REAR ENDED!!!!!!
Ok so I had just, and I mean just, got back from a paintball tourny and got into my truck. Turned down the street and stopped at a stop light because you know when its red thats what your supposed to do right. Well the girl behind me decided she wanted to test how bad her brakes were and bang, got rear ended. Several months ago, actually soon after I got the truck, I put a chrome step bar in the tow hitch so that if I got rear ended who ever hit me would hit the step bar before hitting the bumper and the bed. HAHA the bar worked better then I had hoped. The girl's SUV hood popped up and could not go back in, her fan could be heard making a terrible noise and the radiator did not look good. As for me however, just by looking at the bumper you really can't see any damage. The back bumper was pushed down a little but for the most part its not bad. But get this the Progressive guy analyzed the damage and it came to over 1200 bucks. Good thing it was not my fault and I have insurance in the first place! The 1200 bucks includes a new bumper, a new inner bumper and the support brackets.



I would hate to think what would have happened if that step bar was not there. Wished the impact didn't pop off the little bully step pad or whatever you call it.

wow, good thing you had that step bar....and congrats (I guess) on getting a new rear bumper and brackets. She must have really hit you good if it bent the brackets like that, and busted up her suv

didn't even hear any brakes screeching either, probably on the cell phone or just not paying any attention and was too close to stop. excited about the new bumper. Going to have to repaint the cladding after it gets installed.

Excellent! I've had my eye out for one of those bars to go on my Mom's Escape, for the reason you just experienced. She never tows anything so I could just put a bolt through it instead of the pin. My receiver insert rattles in my hitch so I don't usually leave it installed. But you can't beat the extra protection those insert offer.

I'm not to sure of the model Cabrera, sorry. Saw it at Advance Auto parts for sale and was like I would like to purchase this haha. Its not the one with the lights through it. Just a basic step bar that used to have a plastic black plate on top saying Bully (or what ever the company is called)

ncranchero, I know what you mean about the rattling, put a few wood shims in it actually to keep it from rattling. Think I might try the bolt trick.

So the ST is in the shop and will probably take a few days to get all the parts in and get everything installed. Right now I have a small Hundai Sorento which is kinda a fun car to drive, I mean its a "put put car" nothing special with the engine but zip zaps here and there. Driving it actually wants me to get some a cheap little city car but I will not get ride of the ST.

Glad you're OK and that it wasn't worse than it was.

You might want to have someone double check your frame. My cousin works in a body shop and told me after my accident that a trailer hitch makes a frame buckle worse than it would in a rear end collision. Here are some pics from my wreck back in November and the reason I now drive an ST. I'd still be posting on the ranger station if not for the accident . :type:

ouch, your truck got pretty messed up, lucky you didnt walk away with some serious whiplash
...btw I see the GSU eagle on your old tag and stickers :thumbsup:

dang gone son! how fast did they hit you? You know I had looked at the frame and mentioned that to the Progressive dude (Flo wasn't there) just for the same reason you said. But the guy said the frame looked ok and will be checked by the body shop.

Going to pick up today so I will talk to the body shop people.

Glad to hear you're ok man!

I almost got hit by a dodge 3500 doing like 40ish the other morning. lol The guy in front of me got on the brakes a bit hard (for no reason) which left me no real option (outside lane was full, big ol curb on the left) so I start on the brakes and looked back and I could see the driver of the dodge like o_0 and diving to the left as I tried going right.

All I could think was "Man...thats a big ol truck...this si going to hurt :("

got Goldy back and she is looking pretty good. the back bumper is the org. grayish color so another paint job is in the works. The place detailed the truck though so that was cool. They washed the outside and vacuumed and cleaned the inside.


I got a story like that camarogod93. I had a Jetta (worst car I ever had btw there was always something wrong with it) and I was driving to work. There was some heavy traffic and of course the driver in front of me stopped. I slammed on the brakes and looked back seeing a big truck trying to stop but I knew there wasn't enough room. So I slammed on the gas and pulled to the right lane which is was the emergency lane. When the truck stopped, its front end was were the front of my car was. Those Jetta's might have bad electrical issues but its 4 cyc. engine could move haha.