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10-21-2008, 11:14 AM
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#1
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Montana Master
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Shelburne
Posts: 688
M.O.C. #8693
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Bent rear bumper
Backing up toward the garage door on our too-short suburban driveway, I collided with the brick wall, which caught the passenger-side end of the bumper and pushed it forward as the truck went back. The bumper bent like tin, maybe 5 or 10 degrees. What I didn't notice was that the bumper's hooked plastic end had pressed the box fender inwards, slightly behind the tailgate. Next time I dropped the tailgate open, the tailgate's bottom corner bent on the fender! Now, I've got to get some bodywork done. GRRRR!
How fast was I going? Slow. Why did the bumper bend? Because it's not a full length bumper and its ends aren't braced back to the frame. The side pieces are just shiny metal, attached to the plastic bumper, which is hung from a stamped frame of thin metal. I was able to pull the bumper 3/8" away from the fender with my bare hand.
It's my fault that I hit the wall. I couldn't see clearly (it's just out of sight of the passenger side mirror) and I underestimated the distance. I should have got out and looked. But, I am upset that such a small ding would have such a string of consequences. If the bumper were more substantial, the situation would have ended right there. But, plastic IS cheaper than steel.
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10-21-2008, 12:48 PM
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#2
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Thorntown
Posts: 213
M.O.C. #8805
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I would rather repair the bumper than the brick wall of the house.
Maybe you could have a bumper made for the truck that is stronger. Or buy a pre-made one depending on your model of truck.
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10-21-2008, 02:34 PM
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#3
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Montana Master
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Lone Tree
Posts: 5,615
M.O.C. #6109
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Sorry to hear about the mishap - we all do it. Good time to vent - but be careful what you ask for!
Remember in the mid 70s when the Feds mandated 5mph crash resistant bumpers to all cars because everybody complained of rising repair costs! Not only did it make every car hideous looking, the cost to repair at a greater than 5mph impact was twice what it would have been without the crash resistance hardware, not to mention the firefighters that lost thier lives during extracaton when those compressed gas absorbing bumpers let go and shot the bumper mount across the highway, often under more than 2,000 psi of pressure after impact.
I've got a receipt around here for $530 to Denver Bumper for my rear bumper I caught on a parking lot cable last spring and ripped it right off the truck. Sure it was lightweight and mostly plastic, but thats the price of fuel efficiency my friend! In the end, the only one I could blame for the cost of repair was me for poor judgement in driving.
Cheer up, brick is far more expensive.
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10-21-2008, 02:48 PM
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#4
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Montana Master
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Texico
Posts: 1,917
M.O.C. #6150
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You beat me to it Brad. I drafted a reply very similar to yours at work today, but I never finished it as I got extremely busy. When I was closing tonight I saw it on the monitor and just deleted it because I figured someone like you ( ) had already posted it.
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10-21-2008, 04:50 PM
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#5
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Montana Master
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Shelburne
Posts: 688
M.O.C. #8693
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Thanks for the seasoned wisdom. I think that the repairs should be straightforward. Mostly, I'm ticked off at myself.
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10-21-2008, 05:30 PM
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#6
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Montana Master
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Lone Tree
Posts: 5,615
M.O.C. #6109
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Did I mention the time I was chatting with the DW while backing into the camp space after a long day of fishing - and ran into the pin box with the truck crushing the tailgate ($600 cha-ching), or the $650 gasoline fill up in my diesel tank?
There is no winning - at least with me. I never stop amazing those around me as they roll in the grass laughing at what I just did to my truck! hahahahaha
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10-21-2008, 05:42 PM
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#7
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Montana Master
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Texico
Posts: 1,917
M.O.C. #6150
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Don't kick yourself too hard Dave, it happens to all of us eventually.
4 years ago, while doing some feedlot construction work in Oregon, I backed into a brand new Dodge pickup. It was early in the morning, before daylight, at a convenience store. I had parked my pickup in the same place I parked every morning, and went in to get my regular morning fare of coffee and a bannana nut muffin. When I went back to the pickup, I instinctively looked around to make sure all was clear, and got in the pickup. While I was waiting on one of my crew to come out of the store, the Dodge pulled up behind me, almost 90 degrees to the direction I was facing. I was busy with my muffin, coffee, and whatever else I may have had on my mind, and didn't notice the man pull up behind me. I put er in reverse, let the clutch out, and most effectively demolished the side of the Dodge with a very well built steel flatbed. Scratched a little place on the corner of my flatbed, and did 3500.00 in damage to the Dodge.
Just another of life's lessons I had to learn the hard way .
Brad, I think you and I have led parallel lives .
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10-21-2008, 05:52 PM
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#8
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Montana Master
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Shelburne
Posts: 688
M.O.C. #8693
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Well, now that you mention it...I used to drive a straight truck (Ford LN-700, five-speed with two-speed rear end) with a 24-foot box. I backed it up toward a dumpster. Meanwhile, the dumpster's lid was open toward me, so that it was edge-on and virtually invisible to my mirrors' view. I confidently backed up close and the dumpster lid cut the back doors open like a knife. I've forgotten the cost...thankfully. I've never done the transmutation of gas to diesel, but I think about it fairly often, usually after the fuel is running into the tank...
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10-21-2008, 05:53 PM
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#9
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Montana Master
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Lone Tree
Posts: 5,615
M.O.C. #6109
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I think you're right Lonnie - and still on the same wave length!
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10-21-2008, 06:03 PM
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#10
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Montana Master
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Texico
Posts: 1,917
M.O.C. #6150
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Hahahaha I don't doubt it.
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10-22-2008, 03:27 AM
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#11
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Montana Master
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Texas City
Posts: 5,736
M.O.C. #7673
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Y'all are just making me feel like an accident waiting for a place to happen - again!!!!!
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10-22-2008, 01:09 PM
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#12
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: South
Posts: 2,499
M.O.C. #5140
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Speaking of fuel, be careful at Sinclair and BP gas stations - both have GREEN handles for regular GASOLINE and black ones for diesel.
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10-22-2008, 01:28 PM
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#13
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Montgomery
Posts: 279
M.O.C. #8231
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Ran into a firehydrant pollard myself (front bumper 03 F250) $800., for the rear bumper I leave a straight Hitch and ball on the dually so when backing up to the dock at work(or someone unsuspecting car) I can feel the little bump before I damage my stuff. By the way the Pollard protecting the firehydrant did not even have a scratch on it....Steve
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10-22-2008, 05:14 PM
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#14
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Seasoned Camper
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Portland
Posts: 76
M.O.C. #8295
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Yep, accidents happen. Backed a Peterbuilt flatbead loaded into an occupied portapotty. No damage to the truck. One peeoooded occupant!
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10-26-2008, 01:53 PM
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#15
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Montana Master
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Shelburne
Posts: 688
M.O.C. #8693
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Reading everybody's snafus, now I feel better. Thanks to snfexpress for the tip about diesel pump color schemes!
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10-26-2008, 02:25 PM
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#16
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: North Ridgeville
Posts: 20,229
M.O.C. #2839
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Dave is correct about the pump color schemes.What makes it worse is that it is not like that eveywhere. We do not even go into a BP station for fuel for fear we may make a mistake.Can't tell you how many times we nearly did it with the bus since I use a BP fleet card.
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10-26-2008, 02:42 PM
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#17
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Montana Master
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Cedar Rapids
Posts: 4,876
M.O.C. #1944
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One thing I always look for is "DIESEL" on the selector, even before I remove the hose to put into my tank. I hate being fooled by the color of the pump handles. One place I went had the diesel handle black. I like green, but only on the diesel pump.
Orv
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10-26-2008, 03:21 PM
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#18
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Macomb
Posts: 293
M.O.C. #5709
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And, as I learned the hard way, now you have to look to see that little gold colored sticker on a black pump that says Bio-diesel along with making sure it's ULSF.
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