3rd Gen Off Road Damage/Repair Ideas

$3000 is reasonable for that amount of damage. I would check the junkyard for a front end total.

Sorry to see this sir!

 

Yah its a nice truck, which 100% justifies fixing it right. It didn't happen offroading. I try to stay away from the technical trails if I can. Really have no desire to take it hardcore off roading. Its a rig decked the way it is to get me where I need to go in the back country, usually camping/fishing/hunting. The driveway up to my old house (where it happened) was steep and pretty sketchy in the winter. It faced directly north with not a lot of sunlight, so in the winter it basically turned into a skating ring. Last winter trying to get up to my house, slid and swiped into a tree. Happened two separate times, once on the drivers side and once on the pax.

I have a $2,000 collision deductible which technically applies per loss, so assuming it would be covered that deductible would have to apply separately. I could file a claim, bend the truth and say it was all one incident. But I work in insurance so cant really justify doing that. Either way its $2k out of my pocket (ironic I work in insurance and have a $2,000 deductible). I work in a different line of ins. and bound my auto through a separate broker, stupidity on my end i didn't review my collision deductible before binding it.

I should fix it right and probably will. I got the bug to lift it real bad and don't have the funds to do both so was just seeing if there were any more affordable repair ideas out there.

 

My thoughts exactly.

 

thanks for sharing man, that is a real bummer but stuff happens. i slid into a curb last winter in my old car and broke a tie rod, sometimes it just happens and it does not matter who you are or what you have, its inevitable. id fix the right way, its a great looking rig, lift it later!

 

Most body shops will just replace the sides than waste time repairing it, it's not cost effective for them to body work it. Side replacement panels will cost a lot but the shops don't care when the insurance company's are covering it, it's faster that way. 3K seems low, just pay the deductible and enjoy your truck looking new again.

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/broverlanding-tacoma.482510/page-6, look at this thread, he makes a flat bed to put his camper on. Also trade schools can fix in auto body school, some just charge materials.

 

Like a lot of guys said, you can build a flatbed for less then 500 dollars and get a buddy or someone on here to help weld and you will save yourself a shitload and have a badass truck, and be one of the only few if not 2nd person to flatbed a 3rd gen!

 

Yes flatbad plans in process and pulling the trigger if I can get the right price. Anyone seen a 3rd gen with a flat bed? Seen SMKYTXN's 2nd gen thing is sick nasty. Piggy* backing off of his design for mine.

 

From this, it sounds like the first investment you should make is into better tires

 

BUSHWACKERS FENDERS

pop out dents and put this over it
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vinyl-Graph...Tacoma&hash=item41ce168e48:g:hLIAAOSwOgdYweG2

and new or aftermarket bumper and taillights

 

this one for the right side
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vinyl-Decal...Tacoma&hash=item41d017493c:g:r2kAAOSwnONZCPAQ

 

Talk to the guys who have built and how much they paid, if you buy one your looking into the thousands, if you build, the hundreds.

 

There is no way you can pull the dents out of the passenger side and get it back to even reasonable looking state without a lot of filler, as the creasing is way too bad. Popping only works when the metal hasn't been "stretched". It will take a lot of work with hammer, then a ton of filler for both sides. The suction cups won't pull those dents, you'll need a hammer from the back side or a weld-on slide hammer. Glass or OEM fenders are your best option if you don't want to do the bodywork. Then paint them as you see fit. Remember the cost of your $3000 quote is mainly in the prep work not the paint work. If you are prepared to do that yourself, then the cost will come way down.

If you go with a high clearance rear bumper, then that'll fix the worst part of the drivers fender. The crease in the arch isn't bad, but then one below the light will be a bitch.