Hitch after being rear ended

Hey guys,

My new Tacoma got rear ended today . I was completely stopped at an intersection for a few seconds before being hit. Caused me to lurch forward and had to hit the brakes harder to not hit the car in front.

Anyway, very very small scrape on my bumper, but bent the power connector for my trailer. I think he made contact with my trailer since I have a plastic cap on it and its all scuffed up. The adjuster is coming out in a few hours to look at it, but is there anyway to tell if the hitch itself is damaged? Thanks!

 

Take a wrench and see if the bolts are all still torqued/not broken. If it passes your visual inspection, I wouldn't worry, those things are burly.

 

I got rear ended with my tundra and it sounds like a similar situation. Just take your truck to your toyota dealership, tell them what happened and they will have a tech/adjuster look at it for free. They will tell you what needs to be repaired. Get a print out from them and submit it to insurance. Or have them contact the insurance.

I got rearended Friday afternoon. Went to Toyota within a few hours.I had a check from the insurance company on Saturday.

 

I think thats a great idea. The other guy had Travelers insurance, and they are sending out a guy right away. Maybe I'll take it down to the dealership after and make sure the adjuster got everything. I'm not sure how one guy with no tools can make an assessment of the damage, but we will see how it goes..

 

I had exactly the same thing happen last year. The bumper had two small 1" dents and the rubber trailer hitch cover got cut from the impact. If I hadn't told people I got hit they more than likely wouldn't have noticed the damage. Anyway, the body shop wrote it up for a whole new bumper and trailer hitch. They even ordered all new plastic parts for the bumper (could have used my old ones as nothing was wrong other than they were faded from the sun.) Make sure they use OEM parts. Honestly, I saw absolutly nothing wrong with the hitch but since it took most of the impact they figured it should be replaced.

 

Yeah I agree with taking it to a certified Toyota place to check the hitch out.

... where in MD are you located?

 

North east Maryland...bought my truck at the Bel Air Toyota (Jones Junction), its one of the biggest dealerships in the state, and they did have a lot of perks (free oil changes for life, free rental car when working on your truck, etc.).

 

had it happen to me in my 1st gen. I was rear-ended with a trailer and some landscape equipment. Had it evaluated and they had to 'bend' back the frame rail and had a new hitch installed. Don't worry.

 

Hahaha do NOT worry about the hitch worry about your frame first!!!

I got hit by a drunk doing 50!!! The hitch is still technically useable (as in straight) but it bent my frame!!!!


Have no fear in the hitch as they are arguably stronger then the frame!!!

Also future incidents, some people like myself keep a hitch and ball in for when/if someone hits you/us. Mine saved most my bed!

 

^^^^^ this

Frame would be my first concern not hitch

 

Interesting point. I took mine out to try and protect it from rust.

And yes, I guess the more important item is my frame, not really the hitch...

 

Check the sides of your bumper where the bumper meets the bed sides and make sure the gaps are the same. I had this happen to me on my old truck and it looked like there was no damage done. A few month later I saw that my bumper was actualy pushed in. one side was right against the bed side and the other side wasn't to bad.

 

I was rear ended in my 08 with the factory hitch and they totaled the truck for a bent frame. Have the frame checked

 

Yea I hear ya. I am in Forest Hill. And I see Jones got ya. You should check the fine print on your contract. If you go somewhere else for those services you will void your contract.

Either way we should meet up and ride.

 

Whos your insurance how many miles?

Not saying BS but my frame is bent they are prob going to replace it and it's still about 6k away from being totaled

 

Just checked it now. Gaps look even. Took a look underneath to see if I could see any bend in the frame, and I couldn't see any (yet I am no mechanic so who knows!). I'll see what the adjuster says when he takes a look at it...

 

How fast was he going? Anything under 5mph IMO you would be ok

 

Not sure, if I had to guess I would say about 15mph. I had my foot on the brake, and he hit me hard enough to cause my truck to lurch forward and me have to hit the brake harder to not hit the car in front of me...

 

Well have it checked, I got pushed about 5-6ft with my brakes to the floor lol

 

How fast was the guy going?