Ok,enoughs enough......I give up....

[Amianthus]

Originally posted by tpcdrafting

... If somebody rear-ends you, it's automatically their fault. NO questions asked. Glad to hear you're OK.

That's a HUGE misconception. And probably a good reason for what causes most accidents these days. People who think that, "I'll just squeeze in between these two cars and if I get rear-ended, I'll just sue. " Well, if they don't wind up dead, they can try to sue. But if it turns out that they removed the following distance in such a manner that the accident wouldn't have happened if they didn't switch lanes like that, then that person just caused the accident. And THEY will get the blame, citation, repair bill, broken bones, obituary, etc. We have all seen this happen on the road before.

 

[me4osu]

Re: Ranch-hand

Originally posted by JCockrell

I have been rearend three times. With the Ranchhand on only "cosmetic" scratches. Some lady, talking on her cell phone, hit me right behind the passenger rear wheel. She was pulling out of a parking lot. The Ranchhand caught two inches behind the drivers side headlight. Ripped it completely out. Took the front facade, grill, and part of the hood with it. She gets out and asks me were I came from... . Wood Knot be w/o my Ranchhand.

I completely agree with JCockrell. I have a Ranch Hand rear bumper and front-end replacement with integral grille guard.



I'm glad your'e OK. Whatever brand you buy get a good thick-wall aftermarket SA-36 steel replacement bumper for the front and the rear.



My front end replacement has the added capability of deflecting large deer at 70 mph.

 

[daveshoe]

I was sitting at an intersection today waiting for a car to clear so I could make a left turn and I saw a 18 wheeler comin round the curve behind me REAL QUICK. I turned a two lane highway into a three lane by floorin it and pulling forward and borrowed a third of the other guys lane. The semi passed me at least 50mph on the right Oo. Oo. My passenger was bracing for a head on @ was sure that I was goin to paste the car. I had some steel bar in the bed that would have impaled me before he rode me down. this guy didnt even hit the brakes , I guess he was going for a sideswipe on the bridge. DID I MENTION THAT I WAS ON A BRIDGE OVERPASS?? It pays to check your rearview

BTW my rear bumper is a 4x6x3/8 200# hunk a steel

 

[rich m]

Originally posted by dan_gilson

... He mentioned that it takes 75K#'s to bend this hitch. He also stated that the metal is designed to bend but not shear (break).

this is the first, in 2-3 years of these kind of discussions, that I've ever seen an actual stress number stated for the failure load---is that for drawbar, or for receiver?... . in light of this, maybe the physics guys could, by vehicle weight, and impact speed, give you a rule of thumb to use for "safe" and "not safe"... . :Oo. :

 

[lgibson]

Daveshoe

Glad you were watching out. Here in Salem last week a semi pulling 40,000pounds wasn't paying attention and rear ended a BMW stopped at a red light. In front of that BMW was a Loging truck but was empty. The rear bumper was pressed into the back of the front seats. The front bumper was pressed into the front windshield. The driver was dazed and had a few minor cuts. He could not remember if he dropped off his 9 year old off at school or not. The back seat, where the girl rides, was not there anymore. The PD called the little girls school, and she was dropped off a few minutes earlier. The only open space in that BMW was right where the driver was sitting. Lucky SOB

 

[Hammer]

I was sitting still at a red traffic light stopped in my lane so its a cut and dried deal as to whos at fault,,With him being citied for D. U. I. I have will have no problem repairing whats broken,,Problem is nothing is visibly broken and after the insurance sent me to have it checked they opted for a new trailer hitch(they also do not trust one after its been hit) and a repaint of the rear bumper(since it was only scratched and not bent or marked otherwise),,I have no problem with their decision as long as no secondary problems arise later,,My agent has allowed for that so we'll see where that goes if it is needed,,Just a bad week and I hope this one goes better..... Andy

 

[dan_gilson]

rich m: " this is the first, in 2-3 years of these kind of discussions, that I've ever seen an actual stress number stated for the failure load---is that for drawbar, or for receiver?... . in light of this, maybe the physics guys could, by vehicle weight, and impact speed, give you a rule of thumb to use for "safe" and "not safe"... . :"



The 75K# was for the hitch not the receiver. My receiver is actually part of the Ruenel Bumper. It is rated a little higher than the stock receiver. It could be sheared in that it is mounted to the bumper with (2) 1+" bolts.



As for what is a safe impact speed. No impact is safe. Anything that you can walk from unhurt is good.



Mr Ruenel showed me some pictures of a crash with his front bumper. It was impressive. A 65MPH head-on on I5. Dodge versus Toyota. The Dodge was tweaked and undrivable: Motor came off mounts but none of the glass was broken and body still intact. The Toyota was a phyrmid of metal. The 2 guys in the Dodge walked but were bruised from the seat belts. The two in the Toyota spent a couple of months in UCD Med Center.



There are trade offs of having a stronger bumper. Primarily a larger amount of force is tranfered into the truck frame and subsequently into you. That seems to be one that I am willing to live with. Where it would be gennerally worse for me is if I hit something unmovable like a tree or piling. Other than that the other person will pay more in that it willl transfer more force to them.

 

[Oasis-3]

Hi Andy Glade your OK

I think it's time you go to a Diesel pull and get some of that #2 air in to your system and change your luck. Don't give up it only gets better. Oo.

The way your truck shines know one can miss it.



See Ya soon

Cliff

 

[Un-Hemi]

What's with all these crashes????? I just got rear-ended 1AM Sunday morning coming home from Vancouver. Idiot must have been doing 40-50 mph when he destroyed the hitch, bumper and fenders. Bent the frame too.



Damned dopers!