Hellcat Subframe Repair Is a One-way Ticket to the Hurt Locker

With a super sketchy fix like this, you’d probably be safer in the Fred Flintsone-mobile than this deceitful Hellcat. 

The SRT Hellcat, whether in Challenger or Charger flavor, is a super-potent example of American performance on steroids. With factory horsepower ratings of 707, 717 and 797 across the lineup, it’s also pretty common that people crash them. Not everyone can handle that much awesomeness under a muscular body.

This video by Moparian on Facebook shows one such Yellow Jacket Dodge SRT Hellcat Charger that looks rather good from outside. However, a quick peek under the car shows some obvious front end damage. The ugliness of this trauma is exceeded only by its unbelievably sketchy fix: a 5- to 6-inch piece of rusty box metal and a random bolt haphazardly welded onto a gap on the crossmember. It’s not just super ugly, it’s also super dangerous.

In case you’re unaware, the crossmember is the part of the subframe where the engine rests comfortably on top of. If that is compromised in any way, it should be a priority repair. Fortunately, there is a replacement assembly for this (requires bolting-on and loctite, of course). But whomever did this was obviously being cheap.

It’s probably very likely this was the owner’s jerry-built solution, and the video we see is merely a shop mechanic’s first-hand encounter. Whatever the case, the job has failed and needs immediate attention before it suffers more catastrophic damage. At this point, however, there is most likely other hidden damage to the chassis.

We expect the mechanic did the right thing and  suggested ordering the support assembly and referred them to a body shop. If it were up to us, we’re definitely making this messed-up Mopar a part-out and affair. Best not to take chances and just play it safe.