1. Welcome to Tundras.com!

    You are currently viewing as a guest! To get full-access, you need to register for a FREE account.

    As a registered member, you’ll be able to:
    • Participate in all Tundra discussion topics
    • Transfer over your build thread from a different forum to this one
    • Communicate privately with other Tundra owners from around the world
    • Post your own photos in our Members Gallery
    • Access all special features of the site

How bad is this frame damage?

Discussion in '2.5 Gen Tundras (2014-2021)' started by BAMtruck, Sep 9, 2024.

  1. Sep 9, 2024 at 8:22 PM
    #1
    BAMtruck

    BAMtruck [OP] New Member

    Joined:
    Jun 12, 2021
    Member:
    #64191
    Messages:
    75
    Gender:
    Male
    SW CO
    Vehicle:
    2015 DC SR5 5.7L MGM
    275/70/18 BFG's, ARE MX Topper
    Had a really weird lapse while driving my truck yesterday that resulted in truck damage. I was making a left hand turn into a parking lot where the entrance is paved over a culvert for a small ditch. Was waiting on a pedestrian to cross, turned into the lot, and somehow misjudged, wasn't paying close enough attention etc. and my right front tire went too wide and went into the ditch and rolled through. I bottomed out and hit my bumper but the majority of the impact occurred to my passenger tow hook. This bent the tow hook and has twisted part of the frame (bumper cross member section) where the tow hook is mounted. It was a pretty hard hit, I'm guessing 5 -10 mph or so. My bed flexed enough that my topper put a small dent into the back of the cab. Real concerned about this amount of frame flex.

    Hard to tell exactly from pictures but note the frame coating chipped away from the welds where the crossmember (don't know if that's exactly what its called) meets the frame rail. I've also circled the damaged side with a front view where you can compare the two sides. I took the tow hooks off to compare them to see if it was just the hook bent or the frame as well. It's the frame as well.

    How worried should I be on a scale of don't even call insurance, to the truck could be totaled. I know things get sketchy quickly with frames. Also, any suggestions for a course of action? Call insurance tomorrow? Wait and talk to a body shop? Never dealt with something like this. Would love to just pull the bumper off, replace with a CBI, C4, RCI etc bumper and call it good, but those all mount to the mounting point of the tow hook.

    Consider myself both a good and courteous driver. Tow frequently, off road a fair bit here in the San Juan's, never imagined doing something this dumb.

    upload_2024-9-9_21-13-21.jpg
    upload_2024-9-9_21-16-47.jpg
    upload_2024-9-9_21-17-13.jpg
    upload_2024-9-9_21-18-29.jpg

    upload_2024-9-9_21-13-21.jpg
     
  2. Sep 9, 2024 at 9:27 PM
    #2
    ZappBrannigan

    ZappBrannigan The mind is willing but the flesh is weak

    Joined:
    Dec 31, 2018
    Member:
    #23724
    Messages:
    2,493
    Gender:
    Male
    Canada, by way of Hawaii
    Vehicle:
    2018 1794 MGM
    NVS light bar
    If it were me I might take it to a couple body shops and see what they say. It’s really hard to tell if there is anything bent from the pics beyond the tow hook.
     
    BeauDacious likes this.
  3. Sep 9, 2024 at 9:48 PM
    #3
    d33pt

    d33pt New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 3, 2024
    Member:
    #109575
    Messages:
    186
    It's a truck. I wouldn't worry about it. If it holds an alignment and tracks straight, I'd say you're fine.
     
    ATV25 and BeauDacious like this.
  4. Sep 9, 2024 at 10:19 PM
    #4
    BAMtruck

    BAMtruck [OP] New Member

    Joined:
    Jun 12, 2021
    Member:
    #64191
    Messages:
    75
    Gender:
    Male
    SW CO
    Vehicle:
    2015 DC SR5 5.7L MGM
    275/70/18 BFG's, ARE MX Topper
    So here are a couple additional picks that hopefully highlight the twist of that crossmember. First, the tow hooks off, showing the comparison of the bend. Second, the tow hooks back on. I think this should show that the bend in the tow hook, doesn't totally account for the full amount of the difference you see between the two when on the truck.

    Definitely going to inquire at least one body shop tomorrow.
    upload_2024-9-9_23-15-21.jpg
    upload_2024-9-9_23-15-31.jpg
     

Products Discussed in

To Top