Originally Posted by
Line7
sure, they probably looked straight and drove like normal, but it doesnt change the fact that the frame was bent. you have to remember that the frame is made of reclangular sections, not trusses. Most of us probably drive cars with frames that are less than perfect.
My friend hit a curb and he took his car to the shop afterwards. He didnt hit it hard, he only had a one or two inch mark on his rim, in performance, you wouldnt tell a difference. But they checked his frame and it was off by an inch and half. If you shred your tires when jumping a curb, theres a very high chance of having a bent frame. However the frame is the last thing id be worried about, he should check his axles and drivetrain, control arms, etc.
Think about all the cushion thats built in before the frame factors in. Tire deflection and breakage (if they popped, I'm sure they moved quite a lot before doing so, dissapating the force of the impact), and several soft rubber bushings, and then suspension arms which are designed to bend before breaking. Sure, if you curb check hard enough, it'll definitely bend the frame, but you essentially have to knock the wheel hard enough to move it a couple inches or more inboard before that will happen.
That said, if the alignment and driving characteristics are unaffected, the frame for all intents and purposes isn't bent. My guess is that the body shop was trying to make some dough.