Custom Car Chassis

We have always found it best to go ahead and get the suspension, and custom car chassis modifications out of the way before moving on to the next phase to build a custom car, custom truck, lowrider, or off road vehicle. You should thoroughly inspect the chassis for any damage or signs that the vehicle has been damaged or needs repair. Some things to look for include:

Is the chassis covered with mud or excessive dirt? If you are looking at a truck chassis, you can expect to see some mud being that trucks are used for working off road, however a car should not have mud clumps tucked away in the chassis. If it does, there is a chance that the owner of the car may have taken the car on some terrain that could have been very damaging to the vehicle.
Is rust present? A little surface rust can be expected on a car or truck, being that the chassis is going to see the most water since it is the closest to the ground, and the tires also sling a lot of water on the chassis. However, excessive rust on a chassis can be very dangerous! In places where rust has formed in large flaking off amounts, the metal there will be very week!
Does the chassis appear to be irregularly bent anywhere? This will tell you if the vehicle has had a major collision. A vehicle that has been in a bad enough collision to bend its chassis, the strongest structural part of the entire vehicle, you can pretty much guarantee that other parts of the car will give you trouble. A bent chassis can never be aligned properly without first being repaired or unbent which is a very difficult and involved process.
How do the bushings look? Worn, ripped, or missing bushings, for instance in the control arms, can cause your vehicle to ride rough, have poor handling, and have irritating loud squeaks went the suspension moves up and down.
How do the welds look? It will be hard to see the welds in the corners and crevices of the chassis while the body is still mounted to it, but if you can wiggle your head under the car somewhere to see the welds, you should do so if it’s safe. WARNING: NEVER STICK YOUR HEAD OR ANY OTHER PART OF YOUR BODY UNDER A VEHICLE THAT IS NOT SUPPORTED SECURELY WITH JACKSTANDS OR ITS WHEELS AND TIRES! My intention here is to tell you to TRY to see the welds. It is not worth being injured. You can always take the vehicle to a mechanic’s garage, which has a vehicle lift, to inspect the chassis for you.
Is there oil and grease everywhere? If you see oil and grease in a lot of places, this will tell you that the engine is leaking oil and will need to be repaired. The transmission may also be leaking and could cause the chassis to be covered with oil.
Do you want to lower this vehicle, lift it for off road or big rims, or stay at stock height? A Lifted vehicle will allow the chassis to be seen more easily, so you may decide to paint it to make your Custom Car Chassis look better. Consider what modifications will need to be done to the chassis, or suspension components purchased in order to make your frame a Custom Car Chassis!
To lower a vehicle many Custom Car Chassis modifications can be made to get you car or truck lower to the ground for a sportier look. Some of these chassis modifications include installing lowering springs and lowering shocks in place of the original components, installing a hydraulic suspension system, and our favorite here at YourCustomCar.com is to install an adjustable air ride suspension system for the ultimate in ride quality and adjustability.
The same aspects apply for lifting a vehicle for big rims or for off roading. Lifting springs and shocks can be installed to generate more ground clearance for off road vehicles and more fender well space for owners who want giant rims and need extra clearance to fit the wheels under their custom car chassis.