Core Support ?'s

[Icy650r]

I just got a 95 240 off a buddy of mine and he had rear ended a car and bent the core suppor up pretty badly. The accident wasnt hard enough to get into the fenders but did a number on the core support.


How successful is having a core support straightened at a body shop?


About how expensive does it run?


Or should i just get another core support and have it welded in?


Im looking for the cheaper fix at the moment and will be going back through it but i gotta get this on the road asap. Any help is much appreciated and thanks for all the help ahead of time. Alos its a Zenki if that matters any.

Here is a pic of the damage:
http://s841.photobucket.com/albums/zz331/icy650r/?action=view&current=IMG_0120.jpg

[s14unimog]

You can always try to fix it but I'm sure it will be noticeable. What they'll do is clamp on to the front of the core and attempt to pull it out, either with a hydraulic puller or manual come-along, then they attempt to shape the features to what they were. My recommendation would be to drill out the spot welds and just replace it with one from the yard. you'll have to replace the other uprights, hood latch, and the bumper support; from the looks of it. With that much movement from the bumper support I would also inspect the drivers-side frame rail; it may have crushed...

not sure on price quote...they'll be different from shop to shop.

[Icy650r]

Thanks for the input i will go check out the frame rail. Any more input will be greatly appreciated also the more i can learn the better.

[ManoNegra]

cheap? pull it yourself with some chains and a tree
not what I would do
take it to a reputable body/frame shop
only they will be able to answer your question fully
I got quoted once ~$75 for a core support that was in a 5mph fender bender
it moved ~1/2"
the shop will also be able to tell you if the geometry of the body is to spec

[Icy650r]

LOL well the chains and pulling it myself is deffinately not something that i would do either. I really appreciate the ball park that i can be looking at, that is what i was after.

[BlueKpS13]

new core support

[heavenboundkevin]

this is the damage i got,,,
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y22/kevinjong1/DSC00311.jpg

used a "come along" as mentioned by "s14unimog" to get this
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y22/kevinjong1/DSC00328.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y22/kevinjong1/DSC00331.jpg
in the first picture you cant really tell, but that side of the support was pushed back i;d say about 7-8 inches, and it came out realatively straight. My headlights point straight, but the hood/headlight"cover"/ bumper fitment is a little whack. SO ITS DO-ABLE!!

but of course i did this myself, and im satisfied with it even if its a little bunk..though, im the kinda of person who would NEVER take his car to a shop. =P good luck.

[Icy650r]

That looked pretty good afterwards. I might try to pull mine out a little then take it to a shop. I dont normally take mine to a shop either but this is more than just a dent and some paint and i dont trust myself to fully fix it myself. Once again thanks for the pics it helps a lot.

[silpena]

I wouldnt try that method. just take off everything and tow it to a frame shop. they'll get the fram checked and in spec after that removing the core support will be safe and easy. a new one will nevrr line up like beforecif the frame is not within 2cm +- spec for frame measurement. you'll just end up tweaking more metal and making the front ends structural integerity weaker. next accident you can kiss your motor or youself good buy to a hack job. just letting you know why not to...

[Matej]

Sell it as a 'missile car.'

[UNITEDMASTER]

^^^^ or use it as a missle car. Actually it doesnt look that bad, If your gonna drift it who cares.

[Icy650r]

haha well this isnt gonna be a drift car for a bit... its gotta be a daily driver for a little while then it gets to become my money pit lol.

Silpena thanks for the heads up im definately not gonna trust my handy work then. Looks like its getting a first class ticket to the body shop before i mess with it.

thanks again for all the help guys.

[g6civcx]

I wouldnt try that method. just take off everything and tow it to a frame shop. they'll get the fram checked and in spec after that removing the core support will be safe and easy. a new one will nevrr line up like beforecif the frame is not within 2cm +- spec for frame measurement. you'll just end up tweaking more metal and making the front ends structural integerity weaker. next accident you can kiss your motor or youself good buy to a hack job. just letting you know why not to...

If the car is worth it to you, get the frame checked by a competent body shop. Visually it can look ok but the measurements can be off.

[heavenboundkevin]

you know, i would take silpena's word. Mine, i wish i had pictures, but the actual frame RAIL was untouched. it was just that part of the core support, and the thin metal on the side that the fender bolts up to. ANd yeah, like i said the fitment isnt perfect. But hey, im not the kind of guy to spend bank on a body shop to work on my car.

on another note, i would agree the structural integrity could be/is comprimised but im not running a built sr or anything...

[silpena]

yes take my advice. frame rails are not meant to take hit(obvious) by what i mean the metal making the frame does not like heat and it is cuased by impact.its made to crumble like a soda can in a certain way to protect you. Now when u pulling the frame correctly, your pulling not just from the point of impact but up and down or to many corners around the body so the body is square. Think of it this way, you gotta pull the metal back backwards to where and how the car was hit.A hit like that cuases alot of indirect damage which damage not cuased directly, just the metal around moving away to give the frame its ability to sand wich and crumble up. I know its alot of info and probably useless but just saying.....safety first. I hate to see you get into a small fender bender at the same corner and lose the whole core and upper frame rail and more becuase the damage support was still under stress in the wrong areas from the previous acident.

running an sr is not to worry about if it can handle its torque. Its if it can handle the same or worse/less accident again like before. Metal doesnt like to be tempered with. It becomes britte, thin, and weak but if its your daily driver and wanna go from point a to point b then i recommend putting liabilty on insurance. A simple small quarter panel hit will total it from the insurance company and you shouldnt pay for full coverage. thats what i do. I get the freedom of fixing it right and keeping my clean title :) hope that helps

o... no cliffs..
ps if the hood was damage in the acccident, throw it away, its high strength steel is one grade then the super high strength steel found in frames and also does not like heat from accidents and repairs and are made to take hits once and once only. U ever notice how ur hood seems to make an sharpe A shape? thats why. Same goes with ur bumper reinforcement bar..only once and replace. Its actualy the worst thing you can keep reusing. Its job is to cushion the accident to protect ur radiator support, radiator and motor. fenders, doors, qp's are made of mild strength steel and you can repair them. A,B,C pillers are made of ultra high strength steel and roofs if i remember high strength and never recommend doing heavy metal work on them.

i apoligize for the long post but i feel ppl should know and i care about yours guys safety. I know you wouldnt want ur life or family at rist due to someone elses hack job and devalue your car too. These days buying a 240 is hard and skectchy and you dont want to be that "seller" or "guy"...

[silpena]

you know, i would take silpena's word. Mine, i wish i had pictures, but the actual frame RAIL was untouched. it was just that part of the core support, and the thin metal on the side that the fender bolts up to. ANd yeah, like i said the fitment isnt perfect. But hey, im not the kind of guy to spend bank on a body shop to work on my car.

on another note, i would agree the structural integrity could be/is comprimised but im not running a built sr or anything...
if frame rail looks untouched thats ok but you have to know that area is weakers than the rest of the core and also things might not line up later on.

actualty you if strip the front end and take to a frame shop where they use the old chains, hydrolic post and simple hand measurements its pretty cheap. the computerized ones are better but a little more $$ but you get a better pull and its done alot quicker if it matters.

[Icy650r]

No worries with the long post i appreciate that you took the time to inform people of these things. The hood wasnt on the car during this accident it was already screwed and hasnt been on in a really long time.


On a side not the bumper support is obviously toast... anyone know what nissan charges for one?

[Icy650r]

So i got a quote today... it did get into the frame but just a little bit. Where the bumper support attaches to the frame is buckled... looks like its about $400 worth of damage. I guess id rather spend $400 then risk the lives of my friends and family.

[silpena]

yup spend the 400 plus u can use it if u ever sell the car as proof of proper repairs. About 80% of 240 drivers have no proof of repairs so it makes it unsafe and scetchy to buy.