Badger90 Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 err right.. last night i was doing a pub crewl that writtle college have once a year for charity.. i missed the last mini bus into chelmsford so i got a good mate to drive me. so he did.. woke up this morning to 2 rather worrying phone calls that my trucks front end was all caved in.. at first i thought they where winding me up (not the first time lol) and i saw.. well it was true.. i dunno what he he did but managed to smash my truck into a tree i looked it over.. im quite worried about offside dumb iron.. it looks like it twisted and split? if it is split will be ok to be welded? but it all looks like its been welded before? i also worried that might twisted the chassis slightly? any ideas? it was hit fairly hard them bumpers take some bending dont they? cheers Sam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave K Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 How "Good" a mate was he? & was he insured (daft question-but had to ask) You need to look behind the impact, what else has moved/broken free? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badger90 Posted February 10, 2009 Author Share Posted February 10, 2009 How "Good" a mate was he? & was he insured (daft question-but had to ask) You need to look behind the impact, what else has moved/broken free? yeah he is insured.. or i wouldn't of let him drive.. it was a accident.. window where misted up couldn't see.. anyway i looked.. the little holes on the sides of the dumb irons look like there sticking out and where the tree hit in the middle it and has basically sliced the bumper like a knife though butter.. and i think it has stretched the bolt holes for the bumper.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Godlykepower Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 From an impact of that magnitude, I would check where the gearbox joins the transfer box, as you will more than likely have cracked something down there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveG Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 From an impact of that magnitude, It doesn't take that much to do that to a standard bumper so damage elsewhere may not be too bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happyoldgit Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 ...there again Perhaps you ought to give your mate a bit of rag so that he has something to wipe windows with in future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badger90 Posted February 10, 2009 Author Share Posted February 10, 2009 ...there again Perhaps you ought to give your mate a bit of rag so that he has something to wipe windows with in future. there was sock that i keep in there for that job.. but he just didn't know it was there.. all he was supposed to do is drop me off and park her up for the night lol.. god knows really!! in future i don't think anyone will be driving but me! apart from family Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave K Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 It doesn't take that much to do that to a standard bumper so damage elsewhere may not be too bad. All the same, there might be hidden damage. Defenders are't reknown for their crumple zones! It also might worth checking if anyone "owns" the piece of nature you're friend hit. Or you might find you have other worries to contend with! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Henson Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 The nose of both dumb irons still look square, but if there are signs of paint/metal splitting, then they need replacing. The bolts may have bent, but then how do you remove the bolts? - they are captive in a single threaded plate that both bolts screw into. Even if you cut the heads of the bolts off to remove the bumper - the shaft of the bolt will still be bent in relation to the threaded end, so you still won't be able to undo them. You have to assume that both dumb irons need replacing, and insurance companies being the animal that they are - would look at it as needing a new chassis, new bumper, front panel (it's bent at the bottom) so perhaps an economical write-off. If your friend is prepared to foot the bill, then look at new dumb irons, new bumper, maybe new front panel (or if he is still your friend, bent the bottom bit straight). That looks like a real hard impact - I would check very carefully the entire length of the vehicle for related damage - cracked paint, doors not closing properly, vehicle crabbing, critical mounting points, wheel alignment, steering travel lock-to-lock, headlamp aim, distortion of bodywork (line of sight check), new leaks, shear marks on other body/chassis fixings, joints where crossmembers/outriggers are connected, drivetrain mountings, etc, etc. Land Rovers have a lot of tolerances, but if the impact has exceeded those - then things can happen in the future that are a result of the damage, and you would end-up paying for it. From your post it looks like your friend put the truck back and didn't tell you about it (looks like a 3rd party did that). If that's the case, then check he was insured to use it and decide which way to go, then kill him/her. It's fine to bash your own truck up, but well out of order for someone else to do it. Oh- your number plate is buggered as well Les. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sgnas Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 The mounting tabs on the standard bumber are not particularly thick. I would be hoping they were the weak point in the accident. The accident may have been sub 15mph. Any faster and with that rapid deceleration, hitting an imoveable object, your mate would have left his teeth in the steering wheel. The dilema is Tell insurance, investigate, find no damage, make no claim, but the insurance still class you as have had an accident. Investigate, find no damage, all hunky dory. Investigate, find damage, make claim, get the runaround from insurers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GBMUD Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 . it was a accudent.. window where missted up coudlnt see.. That is not an 'accudent', that is careless and irresponsible. Thank God it was a tree he hit and not a bus queue... or worse. Defender bumpers are made of cheese. I doubt that there will be much further damage. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landmannnn Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 Beware of letting someone else drive your car when their own insurance covers 3rd party for other vehicles: - if they damage your car it's not covered - if the car catches fire it is not covered - if the car is stolen it is not covered (insurance state that the other person is responsible for care of the car) - if there is a fault with the car that causes an accident or injury you are likely to be responsible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jameslwt Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 May be completley off here, but have a look at that dent in the middle where it is bent right in...it looks very rectangular in shape. Now I may be going crazy, but since when have trees been that shape? You sure he said a tree? If fact I dont want to be pessimistic but looking at a first glance at the dent I would have said that he hit a tree head on....but.....looking more closely there appears to be an upper and lower 'lip' to the dent....and some interesting scratch marks. Makes you wonder if he is being completely honest about this? Wouldn't want you to start a hate campaign against him, but if this was mine I would want to know the truth...as someone else has mentioned, may be worth digging a bit to fit out exactly what he did hit? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badger90 Posted February 10, 2009 Author Share Posted February 10, 2009 May be completley off here, but have a look at that dent in the middle where it is bent right in...it looks very rectangular in shape. Now I may be going crazy, but since when have trees been that shape? You sure he said a tree?If fact I don't want to be pessimistic but looking at a first glance at the dent I would have said that he hit a tree head on....but.....looking more closely there appears to be an upper and lower 'lip' to the dent....and some interesting scratch marks. Makes you wonder if he is being completely honest about this? Wouldn't want you to start a hate campaign against him, but if this was mine I would want to know the truth...as someone else has mentioned, may be worth digging a bit to fit out exactly what he did hit? yeah i get your point.. i took a piccy of the tree that was hit.. it had fresh bark stripping on the floor and it clear that it was hot.. well i hope his being honest ha ha.. in some way that's good where it was hit because that bumper soaked the impact.. if that was side on or hit the axle like what happened to mother 90 it did a ridiculous amount of damage to the chassis witch was class c written of.. i will be gutted if mine got written off.. top photo is the tree middle mums 90 bottom mums 90 (got hit up the back my a micra at 70mph) but it could be like that.. it still drivable (but i not driving till its fixed) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave K Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 He's a better driver than I thought, He managed to hit the tree without hitting any of the parked cars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
white90 Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 Take the Bumper off and get some more pics up. It doesn't look to grim. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunc Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 it was a accident.. window where misted up couldn't see.. If he couldn't see he should've stopped. Every morning on my way from work i see people driving along peering through an inch of clear screen. It's dangerous and irresponsible. Period. If your friend is prepared to foot the bill Galv chassis from Marsland That'll teach him to drive using the Force rather than his eyes, pillock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonr Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 I saw the fire brigade cutting two people out of a small car where it had run in to a bollard in a car park. The crumple zones had done their job and crumpled the front of the car and engine in to their laps! Your friend maybe ought to be grateful he was in a Land Rover! Like Chris & Tony have said, the bumpers are pretty weak and you may have got away with very little damage. You can check the straightness of the chassis by stretching a piece of string between two points on diagonally opposite corners then comparing the length to the opposite corners. It should be within a couple of mm the same. As Les says, look for cracked paint on the rest of the chassis, particularly where the cross members join on. Also look at the mounting rubbers for the engine and gearbox to see if they look stretched asymmetrically. Even with bent bumper bolts you can usually get them out with a decent impact wrench - it just strips the threads. Si Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tacr2man Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 Re insurance if your mate was driving was he a named driver on your policy ? If he was driving with your permission as he has a "drive any vehicle not belonging etc " on his insurance then he will only have 3rd party cover (which is not you) so his insurance is not interested If your mate is not a named driver on your policy (or you have a "any driver" clause ) then your insurance policy then they will not be paying out . so there is no point in telling them esp if its going to be classd as a write off i.e. beyond economical repair. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badger90 Posted February 11, 2009 Author Share Posted February 11, 2009 Re insurance if your mate was driving was he a named driver on your policy ? If he was driving with your permission as he has a "drive any vehicle not belonging etc " on his insurance then he will only have 3rd party cover (which is not you) so his insurance is not interested If your mate is not a named driver on your policy (or you have a "any driver" clause ) then your insurance policy then they will not be paying out . so there is no point in telling them esp if its going to be classd as a write off i.e. beyond economical repair. well i not going though in incurnce only if there is chassis damage.. he paying for another bumper, a-bar and if we cant streighten the rad surround then new one.. out hes pocket.. i dont wont to make to much of a fuss over this.. at first i only asked if anyone though there might be any chassis damage!! i dont hate him for it.. im Mildly miffed off but im glad he hit the buimper and not anywhere els on the truck... if it was my new axles where broken that i only fitted last month then i would off been very peeved off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
white90 Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 Good to hear, No witch hunt, I'm sure he didn't so it on purpose. once you get the bumper off you'll be far more aware of what's damaged. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badger90 Posted February 11, 2009 Author Share Posted February 11, 2009 Good to hear, No witch hunt, I'm sure he didn't so it on purpose.once you get the bumper off you'll be far more aware of what's damaged. trouble is getting the bugger off.. its isnt going to be easy is it? lol do you or anyone know of anyway that i could get it without involving a ginder lol.. because mine broken if i can get one i thought of cutting throught the middle of the bumper and pushing it streight but then the bolts are still buckled arnt they? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffbeaumont Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 trouble is getting the bugger off.. its isnt going to be easy is it? lol do you or anyone know of anyway that i could get it without involving a ginder lol.. because mine broken if i can get one i thought of cutting throught the middle of the bumper and pushing it streight but then the bolts are still buckled arnt they? You can get a 4.5" grinder for about a fiver, if you look around for special offers. I would have thought cutting through the middle of the bumper would at least relieve the stresses on everything and give you a fighting chance of getting the bolts out? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
white90 Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 Hacksaw? Or tie it to the tree and Reverse FAST That's how I've fixed mine a few times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badger90 Posted February 11, 2009 Author Share Posted February 11, 2009 got the bumper off ok.. the bolts are buckled, i dont think there will be a change of streighting the rad sarround. so a new rad sarround so then i maybe able to out that wing that is slightly twisted. well try.. i will some pictures of the dumb iron tomorrow when its light.. look like one has all ready been replaced.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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