Expert Advice Needed

FireWire79

FireWire79

New member
So I went to Rausch Creek last weekend and had a blast. The talks were amazing and since it was the first time I had wheeled the JKR, I was really impressed. The JK has some significant improvements over the TJ and almost felt as nimble.

Despite having to do one trailside repair, the steering stabilizer came loose and I couldn't turn right, the trip was fantastic, until this happened.

1395274327811.jpg

The obstacle was called Pizza Rock, and it took a good swipe at the passenger door. I did make it over, but I also got the worst damage of day. It's about 12 inches long, and does run into the tub.

Here's a shot of it cleaned up.

1395274532757.jpg

It's pretty bad, and I'm trying not to be to mad about it, it is a Jeep after all. But my concern is this, what do I do about it?

Do I cough up the money to have it fixed by a professional?

Do I look into a replacement door panel?

Do I try and bang it back out myself and hope for the best?

Or, do I spray some bed liner on the lower portion of the door and call it good?

I have no body work experience, and I do planning on wheeling again, so more damage is probable.

Thanks for the answers in advance.

Still working on that clever signature.
 
FireWire79 said:
So I went to Rausch Creek last weekend and had a blast. The talks were amazing and since it was the first time I had wheeled the JKR, I was really impressed. The JK has some significant improvements over the TJ and almost felt as nimble.

Despite having to do one trailside repair, the steering stabilizer came loose and I couldn't turn right, the trip was fantastic, until this happened.


The obstacle was called Pizza Rock, and it took a good swipe at the passenger door. I did make it over, but I also got the worst damage of day. It's about 12 inches long, and does run into the tub.

Here's a shot of it cleaned up.


It's pretty bad, and I'm trying not to be to mad about it, it is a Jeep after all. But my concern is this, what do I do about it?

Do I cough up the money to have it fixed by a professional?

Do I look into a replacement door panel?

Do I try and bang it back out myself and hope for the best?

Or, do I spray some bed liner on the lower portion of the door and call it good?

I have no body work experience, and I do planning on wheeling again, so more damage is probable.

Thanks for the answers in advance.

Still working on that clever signature.
Click to expand...

I would just go get quotes to see how much it would cost to get fixed.

I know some schools will also do body work on vehicles for students to learn with and all you have to do is pay for material. That could be another route to take.
 
FireWire79 said:
So I went to Rausch Creek last weekend and had a blast. The talks were amazing and since it was the first time I had wheeled the JKR, I was really impressed. The JK has some significant improvements over the TJ and almost felt as nimble.

Despite having to do one trailside repair, the steering stabilizer came loose and I couldn't turn right, the trip was fantastic, until this happened.

View attachment 74572

The obstacle was called Pizza Rock, and it took a good swipe at the passenger door. I did make it over, but I also got the worst damage of day. It's about 12 inches long, and does run into the tub.

Here's a shot of it cleaned up.

View attachment 74573

It's pretty bad, and I'm trying not to be to mad about it, it is a Jeep after all. But my concern is this, what do I do about it?

Do I cough up the money to have it fixed by a professional?

Do I look into a replacement door panel?

Do I try and bang it back out myself and hope for the best?

Or, do I spray some bed liner on the lower portion of the door and call it good?

I have no body work experience, and I do planning on wheeling again, so more damage is probable.

Thanks for the answers in advance.

Still working on that clever signature.
Click to expand...

I would get a couple of estimates. However, if you're planning on wheeling more and body damage is a good possibility when doing so, I would touch up the bare metal to prevent rust and keep wheeling it and try to avoid incidents like this. Although I know stuff like this can't always be avoided, none of us enjoy seeing it happen unless it's a strict trail rig with a spray bomb paint job. Looking at it, I'd say you're gonna be in the $700-$800 range at a professional body shop.
 
Doesn't look like it's hurting anything. Unless you just want pristine body/paint I would just touch it up and keep going.
 
Never mind, just looked closer at the photos. Probably around $500 or less. I always liked working on Wranglers when I was a body guy, flat panels are easy to straighten.
 
Robar said:
Doesn't look like it's hurting anything. Unless you just want pristine body/paint I would just touch it up and keep going.
Click to expand...

This ^^^. I would just get a bottle of touch up paint, the kind that comes with a nail polish applicator brush and just fill it in. At least, that's what I've done in the past. For the most part, it'll hide it and it'll be hard to see in photos. Of course, if you want a pristine body, shouldn't cost more than $400 to fix.
 
ridg3runner said:
Thats a battle scar that should be proudly displayed,yup
Click to expand...

My first trip through the Rubicon I wasn't paying attention and my front passenger door got a good scratch kind of like this guy. When folks ask what happened, I say it's my trophy for making it through the trail. Man I got my ass kicked.
 
One more vote for touch up and be done. If you keep wheeling, it will eventually blend in with all the other scratches and dings. I don't even bother touching up unless it makes it through to the bare metal like yours did. I have to rattle can the scratches on my rails after many trips.
 
It's bigger than I could do with the small bottle and would order a rattle can of color matched paint. If I go this route, what kind of prep work do I need to do?

I assume that I would need to sand, prime, paint, and then clear? Is that all I need to do? Do I even need to clear after?

I will need to sand to soften the edges of the chipped paint. There is a lot of chipping and but no cracking. Would it be worth it to pull the door panel off and try to pop it out first?

The dent is about 1/4" deep and 12" long. Just let me know what I need to do, as this will be my first attempt at body work.

Still working on that clever signature.
 
have you contacted your insurance company, what's your deductible? I'd also invest in some good rock slides, the stock rails are ok for hits from underneath but as you found out, do nothing for the sides, though there are still some things you can't avoid, rock rails help in majority of cases.

If you paint and skip the dent repair, you'll want to do some light sanding feather it out, primer and I'd get the spray can it'll go on smoother then clear coat and polish ...you'll have the dent but if it's not affecting the operation of the door you can put what you saved towards rock rails... :beer:
 
It's a $500 deductible, and how on earth do u explain that too the insurance agency? Lol. I kinda hit a rock, off road, deep the woods and I want you guys to pay for it.

Sure. That'll work. :)

Still working on that clever signature.
 
FireWire79 said:
It's a $500 deductible, and how on earth do u explain that too the insurance agency? Lol. I kinda hit a rock, off road, deep the woods and I want you guys to pay for it.

Sure. That'll work. :)

Still working on that clever signature.
Click to expand...

sounds logical to me :cheesy:
 
that is the point of paying for insurance.

I was driving through the gate to my back yard and the gate closed on me. called my insurance agent and told them what happen and they told me to take it the shop to get fixed. Paid the decutible and the truck was like new again.

R/
Will
 
x2 that's what you pay insurance for---I used to repair rear qtr panel after I slid off sideways into a tree.
guess it depends on the ins company, I've been with our agent for 18 yrs and have a low deductible - I've only used it once since I've owned this jeep but if it covered our other vehicle when my wife forgot to let the garage door open all the way before backing out :doh:
 
While I agree that this is what insurance is for, I wouldn't use it for this... You can likely get it fixed for what your deductible is. Especially if you are paying the shop with cash and they don't have to deal with your insurance. I would save the insurance for a bigger need.

If it were me, I would get it fixed.... I know these things happen when on the trail but fixing them is also part of it in my mind. Our 13' was 6 months old when I lost a jousting competition with a tree and I had to do some fender repair and repaint. The body work for that was only $300-$400ish and it was on a seam.

Fnder+Side.jpg
 
FireWire79 said:
It's bigger than I could do with the small bottle and would order a rattle can of color matched paint. If I go this route, what kind of prep work do I need to do?

I assume that I would need to sand, prime, paint, and then clear? Is that all I need to do? Do I even need to clear after?

I will need to sand to soften the edges of the chipped paint. There is a lot of chipping and but no cracking. Would it be worth it to pull the door panel off and try to pop it out first?

The dent is about 1/4" deep and 12" long. Just let me know what I need to do, as this will be my first attempt at body work.

Still working on that clever signature.
Click to expand...

If you're gonna go as far as feather edging the paint and pushing out the dent, I would leave it up to a professional. If you're just looking to touch it up, I would just remove the loose paint and scuff it with some coarse scotch brite and spray it with some lacquer based spray paint, with lacquer based paint there will be no need to clear coat.
 
So here's an update on everything so far. I caved and paid to get the dent pulled and filed, but I got a steal $150.

Is it great work? Not so much.
Did it turn out better than I could have done? Definitely. :)

Here's a pic of it primed and awaiting color match paint and clear to come in. No to bad fit my first crack at auto body paint.

1396650135845.jpg

And the inside of the jamb needs primer still, maybe. It is a door jamb, so maybe just color and clear.

1396650269672.jpg

Over all not to bad. Let's just hope the final product looks good.
 
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