finiteguy

I was rear ended today in traffic. When I got out and looked at the damage it looked like nothing was wrong so I didn't bother to exchange papers. When I got to work I found that tha rar bumper is tilted down. Is it difficult to bend it back up?
I shouldn't have been so generous. I taped someone 5 years ago and I'm still paying for it. (I hate insurance companies)

bmrrwolfe

When someone hits you always exchange papers. That could of been a few hundred dollars for a new bumper or something else on the XJ.

How bad is it bent?

finiteguy

The bumper is tilted down about 20 degrees. I wonder if I can bend it back up? Is it just bolted on? Are there shocks? I'm not familiar with it.

finiteguy

I know that I should have gotten his number,,,, no excuse. But the fact remains, I have a bent bumper. Someone suggested putting a jack under the bumper and lifting it and have the weight of the jeep bend it back.

_StationWagon_

Post pics so we can better determine the damage. I can't visualize a bumper "tilted down 20 degrees".

finiteguy

I'm at work right now. When I get home tonite I will post soem pictures.
I was planning on putting some money in body repair anyway. There is a lot of rust and I wanted to have the rotted floor somewhat fixed.
Still no excuse for letting this guy go. He claims he was reading a map. and was distracted.

caged

you're better off removing the bumper and inspecting the rear mounting area for damage. that strip that runs from fender to fender that the bumper mounts to is weak as hell. that's probably where the bent damage is.

then, if not damaged, you can a new stock bumper from the junkyard, or even get a steel bumper to put back on that mounts to the unirails like a hitch.

jowint

How's your neck after the accident?

I am still messed up from being rear ended by an XJ years ago.

Tough little vehicles those XJ's.
The guy in the XJ was not paying attention and hit a jaguar that then hit me.

The XJ did not look like it had any front end damage at all.

I was very impressed actually, but I should have documented my neck injury because it was very stiff on scene and now I have chronic problems, but I had to be the big man and act like I was fine- dumb.

finiteguy

My neck is okay, I'm in pain from shoveling and blowing snow for the past month. Took another look at my bumper at lunch time. Looks like it migh tbe tough to get the bumper off. I can see only two bottom bolts.
It's bent enough so that I can't see behind the bumper.

caged

then i'd get out the grinder with a cutting disc and cut the bumper so you can get to the bolts.
the last thing you want to do is just start jacking it up and tear the panel right off the back of the jeep.
a replacement bumper is cheap and plentiful. tearing the panel off is a whole lotta work to repair.
is your jeep rusty anywhere?

finiteguy

Yes, there is quite a bit of rust. The floor is rusted and the rear passenger side rocker panel. This Jeep belonged ot my father and he lived near the ocean. Has 98,000 miles. There is a drive train vibration, cause unkonown.
I'd like to keep this as long as I can. Lets hope that this is the only stupid thing that I do in 2011.

finiteguy

Here are photos of the bent bumper

finiteguy

It looks like there are only 4 bolts underneath the bumper. Are those the only bolts holding the bumper on?

caged

4 on each side.

finiteguy

I read that you have to access the bolts under the endcaps? Is that ccorrect? I saw some brackets for this bumper on ebay. They look a little flimsy. They probably buckled. If that's the case, I can probably fix this for short money.