Hi, i am fixing this Ford fiesta that had a frontal left crash. It wasn’t that bad if it isn’t for the fact that the frame where the suspensions are located got bent during the crash. It’s not really that much, but at the same time it kinda is annoying. Take in consideration that the car is lifted only on one side and so the angle is a little exaggerated, but still it gives you the idea. Is it feasible to fix this? I am not a professional, i do this cause i like it, but i don’t have all the tools for this, in this case the hydraulic press. I tried every way possible, doing leverage, but of course nothing happens.
Are there any option that i could try? asking for a mechanic is the last option.
Is it safe if i leave it like that?
so, the whole thing is between 15/20 cm away, from where it is supposed to be, the last time i checked, i am trying ti get it more straight, kinda the red line is trying to follow the correct path, it won’t be the same of course, but you can still put the apron anyway. The main thing though is the suspension support part. Just the frame got messy, all the rest is intact, even the wheel. Everything you don’t see, i have removed it previously.
If you leave it like that you will never get a decent alignment, it won’t track straight and that corner will wear tires much more than the other 3.
You need something to pull it back into shape. A Porta-Power like Tester recommended. Or maybe two very large trees far enough apart to get the car between them and a winch to pull it back into shape.
It’s going to take the same amount of force it experienced when things got bent to bend them back, if not more. The biggest issue is finding a way to bend the sections back without whatever you’re holding bending instead. This is why frame jigs are helpful. That being said, I have brute forced stuff back into place before. If you push against something else to move the strut support, you have to be careful whatever you’re using as an anchor point doesn’t move backward instead. Pulling may be more effective. You have more ways to anchor the rest of the car and pull the tower back out. You will have to go past the point you want it to end up as it will relax a bit when tension is removed.
Recently, while on vacation, my wife managed to jackknife the boat trailer and bend the tongue at 30 degrees or more. What to do with limited resources and no way to drive the trailer any appreciable distance? Like Mustangman suggested, found two trees close enough together, put the tongue between them and dragged the back of the trailer over to bend it back. Took some serious muscle but got it back good enough to make the 6 hour trip back home.
So, a place to use as anchor i found was the transmission case which is connected to the engine which is connected to the main frame, and i think is a good way to place the 1 inch thick metal rod that i use as leverage. Of course it doesn’t move.
I thought maybe i could use a torch to heat the section where the suspension support is connected to the mainframe, and it could weaken it a little bit, cause the connecting points are a little further up, and probably won’t do much to them. In any case i have a MIG welder so if something happens i will use it to do extra soldiering. Does this make sense?
I wish i had some trees somewhere, but i live in an urban environment and it will take me time to even find one huh.
You will likely crack the transmission case and definitely destroy the engine mounts. The engine and trans are rubber mounted to the car, do NOT push against them! Use a metal portion of the car. Specifically the frame rail on the opposite side. Unfortunately you might have to remove the engine to do this.
I’d suggest a piece of square tubing drilled to fit the bolt holes for the fender (wings) and push or pull against that or you will tear out the pull point.
Keep in mind, this could go so wrong the car will be completely destroyed if you don’t spread the load as wide as possible.
Agreed 1,000%, do NOT use the trans to pull/push with…
I hate to say it, but you don’t seem to be anywhere near ready for this kind of work yet, even using heavy chains and what nots to pull with, they will be under a tremendous amount of force and if they let go while under tension, they could literally remove your head from your shoulders… You really need to take some courses in this stuff before attempting it, and I come to this conclusion, not by your mechanically skills, but by you asking to pull on the transmission case… Just don’t want you to be the next Darwin award winner sir…
That being said, they make and sell tools for pulling metal, just google auto body clamps… There are a lot more style clamps depending on needs…
Yeah, I’m as cheap as the day is long, and I wouldn’t even dream of trying to put this car back together. It will never drive straight, and never handle properly. I’d strip it for parts and scrap what’s left.
This is the kind of build that can be done at home and never show up on a Car Fax report, if not reported to an ins company…
Not if you know what you are doing, I have seen way worse be repaired (outside of body/frame shops), heck, my old business partner would jump all over this and when he was done with it, you would never know any difference, unless you knew what to look for… Alignment would be good also…
Yeah, I already said that… My statement was that it was said it will NEVER drive straight or handle properly, and that simple is not true… If you know what you are doing, it can be done in your home garage…
