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Frame rail is deformed. How can I bend it?
I have discovered that my 1973 450SL Mercedes unibody resto left front frame rail is deformed.
It has been repaired before but not nearly correct. It is bent in by 16mm or 5/8" That is at the 2 subframe mount points. I need another subframe as well as this one matches the deformation. Camber=NO WAY. I have a Porto Power and wonder how I could try to bend this. I can't push much against the other rail as that would surely bend then? The rails are held together at the front by a nose piece. Any ideas anyone? The pic seems rotated here on the forum. It is a top view of the frame member. The red line shows where the edge if the member should be. The masonite with the plumb bob is, is on the frame ourside. Inner and outer guards removed. Regards Bernt
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Best regards Bernt Last edited by Steve Hamilton; 06-13-2017 at 12:25 PM. |
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Side profile of said frame rail.
It needs most bending near the top bend.
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Best regards Bernt Last edited by berntd; 06-13-2017 at 10:34 PM. |
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Quote:
If I am understanding your descriptions correctly, it looks as if the car took impact from the front, onto that corner. It compressed the frame and wrinkled the firewall. When I pull out damage like this I always try to mentally grasp the angle/direction of the impact, so I can accurately reverse it when I make my push/ pull. I think - if I am seeing this correctly - that I would make a push between the sway bar mount and point B on your drawing. I might think about releasing the patch on the sidewall, as well, as that could be holding against the push .... You might have to make up two perches to use your Porto to shove against, and then clean them off, afterwards. It looks as if the frame arch went up with the impact, and also curved along the top view. The top curve can also be pushed/pulled at the same time. To correct some heavy frame damage I have had three and four jacks, with chains holding the frame at one time, when I use my frame table bolted to the floor of my shop. I also use an old "Kansas jack" to pull out sections. Blackhawk made a pretty heavy one, a "Dozer" or a "Pull Dozer," and I use one of those, which might help you, here.
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Kent http://www.tinmantech.com "All it takes is a little practical experience to blow the he!! out of a perfectly good theory." --- Lloyd Rosenquist, charter member AWS, 1919. |
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If you don’t have frame pulling equipment and experience an alternative might be to cut out & replace that uni-body rail. Or consider farming out that part of the job to a professional.
I always hated working on Mercedes, removing the rubberized undercoating was the absolute worst. Also many of the Mercedes didn’t have lips (pinch weld areas) at the bottom of the rocker panels to hold the cars and I was never really comfortable pulling them from the 4 jacking points. YIKES ……… very glad to be retired from heavy collision work. ~ John Buchtenkirch
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John |
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Hi Kent and John
Thaks for the replies. Yes, the damage must have been from the front left. That arm has a built in crumple zone at the point I show the wrinkles near poin A. It had all been pulled and repaired an heated with Oxy before as I found heaps of telltales of it. Pity they decided to just keep it matched to the bent subframe. there are telltales on the subframe of heating and pushing as well. Kent, I wish I had that equipment as my whole problem is holding the car and having useful anchor points outside the car to push and pull. I can only push and pull to anchor points within and on the car itself. I may have to give this up as I just see no way to do it. I could buy or make a floor frame with sill clamps just for this but man, that is a lot of effort. None of the professionals I contacted so far were interested in taking this on. None are even prepared to look and want the car towed there, which is expensive, just to look see. As John suggested, I may need to transplant that whole arm after all. That means buying a whole other car :-( Regards Bernt
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Best regards Bernt |
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I’m very familiar with the Mercedes sub-frames mounted on the 4 rubber mounts and it’s really very hard to pull those 4 mounting points into the correct position without a modern 3D measuring system like shown in the photos below. Just ask the mutt that attempted to repair the car previously . If the nose isn’t swayed, then swapping in a used uni-body rail isn’t too bad of a job, that is why I suggested it. ~ John Buchtenkirch
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John |
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