Wounded Soldier ~ LC vs. Lodgepole Pine

[C6H12O6]

No pics yet, as we're still at the resort, but my stock rear bumper attempted (unsuccessfully) to take out a pine tree this weekend. I'll post pics later, but the tree took out the plastic corner of the bumper, the light, and smashed the rear quarter panel around the light. Also a little damage to the edges of the rear lift gate and lower gate. Not much, but worse than it sounds.

Anybody know what the cost is for the plastic endcap on the rear bumper? I'm hoping I can just pop it out and live with the scratches for a while and put the insurance money towards a real bumper.

If I had hit the tree with the front ARB bumper, I would probably have $2K in firewood, instead of $2K in repairs. Good excuse for a rear bumper. I only wish I had the $2K.

 

[tarbe]

I'm sure Dan's radar will pick up on your request prior to 0800 New Mexico time tomorrow

Sorry to hear about the misfortune. Hope you are able to end up improving the rig as a result.

 

[Capt. Jim]

The plastig end caps can be easily repaired if they are just deformed. Remove it and push it out. Try a heat gun on it from the inside to help it retain its original shape. If it is scarred-up, use a 3-M pad on an angle grinder and smooth it out. When you get it looking good, paint it black with a rattle can of black bunper paint. Did it to mine years ago. Still looks good.

 

[speyrod]

Steve, what side? I have one that got when I messed mine up on the Thompson last year. I saw a hill and I wanted to take the short cut.

 

[C6H12O6]

Driver's side. I'm not too worried about the scratched up end cap and may just push it back out and live with the scratches. Actually, I'm hoping it is a pretty high dollar item for insurance reasons. The sheet metal damage is pretty severe, so the end cap might pay for my deductable. I sure would have liked to spend the $500 on a new rear bumper instead of body work.

It pisses me off, because I deliberately looked back to make sure I was clear. Even when I hit the tree, I looked back and couldn't see the tree that I hit. I thought I just hit a big lava rock (all around the edge of the parking lot) with the hitch and was expecting maybe a dinged bumper. No luck. I was pretty steamed when I saw that the bumper, light, q.p., and edges of both gates were munched. My luck sucks in virtually every aspect of life. Don't ever invest money with me. Seriously.

 

[speyrod]

Sorry to hear about it, anyway I have a DS, I think I only have $25-30 in it for shipping to my house. Invest? with these gas prices. BTW, I fished the Spey and the Ness earlier this month!

 

[semlin]

i would prowl around the FS section. people regularly sell rear bumper bits cheap when they add aftermarket bumpers.

 

[C6H12O6]

Here's a pic. I'm afraid it's worse than it looks. The lower gate latch is out of whack now, so the lower gate is tough to close and really pops when you open it. I should have a couple estimates by this afternoon. We'll see...

 

[CreeperSleeper]

Steve, that sucks man. We'll have to get together and curse the lodgepoles over beer and BBQ. Think of it this way, at least you can get yours fixed... off road damage isn't covered. I have to live with my rocker panel!

 

[Capt. Jim]

OUCH!

I hate when that happens!

 

[CreeperSleeper]

Well... I guess now would be a good time to wheel it!

 

[C6H12O6]

$5,000 Damage!!!

Just got the estimate today... $5K+ in damage. Apparently, hitting the back corner of an FZJ80 at 1/2 MPH causes frame damage and necessitates an entirely new back clip ($1,300 just for the metal).

I told the shop I could get some used parts from a fellow mud member, but they seemed unwilling to play with the estimate like that. The $1,300 tag is supposedly for a new part from Toyota. Are these really still available?

I'm not too upset about the price of the parts, but the 78 hours of labor is a killer. That will likely equate to around a month sans Cruiser. Ouch. I guess I won't make the Sept Tillamook State Forest Run. I doubt the wife's Accord will handle Browne's Camp.

 

[erics_bruisers]

why don't you bring them new 'yota parts, bought from dan, and if they won't go with that, go elsewhere?

$5K is too high for me for that damage, but that is a lot of wrinkling --

e

 

[cruiserdan]

I was going to guess 4 to 5 thousand bucks before I scrolled down to the post with the estimate. The quarter panel alone is about a thousand bucks. Both tail gates are jacked as well. The rear bumper end is a couple hundred and the tail lamp is about 117 bucks. Putting a quarter panel on one of these things is a BIG job.

 

[Rich]

Given insurance is paying the tab why would you want to have the body shop replace sheetmetal with used parts?

 

[Cattledog]

Wow! $5k. Sorry to hear the estimate.
A rear bumper like hana quality is more tempting every day. Does any one think that there would be less damage if a rear aftermarket bumper was installed? Frame damage is surprising. How can landtank be hit 3 times in the rear by moving cars and trucks and have no frame damage, but a pine tree at super low parking lot speeds bend the rear frame?

 

[C6H12O6]

I haven't seen the actual estimate yet, and I don't think they're going to get anything going until Monday, but not a bad idea going to CDan for parts. I'm sure they're going to have to get them shipped from a wharehouse up here somewhere anyway. I doubt a rear panel from a 10-year old truck is an off-the-shelf part for my local dealer.

Dan -- where do they usually cut the body to replace a rear QP? At first glance, I thought it might be a pull-and-bondo job on the corner. On further examination, I had a sinking feeling that it might be more to it. I'm still not sure how this caused 4.5 hours on the frame machine, but there must be something. I guess there is also some interior damage inside the panel. What a huge PITA. I'm sad.

Steve

 

[cruiserdan]

I find it extremely difficult to imagine frame damage but I'm certain the rear gate opening is quite jacked. Are you sure they do not want to put it on the rack to square-up the body? It's alot easier to do that because they have known starting points and landmarks to shoot for.

Me supplying the parts is probably not practical because shipping on that quarter would more than eat up any savings and transit damage is likely as well.

 

[cruiserdan]

<<<"Dan -- where do they usually cut the body to replace a rear QP? ">>>

That depends. A quarter panel can be "sectioned" in many ways. How much of the replacement panel is used depends on how the bodyman wants to approach the repair.

The replacement quarter panel will have a couple inches of the rocker, the dog-leg and the rear of the passenger door opening and it will go up to the roofline. It will come back to the back corner of the vehicle and will have a "lip" for the gate opening. It is a very large piece of steel.

Proper re-finishing will blend into the rear side door, the roof (all of it and into the opposite quarter panel since there is no "edge" or rail that breaks the body seams) and both tailgates.

This is a costly repair.

 

[C6H12O6]

"Given insurance is paying the tab why would you want to have the body shop replace sheetmetal with used parts?"

Exactly. I didn't mean to imply that this is what I was pushing for. I was actually just telling them that I had some bumper parts that could be used so I could pocket the insurance money and put it towards a real bumper. No dice.

Another ? for Dan...
If the QP is only for one side, any guesses why they said they have to remove both the DS and PS side window assemblies? The adjuster made it sound like they were replacing the whole rear QP and back of the roof over to the other window.

And yes, it sounded like they were putting the truck on the laser frame machine to line up the panels. The adjuster said that was because of frame damage, but maybe they are just doing it before to baseline the alignment of the parts. I'm a bananna seed on the
scale of body work. I've no clue how they're going to attempt the repair.

My cousin works at the shop, so they're giving me 10% of the repairs toward my deductible, so all this will cost me is 20% of the rental car for a month+ and whatever my ins. premiums go up.