Body Damage

[bippy93]

I'm selling my bronco, because I want to wheel it, but not damage it.
How many of you have this same problem??? and what have you done
to overcome this. I really dont want to sell it, but dont want to ruin it.
Any suggestions?????:-[

 

[trailpsycho]

Rocker protectors: there are some good ones out there...they dont necessarily have to mount to the frame either. Rear quarter panel protectors...BCBroncos makes a really sweet set that goes from the edge of the tailgate around the quarter to the last 1/3 or the wheel well and from the bottom of the rocker to over the bed rail.

I think those are the most damaged areas, good front and rear bumpers with some wrap-around protection will also go a long way to keep the carnage to a minimum. Dont sell it....drive it.

 

[bippy93]

My problem in the past has been the top/side portion of the front fenders.
Attica has some narrow trails, and I wheel with those skinny jeep
guys. Any suggestions for the fender problem?????


Ryan

 

[73stallion]

get some dented or glass ones you don't mind damaging and save your good ones?

 

[Steve]

My problem in the past has been the top/side portion of the front fenders. Attica has some narrow trails, and I wheel with those skinny jeep guys. Any suggestions for the fender problem?????


Ryan

That's why I narrowed the front of mine. I understand what you're saying, but why own a 4x4 if you're afraid to wheel it? Fortunately I can fix body damage and paint it myself, which I do every few years because after 2-3 years the way I wheel mine it's looking pretty rough.

If it's just the front fenders you're worried about, get a spare pair that you can paint with rattle cans and use those for wheeling. Swapping front fenders is pretty easy and quick.

 

[bmc69]

x 3 on the fender swap. Dents just add character..I add more character to mine every time I wheel it.;D

I will admit I sold a cherry '68 to a friend a while back just to save it from me. But right after I sold it to the guy, I started riding him mercilessly about setting it up to wheel..and he finally caved in and did just that.

 

[Gummi Bear]

After the first dent or two, you won't mind as much. The fun of wheeling is better than having a super clean rig to me.

 

[bronconate68]

IF you sell it you will only watch someone else damage it on the trails.

I did a complete frame off and the first run I took it on when finished I did some body damage. Big deal, the running gear and important stuff still works. Maybe some day I will purchase another and keep it clean and pretty but then I would probably loan it to a friend so they could come wheelin also.

I'm leaning towards doing my own body work. I figure I'm going to have to learn sometime.

 

[SaddleUp]

IF you sell it you will only watch someone else damage it on the trails.

I did a complete frame off and the first run I took it on when finished I did some body damage. Big deal, the running gear and important stuff still works. Maybe some day I will purchase another and keep it clean and pretty but then I would probably loan it to a friend so they could come wheelin also.

I'm leaning towards doing my own body work. I figure I'm going to have to learn sometime.

LOL, I remember that.

FWIW, I painted mine 2 years ago because I knew Bronco Driver would be riding with me on a trail run. (It was rattle can black before that) The body work took about 3 weeks to get half way straightened up enough to make it look decent. (Nowhere near perfect though) That first weekend out I made it through the entire weekend right up until we were packed up and ready to leave. We made a quick trip back out onto the sand after we were loaded up just for one more look at the ocean before we headed down the highway. We saw a bunch playing around in a soupy spot and couldn't resist playing a little though. Net damage one dented front fender. I was just happy that I made it that long. Since that time I've dented every panel except the right front fender. I know this because I'm in the progress of repainting it again and have most of the bodywork done. (Currently on hold while I get another project off the ground) It didn't take as much time to do the bodywork this time though. Maybe two weeks by the time I'm finished. Last time I had to repair a tail light panel that had been ripped completely off (The right rear tail light panel is my sore thumb as it is what I hit more than anything else) and build a custom hood scoop.

Anyway, I don't know how my story will apply here. I never expect mine to be perfectly straight nor am I tryng to keep it that way. It's a trail rig after all. My biggest concern is to keep the paint job in good enough shape that the body isn't going to rust away while I'm not looking.

 

[bippy93]

I'm not looking for a show truck, just to keep it looking good when
driven on the street as well as on the trail. I might try making some
tube protection, that can be removed easily when driven on the street.

 

[UNCLEBEN]

The More you cut off the less there is to dent;D

I made sure to buy one that already had some rust and dents so I wouldent feel so bad about what I did to it.

 

[Gummi Bear]

Look in my gallery for some 'then and now' pics of my rig.

I've wheeled it since I bought it, just started wheeling it much harder after I got a DD/tow rig. ;D

 

[ken75ranger]

Key both sides of the body now! Problem solved.%)

 

[76 bronco J]

Key both sides of the body now! Problem solved.%)

------it's funny you say that because even though you can't see them in the pictures I've posted of my truck it has huge key scratches on both sides that have been there since I bought it in 96-- the previous owners were sick this happen to their new paint & my friends have been bugging me for 10 years to repaint it ,but there have been plenty of other more important things to deal with than exterior paint--the only problem is new people I meet always get close to the truck & I here the same comment all the time "who did you piss off"--- I don't have a problem with scratches ,but I hate rust & body damage makes me cringe

 

[Madgyver]

Just swap attitudes



+Drive it like you stole it.........

 

[broncnaz]

Just buy a trail rig. Or swap on fullsize axles. part of wheeling is knowing what you can do or cant do without damaging anything. To me anyways. A whole lot of rigs built today require less thought about what line you have to take and are built for the yuppie crowd that wants everything and have the money to pay for it.

 

[num]

Just buy a trail rig. Or swap on fullsize axles. part of wheeling is knowing what you can do or cant do without damaging anything. To me anyways. A whole lot of rigs built today require less thought about what line you have to take and are built for the yuppie crowd that wants everything and have the money to pay for it.

yeah - noone said it until now... buy a trail rig... something you won't mind seeing roll.

That's why I have my Jeep - ugly, dented, 300HP, 1-ton drivetrain, loud, and I mind a heck of a lot less if it rolls.