Bumper & Frame Issue

[firebane]

Trying to put my bumper back on today and noticed that no matter what I did it simply would not sit right. I started taking a look and noticed that the frame horns on my truck are really tweaked.

Wondering if you guys could tell me if this is a bad sign? Or how something like this could even happen? I'd imagine it happened from a front end collision at some point in its life?

You can also see in the front shot (sorry for potato quality) that the right spring is lower than the left spring.

Is this is a fixable issue or does this truck have larger frame issues?

Right Side Outside:

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Right Side Inside:

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Left Side Outside:

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Left Side Inside:

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Front Shot:

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[firebane]

Sway bar for good measure:

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[chengny]

It may be an optical illusion - caused by the radiator support mounting cushion stacks.

First, drop the front end down onto (level) ground/tar/concrete and measure the distances from the ground to the bottom of each spring. That will give you a good indication of whether one of the frame rails is distorted.


Note in the image below how much thicker the RH stack is - as compared to the LH setup. It almost appears that the wrong rubber has been used (and that a plate is missing):

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[MadOgre]

Ya exactly Jerry is right. The drivers side rad support mounting bushing is collapsed and makes it look like the spring hangers are off but its just an optical illusion. This means that the body is tilted to the drivers side and may be why you are having issues lining up the bumper to the body.

 

[firebane]

It might look like an illusion but its not. These are the bottom holes for the bolts and they are both in different positions and different places. Truck is sitting on flat ground in these pictures.

Because the left hole is so much higher than the left hole if I try mounting the bumper its at such an angle that it looks like it did in the original pictures.

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Here is the bottom hole on the right side:

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Here is the bottom hole on the left side:

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[MadOgre]

NO! No you cant measure with that truck sitting in dirt! You need a flat concrete surface like a garage floor or something. You will never ever get reliable measurements like that! Never!

 

[firebane]

LOL man.. Look at the measurements with the tape measure that is on FLAT concrete ground! It doesn't matter where this truck sits nothing I do will get that bumper on straight EVER.

Here is the truck day number 1 from when I bought ... flat ground bumper is cockeyed because of the frame horns.

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[MadOgre]

Ya but that's not taking into account suspension differences or tire wear and inflation etc etc. Really the only way to measure would be to replace the body bushings so that the body is evenly lifted from the frame and then measure from the body down to the frame horns.

 

[Georgeb]

Ya but that's not taking into account suspension differences or tire wear and inflation etc etc. Really the only way to measure would be to replace the body bushings so that the body is evenly lifted from the frame and then measure from the body down to the frame horns.

Yup, gotts fix the body mount issue first. What does the line between the LF fender and door look like?

 

[firebane]

Ya but that's not taking into account suspension differences or tire wear and inflation etc etc. Really the only way to measure would be to replace the body bushings so that the body is evenly lifted from the frame and then measure from the body down to the frame horns.

Nothing shifts these frame horns. If I swapped out body bushings then the left side of the truck would sit like the bumper does. I've lifted the truck strictly from the right side only and the left side goes up equally. Sitting on a flat surface the same behavior happens. Changing out body mounts will not make the frame shift enough that when I put the bumper on the holes will line up.

I understand there is a lot of smart people in here and I know how many variables are in play when it comes to this stuff... but no matter what unless I drill the holes out my bumper will NEVER line up no matter what unless I only use the two outside brackets only. I would like to have some actual reasoning why the frame horns are so out of what. I even had to take the hammer to the bracket for the ride sway bar mount because I could not get the bolt out.

I would like some definitive way in measuring so that I can prove to myself and others that the frame is not straight.

 

[firebane]

Yup, gotts fix the body mount issue first. What does the line between the LF fender and door look like?

Perfectly fine and no issues.

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[MadOgre]

Actually it looks like that whole side is dropped down all the ways from the front bumper to the cab corner.

 

[firebane]

Actually it looks like that whole side is dropped down all the ways from the front bumper to the cab corner.

Looks normal to me?

 

[MadOgre]

Nothing shifts these frame horns. If I swapped out body bushings then the left side of the truck would sit like the bumper does. I've lifted the truck strictly from the right side only and the left side goes up equally. Sitting on a flat surface the same behavior happens. Changing out body mounts will not make the frame shift enough that when I put the bumper on the holes will line up.

I understand there is a lot of smart people in here and I know how many variables are in play when it comes to this stuff... but no matter what unless I drill the holes out my bumper will NEVER line up no matter what unless I only use the two outside brackets only. I would like to have some actual reasoning why the frame horns are so out of what. I even had to take the hammer to the bracket for the ride sway bar mount because I could not get the bolt out.

I would like some definitive way in measuring so that I can prove to myself and others that the frame is not straight.

Dude! You have nothing to say that your frame is bent. All you have shown is that your suspension and body is not even with the frame. So how do you expect to have your bumper line up with the body when the body doesn't line up with the frame because the bushings are shot?

 

[MadOgre]

Looks normal to me?

Your just in denial that you need new body bushings! LOL