2023 F150 Accident Frame Replacement

[Eighthtry]

OK gang. A bit of fun going on. I was involved in a wreck (not my fault) that looked to be minor, but actually bent the frame. Insurance has decided to put a new frame under the truck. This truck has 2,200 miles on it.

I am excited.

I have a jillion questions, and a lot I am sure I am not asking.
We are dealing with lots of bolts and fasteners, some are one use only types. Engine, rear axle, and Transmission come out, along with the rest of the world. How do I ensure those are replaced and torqued to recommended values? Obviously I can't, but anyway......

How do I check frame alignment and integrity when through?

I'm guessing I am looking for a Ford Certified shop of some kind. Of course the insurance company supposedly "covers" repairs if it is screwed up. Doesn't excite me. Anyone know how that process works?

Different VIN on frame. How do I deal with that at DMV?

How does this affect my warranty? Including extended Ford warranty I purchased at sale?

How do I figure out how this truck is valued? It is a 302A XLT with 8' bed.

My shop will not do frames. They do have the equipment needed. They use it for checks. They don't like potential liability. They have offered to examine the final workmanship. This is a good shop. Besides being Ford, GM, Stellantis or whoever they are they also are Rivian and Maserati certified. They have a well equipped shop, and have all types of cars on the lot.

One good thing is that they are doing the entire frame instead of pulling the damaged front frame.

What am I forgetting to ask?

I would post a picture for laughs, but apparently .jpg pictures don't count on this site.

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[Viper]

Wow, sorry to hear the above, but do wish you luck on the repair!!

 

[macworld]

Wow, sorry to hear the above, but do wish you luck on the repair!!

Interestingly enough, I am in the same exact situation with my '23 Tremor. I was t-boned, and suffered frame damage. I am still waiting almost 2 months after the crash for it to even be started on repairs. I have no clue how long to expect for them to receive the frame. Has yours been fixed yet?

 

[splatrd]

I worked at a body shop in the late 90's for 10 years, and I only replaced one full frame in that time.
Granted the number of full frame vehicles was much lower at the time. The truck was nearly new. It was a time-consuming job, and I had to hang the cab from the roof trusses. It was not that difficult, and the insurance company paid out 24 hrs. for just the frame swap part of the job. I am not sure about all of your questions. As far as value, I would ask insurance company for diminishment of value since it was not your fault. Any work these days, even at independent shops is tracked and can easily be found on services like Carfax. You will have to ask your service advisor about the impact on your warranty.

 

[motivology]

I’m really surprised the insurance is okay with full frame replacement. Frankly, I don’t think it’ll ever drive right after that kind of repair. Why not get a new truck? I would imagine after doing all that repair work and adding in the labor & misc expenses - it has to be within the ball park of a new truck. And it’s a BIG gamble how it’ll drive after the repairs. Plus, I don’t think you can retain your original factory warranty after that…

Something to think about.

-DK

 

[Kanuck]

Before sending it to be repaired, I would be talking to my dealer and getting all the warranty questions answered in writing. I would also ask my dealer if they know of Ford dealer that does full frame replacements. Even if I had to pay shipping. I would think I have a much better chance for warranty later on if the work was done by a Ford dealer or Ford dealers body shop.

I would be asking for a copy of the estimate of repairs. If it is close to a new truck including the Diminished Value payout . I would be going after the insurance company to write the truck off.

Just some of my thoughts.

 

[splatrd]

I’m really surprised the insurance is okay with full frame replacement. Frankly, I don’t think it’ll ever drive right after that kind of repair. Why not get a new truck? I would imagine after doing all that repair work and adding in the labor & misc expenses - it has to be within the ball park of a new truck. And it’s a BIG gamble how it’ll drive after the repairs. Plus, I don’t think you can retain your original factory warranty after that…

Something to think about.

-DK

To be honest I would much rather have a new frame rather than a straightened one. It would likely never track straight again. In the old days, shops got away with a lot of damage repairs that won't fly anymore. It was not uncommon to remove everything from the fire wall forward and weld on all new metal back in the 90's. Now it is much more common to total them. After seeing firsthand how repairs are made, I personally would not keep a car after a significant crash. Especially something with a side hit.

 

[gagliano7]

The only that sucks is you decide to sell the truck you will most likely take a big hit on selling price.

 

[Calson]

Legally the insurance company should total your truck and buy you a new one. I would not buy a used truck that required a frame replacement and this will be on the DMV record for the truck.

 

[Eighthtry]

To make a long story short, they finally totaled the truck. Not sure where the genius appeared, but it is totaled. Now arguing over the value of a new 2023 XLT with 2000 miles.

Since I could no longer option the SuperCab XLT for 2024, I had to step up to a 2021 Lariat to get my 2023 XLT options. I did get a couple of bonus options because of the upgrade, but I was set for life with my 23 XLT. One never knows how life can work out. Just glad no one was hurt.

The bad news is that the poor slob that hit me was driving a 2008 roller skate of some kind. It will cost him a fortune to replace that. At least I can afford mine with minimal pain.

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