Frame damage, need some options, engine swap to burban?

K

k.hosey9

New member
May 9, 2013
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OK guys, I drive a 04 duramax crew cab. about 3 years ago I got in an accident, went off the side of the road, (lesson for no txting while driving) hit an irrigation ditch and bounced off a tree stump. The stump smashed the aluminum skid plate under the truck and I blew 2 tires. the damage on the truck looked pretty bad, at the time I took it to a shop and they said if I told insurance it would be totaled. at the time it had about 100k on it. now it has 160 and a slight oil leak. So I crawled under to take another look at the oil leak and realized how bad the damage from the accident was. I've been driving it for 3 years like this and I'm not sure if I should just continue to drive it or try and fix it.

I do have a 1999 k2500 Suburban with a 454 big block in it. its seen better days has about 180k on it and it just sits, and needs a lot of work.

my question for you guys would be to fix the truck as it sits, and if so how, just keep driving the dmax till it dies with risk of the bent frame and a crack in the steering bracket, or do an engine swap from the truck to the burban...

any constructive criticism, or even "I'm a dumbass" is appreciated. but I just need some help





 
K

k.hosey9

New member
May 9, 2013
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ha ill post another pic of the crack im talking about in a second. I can weld, I was thinking I may need to fix the crack before it really falls off...
 
K

k.hosey9

New member
May 9, 2013
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I'm also curious if a 2-3" lift kit could give it more bracing, if I need. might be an excuse to get some new toys put on it lol
 
brazosjake

brazosjake

Duramax/Allison Burb 2500
Dec 18, 2012
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Love my conversion. Travis Kenney and his dad in central Calif have been converting Burbs to Durmax for 5-6 years. Built mine. Do a pretty decent job and would probably be helpful. If you want contact info, PM me.
Also, Duraburb in Florida. Lotsa YouTubes on them.
 
THEFERMANATOR

THEFERMANATOR

LEGALLY INSANE
Feb 16, 2009
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brazosjake said:
Love my conversion. Travis Kenney and his dad in central Calif have been converting Burbs to Durmax for 5-6 years. Built mine. Do a pretty decent job and would probably be helpful. If you want contact info, PM me.
Also, Duraburb in Florida. Lotsa YouTubes on them.
Click to expand...

Theres a HUGE difference between dropping a DURAMAX into a GMT-400(99 and older), and dropping one into a GMT-800/900. As for the OP, drive it. if it really bugs you find a good frame shop and have them put a new crossmember in it. This not something that would have totaled a truck as a good frame shop can probably pull it out straight, or at teh worst find a trashed frame and cut that crossmeber out and swap one in from another frame.
 
WVRigrat05

WVRigrat05

Wound for sound
Jan 1, 2011
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^^ Yeah theres no way insurance would have totaled the truck with frame damage. My truck had 200k miles on it when I plowed through a guardrail @55+ and hit a soft road bank. it trashed all the front susp./steering w/ minor cosmetic damage. Nationwide said the truck still retailed @22k and they would put a brand new frame on it, but the frame was fine. This was this past fall.
 
H

Hot COCOAL

May the farce be with you
Jun 9, 2012
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THEFERMANATOR said:
?.... This not something that would have totaled a truck as a good frame shop can probably pull it out straight, or at teh worst find a trashed frame and cut that crossmeber out and swap one in from another frame.
Click to expand...

X2
It doesn't look like the frame itself suffered any damage, it might be just as easy to just unbolt the lower control arms and then just pry the subframe out, you would have to do that even if it wasn't bent.(you might not need to cut it to get it out) If the new/used subframe fits and bolts up, the frame rails are more than likely fine. Throw some new lca bushings on while you are at it. Measure fender height after all is said and done, and aligned, if fender heights are close side to side, that would be another way to indicate if frame rails are ok

Did the guy who said the insurance company would've totaled it offer you a price for it:roflmao:

Your truck just needs a little tlc, fix that leak if ya can, I know it's not always as easily said as done, but it's worth it in the end.
 
JoshH

JoshH

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Feb 14, 2007
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Hot COCOAL said:
X2
It doesn't look like the frame itself suffered any damage, it might be just as easy to just unbolt the lower control arms and then just pry the subframe out, you would have to do that even if it wasn't bent.(you might not need to cut it to get it out) If the new/used subframe fits and bolts up, the frame rails are more than likely fine. Throw some new lca bushings on while you are at it. Measure fender height after all is said and done, and aligned, if fender heights are close side to side, that would be another way to indicate if frame rails are ok

Did the guy who said the insurance company would've totaled it offer you a price for it:roflmao:

Your truck just needs a little tlc, fix that leak if ya can, I know it's not always as easily said as done, but it's worth it in the end.
Click to expand...
Pry the subframe out? That is a welded in cross member not a bolted on piece.
 
H

Hot COCOAL

May the farce be with you
Jun 9, 2012
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JoshH said:
Pry the subframe out? That is a welded in cross member not a bolted on piece.
Click to expand...

Lol. So it is, I was thinking of when I dropped the sub frame of my golf:eek:
:roflmao:
Yeah, the subframe of the dmax is a cut out item fer sure:thumb:

Sorry;)
 
S

S Phinney

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Aug 15, 2008
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Take it to a good shop with a computerized measuring system and they will be able to tell you how bad it is for 2-4 hours labor.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2
 
K

k.hosey9

New member
May 9, 2013
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Thank you guys for the suggestions. I cleaned everything up and still couldnt pinpoint the leak. so I called my friend who is a mechanic at our local chevy dealership and they are looking at the leak. its been there 2 days... I'm still thinking of which way to go with it. I am going to call up the place in central cal since thats where I'm located (to be specific bakersfield aka the AS*HOLE of california...) and find out a price on the swap, but I am also going to find a decent shop here to find out about cost of welding a new crossmember in there. hope its not through the roof expensive.

thanks again for all the suggestions and help. In the meantime when I get the truck back I will weld up that crack just for peace of mind.
 
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