It's The Truck It Self That Failed

[Auggie56]

September 22 at 11:08 PM
Doug Smith Chrysler Jeep Dodge BROKE MY TRUCK !!!I took my work truck to Doug Smith in American Fork Utah for an oil leak.The mechanic hoisted the 25 ' long truck at 13,500 pounds and let 6,000 pounds hang past the hoist 12' 6" which was to much for the frame and the weight split the steel at the hoist in 2...Frank Smith his brother / general manager said it was not their FAULT and suggested i call my insurance company..they laughed said it's not them to go to...I called the news [ channel 2 ] and they created a story yet would not run it because "Doug Smith Chrysler" advertises with them..My lawyer said he could win this at whatever cost, but Utah state law says i cannot collect the lawyer fees and that i might pay more to collect less..Today's value for 2015 truck is $45,000....DOUG SMITH CHRYSLER got away with this and this is not the first time..WHAT TO DO ???????

 

[BeepBeepRR]

Oh wow.. That resembles the rusty frame problems that toyota tacomas had.

 

[moparedtn]

I'm no expert, but that weight a truck isn't something I'd put on a two post lift to begin with, is it?
Ok, I'll ask the obvious question: Is that bed heavier/longer than the trucks' frame was rated for to begin with?

 

[BeeKool]

If you have full coverage; it should be covered.
Then the the insurance company will go after Doug Smith Chrysler to recoup their losses.

I would blow social media up with these pictures.

 

[Lefty71]

Get the manual for the lift. It does seem obvious that the lift pads were placed in the worst possible location, if a two post should have been used at all. Find the documentation, and gently argue with them for compensation. You don't want to sue, but sometimes you have to. Its a slow painful process that you will want to avoid if possible. They have insurance, and it will cover those mishaps for them. Ask to get in touch with their insurance directly if you have to. BTW, if the truck was altered in any way, especially the fram, other than setting the bed on it in agreeance with both manufacturers instructions, then the plot will thicken..... Either way, an employee really needs some training before someone gets killed.

 

[G.V.Charger]

Wow, I take it the guy in the yellow shirt is the DUMB ***!!!!!. I cannot believe the idiot placed the lift under the cab only. I would be sending those pics to the dealer's insurance company. That vehicle should only be on a drive on, 4 post lift. I own a two post lift, and anytime I load it, I take caution as to where the vehicle's balancing point. Someone could have been hurt. their insurance company should be responsible for this act of stupidity.....

 

[Frank Mopar]

And its not their first time??!!! Holy cow!!

 

[steve from staten island]

Im no expert but it looks like that light truck was lifted incorrectly. Having said that there is no way in hell that frame should have bent at that point unless it was damaged or rusted. Thats a dual wheel truck, there are mason dump bodies installed on them. That frame is cheap garbage, a damm Tonka toy truck is made better.
The body installed looks light and it didn't even have a load on it.
While I've seen other light duty trucks fail at that very spot, they were usually small dumps, were very old and fatigued and always were loaded. Ive seen any size dump bend frames when the driver lifted the body and forgot to unlock the tailgate. usually the front end will lift off the ground but at times frames will bend.
Just another example of the **** vehicles we produce today

 

[Richard Cranium]

That thing cracked in half just like the Titanic.

 

[Gort]

Hmmmmm....If I was really pissed at the Dealership I'd do is make a video....They say pictures speak a thousand words you know...A video at 30fps says a whole lot more...Just set your phone to video and pretend your taking pictures...Or just be obvious your filming and let them get angry if they want to...Stay calm and rational and explain the situation...Be sure to hold your phone horizontally though...ALWAYS film a video with your phone horizontal...Than's how you should take pictures too...
Take said video and upload it to LiveLeak...A video like that would probably get about 50k views or so on Liveleak...If it gets Featured there it'll wind up on Youtube and other platforms...You may still be able to make News out of it...Not the best revenge but it's something...

Realistically though...Your best bet is to contact your insurance agent and let them deal with the dealerships insurance...It'll drag on...Your truck will get fixed either way...

 

[Frank Mopar]

Obviously the maggot service manager, and see this over and over, thinks the money is coming out of his pocket when in fact they have insurance for it.

I would turn it over to my insurance like already mentioned and let them fight with the stealer. IMHO

 

[G.V.Charger]

Im no expert but it looks like that light truck was lifted incorrectly. Having said that there is no way in hell that frame should have bent at that point unless it was damaged or rusted. Thats a dual wheel truck, there are mason dump bodies installed on them. That frame is cheap garbage, a damm Tonka toy truck is made better.
The body installed looks light and it didn't even have a load on it.
While I've seen other light duty trucks fail at that very spot, they were usually small dumps, were very old and fatigued and always were loaded. Ive seen any size dump bend frames when the driver lifted the body and forgot to unlock the tailgate. usually the front end will lift off the ground but at times frames will bend.
Just another example of the **** vehicles we produce today

Lifted incorrectly. only. Nothing wrong, or cheap with that frame. The space between the cab and box on pick up trucks is the it's achile's heel, usually that area has a dog leg rise to it , think cab floor, box floor levels, so it is a bit of a weak spot. How do I know, had 21 tow trucks back in the ninety's, half ton chase vehicles, and heavier one ton recovery vehicles. You cold run compacts and imports all day long with the half tons. However, you know what a Lincoln Town car does to a half ton... Had the operator placed the rear lift pads at the front of the rear springs, that would not have happened.

 

[moparmarks]

If you have full coverage; it should be covered.
Then the the insurance company will go after Doug Smith Chrysler to recoup their losses.
I would blow social media up with these pictures.

Insurance companies usually have a hell of a legal department.
This might your best recourse. I'd be sure to let ol' Doug know that the world is going to see just how strong a Ram truck is.

 

[slimt]

That has got to be the biggest error Ive seen so far.. Clearly shows improper Mount location for the pads off the Hoist to frame.. what a bunch of idiots.

Btw .. you have all these pictures... set a Court date.. if they dont replace your Truck..

 

[moparmarks]

I agree that it wasn't lifted correctly.
My 92 stretch cab was 22'7" long. Had to be ready careful when lifting it.

 

[moparmarks]

Also SLC has more than one TV station. Check with the others.

 

[steve from staten island]

Lifted incorrectly. only. Nothing wrong, or cheap with that frame. The space between the cab and box on pick up trucks is the it's achile's heel, usually that area has a dog leg rise to it , think cab floor, box floor levels, so it is a bit of a weak spot. How do I know, had 21 tow trucks back in the ninety's, half ton chase vehicles, and heavier one ton recovery vehicles. You cold run compacts and imports all day long with the half tons. However, you know what a Lincoln Town car does to a half ton... Had the operator placed the rear lift pads at the front of the rear springs, that would not have happened.

Absolutely wrong. There is no way that frame should have buckled there at that point. While the truck was not lifted properly the danger was the truck flipping fowards or backwards not the frame bending.
What must be considered is the weight of the frame from that point back, including the mounted body. Frames at that spot should be the strongest. The total weight combined is not concentrated at the rear most part of the frame rails but spread out over the entire frame. The way that truck was lifted was as if it was cantilever, again the strength of the rails should have carried it.
What i would say is if the body was made heavy and it had a load in it there would be a lot of stress at that part of he frame were it was lifted, but that truck in question, unless I'm missing something no way
Everything today is designed with the least amount of weight possible, its costs and fuel economy. There all engineered this way. The old days of making something strong as hell, with massive HD parts have given way to what w see now.
I had a 84 C30 dual wheel GMC,, that had a ten foot rear frame. You buy these trucks cab and chassis just like the big ones like Mack for instance. You then install the body of your choice be it box, flatbed, utility, dump, whatever.
Mine had a all steel flatbed, it was made from a body company, it was a maybe a 6'' subframe with cross channels and a 10 gauge diamond plate floor. From there i myself fabricated kick plates and a steel tubing rack to hold at least a ton of material
I had a large welder on the back, full size bottles and all the needed gear. The frame rails of my truck had to be twice the size of whats in that picture.....Junk its all cheap made junk today

 

[burntorng70]

Man that is terrible, That is 110 percent their fault! Whether it is a frame construction issue or a idiot misusing a lift, the truck should be replaced or repaired at their cost.

 

[BeeKool]

I'm sure the Inaurance company will total it.
A lot of good parts on it. Do Insurance companies allow you to buy them back anymore?

 

[BIGSHCLUNK]

Either way (of the opinions here) I would let te insurance company handle it from this point forward.