2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Damned Deer!!!

[JPope]

3 of them hit me Friday nite, in No. Iowa, driving home. Drivers door, club cab door, and the bed from the rear wheel back. :{ There were about 10-12 in the herd (got warning on CB, slow was going less than 50mph) and missed most until these 3 got me. Had plenty of close calls in 40 years driving but the odds finally caught up with me. Anyhow.....



Estimate is $4300, insurance covers it. The body shop (done very good work in the past) told me that they will cut the spot welds on the drivers side of the bed, remove that section, replace with a new one???, and repaint.

Is this the common way to do this? Asked about replacing the entire bed, was told it was over $4400 for just the part, with no painting etc. so that is how they plan to do it.

Thoughts please.

 

[Oil Burner]

Ouch!



What about getting a bed from a take-off. Most of the utility bed suppliers have beds for sale. Might be worth a look.

-Jason

 

[CORed]

I had to have my passenger side bed repaired and they did it the same way. Removed the spot welds and put in a new quarter panel and re-spot welded it back on. No problems with the welds or things like that, but you can just barely see a difference in the curves between the OEM side and the new side. Only I can tell though.

 

[rashwor]

It is common practice. Been there serveral times (deer and bodyshop).

 

[Ol'TrailDog]

Or perhaps its flatbed time?

$4300 - a nice flatbed.

 

[Duluth Diesel]

If it were me I'd be shopping for a nice flatbed.

 

[JPope]

Thanks for the replys guys, especially confirming that the way they are proposing fixing the bed is not out of left field. They have done good work in the past so hope it continues. Evidently everyone is becoming aware of the value of take off beds.



Thought about the flat bed, but just not ready to commit to that yet!



We will be moving to back to Iowa permanently some time after New Years, and given the deer problem they have here, between the Twin cities and here, and around where my property is 45 miles north of St. Paul, will probably get another chance for a flat bed



Wish that the people that are against hunting, and controlling the deer population (especially the idiots for contraception as a means of control ) would be the only ones whose vehicles the deer picked on , and leave the rest of us alone!!

 

[TWilkening]

I'm glad I live in Southern Iowa! Dang, three deer. At least december is coming soon!

 

[rmrc]

Every time I hear the word,,, DEER, I cringe!!! I hit a deer not 24 hours after I bought my truck. This was a few years ago. Took out the front and right fender. Radiator, intercooler, A/C ect. , ect.....



Get this... Yesterday, my buddy was going to work when he came upon a herd of deer in the middle of RT 53. The damn things wouldn't move!!!! They have become so use to the cars and people down here that they don't take off. As he slowly approached the group most slowly walked off the road except for one which my friend finally eased his car up to this stubborn buck and bumped into his rear. Only then did he grunt, and finally got off the road!



These deer are all over the place in central VA! You see them constantly in the neighbor hoods, back yards, drive ways. I was pulling into my drive way last week and a whole family was waltzing through. They gave me a look and took their sweet time moving on. They are pretty to look at but it's getting way out of control. I can't begin to tell you how many dead deer I see on the roads. The auto body shops must be very busy!!!!!!!

 

[Willys]

I hit a spotted fawn at around 45-50 one night, it totaled my bumper and punctured my transmission cooler... . so this is what I did... I'd like to add a deer catcher/brush guard when time/equipment allows.

 

[rmrc]

Willys,



What make bumper is that and where did you get it? I know that I have to upgrade the bumper from that sorry excuse Dodge has. Especially with the amount of deer around here. It's only a matter of time before the next collision.

 

[Willys]

I made that from some scrap metal a friend had. Its mostly 1/4" plate, with a little 3/16" and 1/8" near the fenders to save on weight. The main front plate was designed to be a rear bumper but was never put into service so I chucked it in a vice and used a rosebud to bend it to fit the truck. Theres actually a bend in the center -10-15 degrees. Prozap makes a similar one with no bend in the center though. I've thought about making these to sell- I landscape for a living so things are a little slow in the winter. Maybe in a few more months my shop will be finished and I'll have a new welder and torch to play with I'll have to



This bumper actually doesnt weigh that much. maybe 170 lbs or so. The receiver tube is for mounting a winch.



Deer are bad around our area too. This year hunting season is expanded for many counties, with the limit at 10 anterless and 2 antlered deer. I dont think my family could eat that much in one year but I sure dont want to pick these critters off the front of my truck again. :-laf

Andy