Watch the Addison Auto Team perform complete vehicle frame replacement on a 2015 Chevy Suburban. A vehicle's frame is critical to the entire vehicle's safety and reliability. In a uni-body vehicle, the frame or chassis is integrated into the body. Most passenger cars are uni-body. In frame on body construction, the chassis and body are separated. Most trucks and some large SUV's are frame on body.
A frame replacement can be required when:
- It has been bent beyond repairable limits and there are no approved procedures to replace the smaller affected section of the frame.
- The original manufacturer says frame should not be repaired.
"One of my favorite jobs to plan and watch is a full frame replacement on a pickup or large SUV. It’s somewhat like the original assembly line. First, everything necessary is disconnected and the body is lifted off the frame, leaving the engine, transmission, suspension, exhaust, and gas tank on the old frame. Next, all these components are transferred to the new frame. Finally, the body is lowered back down onto the new frame assembly and everything is reconnected. It is normally 3 or 4 days of work, but we condensed this down to 5 minutes. We hope you enjoy the video." - Jim Addison
You can see the difference in frames below:
Uni-body:
Separated chassis and body:
Learn More About Uni-body and Frame on body construction here. We also have a great article and video covering how a trailer hitch can affect the safety of your vehicle in the event of a rear end collision.
