This weekend a friend of mine drove my 220 into a tree hitting the right front side. It bent the tire out and the front section of the frame was bent to the right and twisted. It looked like the suspension arms were not bent. The service manager at the dealership was suprised the frame bent but not the suspension parts. I should have an estimate within a few days, replacing a frame is not going to be cheap for my friend to pay for, but he understands. Luckily he was not hurt, but next time I will think twice about who I let ride my machine and their experience level.

Have you heard of anyone else having this problem? If so were they able to fix it or was the cost of the repair more than the machine was worth?

 

Hit boulder, buckled right side member of Bayou frame. We strung up the quad by the front end in the shop (turn off fuel petcock!). My welder straightened the frame with a bottle jack and a "calibrated eyeball;" then, he cut a steel plate and welded it between the two side members (like a mini-skid plate) to reinforce the frame. Now, it's straight enough, stronger than new, and works great. Total cost: $ 50.

If I were you, I'd try a "field-expedient" or "shade-tree" repair first, before I went into frame replacement. If your attempted repair doesn't work, you can always do a frame transplant. I believe a competent welder can fix your quad, even if he has to cut and replace a frame section, at a fraction of the cost of a frame replacement.

Tree Farmer

 

I might have to try that. I think I will let the dealer do the inspection and let me know if it is just the frame or if some of the other parts are bent also. If it is just the frame then I need to find a welder, I have not used one in about 8 years. My damage sound similar to yours but both of the front frame bars are bent to one side by about 2-3 inches and one side rise up and is crimped by the bend. My right front wheel is bent about 6+ inches back from where it used to be.

 

Be more glad that your friend was not injured for both his sake and your's. The courts can find you liable for injuries to someone who you give permission to ride your quad.

 

Sad but true. It is your personal property and they would probably go with something like you gave the rider an unsafe machine or provided him with unsafe riding conditions. I know a friend who got sued when another friend slipped and fell in his hot tub.

This is a good point that everyone should be aware of.