Anyone ever pull out/straighten a rear ended Subaru?

[idosubaru]

2003 sedan rear ended and the "frame rails" (square channels the tow hooks hang from) are crumpled maybe an inch. Not rubbing tires and car runs and drives fine but be nice to get some of it out.

 

Can I pull part of that out at home like I have many front and side impacts (I've rebuilt a few Subarus including totaled ones requiring pulling)? I wasn't sure if those large square rails will budge outside of a frame rack?

 

I'm fine leaving it so doesn't need to be perfect but wondering if those things even respond at all.

[Subaru Scott]

Chain it to a tree... get a running start...

 

I think this may justify getting one of the Harbor Freight port-a-power sets I've always wanted. I just usually make do with a bottle jack and wood blocks...

[idosubaru]

Yep, done chain and tree and trucks and winches all with excellent results in the front and sides. But that's largely easy to work with corners and radiator crosses not the unibody channels/rails.

 

I've been close to getting the porta powers too! Great stuff.

Those bent rails are under the trunk. Pretty sure the trunk is just gonna deform or bend if I push against it. I think that rail needs pulled.

Edited April 25, 2017 by grossgary

[Fairtax4me]

Yeah those rails are tough but they have sections that are made to crunch like that. Usually with the right tug they will stretch back out.

 

I recently had one that the bolt holes where the rear bumper attach were stretched down and it took a 5lb sledge and some serious swing against a pipe to get them pounded back to flat so the bumper would sit right again. Still wasn't perfect but it went from a 3" gap under the tailgate to a maybe 3/4" gap.

[Subaru Scott]

I was thinking maybe cutting a slot in the rail and putting a port-a-power ram inside. Pulling it would probably be easier if you had a good pull point.