# Dented Subframe Today. Should I Be Worried? **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** lacrosse, buick\ **Created:** [May 3, 2020, 12:48am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/dented-subframe-today-should-i-be-worried/163745 "2020-05-03T00:48:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![vinny.mossman\_163369](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/278dde/32.png) [@vinny.mossman\_163369](https://community.cartalk.com/u/vinny.mossman_163369)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2020, 12:48am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/dented-subframe-today-should-i-be-worried/163745/1 "2020-05-03T00:48:16Z")
Had a short off-road adventure today (unscheduled). After it was all said and done, I got off pretty lucky besides having to re-hang the exhaust on the middle brackets and this dent in the subframe crossmember where it meets the frame rails (I think that’s the vocabulary, I have very little experience with body jargon). Here’s what it looks like… ![IMG_0113](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/2/d/2d6462e101670ffd9ea389bb807e9d054cdd6996.jpeg) ![IMG_0112](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/3/e/3e3def01e3848e93a2691d5a73f27eb9183a1595.jpeg) The indent is probably half an inch deep and two inches across. Is this something that could degrade the integrity of the frame or is it cosmetic? Thanks in advance for any comments. ---
**Author:** ![asemaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@asemaster](https://community.cartalk.com/u/asemaster)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2020, 12:53am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/dented-subframe-today-should-i-be-worried/163745/2 "2020-05-03T00:53:48Z")
I don’t think it’s going to affect the structural integrity of the frame, but I would take it in and have the alignment checked soon. ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2020, 12:59am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/dented-subframe-today-should-i-be-worried/163745/3 "2020-05-03T00:59:02Z")
Don’t worry about it. You can cause that type of damage with a floor jack lifting the car at that position. It’s not a hard spot. And it’s done all the time. Tester ---
**Author:** ![vinny.mossman\_163369](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/278dde/32.png) [@vinny.mossman\_163369](https://community.cartalk.com/u/vinny.mossman_163369)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2020, 2:03am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/dented-subframe-today-should-i-be-worried/163745/4 "2020-05-03T02:03:19Z")
Thank you both! That puts my mind at ease. ---
**Author:** ![oldtimer-11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e79b87/32.png) [@oldtimer-11](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldtimer-11)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2020, 2:33am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/dented-subframe-today-should-i-be-worried/163745/5 "2020-05-03T02:33:21Z")
I would put som primer and paint on it so it won’t rust. ---
**Author:** ![vinny.mossman\_163369](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/278dde/32.png) [@vinny.mossman\_163369](https://community.cartalk.com/u/vinny.mossman_163369)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2020, 2:54am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/dented-subframe-today-should-i-be-worried/163745/6 "2020-05-03T02:54:32Z")
Okay, I might try that. ---
**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2020, 4:10am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/dented-subframe-today-should-i-be-worried/163745/7 "2020-05-03T04:10:12Z")
It’s an impact hit so I agree that the car needs to have the alignment checked. ---
**Author:** ![ken2116](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f19dbf/32.png) [@ken2116](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ken2116)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2020, 12:07am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/dented-subframe-today-should-i-be-worried/163745/8 "2020-05-05T00:07:46Z")
Rust prevention may be the main concern, either prime and paint it or cover with an ablative (not hardening) type of undercoating, especially if you drive where road salt is used or near the ocean. Not a bad idea to check wheel well areas for chipping while you’re at it. ---
**Author:** ![asemaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@asemaster](https://community.cartalk.com/u/asemaster)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2020, 2:09am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/dented-subframe-today-should-i-be-worried/163745/9 "2020-05-05T02:09:12Z")
I’m pretty sure that subframe is alloy and not steel.