Looking for opinions on damage

Hello! First time posting. I’m new to off-roading and got a bit ahead of myself today. I went over a rock and ended up landing hard. It doesn’t look like I have any functional damage but I’m still fairly anxious about it. Does this look significant? It’s mostly a dent in where the front cross member bolts to the frame and also a small dent in the exhaust system. I haven’t noticed any difference in ride but it just happened this morning.

Thanks in advance!

 

Looks like fun was had. What’s the concern?
Not something I would worry about repairing (personally).

 

Beat it back into approximate shape and go have some more fun..

 

She aight.

 

Make sure it all aligns and call it a day. I can’t imagine that messing with the alignment at all. All I would be worried about, but looks like nothing from here

 

Thanks! I felt like I shouldn’t have been concerned but the truck is brand new and I’m overreacting. I’m glad to hear others don’t think it looks too bad. I think next mod should be probably be skids.

 

brass hammer and smack it back in, then buy skids

 

I always hit that area its pretty annoying, also surprised how thin some of the cross-members can be. I usually sand and blend with some tools then I wipe it down with mineral spirits before re-painting. Id be in the same boat with you for worrying about the deformation damage though.

 

I have sliders so, if anything, I figured I would land on those based on my line. But nope. Will skids pretty much protect everything important in the undercarriage? Or do I just need to learn how to wheel better?

 

i believe RCI sells skids that go all the way from the front of the truck to the aft of the trans where the T case sits so with a full skid setup, plus fuel tank skid, plus rear diff skid, plus control arm skids you can just skid around like a dog with worms. but its a lot of money in my opinion. Ive had my fair share of hitting quite a bit underneath so ive come to learn and be more vigilant about going slow and picking the easiest lines.

 

skids will save a lot of headaches

 

Rci skids on order!! Just saying

 

More observant wheeling will help, but depending on the area/materials you wheel around… protecting areas that would SUCK to damage on the trail (engine/transmission) would be a good idea. Thankfully I’m surrounded by sand and muck with the occasional random tree part. Other than getting a cypress knee in the nads, I’m good. It is the mall crawling that is more dangerous - curb in the side step, buggy to the bumper!

 

its no longer new

the exhaust the least...........no worries

a really good alignment shop can compensate

to say no damage would be incorrect

 

Brand new truck and brand new to TW? Let the mods begin!

Here's your to do list:

1. Join and read TW then get ready to


2. Sell OEM tires and get offroad tires first.
3. Exhaust reroute.
4. Install skids designed for reroute (more clearance)
5. Sell OEM steps and install rock sliders
6. Lift truck and get better suspension

Optional
7. CMC and fender cut
8. Get new wheels and larger tires!

 

Lol your next mod should be learning how to pick lines that won't result in damage. A guy taught me decades ago this little saying... "When in doubt, get out" meaning, if you don't have a spotter and you are unsure of your line, get out and walk it and figure out how to get your truck through it without any damage. Skids are for when there is no line possible without dragging something.

 

Solid advice. I've noticed on my Taco that the hood/front end block a lot of the forward view so I regularly have my passenger get-out and check things out. Just yesterday I took my GF's kid out wheeling, we climbed a hill neither of us could see the other side of. We got to the top, I stopped, asked him to get out and let me know what was in front of us. He jumped-out, took two steps and disappeared. Word to the wise, get a Spotter who isn't a smart ass LOL!

 

When I was a young man I raced motocross in the 250 class. I also did a lot of enduro and rode every day. They were building a section of interstate near my town and it looked like a perfect place to practice after the crews left in the evening. It was constantly changing as they did rough grades and moved mountains and such. One evening I went over there, unloaded my bike and noticed a new high wall that was not there last time. It looked like it went up and leveled out to go into the woods. So, I went up, checked the dirt a bit and went back to get a good run to climb the hill. Remember I raced so jumps, climbs and berms were normal. I hit the bottom at about 60 mph and lost very little speed by the time I hit the top.... except the top was about two feet long before it plunged back down. The was I looked at it from the bottom, it looked like it leveled out but the level part was about 50 ft away and about 10 ft lower than the top of the new hill. I flew the gap and landed on the flat part. I landed it flat, flew over the bars and only broke my arm and collarbone. Bike was bent up tho.
That was a learning day for sure. Same for trucks offroad... get out and walk it.
I raced for about a season after that but still rode. It wasn't until I had to lay my street bike down on asphalt that I gave up riding motorcycles. I went into a much safer sport... mtn bikes.

 

Rocks happen.

I have a stock DCLB but added full skid plates (stock exhaust): air down tools (15 psi for the sandpit), recovery strap.

95% of my mileage is on paved road (hence almost nearly stock). Rock sliders are overkill but cheaper than a crushed rocker panel.

I really need to add the front camera (cresting a hill, no idea on the other side is where I found a rock!)

 

One of the duties of my old job was to check old mines for wildlife before they were closed up. One such mine shaft (shafts are vertical tunnels, adits are horizontal tunnels) had an emergency closure order because several people had already fallen in. It seems that they were only people who were riding motorcycles. Why? Because they were jumping the tailing pile and didn’t bother to look at what was on the other side!