Repairing a Misaligned Car Frame

All of us would not buy a car if we know that its frame is made of weak materials. The frame of the car serves as a support for all its other parts. Therefore, car dealers make sure that the frames of their cars are sturdy enough that they can assure the safety of the drivers and passengers. But when accidents happen, especially the major ones, car frames can be misaligned. Aligning car frames are also done for custom made cars. If you think you have a misaligned car frame, it is advisable to repair it right away. Even a millimeter misalignment in your car frame can affect how the safety devices of your vehicle function, such as seatbelts and airbags. Although car frame alignment can be very tedious, especially if you do not have the right equipment, you can make this as one of your do-it-yourself project. For the special equipments you will need, you can just rent them instead of purchasing one, unless you plan to make it a business. Below is a guide in realigning the frame of your car.

1. If possible, take off the body of the car. Get ready with the various tools needed to work on this. In some shops that specialize in realigning car frames, taking off everything is not necessary as alignment assessment is computerize. They just place a sensor beam under the car which is connected to a computer. Then, they input the vehicle’s model and make to the computer. In particular locations of the frame, they attach probes which help in identifying the misaligned parts. If you want this kind of process, you could probably ask if you could rent such workshop wherein you can use these equipments.
2. Then if you only have the car frame alone, position it on a centerline gauge tool to measure the misalignment of your vehicle’s frame.
3. Through a set of trams, you can get the measurement of how misaligned the frame is. For short distances, a telescoping tram with 45 inch range is used. On the other hand, a 10 foot spread is required for long frames.
4. If you already have the measurements, you can now realign the frame using a hydraulic ram and push and spread tools. These are usually included in collision repair kits. While the realignment process is going on, you have to examine the alignment of your car’s frame from time to time using the trams. Again, in some workshops, this straightening process is a lot easier. They just place the car in a rack with chains around it. These chains are connected to a hydraulic tower, which is the one exerting pressure to straighten the frame. This is all monitored in the computer to know if the exact alignment is already reached.

All of us would not buy a car if we know that its frame is made of weak materials. The frame of the car serves as a support for all its other parts. Therefore, car dealers make sure that the frames of their cars are sturdy enough that they can assure the safety of the drivers and passengers. But when accidents happen, especially the major ones, car frames can be misaligned. Aligning car frames are also done for custom made cars. If you think you have a misaligned car frame, it is advisable to repair it right away. Even a millimeter misalignment in your car frame can affect how the safety devices of your vehicle function, such as seatbelts and airbags. Although car frame alignment can be very tedious, especially if you do not have the right equipment, you can make this as one of your do-it-yourself project. For the special equipments you will need, you can just rent them instead of purchasing one, unless you plan to make it a business. Below is a guide in realigning the frame of your car.

1. If possible, take off the body of the car. Get ready with the various tools needed to work on this. In some shops that specialize in realigning car frames, taking off everything is not necessary as alignment assessment is computerize. They just place a sensor beam under the car which is connected to a computer. Then, they input the vehicle’s model and make to the computer. In particular locations of the frame, they attach probes which help in identifying the misaligned parts. If you want this kind of process, you could probably ask if you could rent such workshop wherein you can use these equipments.
2. Then if you only have the car frame alone, position it on a centerline gauge tool to measure the misalignment of your vehicle’s frame.
3. Through a set of trams, you can get the measurement of how misaligned the frame is. For short distances, a telescoping tram with 45 inch range is used. On the other hand, a 10 foot spread is required for long frames.
4. If you already have the measurements, you can now realign the frame using a hydraulic ram and push and spread tools. These are usually included in collision repair kits. While the realignment process is going on, you have to examine the alignment of your car’s frame from time to time using the trams. Again, in some workshops, this straightening process is a lot easier. They just place the car in a rack with chains around it. These chains are connected to a hydraulic tower, which is the one exerting pressure to straighten the frame. This is all monitored in the computer to know if the exact alignment is already reached.