Bent sub frame?

[jamieren]

I was doing some ditch banging and hit a steel pipe. Wasn't going very fast, maybe 25 - 30 kph and the pipe was laying at a 45* angle. I felt the front end of the sled jar and upon inspection saw the lower a arm was twisted upwards in the front when I looked at it from the outside. Well that's been replaced, but the shock & spring are still pushed back and rubbing on the inside of the upper a arm. Am I looking at a bent sub frame here? I don't even want to know what that's worth...

 

[Dr. FeeLGooD]

Pages of info here. Dont sweat it, search it. You sorta can straighten it at no cost but to fix it will cost a grizz gussett, some welding and probably a set of oillite bushings if you wanna do it right. For now, stick a prybar down infront of your upper and behind your lower and pry. Easy peasy. Most of us have done it.

Did some searching for you.
http://www.ty4stroke.com/threads/subframe-repair-reinforcement.103266/#post-912654
http://www.ty4stroke.com/threads/looking-at-buying-a-xtx-does-this-look-normal.111257/#post-988794

 

[jamieren]

Is that not going to cause more twisting?

 

[Andyfreeze]

Is that not going to cause more twisting?

It'll bring things back to close to square. Dont worry we've all done it. Get shock close to centered in A-arm and then weld in gussets or buy the kit from grizztracks.

 

[MrChetStuart]

Is that not going to cause more twisting?

Yes. You twisted it ditch banging, and now you're twisting it back with the pry bar. Get it twisted back close to where it should be & gusset the subframe. I bent my subframe on a stump during the season a few years back, rode it that way the rest of the season and took care of it during the next summer w/ a pry bar & then welded in the Grizz gussets.

 

[Dr. FeeLGooD]

I would pry it back before riding it again since the arm is rubbing the spring. Wont hurt anything more than it already is. But I also would make sure the subframe is exactly straight before you weld in a gusset and I also would have a professional welder do it rather than a back yard hack so it stays exactly straight. I would also install oil lights before I did this. Wont hurt anything if it is off a little except you will have to look at it for ever and be upset with yourself. Dont ask me how I know this

 

[jamieren]

Well, now I'm realizing it was a mistake to take it to the dealer who just replaced the a arm on my advice without any further investigation. I did try to twist it back (by putting a bar through the lower a arm and yanking it downwards) but only succeeded in kinking the metal tubing somewhat.

 

[Dr. FeeLGooD]

That sucks. You should be trying to pry your lower A arm forward, not downward? I put my bar against the joints right beside the spindle. Your dealer should have advised you on your subframe. There are other possibilities of what is wrong like egged out holes where the A arm bolts on. Have you done any searching here did you see this picture Grizz posted? There really is a ton of info.
http://i589.photobucket.com/albums/ss337/grizztracks/Nytro subframe gusset/DSC04240.jpg

 

[jamieren]

Looked through the pics, so that's a run through of gussett installation and some possible precipitating problems? (There's very little script to go with it). I'm confused whether I should just leave it at the dealership (tempting but expensive) or bring it home and rip it apart myself. Thanks for the info.

 

[yamariv]

I'd just pull it apart yourself at the end of the season and send the whole subframe to Grizz to get the gusset welded in right and you won't have an issue after that.

 

[Dr. FeeLGooD]

x2 The dealer will grease you for a new subframe, I am thinking like $600, then bend you over for 6 or 8 hours labor, and ram it home for a total of about $1300.00 Not that they are all crooks, they cant do it for nothing. Drive it like it is for the rest of the season, order a gussett kit from the mighty Grizz and repair it yourself with the help of a welder this summer for likely a $200 and a case of beer for the welder. Or spend a little more and send it to Grizz. It will be fixed very nice that way. Be sure to install oilites first, either way
http://www.ty4stroke.com/threads/bent-sub-frame-but-where.120405/
http://www.ty4stroke.com/threads/nytro-subframe-removal-procedure.120620/#post-1075172