Frame straightening and structural repair in Matthews, NC. Measured to factory spec, proven on paper.
Bent frame after an accident? 15+ years of frame straightening, alignment and welding on unibody and full-frame vehicles. Free towing 24/7. Walk in and have your written estimate in 30 minutes. Urgent repairs done in 1–3 days. We handle the insurance — all of it.
- 30 minWritten estimate at the shop
- 24/7Free towing after an accident
- DirectInsurer billed directly by us
- LifetimeWarranty on every paint job
What frame straightening is, in plain terms
Frame straightening returns a collision-damaged vehicle's structure — the frame on a truck, or the unibody shell on most cars and SUVs — to the manufacturer's original dimensions. The vehicle is anchored to a frame rack, measured against factory reference points, and pulled with hydraulic towers until every point is back within tolerance. Sections too damaged to pull are cut out and new metal is welded in.
Prime Motors Body Repair does this in-house at 3701 Gribble Road in Matthews, NC — frame straightening, frame alignment and frame welding on cars, crossovers, SUVs and pickups, including European and luxury vehicles. Towing is free 24/7. Measuring and the written estimate are free and take about 30 minutes if you come in. Light pulls start at $600, full straightening at $1,500. Urgent repairs are back on the road in 1–3 days. We handle the insurance claim from start to finish and bill your carrier directly.
Is my frame bent? Eight signs to check.
Frame damage often hides behind a bumper that "looks fine". If you notice any of these after a hit, the structure moved. The only way to be sure is to measure it — which we do free.
Uneven panel gaps
The gap between hood and fender, or door and quarter panel, is wider on one side than the other.
Doors, hood or trunk won't line up
Doors stick, need a slam to close, or the trunk lid sits crooked. The openings themselves are out of square.
Steering wheel off-center or pulling
You hold the wheel at an angle to go straight, or the car drifts even after an alignment.
Alignment won't hold or can't be set
The alignment shop says a value is "out of range". That means the suspension mounting points have moved.
Uneven or fast tire wear
One tire wearing on the inside edge, or a new set gone in months, points to structure, not just alignment.
Wheels don't sit square in the arches
One wheel is pushed back or forward in the wheel well compared to the other side.
Creaks, pops or vibration
New noises over bumps or a shudder at speed that wasn't there before the accident.
Airbags deployed or a wheel was hit
An impact hard enough to fire the airbags or shift a wheel almost always reached the rails or subframe.
Don't drive it if you suspect frame damage. A bent structure changes how the car steers, how the tires wear, and how it protects you in the next collision. Call (704) 635-1975 any time, day or night — we'll send a tow at no cost to you, billed to your insurance.
Frame straightening, frame alignment and frame welding — every kind of structural repair.
Whatever the accident did to the structure, it's repaired here to manufacturer procedure and verified by measurement.
Frame measuring & diagnosis
The car goes on the rack and every structural point is measured against the manufacturer's specs. This tells us — and your adjuster — exactly what moved and by how much. Free with your estimate.
Frame straightening (pulling)
Hydraulic towers pull the rails, aprons and pillars back to factory dimensions. We pull in stages and re-measure after each one, so nothing is over-pulled and the metal isn't stressed more than it has to be.
Frame alignment & verification
After the pull, the structure is measured again and the printout goes in your file. Then the car gets a four-wheel alignment so it tracks straight before it leaves.
Frame welding & sectioning
When a rail is kinked, torn or crushed rather than bent, pulling isn't safe. We cut the damaged section out at the manufacturer's approved sectioning point and weld in new OEM or OEM-equivalent metal, then seal and corrosion-protect the joint.
Unibody repair
Rails, aprons, rockers, pillars, floor and trunk structure on cars, crossovers and SUVs. The body shell is the crash structure on a unibody, so we follow the OEM's rules on what can be pulled and what must be replaced.
Full-frame trucks & subframes
Ladder frames on pickups and body-on-frame SUVs, plus front and rear subframes, crossmembers and suspension mounting points on any vehicle — straightened or replaced, then aligned.
Unibody or full frame? What your vehicle has, and why it matters.
Both can be straightened. The difference is how the repair is done and what the manufacturer allows.
| Unibody | Full frame (body-on-frame) | |
|---|---|---|
| Which vehicles | Nearly every car, crossover and SUV built since the 1990s — Honda, Toyota, BMW, Audi, Tesla, Subaru, Hyundai and so on. | Pickups (F-150, Silverado, Ram, Tacoma) and large SUVs (Tahoe, Expedition, 4Runner, Wrangler). |
| How it's built | Body and frame are one welded shell. Rails, pillars, floor and roof all carry load and absorb crash energy. | A separate steel ladder frame carries the body, engine and suspension. The body bolts on top. |
| Typical damage | Front rails pushed back, aprons buckled, floor rippled, pillars shifted. Often invisible under the bumper cover. | Frame rails bent, twisted or diamond-shaped; body mounts and crossmembers moved. |
| How we repair it | Measured on the rack against OEM datum points; pulled to spec; kinked sections replaced only at OEM-approved sectioning points. High-strength steel and aluminum zones follow the maker's no-heat, no-pull rules. | Frame measured and straightened on the rack; rails sectioned or replaced when kinked; body remounted and aligned to the frame. |
| Typical time | 1–3 days for straightening alone; 5–10 business days with sectioning and paint. | 1–3 days for straightening alone; longer if the body has to come off. |
Not sure which you have? Send us the year, make and model in the estimate form and we'll tell you.
How frame repair works here, from tow truck to keys back.
You'll know what's bent, what it costs and how long it takes before anything is touched — in writing.
- 01Minute zero
Tow or drop off.
Not drivable? Call from the scene, any hour, any day — we dispatch a free tow 24/7 and bill your insurance. Drivable? Drop off any weekday, no appointment. A real person answers (704) 635-1975.
- 02First 30 minutes · measure
On the rack. Every point measured against factory spec.
This is where we find out what actually moved — rails, aprons, subframe, pillars — and by how many millimeters. The report becomes the basis for the estimate and the proof for your adjuster.
- 03Within 30 minutes · estimate & insurance
Written estimate in your hand before you leave the lot.
Itemized: pull time, any sections to replace, parts, paint. We send it to the adjuster and handle everything on the insurance side — the claim, the negotiation, the supplements, the paperwork. You don't call anyone.
- 04Day 1–3 · pull, section, weld
Straightened in stages. Urgent jobs done in 1–3 days.
Hydraulic pulls bring the structure back a bit at a time, re-measuring between pulls. Anything torn or kinked is cut out at the OEM sectioning point and new metal is welded in, sealed and corrosion-protected.
- 05Day 3–10 · verify, refinish, align
Re-measured. Painted. Four-wheel aligned.
Final measurement printout confirms every point is back in tolerance. Panels are refinished in our in-house booth. Then the car gets a four-wheel alignment so it tracks straight.
- 06Pickup
Walkthrough with the printout in your hand.
Panel gaps, door fit, wheel position, the measurement report. If anything is off, we fix it on the spot. Keep the report — it's what proves the repair when you sell the car.
What frame straightening costs, and what decides it.
No shop can quote a frame job over the phone honestly — the number depends on what the measurement shows. Here is what moves the price, and where each type of repair starts.
Four things that set the price
Every frame estimate comes down to these. We'll show you which apply to your car on the measurement report.
- 1How far it moved. A few millimeters on one rail is a short pull. Several points out across the front structure is a full day on the rack.
- 2Bent vs. kinked. Bent metal can be pulled. Kinked, torn or crushed metal has to be cut out and replaced — parts plus welding time.
- 3What's attached to it. Subframes, radiator supports, suspension arms and sensors that moved with the structure add parts and labor.
- 4Paint. Structural repair usually means at least one panel refinished. Panel painting prices are on our price list.
Starting prices are structural labor and parts before paint. Final cost depends on the vehicle and the extent of the damage. Your quote is itemized after measurement and always in writing. Insurance jobs are billed to your carrier directly — you pay your policy's deductible, if one applies.
Free frame repair estimate — in 30 minutes at the shop, or send photos now.
Fastest: drive in and leave with a written estimate in about 30 minutes. Can't drive it? Send photos and we'll reply within one business day with whether it looks structural and what to expect on cost — or call and we'll send the tow, 24/7.
- 1Take 3–4 photos: the damage up close, the whole side of the car, and the wheel nearest the hit.
- 2Enter your phone and vehicle — 30 seconds.
- 3We call or text with your written estimate and next steps.
Rather talk? Call (704) 635-1975 — Mon–Fri 8:00 AM to 5:30 PM. Towing is 24/7.
Free estimate request
No obligation. Photo estimates within one business day; walk-ins get a written estimate in about 30 minutes.
Takes 30 seconds. We reply by call or text — no spam, no lists.
Frame repair questions Matthews drivers ask us.
Can a bent car frame be repaired?
How do I know if my frame is bent?
How much does frame straightening cost in Matthews, NC?
Is it safe to drive with a bent frame?
How long does frame repair take?
Does insurance cover frame repair?
Will my car be totaled because of frame damage?
Will a frame repair show on CARFAX or hurt resale value?
Will the car drive the same again?
What is the difference between a unibody and a full frame?
Do you do frame welding?
Do you repair frames on European and luxury cars?
Find out what's actually bent — free, in writing, in 30 minutes.
Free towing 24/7. Free measurement and written estimate. Urgent repairs in 1–3 days. Insurance handled — all of it. You keep the measurement printout.