How To Tell If Your Frame Is Bent After An Accident

If you are looking for information about how to tell if your frame is bent after an accident, this post should help list the most common bent car frame symptoms! A lot of the vehicles that are involved in a collision which bends the frame will end up being totaled by an insurance company. However, now and then a vehicle ends up slipping through the post collision inspections. 

How To Tell If Your Frame Is Bent

Sometimes a bent frame may not stand out, but in time the symptoms and signs of a bent frame will start to show. The only sure-fire indication of a bent frame is when it has been bent to the point it is out of shape and clearly visible. There are some other signs that can help you in identifying an issue such as this.

If a bent frame is visible

The best way to get a really good look at the frame on your vehicle would be to get under it and look. Always use caution anytime you are getting under a vehicle, it can be even more dangerous after a collision has happened. When you do get under the vehicle you will want to look carefully for any creases and other damage that has been done to the metal frame, this is your vehicles backbone and its strength. An indication of a bent frame can be for certain if you find unusual angles or creases to the frame. You should also pay close attention for rusted areas, areas that have been creased, or other suspicious areas of your frame.

Skewed Alignment

"Proper alignment in your vehicle is what helps your vehicle stay in a straight line." [1] Should your vehicle begin to pull more to the left or to the right it could be a sign that something is wrong. If you have had the alignment of your vehicle done more than a few times or if it was aligned recently and yet, you are experiencing a pulling to the left or right, this could be a sign that the vehicles frame is bent.

Wheels Don’t Track Right

If a vehicle has a bent frame it will usually appear to drive a little bit sideways. This is also referred to a crab or walking the dog, and the reason for that is because the rear tires are no longer exactly following the front tires at this point. It causes the vehicle to look like it drives sort of sideways. One thing you can do is get someone else to follow you to see if they can see this effect happening. If it can be seen, it needs to be seen by a mechanic to find out what the issue is.

Wrong Fit For Parts

The modern passenger vehicles of today have a lot of mechanical equipment which has been becoming more and more complex over the past several years. Although the vehicle consists of thousands of different individual parts, the main thing it relies on is the frame, and if the frame is bent many of those parts may no longer fit properly. Once the frame gets bent it can cause issues such as the body panels and /or the doors not to line up properly and the doors may not even open and close. Additionally, those bolts and mounts that are needed to hold the transmission in could sheer and even break depending on why the frame is bent.

Uneven Wear in Suspension & Shocks

Manufacturers of vehicles make them to be balanced. For this reason, all the weight of the vehicle has been evenly distributed. So, when a collision causes the frame to bend it can easily throw this balance off, distributing the weight of the vehicle, as well as the occupants in it so the weight is no longer even. Which means that the extra weight on one side can cause the parts that are in the suspension to wear out more rapidly. So, if your vehicle has parts that continue to break or malfunction you need to have a mechanic take a look at it for bends or other damage to the frame.

Identify any changes in the way your doors open

"If there are changes in the way your car’s doors open and close, then it is one of the surest signs of a bent car frame. If they catch while opening or closing, then your car’s frame is bent. If they don’t open with the same width on all sides, then also your car’s frame is bent." [2]

Call A Collision Repair Expert For Frame Repair

Have you been involved in an auto collision? If so, let experts at a collision shop help you find out if your vehicles frame was bent. They can also help you by filing with your insurance and making sure that all the necessary repairs get done. Call them today if you were in a collision, the sooner you do, the sooner you can put your mind to rest.

Cited Sources

1. Works, Author TS Body. “Indications Of A Bent Frame | T&S Body Works - Tempe AZ.” T & S Body Works, 15 Dec. 2017, tsbodyworks.com/blog/indications-of-a-bent-frame/.
2. 
   

   Nangia, Nidhi. “How to Know If Your Car Frame Is Bent.” Onehowto.com, Onehowto.com, 13 Apr. 2017, motor.onehowto.com/article/how-to-know-if-your-car-frame-is-bent-12290.html.

How to stop a Windshield Crack from Spreading

If you have been looking for How you stop a windshield crack from spreading on search engines, then this post is just for you. Other than making your vehicle look bad, a cracked windshield can lead to lower visibility. It is very common issue that people often ignore small cracks for days or even weeks, but even a small crack can spread quickly and become very unsafe for driving. Additionally, it may cause your windshield to be replaced instead of just repaired.

Small damages are called stress cracks, bulls eye, star break, chips which will depend on the size and shape of the damage. It doesn’t matter why size or shape it is, eventually the crack will spread out. This will happen because the glass expands and contracting because of temperature changes and pressure.

Whenever a small rock from the car in front of you is thrown up, it could cause a star break at the place it hits. This crack may be small, but it can spread and reduce your visibility. There are plenty of affordable and straightforward methods to stop the crack from spreading.

Dangers of a windshield crack

It’s common for a drive to consider a cracked windshield to be annoying, and the problem will not get the attention it needs. It is recommended by traffic officials and safety experts to take action right away.

"When a windshield is intact, it helps transfer the force of a front-end impact down to the chassis. This lessens the effect felt inside the car and helps protect the passengers. If your car's windshield is cracked and it shatters during a collision, you and any other occupants are at greater risk of sustaining injuries." [2]

Besides giving protection against road debris and other types of elements while you drive, your windshield has a big part for safety in accidents. It directs the impact force during a front-end collision to the chassis and this is called the forward crumple zone. It was made to affect the impact it has on the interior which provides protection for a passenger.

When a collision happens, a cracked or chipped windshield can’t provide the full protection that it was designed to give. It is because of this that most state inspection facilities won’t pass a vehicle that has a windshield with a crack on a certain are or of a certain size. This helps to make sure that you have the correct safety and visibility. However, a small crack doesn’t require your windshield to be replaced.

When you take action immediately, you can save yourself money, prevent the damage from being worse, and remain on the road safely.

Evaluating the Crack

To start with, you need to review the windshield to assess the crack and decide its condition. On the off chance that it is a modest crack, you might have the capacity to repair it with a unit. If it is too huge to possibly be settled by a pack, you should take it to a shop for repairs or replacement in circumstances where it is hopeless.

To figure out which strategy is ideal, measure the size and depth of the imperfection. Cracks that are roughly a foot long, a large portion of an inch or wider, or the crack has been there for some time, the windshield ought to be replaced. View the types of windshield cracks that can be repaired. 

How To Stop Crack in the Windshield from Spreading

To prevent a crack from getting worse, the initial step to take is anticipating stressors, for example, water, soil, or different debris to enter the crack. By utilizing clear tape, you can help keep the crack clean in typical driving conditions, however it won't hold up under serious climates or car washes.

Even though experts can give windshield chip and crack repair administrations, there are numerous circumstances that can be dealt with effortlessly with a DIY approach, all you require is the right materials and some patience. The following are some different strategies for shielding cracks from spreading.

Purchase a Windshield Repair Kit

To repair a crack yourself, first go to your nearby car part store and get a windshield repair unit. While there are distinctive packs, they normally contain a specific tar and a connector. The sap gets constrained in the crack and seals it from outside garbage and components. This decreases stressors on the glass while keeping spreading from happening. Drill a little gap through the best layer of glass toward one side of the crack, utilizing a 1/16-inch boring tool. At that point, constrain the gum from the repair pack into the crease.

Hold Glass in Place with Super Glue

On the off chance that the flaw is minor, you can utilize standard cyanoacrylate stick, more generally known as Super Glue. You can apply it by compelling it into the crack, or by scratching spreading in an even layer. Once dried, it will help keep the two sides of the crack together, and diminishes extra spreading.

Nail Polish for a Temporary Fix

There have been some who revealed being effective with clear acrylic nail polish as an impermanent fix. Initially, clean the debris from the crack, and generously apply nail polish to both within and outside of the crack, and the external zones where cracks could spread. This can enable hold to glass together for a brief period, offering time to plan with a repair shop. Keep in mind, both the Super Glue and nail polish methods are quick fixes which will give you an opportunity to get an expert examination.

Park in the Shade

"Most of us understand that heat and cold causes things to expand and contract.  This is true of windshields as well and if you leave a windshield with a crack in the sunlight, it will spread much quicker." [1] By parking in the shade, you will bring down the effect of temperature change, and different components. Whenever possible, stopping inside a carport will help by bringing down the weight on the broken windshield.

Get Expert Advice

It is critical that you talk with a windshield repair master, as they have the required learning, knowledge, apparatuses, and materials to help with incidentally repairing your cracked windshield. They may be able to protect the crack size, to influence it to look littler than it truly is also. You can also view this guide on how to fix cracks and chips in your windshield.

Hire a Professional

After you have checked out the crack, and if a DIY repair kit is not enough to repair the crack and keep it from spreading, then you need to contact a professional windshield repair shop. For instance, you can contact Safelite or another windshield repair expert. You should never wait to have your windshield repaired.

It is always best to take action immediately, instead of waiting when it comes to a cracked windshield. A complex crack that is over 6 inches may affect your visibility and lower the strength of the windshield. Don’t wait until the crack begins to spread.

Additionally, the smaller that the crack is, the cheaper and easier it will be to fix. When you wait too long to have it repaired, the issue may get much worse. If a crack hits a point to where it is unable to be repaired, you will need to replace your whole windshield. 

Cited Sources

1. “How To Stop A Windshield Crack From Spreading.” Auto Glass Repair & Care Guide, 21 Nov. 2017, bestautoglasscare.wordpress.com/2017/11/21/how-to-stop-a-windshield-crack-from-spreading/.
2. “Think Driving With a Cracked Windshield Poses No Danger?” Gerber Collision & Glass, www.gerbercollision.com/articles/think-driving-with-a-cracked-windshield-poses-no-danger.