same to keep the truck straight __________________ John 1978 GMCJimmy4X4-350/203 1979 GMCJimmy4X2-305/350 Last edited by motornut; 01-14-2011 at 10:17 AM.



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