Frame straightening
We measure your car's structure against the maker's numbers and pull it back to within millimetres.
How we approach it
Most modern cars don't have a separate frame. The body itself is the frame, built from several kinds of steel and sometimes aluminum. A hard hit can shift it by a few millimetres, enough to throw off door gaps, wheel alignment and how the car protects you in another crash.
We measure the structure with a computerized system and compare it to the maker's specifications. Then we anchor the car to a frame bench and pull damaged areas back into place in small steps, measuring as we go.
You might need this if
- Doors, hood or trunk don't close the way they used to
- Gaps between panels look uneven
- The car pulls, or tires wear unevenly, after an impact
- The car took a hard hit at the front, rear or side
- An adjuster or another shop mentioned structural damage
How we do it
-
Step 1: Measure
Computerized measuring at key points under the car, printed so you and the adjuster can see it.
-
Step 2: Anchor
The car is clamped to the frame bench at the points the maker specifies.
-
Step 3: Pull
Hydraulic towers pull damaged areas back in small steps, with a measurement after each pull.
-
Step 4: Replace and verify
Parts that can't be straightened safely are replaced to the maker's welding procedures, then measured again.
Typical prices
Planning ranges in Canadian dollars, before GST. Your written estimate is the real number.
| Repair | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Structural measurement Credited to your repair if we do the work | $180 to $300 |
| Light frame pull One area, no structural parts replaced | $800 to $1,800 |
| Structural section replacement Rails, aprons or pillars, welded to procedure | $2,500 to $7,500+ |
About these numbers
Structural work is priced only after we measure. Some damage costs less to replace than to pull, and some cars become a total loss once structure is involved. If that's the case, we tell you plainly.
With insurance
Frame damage from a collision is part of the collision claim. Adjusters usually want to see the measurement printout, and we send it with the estimate.
How insurance claims workQuestions we hear
Is a car with frame damage ever the same again?
When the structure is measured, straightened and repaired to the maker's procedures, it should match factory specifications. You get the printouts so you can see it for yourself.
Will frame damage show on a vehicle history report?
It may. History reports draw on insurance and police records. Keep your repair paperwork and measurement printouts in case you sell the car.
Ready to book frame straightening?
Tell us what happened and send a few photos. We reply with next steps within one business hour, and the estimate is free.