Wrecked my Jeep and seeking advice

Why? Am I wholly unqualified to provide input? Have I misrepresented my abilities?
Not at all. You are just fully overlooking how insurance companies and shops doing insurance jobs function.
No shop quotes a 150 dollar transfer case. They can't because they have to warranty their work and no shop on the face of this planet will warranty a 150 dollar t-case unless it is one they have provenance for and then it won't be 150.

If the owner wants to take the quote and work out a deal to provide them with parts that he will accept as no warranty installs to cut the bill down, that's up to him and the shop as long as he is aware that if there is a problem, he will pay the labor to swap it out and provide a different case or pay them to repair it and reinstall.

The shop may be able to repair the axle, I've yet to see one do that for an insurance job.
 
Not at all. You are just fully overlooking how insurance companies and shops doing insurance jobs function.
No shop quotes a 150 dollar transfer case. They can't because they have to warranty their work and no shop on the face of this planet will warranty a 150 dollar t-case unless it is one they have provenance for and then it won't be 150.

If the owner wants to take the quote and work out a deal to provide them with parts that he will accept as no warranty installs to cut the bill down, that's up to him and the shop as long as he is aware that if there is a problem, he will pay the labor to swap it out and provide a different case or pay them to repair it and reinstall.

The shop may be able to repair the axle, I've yet to see one do that for an insurance job.
makes sense, thank you. I was coming from the perspective of fixing it all himself with no input from the insurance companies since my previous experience I was at fault and had liability only.
 
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Hopefully he finds all the damage and doesn't miss any.
Here is what I see-
Front axle unless he can repair it. The lower control arm mount on the left side is probably toast.
New control arms at least on the left side, likely need them on both sides.
New steering gear with pitman because I won't trust that one any longer.
New trackbar
New steering linkage because I'm not going to drive on that after that wreck.
New front driveshaft.
New t-case.
Trans needs to be checked for damage since the t-case got exploded by the driveshaft trying to punch through it.
Check and rebalance rear driveshaft since it was attached to the blown up t-case.
Check motor mounts themselves and then the frame side mount and bolt bosses on the engine block for damage and replace as needed.
Steering gear welded mount needs to be checked for damage and weld cracks.
New fender, marker light, flare and turn signal.
New hood latch set.
Hood needs to be checked for hinge bending at the cowl and repaired if needed.
Safety catch at hood needs to be checked.
New front bumper.
Left side swaybar link bushing needs to be check for damage and replaced.
Front swaybar needs to be checked to see if that side is bent.
Exhaust head pipe around front of oil pan is likely damaged and needs repaired or replaced if so.
The down kink in the winch guard light hoop points to a lot more of a lateral hit to the frame than is evident at first glance. They need to check that the front of the frame wasn't pushed over some. There is nothing else that points to that but still needs to be checked. It also may just be the result of the left side of the bumper getting pushed back and up which may have saved the frame.
Wow; thank you for the detailed list; we will make sure that we follow up on your suggestion; lucky we live near and had it towed to a what I understand is a one of the best Jeep people in the area (Chris Durham).
 
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Wow; thank you for the detailed list; we will make sure that we follow up on your suggestion; lucky we live near and had it towed to a what I understand is a one of the best Jeep people in the area (Chris Durham).
If Chris is working on it, you don't need my list at all. He won't miss anything and he can be fairly creative when it comes to getting it back on the road.
 
If Chris is working on it, you don't need my list at all. He won't miss anything and he can be fairly creative when it comes to getting it back on the road.
Really? I've heard good things about him; but seeing you are from CA and you are saying that makes a mom breathe a sigh of relief knowing that if it's put back on the road it would be a safe.
 
Really? I've heard good things about him; but seeing you are from CA and you are saying that makes a mom breathe a sigh of relief knowing that if it's put back on the road it would be a safe.
I have a competition rock crawling background and competed against Chris and Moose several times and then worked support for a top team at events which they were also at.
 
Not at all. You are just fully overlooking how insurance companies and shops doing insurance jobs function.
No shop quotes a 150 dollar transfer case. They can't because they have to warranty their work and no shop on the face of this planet will warranty a 150 dollar t-case unless it is one they have provenance for and then it won't be 150.

If the owner wants to take the quote and work out a deal to provide them with parts that he will accept as no warranty installs to cut the bill down, that's up to him and the shop as long as he is aware that if there is a problem, he will pay the labor to swap it out and provide a different case or pay them to repair it and reinstall.

The shop may be able to repair the axle, I've yet to see one do that for an insurance job.
No production shop or insurance company in their right mind will repair an axle even if it is just straightening a bracket. They will write for a used complete differential from LKQ or another large yard because it comes with a warranty.

I have heard rumors of people working at body shops dragging rubi 44s out of the scrap pile and taking them home because of a bent lower control arm mount.
 
couldn't even finish this.....................Blaines right, there is significant damage. the axle is rolled the steering horn is ripped away. it took a good lick.

as far as a buy back from the ins co, that'd be based on........have to see all the damage.
 
No production shop or insurance company in their right mind will repair an axle even if it is just straightening a bracket. They will write for a used complete differential from LKQ or another large yard because it comes with a warranty.
That's how it generally works.
I have heard rumors of people working at body shops dragging rubi 44s out of the scrap pile and taking them home because of a bent lower control arm mount.
I know of several who have done just that.
 
An attorney gave me the attached. I'm sure some of the the information is different since each state has different laws but may give you some guidance.
 

Attachments

  • CarWreck Claim Guidebook.pdf
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Blaine is 100 percent right- insurance companies will total TJ’s quickly- we’ve seen it on here over and over. Totaled doesn’t mean unfixable, it just means they don’t want to.

Insurance companies have a lot of data on what particular vehicle tend to do, plus most auto field adjusters are body men by trade and most have good practical experience.
 
Don't sweat it. If it's,totaled, buy it back and fix it!
As long as the frame is gold, rock it, don't stop.

Wishing you the best. 👍

Either way it goes, TJ's are worth their weight in gold, so insurance will pay you nicely. You'll just have to be patient find the right one to throw money and into. It'll work out. And most likely for the better.
 
Hopefully he finds all the damage and doesn't miss any.
Here is what I see-
Front axle unless he can repair it. The lower control arm mount on the left side is probably toast.
New control arms at least on the left side, likely need them on both sides.
New steering gear with pitman because I won't trust that one any longer.
New trackbar
New steering linkage because I'm not going to drive on that after that wreck.
New front driveshaft.
New t-case.
Trans needs to be checked for damage since the t-case got exploded by the driveshaft trying to punch through it.
Check and rebalance rear driveshaft since it was attached to the blown up t-case.
Check motor mounts themselves and then the frame side mount and bolt bosses on the engine block for damage and replace as needed.
Steering gear welded mount needs to be checked for damage and weld cracks.
New fender, marker light, flare and turn signal.
New hood latch set.
Hood needs to be checked for hinge bending at the cowl and repaired if needed.
Safety catch at hood needs to be checked.
New front bumper.
Left side swaybar link bushing needs to be check for damage and replaced.
Front swaybar needs to be checked to see if that side is bent.
Exhaust head pipe around front of oil pan is likely damaged and needs repaired or replaced if so.
The down kink in the winch guard light hoop points to a lot more of a lateral hit to the frame than is evident at first glance. They need to check that the front of the frame wasn't pushed over some. There is nothing else that points to that but still needs to be checked. It also may just be the result of the left side of the bumper getting pushed back and up which may have saved the frame.
No guarantee that the tub is straight anymore either, with the damage to the fender such as it is.
 
No guarantee that the tub is straight anymore either, with the damage to the fender such as it is.
I'm aware and I did study the circled area for any indication of ripples or tweak and can't see any where the flare isn't blocking the view.

1647873037098.png
 
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