Sister-in-law hit a tree, worht fixing?

[sparky13a]

This vehicle is definetly a total loss as far as the insurance company is concerned, but is not unrepairable. If you have your heart set on this Explorer and you are a good welder this vehicle can be repaired. New parts are out of the question cost wise. A front section for this vehicle can be obtained from a junkyard for about $900. A front section will will be cut at the A and B pillars and across the floor (the vehicle is virtually sawed in half). The damaged vehicle is dissected piece by piece until all damaged components are removed. dissection is by drilling out all of the spot welds as necessary to remove each component. The donor body is then dissected in the reverse fashion and then plug welded to the the original body. Of course close attention must be made to making sure the combined body is square before welding. Based on your description, if this was my vehicle I would fix it, but I'm alittle nuts! Good luck.

 

[Ranger379]

after countless hours of reading and learning on the forums here, i wish i would have bought my old explorer back form the insurance company, i woulda swapped a whole body onto, and a front bumper and id be good to go lol. anything can be done/fixed, with time and money. and youll have all the help you could ever ask for from all the members on here.

i guess it comes down to how much money you are willing to spend.

 

[Axial32]

That's barely a total if so... Frame doesn't appear to be bent, you would need a radiator core support, radiator, condensor, radiator fan, maybe fender rails, of coarse a new fender, grille, bumper, headlight, hood...

The only way to tell besides seeing in person to see if the frame is bent, is get it on a measure/pulling system. You would NOT have to section a whole front half of a donor body.

If you planned not to resell it, you could get away without the airbags at your own risk... You could find a repair shop that would do the frame pulling if it is off too bad. The replacement of the upper fender rail isn't hard, again drilling plug welds and re spot welding it back on... the battery box could prolly be repaired or a new one installed, same with the abs mounts and fuse block.

There is no reason to doubt me, I'm a collision repair tech. I do this for a living. And have gone through classes for it.

 

[Danson]

hey everyone, i decided to chek it all out and start it up. the belt was not on so i knew none of the pulleys would be going, the thing fired up like nothing after sitting for 3 months in the cold and with the exception of the broken tie rod it moves, no check engine light, the only thing i noticed was that it no longer has power brakes, no lines are broke. She has no collision on it so she is not going to be getting any money from the insurance company, found an identical explorer for $400 with a blown engine so theres all my parts, Thanks for all your opinions

 

[Joe Dirt]

 

[Danson]

any ideas on the no power brake issue, the booster looks ok??

 

[sport97]

I bet a fuse blew, or a wire shorted out or something. Good luck on the repair

 

[shadowless127]

hey everyone, i decided to chek it all out and start it up. the belt was not on so i knew none of the pulleys would be going, the thing fired up like nothing after sitting for 3 months in the cold and with the exception of the broken tie rod it moves, no check engine light, the only thing i noticed was that it no longer has power brakes, no lines are broke. She has no collision on it so she is not going to be getting any money from the insurance company, found an identical explorer for $400 with a blown engine so theres all my parts, Thanks for all your opinions

Do work!!

I expect a full write-up/diary thread on this

Good luck!!

 

[lounge lizard]

good to hear you found a cheap replacement!

yes! it would be nice to see the evolution of an explorer being reborn out of the wreck of another.

 

[Cozmik]

Pulling out of her laneway and caused that kind of damage? How long is that laneway?

 

[specialized7]

interested in selling those front seats?
send them down here on the grey hound

 

[Danson]

The laneway is only a 3 car Laneway but she pulled out and after about 2 houses there is a sharp bend and right after the bend is where she lost control its probably about 6 houses away, the cop tried to say that she must have been flying but I'm not sure how fast you could get that thing going after 6 houses

 

[Joe Dirt]

interested in selling those front seats?
send them down here on the grey hound

To Saskatoon?

Ok, I just pictured the Charlestown Chiefs rolling in the bus while Sonny James' "A Little Bit South of Saskatoon" plays in the background...

 

[Sogsnakebite]

Good luck with the build good to see another local Ex being saved

 

[Danson]

will i have to do any welding for the radiator support??

 

[Danson]

can i use the fender/hood/rad support/bumper from a 4 door explorer? or does it have to be a 2 door??

 

[Axial32]

all the sheet metal is the same, the only thing that I question is the fenders, because i was told sports have larger wheel wells...

 

[Danson]

Do any of you know how hard it is to replace the lower control arm??? i replaced the tie rod and realised that the tire is pushed back into the wheel well because the arm is pushed back