Rear Bumper Bash July 05, 2016, 05:33:56 pm After 14 years of happy traveling and towing, I finally screwed up. I guess I've hitched up and unhitched a zillion times, but about a month ago, I accidentally left the bolt out of one side of the receiver hitch. Thank heavens, I was in a place where there was no traffic and a very wide place to pull over, almost immediately. As you can already picture, as soon as I started up, I felt something weirdly wrong. Yanking - pulling me this way and that. The Tow car bashed into the right rear bumper. Nothing else was damaged, and while the bash-in is cosmetic, I hate it. I took it to a welder and he really didn't know what would be the best solution. The bumper is two sheets of steel! Wow. I'd appreciate your ideas.
Re: Rear Bumper Bash Reply #1 – July 07, 2016, 09:47:24 pm Quote from: Sarah Blackwood - July 05, 2016, 05:33:56 pmAfter 14 years of happy traveling and towing, I finally screwed up. I guess I've hitched up and unhitched a zillion times, but about a month ago, I accidentally left the bolt out of one side of the receiver hitch. Thank heavens, I was in a place where there was no traffic and a very wide place to pull over, almost immediately. As you can already picture, as soon as I started up, I felt something weirdly wrong. Yanking - pulling me this way and that. The Tow car bashed into the right rear bumper. Nothing else was damaged, and while the bash-in is cosmetic, I hate it. I took it to a welder and he really didn't know what would be the best solution. The bumper is two sheets of steel! Wow. I'd appreciate your ideas.I'd check with the factory to see how much a new bumper would cost. This is going to be hard to fix.Chris
Re: Rear Bumper Bash Reply #2 – July 08, 2016, 12:32:39 am Gosh, that looks familiar, Sarah. My rig has a dent almost exactly like it! Mine was acquired in a different fashion, though--while driving on a rough road, I dragged the rear end on a half-buried, watermelon-sized boulder at the exact bottom of a severe dip. Haven't had it fixed yet, so I'll be interested to hear what you come up with. 1 Likes
Re: Rear Bumper Bash Reply #3 – July 08, 2016, 02:53:13 am Dang Sarah! Without a doubt, we know how you must feel. Please keep us posted.
Re: Rear Bumper Bash Reply #4 – July 08, 2016, 11:34:28 am Within the auto body industry, there are metal shops that specialize in straightening badly bent bumpers, using hydraulic presses and heat. Most cars have plastic bumpers today but trucks still have metal bumpers and they get bent often.In many cases, it is much cheaper to repair than replace a bumper.And there is always the option of spending big bucks and having the Mothership replace it, along with fresh paint.My choice for self repair paint are products made by SprayMax, 2-part paints that can be matched to any color, available at many auto paint stores. The paint can be hazardous and need to be applied using the proper protective gear.Spraymax: Spraymax USACheck around for an knowledgeable RV or body shop that can remove the bumper and send it to one of these shops.Hope you have not had the bumper welded on.Larry 1 Likes
Re: Rear Bumper Bash Reply #5 – August 31, 2020, 03:01:21 pm Hello All,We just bashed our rear bumper as well - last Wednesday in fact, as we were hooking up the toad to head out for a couple of weeks at Mt. Laguna.This was the classic accident where you've moved the toad a little too far forward to connect the tow arms, so you go to back up, and guess what - it's in drive, not reverse.To compound the situation, we were pointing downhill on the street in front of our house, so the driver, expecting to back up, accelerated a bit more - but went forward. Ouch!Surprisingly, the damage was not too bad. The car sort of rode up on the tow arms, which were spread apart with their ends on the street surface, and the only thing that struck the RV bumper was the driver side tow cable connector, which is a very hefty piece of steel. The impact bent it way back.Even so, after assessing everything, we decided it was okay to go ahead and hook up and proceed with our trip. Everything worked fine. It's very nice here at Laguna campground.I examined everything carefully underneath the bumper and it seems that all of the hitch pieces - a very heavy steel box that is bolted to the chassis frame, and the heavy steel hitch that is bolted to the bottom of it - were not affected at all. Just the outer bumper was affected, in the impact area. It's made of much lighter steel. The top piece separated just a bit above the impact site. The dent at the center of impact is about one inch deep.It looks like hell, so there's no question that we're going to get it fixed, and I think we'll just be lazy and take it to the Mother Ship for a new bumper. The only question I have is how exactly the bumper is attached to the heavy steel box I described earlier, and whether this might pose a problem in bumper removal. I'm guessing it's brazed rather than welded: technical gurus, please chime in.Thanks,Tim
Re: Rear Bumper Bash Reply #6 – August 31, 2020, 05:14:55 pm As you're finding out, this is a common dent! My rig has one, a bit smaller, in the same spot from the previous owner.If you're like me, part of what you're feeling is related to the damaged rig, and part is related to damaged pride. I would wait a while before deciding what to do, to let the damaged pride part settle down a bit. Your RV will still drive just fine, visit the same parks, and hang out with the same people. I have a few spots that irk me each time I see them, but they don't affect the way the rig lives or travels so I'm learning to handle the damaged pride part.Rich
Re: Rear Bumper Bash Reply #7 – August 31, 2020, 06:35:38 pm Hi Tim; Well I think many of us have bashed in bumpers, a few times in my case. I only have 3" clearance from being out of the sidewalk, and hitting my garage sidewall. I have a Harbor Freight's 4 ton hydraulic dent pusher. It can put a lot of pressure in just the right place. https://www.harborfreight.com/4-ton-heavy-duty-portable-hydraulic-equipment-kit-62115.html A detailed picture of the damage would help us online. The one inch part can be filled with Bondo and spot painted. The upper part of the bumper is harder, Generally dealt with by pounding with a sledge hammer. That all calls for a repaint. Some people in the Caravan club have put aluminum diamond plate across the top of the bumper to cover up just such paint defects. The Lagunas can be nice this time of year. Laguna campground? Sometimes on a clear day, I can see the mountain from my front yard. Enjoy it. RonB
Re: Rear Bumper Bash Reply #8 – August 31, 2020, 08:42:41 pm Just a quick note - it was pointed out to me that the original post is from 4 years ago. We have been spinning our wheels. I pulled my post, but thought you might want to know.Ken F in WY
Re: Rear Bumper Bash Reply #9 – August 31, 2020, 09:32:52 pm I think that the responses apply to Tim and Florence’s mishap as well; their bumper bash is very recent! 1 Likes
Re: Rear Bumper Bash Reply #10 – August 31, 2020, 09:50:36 pm Okay, this is really quite funny!Have not been on the forum for quite a while.First thing that comes up is Sarah,s boo boo.We bought Sarah's LD about 4 years ago!AND the dent is still there. It is a good conversation starter. Like the thread a few brave souls have asked, told the story, and they then fessed up and told their ooops!New nonslip sticky, scrubbed a little rust, primed, sealed, reflector tape and Bob's your uncle.Washington and Oregon coast, A long loop of the Southwest and the dent reminds to check and recheck the toad connections!Back yard boon docking on a friends farm near Poulsbo Washington.John 1 Likes
Re: Rear Bumper Bash Reply #11 – September 01, 2020, 12:30:07 am Quote from: John and Judy - August 31, 2020, 09:50:36 pmOkay, this is really quite funny!Have not been on the forum for quite a while.First thing that comes up is Sarah,s boo boo.We bought Sarah's LD about 4 years ago!AND the dent is still there. It is a good conversation starter. Like the thread a few brave souls have asked, told the story, and they then fessed up and told their ooops!New nonslip sticky, scrubbed a little rust, primed, sealed, reflector tape and Bob's your uncle.Washington and Oregon coast, A long loop of the Southwest and the dent reminds to check and recheck the toad connections!Back yard boon docking on a friends farm near Poulsbo Washington.John Is that a 2004 Rear Bath?Chris
Re: Rear Bumper Bash Reply #12 – September 01, 2020, 01:38:54 pm All,Thanks for your responses. Sorry I was too lazy to create a new thread for this.Thanks, Ron B., for the information about the Harbor Freight hydraulic press. That sounds like a versatile tool, and I'll definitely think about adding it to my arsenal. It might be just the ticket for a DIY on this. Also, per your suggestion, I'm uploading a couple of photos of the damaged area. It's actually pretty minor; funny how as the days wear on, it seems to shrink. BTW, I tried to call Lazy Daze this morning and got Todd's message that they are closed this week for annual vacation and will re-open on Tuesday, September 8.Best Regards,Tim
Re: Rear Bumper Bash Reply #13 – September 01, 2020, 02:44:36 pm Ouch!! That hydraulic tool can push most of that dent back out. It won't be invisible. Matching paint per Larry Wade, looks to be needed, so Bondo could help cover the imperfections that remain. A new black strip would help cover the damage well. Except for where the adhesive has separated from the upper piece joint to the actual bumper. I think that LD should weld that joint before painting. But maybe they intend for that joint to fail, so as to limit damage to the back of the motorhome wall. If you repaint the back portion of the bumper, stainless round head bolts (like the carriage bolts LD uses) might pull that upper part back into line against the bottom part, and be nearly unnoticeable under the tire cover. While I'm thinking of it, owners of older Lazy Dazes, I clean up under the bumper and recoat it with spray on asphalt emulsion, or undercoating. I find that road debris, sand and such, abrades the painted wood, and metal parts of the bumper underneath. I try not to get spray on the wiring looms. RonB
Re: Rear Bumper Bash Reply #14 – September 01, 2020, 03:10:26 pm Ron, the 4 ton press is a great tool. Our Rescue Squad carried a similar tool, called a Port-A -Power, alongside the Jaws Of Life, and used both for extrication. We were pushing metal apart with it. For body work, though, it needs something at both ends. To straighten a bumper dent, for example, I think you would need something like a framework of I-beams, with the bumper resting against one and the press against the other, pushing into the bumper dent. To straighten one of our bumpers, I believe you would have to remove the bumper, assemble a frame, fit the bumper into the frame, then do the straightening, or am I missing something?Ken F in WY
Re: Rear Bumper Bash Reply #15 – September 01, 2020, 07:05:12 pm I recently had a similar rear bumper bash "corrected" by Buddy's Welding & RV in Flagstaff, Arizona. It looked really ugly and is now almost not noticeable anymore. I don't know where you are, but if you are close to Flagstaff you could drive by there and let have Buddy a look at it. It's a good idea to call ahead and check whether Buddy is in.Buddy's Welding & RV Inc.7007 N. U.S. HWY 89, Flagstaff, AZ 86004(928) 526-4257They also installed my solar system and did a good job. I think this is a good RV repair shop. When you talk to Buddy you know immediately that he knows what he is talking about and what he is doing. Klaus
Re: Rear Bumper Bash Reply #16 – September 01, 2020, 08:28:53 pm Welcome to the club, I dented our bumper and pulled it out using the Jeep's winch. I have repaired a couple of bumpers that needed to be cut apart, the bent parts straightened by heating the metal until it was red hot and pounding it straight, before welding the pieces back together. I have a Porta-Power set but none of the bumpers repaired had suitable surfaces to push against, it has been easier to pull the dents using a winch or a come-along.Porta-Power kithttps://www.bing.com/aclick?ld=e8t1_X7xvoY4XaF46SxHe-sDVUCUwTslF2IxHLlnSh_U9m13QXR-CEsdL7zY1nTFa2QXQLe54uW9gBTkrJdknyo-V1_5cfN-EH94vM8k7Lui0CPtNtdgzY-9kxkieeq1WvuPJylm8-bOT1JYhe7ugaiSIeAJJ0npEC_5ymfCmlUun5D7kG&u=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&rlid=e92701991c931eca74fc5ed7fa03b949Come-alonghttps://www.amazon.com/TR-Industrial-Portable-4-Ton-Puller/dp/B074986SW9/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=come-along&qid=1599006204&sr=8-4Larry 1 Likes As an Amazon Associate Lazy Daze Owners' Group earns from qualifying purchases.
Re: Rear Bumper Bash Reply #17 – September 01, 2020, 09:26:46 pm I put a good-sized ding in one corner of the back bumper several years ago; it was dark, pouring rain, and I didn't see a tall sprinkler standard in the parking lot plantings at Harris Ranch. I should have put GOAL into play, but I didn't want to get soaked; I backed into the pipe while maneuvering the rig into a space. Vince at the factory pounded out the dent and repainted the bumper; said that he did quite a bit of that kind of work, but I was still very annoyed at my carelessness. 2 Likes
Re: Rear Bumper Bash Reply #18 – September 02, 2020, 04:00:04 am For Ken. The times I used the 'pusher' for my bumper, I had an assortment of metal unistrut, and 4x4 wood posts. The first time, I pushed against the crossmember behind my gas tank, where it joins the main frame. I was pushing into the back of the bumper right where the frame member attaches to the bumper. So it was a straight shot. Another time the bottom part of the bumper had folded under about 1 inch, and it was easy to just bend it back into place. The upper part of the bumper wasn't too involved. Paint wasn't damaged either time. That time I used a 4x4 to push against the rear spring shackle bracket. My 'pusher' is only the 4 ton model, so It can't inflict as much damage as the 10 ton model could. I've also used it to undo collision damage to the corner of a friends Honda. Careful consideration of where you are pushing, on both ends is critical, and maybe the hardest part of straightening. Crow bars and small sledge hammers, miscellaneous blocks of wood are helpfull to spread forces around. Cars particularly are touchy, delicate structures. I prefer bumpers. RonB 1 Likes
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