LX450 redux and ARB salvage

[Yotahead52]

Instead of continuing to clog up “what did you do with you’re truck” I thought I’d just throw up a short thread on the rebuild and salvage. First was the day of accident. Smashed ARB and a bent frame horn. As well as the inner fender and of course the core support. Among collaterals. The Tahoe in the accident was totaled and undrivable. The ARB did it’s job. I drove home with radiator and other systems intact.

 

[Yotahead52]

Got it home to access the damage and tear down. started working on ideas for repair of frame and assuming ARB was destined for the scrap heap

 

[Yotahead52]

I’m leaving out the part where insurance wanted to instantly total the vehicle because of frame damage. And I get that. People have a few opinions on this, but I didn’t want a salvage title my rig. I told the insurance guys to take a hike. I will fix it myself!!!

 

[Yotahead52]

Thanks to Marshall Shepard, Adam Ricci @AJR from ONSC and my own digging I got the parts I needed and went to work. Fixing some rust on the driver inner fender while in there. Got a frame cut section from Marshall and the core support and inner fender from Adam. Secured a fender from a guy in SC near Columbia. LX fenders show available but are not.

 

[Yotahead52]

Then I taught myself how to paint, not with a rattle can, and waited on a weather window. Shot the fender on a nice day with low humidity and shoot the hood on a nice day with high humidity. You shouldn’t paint with humidity above 50%. Ask me how I know. The hood will be reshot in spring…:..to my surpise everything lined up !!!!!! Crucial to all this is the proper relo of the core support mount. Measure 100x weld once. Gratuitous rig shot added for no reason but vanity….

 

[Yotahead52]

So then a bumper. I was just going to reorder and done. Only to find out my first choice was 16 weeks out !! Second choice also a long wait. ARB not too bad. But at the urging of a friend of mine I was convinced that the ARB could somehow be salvaged. I always wondered how one would look without upper structure so now was the time to find out. Keep in mind this thing was tweaked !!! Bent up, bent back, smashed, and had a twist in it. Let the games begin. Cut out the damage and upper bars to relieve torsional tension and see what i had to work with

 

[Yotahead52]

After getting the torsional twist out of it in the welding shop I realized maybe I could actually salvage this thing. Did some measuring and had a friend of mine sheer some plate material out of 3/16 to see if we could make something happen. Sparks flew and I got the base finished. I then took the bent upper bars and cut them up to see if I could come up with a design I liked. Bent the center bar out of a piece of 2 inch that I had at the shop to a shape that I liked proportional to the truck and came up with this design. Careful to match the ARB lines!!

 

[Yotahead52]

The final product !!!! And a shakedown run to West Jefferson for some snow. Hope somebody finds this interesting. See yall out there !!

 

[BMThiker]

Turned out great B!

 

[Yotahead52]

Thanks !!!

 

[LCNuts]

Good work

 

[SHIfTHEAD]

That looks fantastic!

 

[Bryanseye]

 

[roadstr6]

Fan freakin' tastic!

 

[Jeff Elliott]

Well done - way to save a piece of history!!!

 

[excessive]

great work!

 

[gutman]

Well done!

 

[greenseaman]

I really like the look of that!

 

[scott johnson]

That’s awesome that you were able to save it! I like the look of the reworked bumper and I imagine with the new steel added it may even be stronger than the original ARB.

 

[Yotahead52]

That’s awesome that you were able to save it! I like the look of the reworked bumper and I imagine with the new steel added it may even be stronger than the original ARB.

Thanks Scott !