Rear-end hit

[LJDC]

Has anyone had their JL rear-ended on the road? I have 33s and the reinforced tailgate, and I’m trying to figure out where to look for damage.

I’m pretty sure that the car that hit me mostly hit the spare tire. (I can’t say I love that about the design). It was a pretty hard hit, so what should I inspect most-carefully that wouldn’t be obvious?

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[AZDIESELRUBI]

You have conflicting info - hit pretty hard but no signs of damage?

Take it to body shop and have it inspected. Call your insurance.

 

[LJDC]

I don’t see how what I wrote is “conflicting.” I’m asking what to look for that wouldn’t be obvious, when the tailgate has taken a hit.

I appreciate the advice about a body shop and insurance. Of course I’ll do that. But they’re not Jeep experts either.

 

[JL MADDOG]

If the spare took the brunt of the hit I'd look for:

1. Bent wheel
2. Damage to tire sidewall (split, crack, etc...)
3. Damage to rear camera (if so equipped)
4. Damage to spare tire carrier
5. Damage to tailgate skin.
6. Damage to tailgate lock.
7. Damage to tailgate hinge.

Check the rest of the area behind the spare and below it.

Good luck.

 

[AcesandEights]

The hard hit, no damage, statement is relevant and conflicting. You can't have unseen damage from a hard impact to the spare tire. A body shop or an insurance adjuster is an "expert" in estimating and damage analysis. They will see things you don't (if you don't have the experience), because they know where to look and what to look for.

 

[Powelligator]

For starters, does the door now sag where it hadn't sagged before? Does it latch, and open and close freely? A hard hit on the spare will cave in the door, and even if it bounces back damage will show in the operation of the door latch and hinge operation.

 

[jaymz]

One of the guys at work rear ended a Jeep with an F250. Nearly $6000 to repair the F250, no damage to the Jeep. ?‍

 

[LJDC]

The hard hit, no damage, statement is relevant and conflicting. You can't have unseen damage from a hard impact to the spare tire. A body shop or an insurance adjuster is an "expert" in estimating and damage analysis. They will see things you don't (if you don't have the experience), because they know where to look and what to look for.

I’m not looking for an argument. Please re-read. I didn’t say there was no damage. You’re basically using a lot of words to say that you don’t know.

 

[LJDC]

For starters, does the door now sag where it hadn't sagged before? Does it latch, and open and close freely? A hard hit on the spare will cave in the door, and even if it bounces back damage will show in the operation of the door latch and hinge operation.

Good ideas, thank you. I’ll play with the latch and hinges to see what I can see.

If the spare took the brunt of the hit I'd look for:

1. Bent wheel
2. Damage to tire sidewall (split, crack, etc...)
3. Damage to rear camera (if so equipped)
4. Damage to spare tire carrier
5. Damage to tailgate skin.
6. Damage to tailgate lock.
7. Damage to tailgate hinge.

Check the rest of the area behind the spare and below it.

Good luck.

Great list. I’m going to pull off the spare and see what’s below it. I’m thinking that the wheel will be damaged, at the very least unbalanced and almost certainly bent in ways I can’t see. I didn’t think about the carrier itself.

the tire now has some big dark marks where it didn’t before. If I get away with just a bent wheel and damaged tire, which are both easy to replace, I’ll be relieved—and impressed.

 

[AcesandEights]

I’m not looking for an argument. Please re-read. I didn’t say there was no damage. You’re basically using a lot of words to say that you don’t know.

I did this for a living, for years, and was ASE certified in estimating and damage analysis. Unless you did too, take it to a shop, or have your insurance adjuster look at it. What I do know is, "answering" anything else is like blindfolding a deaf person, throwing them in a locked coat closet and asking how big the elephant is. It makes no sense.

 

[LJDC]

I did this for a living, for years, and was ASE certified in estimating and damage analysis. Unless you did too, take it to a shop, or have your insurance adjuster look at it. What I do know is, "answering" anything else is like blindfolding a deaf person, throwing them in a locked coat closet and asking how big the elephant is. It makes no sense.

I appreciate your willingness to help. You have my sincere appreciation for carefully explaining to me how dumb I must be.

 

[Rustynail11]

I appreciate your willingness to help. You have my sincere appreciation for carefully explaining to me how dumb I must be.

Awful defensive for someone looking for help. All he is saying is what seveal others have said. TAKE IT TO A BODY SHOP OR INSURANCE ADJUSTER AND HAVE THEM LOOK AT IT AND GIVE THEIR ASSESSMENT. THEY ARE THE EXPERTS AT LOOKING FOR DAMAGE. You don't have to specialize in Jeeps to be able to look for damage and my guess is they have done a hell of a lot more damage assessments than you. If you were an expert you wouldn't be here asking for help.

 

[AcesandEights]

I appreciate your willingness to help. You have my sincere appreciation for carefully explaining to me how dumb I must be.

No problem. Any time.

 

[kah.mun.rah]

You have conflicting info - hit pretty hard but no signs of damage?

Take it to body shop and have it inspected. Call your insurance.

Hey! Give him a break. I was also hit pretty hard and it took a lot of looking to discover if anything was damaged or not on my Jeep.

 

[Wkaz]

Yup, had my tailgate pushed in. new spare rim, tailgate, rear bumper, tire carrier paint job. the rear roll pan was ever so slightly buckled from the tailgate bottom edge and weather stripping. I couldn't remove my scissor jack. I drove it for 2 months like that till I could get it in the body shop. I was amazed that a bare tailgate is only 17 pounds.

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