Brian Jones
Auto Theft, Salvage Titles, Street Legality, Maintenance and Repairs
Brian Jones
Auto Theft, Salvage Titles, Street Legality, Maintenance and Repairs
You’ve just been involved in a front-end collision. The fenders on your vehicle are crumpled up and the radiator made its way to your engine. You are left with not much more than two metal beams protruding out of your car. After a collision like this, most insurance companies are going to total your car. Still, you might be interested in frame straightening to repair it.
Performed by body shops with specialized tools, there are times when frame straightening can save you thousands of dollars over junking your car. To figure out the best solution for you, it’s imperative that you evaluate the frame damage. This might leave you with some questions, such as:
What constitutes frame damage?
Is it safe to drive a car with frame damage?
What does it cost to repair a car with frame damage?
Should I fix my car once it has frame damage?
Are there better alternatives?
In this article, we hope to answer all of those questions for you. From figuring out if frame straightening is the right process for you to whether it’s time to junk your car, we hope to bring you closer to a solution.
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Under all the parts and components that make up your car, you have structural support known as the frame. It’s there to provide strength and stability, especially during an accident, and has been precisely engineered to tight specifications. Whenever the integrity of this system is compromised even a little, it’s referred to as “frame damage.
” This is a broad term that can relate to any part of the frame.
Estimates vary based on the severity of the damage in question, but full frame straightening usually costs between $500 and $750 plus repairs to other areas of the vehicle. This process is highly situational – your best bet is to ask a body shop to evaluate the vehicle before you plan on having frame work performed.
A body shop can usually alert you to prior frame damage during a pre-purchase inspection. Another way is to run a detailed Vehicle Accident Report to uncover any documented accidents in the vehicle’s history. You can check for damage yourself, but keep in mind that serious damage may not be visible to the naked eye.
There are many components of the frame which you may be able to identify if you are so inclined – this might help the body shop determine whether repairing your vehicle will be possible.
The body shop can use precise tools to measure for tweaks or bends that may not even be visible.
Though the main strength of a unibody comes from an integrated frame, there are usually front and rear sections which hold the driveline components. These are usually removable in segments called subframes and can often be repaired or replaced separately.
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Ladder frameThis is an older design for passenger cars, but it’s still used on most trucks today. It offers more strength and higher resistance than the unibody frame. This setup consists of two symmetrical rails that run the length of the car and are connected by cross members. Repairing a ladder frame is easier – a car with a ladder frame could survive an accident that would send a unibody to the junkyard.
Cracks, holes, rust, and visible bends in a ladder frame are major red flags, but most accident damage comes in the form of bends and tweaks that are invisible to the naked eye.
Have the body shop measure the frame to check its alignment.
If you climb under your car and you don’t see two massive metal rails running from the front to the back, your car is probably a unibody design. This means that the body of your car and the frame are one piece. If you damage this frame, you likely have a car that won’t drive straight. The car will usually be weakened where it was damaged making repair efforts futile. You cannot “straighten the frame” on a unibody vehicle because the frame is not a separate entity, but other repairs may still be possible.
Now that we’ve covered the two distinct frame styles, let’s move on to specific components.
A, B, and C PillarsThese vertical supports are located across the car from the front to the back. Some vehicles feature a D-pillar as well, like minivans. Serious damage to these pillars can rarely be repaired as they are what strengthen the vehicle in the event of a rollover accident.
This refers to the inner fender sections of your car with two sides. It extends out from your core support and makes its way to the strut tower. Damage here can often be repaired.
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Core SupportThis is sometimes called the radiator support. It’s the section of your frame that is found in the front of your car. It can often be damaged and replaced independently from the rest of the frame.
FirewallThis separates the engine bay from the cockpit. This combines with the front rails, strut tower, apron and core support to create the unibody design. Damage to the firewall is often difficult to repair and rarely results from anything less than a very hard front-end collision.
Floor PanThis metal sheet gets welded across the cross members. It ends up being the floor of your car. It also features some holes and grooves to house the electric wiring and drivetrain.
Most floor pans can be repaired and replaced as needed.
Most people don’t realize that the strange shapes under a car’s hood are actually specifically designed for strength and support in the event of a front-end collision. Damage to the hood can render it less effective in a subsequent accident. Luckily, hoods can be replaced – but the hood supports (where the hinges are) may have been tweaked requiring additional repairs.
Quarter PanelThis is a metal sheet that fits the rear panels on either side of your vehicle. These are part of the wheel well and often house the gas cap. Some cars, like a Corvette, feature a design that’s made from carbon fiber or fiberglass instead of metal or aluminum.
In any case, the skin on the outside of your car is not usually giving the car its strength – but since there are usually components housed right under a car’s exterior panels, damage to the outside could hide worse damage within.
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Rear SupportThis is found to the rear of your car’s frame. It features the unirails, the rear bumper support, plus a floorboard where you house the spare tire. This could be a detachable rear subframe as well. This area can usually be replaced but repairs may be difficult.
Rocker PanelYou will find this between the wheels, below the doors. They are on both sides under the bottom of the doors and they provide support to the doors and cabin in the event of a rollover. Rocker panels can usually be replaced.
Strut TowerEach vehicle features four of these in the corners of the car. They align your vehicle’s suspension and are part of the rear quarter panel and front apron, respectively. A hard pothole, a jump, or an encounter with a curb or other object could all cause damage to the strut tower. But since this section is already reinforced to take hard forces from the road, damaging a strut tower is difficult – and so are the repairs.
If all you see under your car are two symmetrical beams running from the front to the back of your car, these unirails are considered to be one of the stronger parts of your frame and serve as a foundation for other components that will be welded onto the rails of a unibody car. Heavy damage to these rails probably means the unibody of your car is damaged beyond safe repair.
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You may remember driving behind a vehicle that you swore was moving sideways! Its front wheels were out of line with the rear, and the whole car appeared to be twisted. That’s called crab walking or dog tracking: it’s a scary sight, and it’s a clear sign of extreme frame damage.
Just because your car sustained frame damage doesn’t necessarily make it unsafe to drive. If your vehicle has four aligned wheels and can travel straight without an issue, it should be safe to drive.
The more important question might be: is it going to be safe in a collision? Only a body shop can answer that question.
If you have a small dent in one of your rear quarter panels and nothing happened to your car’s various crumple zones, it’s likely that the rest of your frame is fine. In most cases you could drive this car safely after normal repairs were made.
Once your car is involved in a significant collision resulting in crushed crumple zones or a bent frame, frame straightening may be necessary. This process involves extensive cutting, welding, and aligning by trained professionals using specialized equipment. Even after this process, the car might not be as safe as it once was.
Only a body shop can tell for sure. Frame straightening is performed by local body shops that have specialized equipment for the task. Not all of them do, so call around before you have your car taken somewhere.
If you were to crush a soda can and then attempt to stretch it back out, would it be just as strong again? Probably not.
Sure, it might look the same, but that can is going to crush much easier the second time than it did the first. It’s the same with your car’s frame, body, and other components.
You can pay to have the frame repaired, but even still your car likely won’t ever be as safe as it was in its original condition. Sometimes it’s best just to junk the car, sell it for parts, or sell it to someone who is willing to take the risk.
Sometimes your insurance company will even offer to make that decision for you based on your state’s rules for totaling a vehicle, issuing a salvage title and requiring repairs to be made before the vehicle is driven on the road.
Don’t try to straighten your own frame. Source
Many auto body shops have a frame machine that consists of upright towers that rotate 360-degrees to work on parts of your frame.
Modern devices utilize sonic senders or computerized lasers to assess the structure beyond what the naked eye can see. This process is also called aligning a frame.
The mechanic attaches chains to the points of the frame where straightening is needed. Then, the hydraulic equipment increases tension on these chains to pull the frame back into shape. The mechanic may cut, weld, and shape the frame to help it align. This process is performed until the frame reaches the automaker’s specifications to ensure the vehicle drives appropriately.
You can see why that might not result in a car that’s as safe as it once was, like fixing a soda can that you crushed under your foot.
When performed properly, a straightened frame can be made nearly as safe as it was before the accident. In some circumstances, the damage can be repaired using bracing and other techniques that make the car even stronger. But if having the thought in the back of your mind bothers you, it might be worth skipping frame alignment and getting into another car instead.
While frame straightening won’t leave you with a car that’s as strong as it once was, many people still choose to move forward with it, putting thousands of cars back on the road per year. If you are going to use frame straightening on your vehicle, choose a mechanic that’s going to effectively restore the bent frame to factory specifications. Anything more than a minor dent shouldn’t be repaired at home, but instead you should allow the professionals to do what they’re best at: getting you back on the road safely.
The title specialist at Dirt Legal offer VIN Checks and Vehicle Accident Reports to give you peace of mind when buying a car. We also offer title replacement for cars, motorcycles, and almost anything with wheels. Use our services now or bookmark them for later.
We are not attorneys. This article is not legal advice. Cover image source
Tagged: What Is Frame Straightening? Will It Make My Car Safe Again?
Remember taking a digger and twisting your bicycle’s bars out of alignment when you were young? Well now you’re all grown up and it’s your motorcycle’s front end that’s twisted.
Luckily, straightening your bike’s fork is so easy, a kid could do it.
Your motorcycle's fork and front wheel are secured to the frame by what’s called a triple tree, which consists of the upper and lower triple clamps. They’re connected by a stem, and if the front end takes a hard enough angular hit, the upper and lower triple clamps may rotate out of alignment. That will swing one fork leg out in front of the other, and your front wheel and handlebar will no longer agree about which direction the bike is headed.
The good news is your front end doesn’t want to be twisted, and if we loosen up the hardware that holds everything in place, the triple clamps and fork will readily shift back into alignment. This technique works for all kinds of bikes with a conventional triple-tree setup. That includes street bikes, cruisers, dirt bikes, ADVs, and others.
To tackle this task you’ll need some supplies, including a rear stand (if your bike doesn’t have a center stand), and tools to loosen the stem nut, triple tree pinch bolts, front fender, brake calipers, axle pinch bolt, and axle, plus a torque wrench to tighten everything when you’re done.
Don’t let the fancy color fool you, all triple trees consist of the same three components: The top triple clamp, bottom triple clamp, and stem. When the upper and lower parts rotate out of alignment, your front axle will be at an angle. Neken image.
To start, loosen the top triple tree nut, which may require unbolting the handlebar. That nut is a bit one, so a good strategy is to turn the front end counterclockwise against the steering stop so it’s braced. Back the nut off, then spin it back on finger tight. We just want things to be free to move, not floppy loose.
Do the same thing for the other fasteners: That’s the lower triple clamp bolts, fender bolts, caliper bolts, axle pinch bolts, and axle. Notice I did not list top triple clamp bolts. Those need to remain torqued so the front of the bike is supported.
Loosening the front-end hardware and giving the fork a few forceful shoves is usually all it takes to straighten out misaligned fork tubes.
Think of it as giving your motorcycle chest compressions. RevZilla photo.
It’s really important that the bike be upright for this next part, so if you don’t have a center stand or rear stand, get a friend to grab the back of the bike and hold it vertical. Now carefully climb on the bike, and standing on the pegs, shove straight down on the top triple clamp to stroke the suspension several times. The length of the clamps’ bore and the tight fit with the fork tubes will guide everything back into alignment. Now carefully dismount the bike.
The front end should appear straight now, but the components are still loose, so begin snugging down fasteners, starting with the top triple nut. It’s important to do this one first so that the top triple clamp is pulled down against the bearing-preload collars and everything is stacked together properly. Again, just lightly tighten it, since torquing it now while everything else is loose will twist the front end again.
Most bikes have more than one lower triple clamp bolt per side.
Make sure you torque and then re-torque the bolts, because as you tighten one bolt down the clamp will compress and you’ll lose tension on the other bolt. RevZilla photo.
Move on to down the line, gently tightening the lower triple clamp bolts, fender bolts, calipers, axle, and axle pinch bolts to hold everything in place, then go back over everything with a torque wrench and fully tighten to spec.
And with everything torqued, you should be good to go. Like I said — so a easy a kid could do it.
Today, ATVs are very popular in the modern world. This is a small vehicle that looks a bit like a motorcycle, but the ATV has more than 2 wheels. Trunk - the luggage compartment of an ATV, it is designed to carry the necessary things. Panniers can be front and rear, rear panniers are more popular. Such wardrobe trunks cost a lot separately, so now I will tell you how to make such a wardrobe trunk with your own hands, while saving a lot of money.
In order to create a homemade wardrobe trunk you will need:
-Foamed plastic or hard foam, there is not much difference here, you can choose any one, the thickness of which will be at least 10 mm, 6 mm can be on the bottom
- Glue for plastic
- Self-tapping screws
- Metal ruler (approximately 1-1.5 meters)
- Bulgarian
- Tools for fastening and fixing
- Screwdriver
If you do not have special tools for cutting plastic, you can take a regular stationery knife or blade. ATTENTION! if you cut plastic with a blade, wear a glove on your working hand, there are many cases when people cause mini-injuries to themselves by cutting themselves on the edge of the plastic.
To make your own ATV case, follow these steps:
1. The first step is to cut out the bottom for your future case. To do this, you need to measure the area where you want the trunk to be located, then all measurements must be transferred to foam or plastic and cut the bottom according to measurements using a grinder.
All precautions should be observed, first of all, protect eyes, hands, clothes during work.
2. Once we have finished making the bottom, we should make the side walls of the trunk. To do this, we measure again and, having received the necessary parameters, we transfer them to polystyrene or plastic and cut out the necessary pieces from polystyrene or plastic. Next, we fix them well to the bottom with screws and glue.
3. After gluing the side walls, it is already starting to look like a trunk, the next step is to process all the edges with a file so that we get smooth and even corners of the case.
4. Next, after processing the corners, we proceed to the lid of our trunk. In order to make the trunk lid, we again go to foam or plastic, measure the almost completed wardrobe trunk and transfer the resulting dimensions of the lid, cut it out with a grinder, observing all precautions. After we have received the desired piece of foam or plastic, we attach it to the already made wardrobe trunk with the help of hinges that are used in door structures, you can also use other materials for fastening at this stage, because the hinges can take up an amount of space in your case.
5. Now you have attached the case cover, at this stage you have already got a full-fledged case, but for the beauty and attractiveness of the trunk, as well as to match the color of your ATV, you should give the trunk a beautiful look. There are many options here on how to do this. You can paint it in the color of your ATV, you can paste over it with a film and there are many such options, but the choice is yours!
In addition to using hinges to secure the lid, other fastening materials can be used to secure the lid.
Also, for convenient storage and transportation of various substances and materials, the trunk can be divided into several parts, sections.
The most important thing in this business is not to be afraid to fantasize and experiment.
Do-it-yourself wardrobe trunk is suitable for unoccupied people at a certain point in time, because. for the manufacture of a high-quality trunk for an ATV, it is worth considering that a lot of time will be spent.
But there is a plus in making a case with your own hands. The upside is that you will save a lot of money, which in the future can be used to develop your future or to fulfill your dreams. For manufacturing, you will need the ability to work with devices, patience and perseverance. But believe me, all this cannot be compared with the fact that in the future you will be proud of yourself, looking at him and saying to yourself "What a good fellow I am that I did it with my own hands!" And in the future it can become your paid hobby!
Good luck to everyone in this business, may you get the most luxurious trunks for your ATVs!!!
A series of five shots sounded like automatic burst. Putting the pistol on the safety, Pashka confidently pressed the button, pushing the slider with the target to the firing line. Out of fifty possible, he knocked out forty-three. Not the worst result after a long break. But Pashka was dissatisfied.
Quickly changing the target, he returned the slider to its place and, throwing up the weapon, spent another series.
Forty-five out of fifty this time. Agafonych, who was following him attentively, nodded approvingly and, waiting for Pashka to change the target, put his hand on his shoulder. Looking around in surprise, Pashka pulled the earplugs off his head.
— Well, what do you say, buddy? the old man asked with interest.
- They taught him. And they taught well. But the most interesting thing is that he studied according to the Spanish special forces system. Weekly courses for amateurs. But his school is more thorough. As far as I can tell, he had to work in the field.
- Wow! the old man chuckled. - Likho. Well, what do you say, cousin? Did something flash or is it all for nothing?
"Something flashed, but here's what..." Pashka sighed in response.
- Don't be in a hurry. Have some fun. It will be necessary, Agafonych will bring us more cartridges.
Come on baby, have some fun.
— And you? Pashka asked the old man with interest.
"And we'll stand aside and chat like an old man," he grinned, winking at Agafonych.
- Well, it's you, maybe you can stand. And I’m not averse to kneading the bones,” he grinned and, diving into the arsenal, brought an old Mauser in a wooden holster into the shooting gallery.
- Dear mother! Pashka gasped in confusion. Where did you get this rarity? He's older than us put together.
Nothing. Old, but shot, ”Agafonych grinned in response, winking slyly at his friend. - Well? Come on, five shots for the cracks,” he suggested, deftly loading the weapon.
“I’ll shoot and we’ll play,” Pashka nodded decisively.
- Agafonych, just don't be too fierce. He doesn’t remember a damn thing anyway,” the old man said in alarm, shaking his head reproachfully.
Don't be afraid. I’m careful,” Agafonych boomed in response, putting on earplugs.
Having made two more runs of five shots each, Pashka finally felt the pistol and, reloading the clip, looked inquiringly at Agafonych.
He didn't waste any time either. Of the two series of five shots, he managed to knock out a hundred out of a hundred.
Realizing that the old man was a serious opponent, Pashka changed the target and, raising the pistol, simply merged with the weapon, presenting it as an extension of his own hands. At that moment, as the bolt of the pistol lay on the same level with the center of the target, everything ceased to exist for him.
The surroundings have sharply moved away. Only the target and himself, Pashka, remained. He didn't even separate himself from the weapon. He was one with him. And as if knowing that he would not miss, Pashka took a deep breath and smoothly pressed the trigger.
The finely tuned Beretta mechanism worked like an automaton. The sight didn't move even a hair's breadth, and Pashka didn't even have to pause to level the gun. A series of five shots sounded like an automatic burst. The old man standing at Pashka's shoulder reluctantly winced.
Such a rate of fire could not but affect its quality.
But Pashka, lowering his pistol, smiled dreamily at something and resolutely pressed the button for approaching the target. Pulling it off the holder, he nodded with satisfaction and, turning around, handed the target to the old people.
- Five out of five, - Agafonych said loudly, flashing his eyes.
“Your turn,” Pashka chuckled.
"Well, look how it's done," he laughed, throwing up his Mauser.
The series issued by the old man was no longer than that produced by Pashka. Having driven the slider to the line, Agafonych nodded his head with satisfaction and, glancing at Pashka, stated:0003
- One-one. Ready to continue?
Instead of answering, Pashka quickly changed the target and stood on the line. Everything repeated. Surprised by the confidence and speed with which his protégé fired, the Artist closely watched his actions, trying to understand what he was thinking, what he was remembering.
But Pashka had no time for him. At that moment, he was almost happy.
At that moment, when he raised the pistol and merged with it into one whole, it seemed to him that he was not in the shooting range, but somewhere in the forest. Where he was once free and could do what he considered necessary, and what brought real benefit.
In the fourth episode, the old man's hand trembled. Of the fifty possible, he knocked out forty-seven. Grunting in frustration, Agafonych put the Mauser aside and, spreading his arms, resolutely offered his forehead to Pashka.
— Come on, boy. Three clicks are yours.
Looking at the Artist in confusion, Pashka tried to understand what was in jest and what was serious. But the faces of both old men were completely serious. Realizing that an agreement was an agreement, Pashka raised his hand and gave Agafonych three light clicks.
- What are you doing? - Agafonych was indignant. “I didn’t offer you a joke, but a serious argument.
“Excuse me, Grigory Agafonovich, but I’m not used to raising my hand to the elders,” Pashka sighed, not knowing how to get out of the situation.
- This, of course, is good, but we are not in a street fight, but in a serious dispute. So, next time, don’t try to cheat,” Agafonych answered him decisively. “Actually, you’re great. I haven't seen such a great shot in a long time.
- I'm not talking about seeing how Agafonych turns his forehead, - the Artist added with a grin.
- That's right. I haven’t lost to any of your puppies for a long time,” the old shooter grinned in response. - Well done. Really good guy. I would like to meet the one who taught you.
“I don’t remember, Grigory Agafonovich,” Pashka replied in confusion. I remember learning from someone. I remember that later in the forest in some ruins I shot. Even in people. But who, where, why ... I don’t remember anything, ”Pashka said, feeling a lump in his throat, and tears welling up in his eyes.
- Don't be so upset, son. You will remember,” the Artist answered quietly, quickly taking him by the elbow.
“Remember,” the old shooter confirmed and, holding out his hand to Pashka, added: “You can simply call me Agafonych.
And remember, if you want to look for a job, come here first. I have needed an assistant for a long time,” he explained, turning to the head of the Office.
"Let's think about it," the old man replied without promising anything. - Well, let's go, namesake. It’s time and honor to know,” he smiled, taking Pashka by the arm.
"Okay," Agafonych sighed reluctantly. “Just bring him more often.” I’ll at least take my soul away, ”he sighed with a sad smile.
“Just say you want to win back,” the old man chuckled in response.
“Yes, what kind of games are there,” Agafonych waved his hand. - I can't shoot him. The hands are no longer the same. But to take the soul, yes. Do you think it's nice to look at your muff? And force, show off! They don’t really know how to hold weapons in their hands, but everything is there. What can the old man teach us? he said, grimacing and obviously mimicking someone.
“I’ll bring you,” the Artist promised resolutely. Or we can make it even easier.
I’ll give him the key, he’ll run to visit you himself, ”he grinned, seeing how a satisfied smile flashed on Pashka’s gloomy face.
"That's it," Agafonych nodded approvingly.
Leaving the shooting range, they entered the elevator and, going up to the floor where Pashka lived, returned to his room. So the Artist called the rooms where he lived. After escorting Pashka to the door, the old man took from his pocket the key he already knew and, handing it to the guy, said quietly:0003
- You know, namesake, in my memory for the first time such that Grisha called someone to his shooting range. Looks like you found another place to work. OK, have a rest. If you remember something, do not strain and try not to forget. I’ll come to you tomorrow,” the old man smiled, shaking Pashka’s hand.
The scouts reached the "nest" almost without incident. For all the time spent on the road, they were attacked only once. And the attackers weren't human. The scouts, who were closely monitoring the surroundings, missed another species of predators that bred in abundance in the zone.
Rats. It was they who decided to attack. Huge, ferocious, merciless cannibals, ready to destroy anyone who gets in their way. And besides, they are very smart.
The Samurai, confidently driving the ATV through the fallen leaves, noticed several times that some kind of brown shadow flickered in the interweaving of bare branches. But its size did not alarm him. Too small for a serious opponent. Only once, when he saw how a huge rat rose in a column on top of another ruin, closely following their movement, he shook his head in surprise and, discarding panicky thoughts, drove the car further.
It happened when they decided to stop for a rest. It was necessary to have a snack and let the girls recover and stretch their legs. Having muffled the ATV, the Samurai jumped off the saddle and, stretching with pleasure, smiled cheerfully. Before the "nest" there was nothing left.
They drove to the bank of a narrow river formed after the Flood, and now they could go by simply keeping to its bank.
Having jumped out of the boat, the Mute looked around the surroundings with an attentive look and, adjusting the belt of his machine gun, headed towards the hillock. Looking after him in surprise, the Samurai just shrugged his shoulders and, taking a canister from the trunk, began to refuel the ATV.
Filling the tank full, he checked the remaining fuel and, making sure that the scavengers stocked up with gasoline in excess, began to inspect the boat's anchorage. At that moment, a sharp short whistle brought him out of his state of calm confidence. The mute saw someone.
Looking around quickly, the Samurai nearly fell over in surprise. The horror written on the face of his partner, who ran headlong towards him, plunged him into shock. After waiting for his partner to be a few steps away, the Samurai asked only one question:
— What?!
“Rats,” the Mute gasped with pale lips.
- Far? How much time do we have? the Samurai asked quickly, thinking frantically what to do.
Instead of answering, the Mute showed him five, and then three fingers. Words were not needed. Three, five minutes at the most, and an avalanche of screeching, biting and scratching bodies would come crashing down on them. The flock will bury them under them and in a few seconds they will gnaw them to the very bones. And the worst thing is that they will feel it.
Looking around quickly, the Samurai jumped into the saddle and, driving the ATV to the river, began to cut with a knife the straps that fastened the boat to the body. Having freed the vessel from the straps, he exhaled only one word:
— Help.
Throwing the boat into the water, he threw half of the fuel into it and, shifting his backpack into the body, loudly called out to the girls. Quickly approaching them, they stared in surprise at their companions standing by the boat.
— What happened? the elder asked in confusion.
"Quickly to the boat," ordered the Samurai, without indulging in a long explanation.
Turning to his partner, he grabbed the Mute by the shoulder and quickly explained:
— Take them along the river. I will take the flock aside and return to the “nest”. Don't argue, old man. You know the zone better, but I'm much better with technique. So don't waste your time. Just get the girls out of here.
Nodding in confusion, the Mute jumped into the boat, and the Samurai pushed it into the rapids with a strong push. Sitting in the saddle, he rolled out onto a nearby hillock and, looking around, quickly assessed the situation. The partner managed to start the engine, and now the boat was moving away from the shore at low speed.
Convinced that his partner was doing well, the Samurai turned around, trying to see what had frightened his partner so much, and swore loudly at the sight unfolding in front of him, feeling his hair moving on his head. It was really scary. A solid moving carpet of brown-red color was rapidly rolling onto the shore, from which the boat departed.
Running to the water's edge, the rats without hesitation rushed into the river, trying to get to the boat. The samurai heard the piercing shriek of three frightened girls. Shaking his head in bewilderment, he saw the Mute step on the gas, pulling the boat down the river. Realizing that he had to distract the rats from the boat, the Samurai yelled loudly and waved his arms.
As if on cue, the huge flock turned around in unison, and a shrill squeak was heard in the frosty air. In the next second, the rats quickly rushed towards him. Jumping into the saddle, Samurai started the engine and, taking advantage of the fact that the engine of the ATV had not yet cooled down, unscrewed the throttle almost to the stop.
Having got rid of the load, the car took off like a thoroughbred horse. Only now, despite the seriousness of the situation, Samurai was able to appreciate all the qualities of this machine. No matter how scum the scavengers were, they picked up an excellent technique for themselves.
The cargo quad raced over rough terrain as if it were a smooth highway. Three bridges and independent suspension allowed the Samurai not to choose the road very carefully. The main thing is that the body of the car passes, the rest is nonsense. Not very wide ditches The Samurai simply flew over, confidently directing the ATV towards the old bridge.
This bridge was his main asset. The wave destroyed the span, rearing one part above the other and forming a real springboard. The distance between the remains of the span was five meters. At full throttle, with good acceleration, the Samurai had every chance to jump over this hole. Once on the other side, he had only to expand the hole with a grenade and leave the rats with their noses.
Even if they decided to swim across a fast and cold river, the rats would still be hopelessly behind. Having jumped out onto the remains of the track, on which the bridge was located, the Samurai slowed down a little, allowing the rats to see themselves and create the illusion of the end of the chase.
His answer was a heart-rending, vile squeal. Looking back, he saw a wave of rats splashing onto the road and sharply adding agility. The Samurai almost let go of the steering wheel in surprise. These creatures managed to endure a race from which any other animal would have long been tired.
But they kept running. And not just run, but run in such a way that the Samurai had to add speed. Convinced that they were not going to lag behind, the Samurai added a little more gas and, carefully peering into the road, confidently drove on.
When there were no more than five hundred meters left to the bridge, he got up in the saddle and, making sure that the car was passing everywhere, again added gas. About three hundred meters before the rearing span, the Samurai sighed and, mentally crossing himself, unscrewed the throttle to the end.
A heavily spurred ATV accelerated rapidly. Taking off on the rise formed after the passage of the wave, the Samurai took a deep breath of air and, having risen in the saddle, had only time to gasp when the ATV, roaring with the engine, took off into the air.
Throwing on the gas and depressing the clutch so that the gearbox had time to switch to idle, Samurai gritted his teeth and, leaning back, tried to overload the car so that the rear wheels hit the ground first.
The impact of the ATV that landed made it gasp and grip the steering wheel even harder. Bouncing on the springs, the ATV leveled off, and he carefully applied the brakes, bringing the dashing car to a halt. Slowing down, Samurai pulled a grenade from the unloading loop and, swinging, threw it over the gap.
There was an explosion, and the miraculously held remnants of the span crashed into the water with a crash. Together with stones, sand and pieces of miraculously preserved asphalt, lumps of rat bodies flew into the air. Several fragments with a sickening plop fell next to the ATV, and the Samurai, looking gloomily at the flock squealing at the edge of the cliff, took up another grenade.
Three explosions thundered one after another, blowing the flock to shreds and turning the water of the river pink.
In the ensuing silence, another screech was heard, and the flock, turning around in unison, quickly rolled back. Spitting on the pavement, the Samurai was surprised to see blood in his own saliva, and only now he realized that he managed to bite his lower lip out of tension.
When and how he managed to do this, he did not understand and, deciding not to bother with trifles, resolutely drove the car towards the "nest". He succeeded. For now, that was the most important thing. The rest didn't matter. Having left the road, he rolled out onto a barely noticeable path and drove the ATV in the right direction.
Having left the gap, he did not see how a huge female rat, having crept up to the very edge, stood on her hind legs and, moving her long gray whiskers, diligently sniffed. This action lasted several minutes. Finally, the rat sank down on its front paws and, turning around, squeaked something commandingly.
The remnants of the defeated pack turned around, surrounding it from all sides, and the rats, as if obeying someone's command, with a rustle and squeak, disappeared into the thicket of the forest.
Less than a minute passed, and only the gnawed white remains of rat skeletons reminded of the fight that had taken place.
Realizing that spending the night in the forest alone is too dangerous, the Samurai drove the ATV for two days in a row, stopping only to eat and relieve himself. He drove even at night, taking advantage of the light of the full moon and not risking turning on the headlights.
Two days later, having rolled up to the gate of the "nest", he stopped the ATV and, slowly getting out of the saddle, wearily straightened up. The guards, who recognized him, quickly opened the gates and, surrounding him with a dense crowd, bombarded him with questions.
Waving aside the noisy guys, the Samurai sighed and quietly asked:
— Has the mute returned?
Looking at each other in surprise, the guys shook their heads in unison. Scratching the top of his head in confusion, the Samurai was about to say something, but then Santa burst into the crowd.
Resolutely pushing the guys apart with her broad shoulders, she quickly approached the Samurai and, grabbing his shoulders, quickly asked:0003
— What happened? Where is Mute?
- Must fit on a motorboat. He has three girls with him. I had to take the rats with me,” the Samurai answered curtly.
— What kind of rats? Santa asked confused.
“Let me tell you later,” the Samurai asked tiredly. — Two days in the saddle. Let me wash and rest. Maybe by then the Mute will be back.
Nodding in response, Santa ordered the guards to go to their places and, looking at the captured car with interest, resolutely walked towards the barracks, where the Samurai had his own cage. Starting the engine, he drove up to the barracks and, taking a backpack and weapons from the body, slowly went inside.
The next morning, the guards reported that an unknown boat was moving along the river. When the morning mist parted over the water, Santa and four guards recognized the Mute.
Having driven the boat to the shore, he turned off the engine and, getting out onto the sand, nodded to Santa, helping the girls out of the boat.
- Who is this? she asked, unable to resist.
With a wave of his hand, the Mute took his machine operator from the boat and, pointing his finger at the guards, pointed them to the boat. Realizing what he wants, Santa told the guys to pull her ashore and take her to the base. Having made a sign to the girls that everything was in order, the Mute walked confidently towards the barracks. Unable to restrain her curiosity, Santa caught up with him and, grabbing his sleeve, quietly asked:
Did it work? You have found?
Smiling slightly, the Mute nodded his head and instead of answering gave her a thumbs up. With a sigh of joy, Santa turned him around in one motion and, hugging him so that the poor fellow grunted, slapped a savory kiss right on the lips.
In the evening, sitting at the table in her office, as Santa herself ironically called the nook where she planned the next flight and, swallowing scalding hot coffee, told about her adventures.
