Posted by: cclngthr Mar 5 2005, 12:54 AM
QUOTE (silet @ Mar 4 2005, 07:30 PM)
The trunk floor needs more support, because just having flat sheetmetal has totaled sedans also. Then again you don't know if it's really better or worse in a similar rear end collision. My truck, 1990 Mazda B2600 has a boxed frame. The original owner was rear ended and the frame held up, but the bed had to be replaced.
http://index.php?act=findpost&pid=6802
Actually, if you look at the trunk floor, there is the recessed "box" where the spare tire and jack are located, which gives some support, and the center tow hook is welded to that. If there is the center tow hook there, that does have some structure in order to support any stress by using the tow hook. However, what I see is the individual side framerails can easily be misaligned with each other (not parallel to each other) by not having a crossmember to prevent one side from being pushed forward. The problem I do see is this "box" is in the way; too close to the bumper, to put a cross member where it should be at the end of the frame rail. The hitch does tie both rails together and also connecting the center tow hook to it which prevents 1 side rail from being pushed forward.
What I would like to see is some pics of the undercarriage to see what happened, and try to explain to members not only what happened, but to show possible mods that can be done to keep the car intact in an accident (probably best left to the pro).