Minor Damage - Need Suggestions

[m4dc0w]

I recently had my truck serviced, and I noticed a day later that he fender was bent outward on the passenger side.

Upon further inspection it looks like the company that did the work caused the damage, be I got the standard "We didn't cause that" explaination.

So I am now having to fix this damage myself.

From my inspection and the pictures, it looks like they lifted my truck using the wrong point under my passenger side. It looks like they pushed up the fender and the bracket at the bottom forcing the fender to bulge out. Looks like a simple and straight forward fix by remobing the bottom bolts and re-bending the bracket in place.

Any body guys out there have any suggestions what to watch out for?

-mc

 

[wood1]

I think I'd go back and have another conversation with the shop. What kind of idiot puts a truck on a lift like it's a Geo Metro???

If you had access to an anchor pot you might be able to yank that down, maybe a bodyman will chime in. That's what I'd try I think.

 

[Willard]

Yea I'd tell the shop to make it right. Have them look at it and explain to them what you think happened. Shops have insurance for these things, and they need to use it.

But, if you fix it, that may not be hard, or it could be really hard. I would try to somehow pull the bottom down while pushing the side in to see if it will bend back into shape.

 

[Sams01XplrSprt]

that sux bout the damage on ur x

 

[m4dc0w]

Trust me, I've pestered the shop already. Even threatened then with a letter from my Lawyer friend, they won't budge. Suffice to say they won't be seeing me again also, and will be losing all the business from my company.

I'm just waiting for the weather to co-operate here a bit with the snow melting, then I'll get under there ans see what I can do.

-mc

 

[924dr4x4]

they defanitly did that damage,probably a high school student or recent grad from uti or something like that,not knowing "exactly" where the jack points are for the lifts and put it in the wrong spot and didnt realize it till it was to late,cause if u look at the damage,where its pushed up at is the same exact size as the piece that they put on to lift the truck

 

[MONMIX]

If I had a dollar for every time I have seen this...
Well,
I would be able to buy lunch some where nice.

Any way.
No real tragity here.
Pop off the plastic trim there at the bottom of the fender.

I believe a coupla phillips screws and some push clips. The ones on the top will take a little finageling but they will come off. Usually the clips stay on the fender and you have the trim in your hand. No biggie, just pop the clips out and out them back into the trim.

It looks like you might need to straighten the pinch weld. Channel locks, vise grips and a good grunt and the will be good to go.
Take the two 8mm bolts and loosen them, but do not remove them.
About half way up the fender on the inside, I believe there is another 8mm bolt, but dont mark my words on that one.
Open the door and at the top of the fender is another 8mm bolt. Loosen that one.

You can now gently massage the fender back into place. Getting the fender smooth to the door, wile maintaing the gap and the body lines might take a few tries and a bit of finesse, but it can be done. The best tip for that is to close the door and with one hand align the fender, and with the other hand tighten the bottom bolts.

That should do the trick.

 

[vroomzoomboom]

Trust me, I've pestered the shop already. Even threatened then with a letter from my Lawyer friend, they won't budge. Suffice to say they won't be seeing me again also, and will be losing all the business from my company.

I'm just waiting for the weather to co-operate here a bit with the snow melting, then I'll get under there ans see what I can do.

-mc

i would be telling them that they can fix it, or go to the news papers and ask them to do a write up on there body customizations!

 

[m4dc0w]

Thanks for all the replies, I'll definately put them to good use in the next day or so


-mc