Outer Limits 4x4 Board

v6hilux wrote:I would also be interested in pictures of the door gap between the front and rear doors. Also a good picture of the front door gap to A pillar to see if it is even all the way from top to bottom.

The door lines up in those pictures on the A pillar and also the Sill. It hasn't moved. Go back to driving trains

yeah im pretty sure that all of the gaps line up but i will check and take a few pics tomorow if i get back from work in time. how would i go around by getting a quote from a panel beater if the car is undrivable? do they come out to your place or do you have to take it to them?

RUFF wrote: It needs a radiator support panel and about an hours worth of hammer and dolly work on the inner guard. Doing a half cut is defianatly not the easy option.

Or tie a sling to a tree and pull it out in reverse

Genraly you would need to take it to them. But they "may" be able to give you a rough idea from ther pics you have.


First thing though. I should have asked you to check one section of the chassie as its very common for the IFS hilux/runner/surf to bend even with a small hit. You need to check around the chassie number area on the RH side behind the wheel and the same area of the LH side. This is right behind where all the IFS components mount. Check for the frame to either buldge or have a dent either on the inside or the outside faces of the rails. I have found lots of these with less impact on the front with steel bullbars that will rotate the front rails upward. If you find any damage here i would say you would be best of buying another vehicle if you are not keen to swap the chassies. Although they can be straightened on a rack i wouldnt suggest it if you plan on keeping it and wheeling it as they do tend to bend again if given a hard time.

dow50r wrote:

RUFF wrote: It needs a radiator support panel and about an hours worth of hammer and dolly work on the inner guard. Doing a half cut is defianatly not the easy option.

Or tie a sling to a tree and pull it out in reverse

This is basicaly where you start this repair. Stretch the inner guard back as far as possible first. Carefully.

Yeah, RUFF is correct, just use some washers and sicoflex under the mud guard in the middle where the top bolts go to hide the banana shape of the sub frame.

Don't take it too seriously Joey!

It's hard to evaluate damage from pictures!

If the chassis is still straight and the firewall is not pushed back, you will find it easier, to drill out all the inner sub frame an radiator support panel spot welds and replace the lot with straight stuff than a cut and shut.

As suggested, chain the the impact area to a tree and reverse away, then cut off the damaged stuff.

oops

well finally did some work on it this long weekend got the front off and the driverside off.





didn't take to long just had to drill all of the spot welds out after i found all of them. when i got the driverside guard i noticed that the steering shaft was bent inbetween the steering box and the 2nd universil joint.



this got me thinking that there mabey be chasis damage because the steering box is bolted onto the chassis and it still looks straight? don't want to go and start buying bit for if it is. what do you's reckon about it?

joe

It's mounted to the steering box which is mounted to the chassis on one end and the other end is mounted to the body might pay to get a pannel beater or two to look at it before you go any further.

do you reckon the panel could of done the damage when it hit it because , the panlel was bent in towards the shaft when i removed it?

Is there a mark where the guard hit the shaft to bend it. Regardless i'd be taking a closer look at chassis.

yeah i know, dont want to spend money on it if the chasis is stuffed. i will have to have a look at the panel tomorow to dark now. do you reckon i should check the diagonals to make sure that they are righ aswell?

joey I think you are doing real good to get this far! Why stop? Even if the chassis is a bit bent, it aint goint to make that much difference. Probably an extra tyre every year to compensate and that's nothing, as long as you can drive it like an adult and not smash it again, you will be right!

yeh x2 my lux chassie is bent at the front a tad and mine still drives well. in the bush anyways nice of ya to let me no about the progress ya terd!

Mate measure the chassis up.....it will take no time at all if you have 3 things..

A flat peace of cement or the local car park
A plumb bob
A piece of chalk
A chalk line...cheap at bunnings

Just drop the plumb bob down and mark the spot with chalk on the concrete along various spots on the chassis in exactly the same spot on the left and right sides of the chassis as many as you can do with accuracy.......
then try and find the exact centre of the chassis with a tape measure if you have to......do the same at the front and back.
After you do all that, roll the car off the lines and then join the front and rear centre lines together with a flick of the string line.
You can now measure the chassis marks left against right to find any chassis faults

We used this method combined with chassis height measurements on our Nascars that needed work out at the track away from the chassis Jigs ,and we where confident to run those cars and trust those measurements at over 200MPH, so you will be fine.

thanks for that m8 sound like its happening im my driveway then on the weekend hopefully with the results im wanting. yeah chris have to catch up aye been busy working/drinking/fixing car. i will give you a buzz friday arvo.

thanks for that info that m8.

joe

v6hilux wrote:As long as you can drive it like an adult and not smash it again, you will be right!

Just pull the same number on the other side all square just shorter

Yeah just use spots that are the same on both sides ie bolts holes etc etc....
Then take the time to find the centre line using the more references the better front back and middle etc.....
You might find all is good.....fingers crossed....chassis's do tend to flex a fair way before they give in and bend.
And if there is a bend, It may be just local, in a certain spot.....a bit of jack and chain action might help you if you are confident.....double check your measurements before you start bending !!

The more I look at the Pic's and from what I can see of the front wheels, I will be surprised if it has suffered to much