Fallen Tree Branch

[Rick W]

it may depend on the condition of the tree.
if it had obvious signs of rot / decay the tree owner should have maintained it.
a perfectly healthy tree getting blown over would be considered an act of God and the damage is covered by you.
another thing to consider, was the tree on a right-of-way?

Another factor to consider, was that Branch that fell on their side of the fence line or on your side of the fence line. If it was on your side of the fence line, at least down here in Georgia, you have a right to cut it off even with the fence line. That goes back to wasn’t healthy or not. So if you are not an apartment complex, you might have a claim against your own apartment complex for not maintaining it.

On all our properties everywhere, incidental damage like that from mother nature is considered an act of God. We actually pay extra on our insurance to cover weird stuff like that. It’s only a few pennies more.

I’d just go talk to the property owner, very politely and amicably, and say we have a problem. Make the tree and the branch a third entity when you talk to them. You’re a good guy and they’re a good guy, and his evil tree branch fell and hit my truck. Best way to negotiate always, or at least start. Never accuse them, blame the tree.

 

[ShhhhhDougsHere]

I agree with @Rick W .
Make the tree a 3rd party in the conversation.

As for the salvage title, I live in Ohio and my truck has a salvage title.

I use an insurance broker which searches other insurance companies for the best prices.
I gave them the perimeter of searching at least 10 to 20 companies for prices for my truck. My broker looked at 30 different companies and every one of them would only give my truck liability insurance because of the salvage title.

So you have to take that into a factor when debating whether you're truck gets a salvage title or retains it's regular title.

I hope My 2 cents gives you at least a little help.

 

[ShhhhhDougsHere]

P.S. to my post in this thread. Post #17 of this thread.

The best part of my insurance on my truck is I only pay $10 a month. And it covers the law liability if I do accidentally hit somebody someday.

 

[ronclark]

It will vary I am sure.

Even best case which is probably close to what I posted I don't think it is worth it to taint the title over a couple hundred bucks of sheetmetal and a windshield.

While you have the windshield out and fenders off swap in a second gen cowl to lose the leafeater slots. Second gen wiper assembly would be nice too so the wipers will lock out while you clean the windshield.

Thanks for the idea, I'll definitely do that. I hate how much debris gets in there. I clean it about once a year, it seems.
I was looking at body parts there, not as many as I thought there would be.

 

[ronclark]

So, I was looking at a second-gen cowling at the yard today. It looks to be spot-welded behind the fenders.
So the only way to get on is to drill out all the spot welds? And are there any welds under the windshield or anywhere else?

A write-up would be great if it existed, I also want to do this to the Bronco II I have

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

I "think" windshield needs to be out, as well as all spot welds. I'll take a pic of my 91...
Yes, windshield needs out, as well as fenders off.

 

[ronclark]

I "think" windshield needs to be out, as well as all spot welds. I'll take a pic of my 91...
Yes, windshield needs out, as well as fenders off.

Thanks for the pics. Looks like a large pick n pull job.
I'll have to get a few tools.
One more question, what's the best way to get reattached? I don't have a welder.
At least I'll be able to get metal cleaned and treated

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

I've used sheet metal screws to reattach panels that were spot welded. But in this case because of the windshield I would look at some of the panel adhesives from 3M. Adhesives are used in bodywork all the time now, tho I've never done it.

 

[Rick W]

Another thing to consider. How badly is that cowl piece damaged? I don’t know what they’re called, but they make studs and a special gun for a welder so you can stick/weld the studs on the face of the sheet metal. Then you can use a slide hammer to pull out the dent. I’d be curious to see that cowl if you can clean it off and send a picture. It would be a whole lot less work.

Maybe a local body shop could do just that part of the work. Whole lot easier than pulling windshields and fenders, and considering putting it back in would basically be a “patch,“ I don’t think you’re suffering for anything if yours is not all rusty around the edges, it may even be a better solution.

Hope it helps

 

[scotts90ranger]

Yeah, those stud welders are only $100 at Harbor Freight... You have options, I bounced back from this on my '90:

 

[JoshT]

Another thing to consider. How badly is that cowl piece damaged? I don’t know what they’re called, but they make studs and a special gun for a welder so you can stick/weld the studs on the face of the sheet metal. Then you can use a slide hammer to pull out the dent. I’d be curious to see that cowl if you can clean it off and send a picture. It would be a whole lot less work.

Maybe a local body shop could do just that part of the work. Whole lot easier than pulling windshields and fenders, and considering putting it back in would basically be a “patch,“ I don’t think you’re suffering for anything if yours is not all rusty around the edges, it may even be a better solution.

Hope it helps

I've watched a lot of the dent fix guys on youtube over the years. The PDR guys are using hot glue. I actually bought one of those hot glue type kits off Amazon a year ot two ago to try out on some spots on the Ranger and F-250, but never got around to it.

I'd also like to note that the windshield removal doesn't really matter. His windshield is already busted and will need to be replaced. The junkyard windshield doesn't much matter either, do what ever it takes to get it out of the way as quickly as possible. I gurantee that it wouldn't get removed in one piece anyway, almost no one is going to bother with a used windshield for one of these.

New is cheaper, for the cost of tools and materials to remove and reinstall an old used one yourself, you could probably pay a company to install a new one. Also, by paying a company to handle it, you are off the hook for finding and buying a replacement if it breaks during install. They can order up a new one if they break it, good luck finding another good used one and you'll have to eat the cost of both.

Door side or rear glass is a different story, those (in a Ranger) are bolted/riveted in, not glued. Much easier/cheaper to DIY replace those if you can find good glass, even buying new.

 

[Rick W]

Agreed. It’s hard to tell from the picture how bad his cow piece is damaged, so I was just giving options.

You’re right on the windshield, too. I replaced the windshield on my 87. I did it at the pull apart, with a new windshield, and it was $165 3-4 years ago.

 

[Robertmangrum.rm]

Given the age of the truck, that might be a can of worms you don't want to open.

I was kind of in the same situation with my 2019. My girlfriend hit a vehicle in front of her and bent up the bumper. While I have full coverage, the repair would have been just over my deductible in parts, I would have had to trust the body shop to get OEM parts, and do the job right. And then, my insurance premium might be increased due to the claim.

So, I just opted to do the repair myself and be done with it. And I actually upgraded the bumper a bit to something better than the thin sheetmetal and plastic it came with.

Those front bumpers are tougher than you think. Next time I see ya I can walk you over and show hou all the scars where I've bounced it off big rocks haha. But I do like the stubby bumper. I would be rocking the Shockworks but they went out of business at the same time I ordered it. They did refund my money and that's when I bought the winch tray. That kills my approach angle. Eventually I will either get a bumper or a hidden winch mount. I just have too many other priorities right now so the truck will have to wait.

 

[sgtsandman]

Those front bumpers are tougher than you think. Next time I see ya I can walk you over and show hou all the scars where I've bounced it off big rocks haha. But I do like the stubby bumper. I would be rocking the Shockworks but they went out of business at the same time I ordered it. They did refund my money and that's when I bought the winch tray. That kills my approach angle. Eventually I will either get a bumper or a hidden winch mount. I just have too many other priorities right now so the truck will have to wait.

The parts of my original bumper that are left have some scuffs as well. When Jessica hit the car in front of her, she said she only bumped it. Me not being there, I have to take her word for it. All I know is that it didn't take much to cut out the section the stubby slides into and the bumper was pretty flimsy until everything was bolted together.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Agreed. It’s hard to tell from the picture how bad his cow piece is damaged, so I was just giving options.

You’re right on the windshield, too. I replaced the windshield on my 87. I did it at the pull apart, with a new windshield, and it was $165 3-4 years ago.

My cowl is perfect... and I want to replace it with the second gen version.

Between rust and fire the leafeater first gen cowl has killed a lot of trucks.