Bodywork repair.

Doing some logging in the woods yesterday and someone thought it would be funny to grow a tree in exactly the place I was trying to reverse! Doh!...
Now, the damage is mostly superficial, what is of slight concern is the crossmember. It's been re-arranged slightly, as you can see! The chassis is fine and the CM bent on the outside of the chassis rail. I'm hoping that I'll be able to winch it back straight, but is it a good idea to soften it up a bit with a blow-torch? I'll have it out anyways to soften up the panel when I pull/punch that back straight!

I'll put some new mirrors on the list too, as the current ones clearly don't work!

Don't tell me, the tree was uninsured :crazy_driver:

I have done that myself, it is easy to lose a tree trunk in the upright beside the little rear window, and I had the mirrors folded in!

I didn't catch it as bad as that, though, just smashed all the lights and dinged the alloy.

I don't think I would heat it up, just gently bend it into shape with a winch, or maybe a jack. Some attach to a strong point and gently drive against the chain. Whatever you do, try and get a dead straight pull on the end of the crossmember so as not to twist it.

I would of thought a jack and blocks would be a little more accurate, pulling on a chain is a bit hit and miss.

Was thinking along these lines guys. Going to get the hi-lift chained around the grab handles and a big tree. Knowing my luck, the feckin tree will fall on the Landy!
I don't mind having the odd 'war-wound', 'bit of character' etc. but I was hoping to tart the old girl up a bit, as she is a station wagon and not really a workhorse!

I reversed into a massive tree outside aaronmorris' house,but I'm sure it wasn't there when I pulled up!

Keep the dent it looks good. Chicks dig scars!

IamRobbie said:

Keep the dent it looks good. Chicks dig scars!

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My missus won't if she sees it! Luckily I park with the rear right up to a hedge at home, so she won't notice for a while!

Awesome lol. Get yourself to tesco, come back looking gutted and tell her when u came out from buying her some flowers someone had bumped your beloved tratter. Throw in a few tears and I'm sure she will believe it lol.

Haha! Is that advice earned from experience!?
The great thing with our tratters is the price of parts, for a new fog lamp, indicator unit and feflector, I'll be looking at about £15 including p&p, hopefully even my missus will let me get away with that! I think you're right about the gift though, bottle of cheap Port should do the job!

dont use that handle as an anchor.

its aluminium and will fail in short order - nothing more than a hand grip or decor ime

Yes experience lol... Although something has just clicked for me.. You say you bumped your tratter whilst out logging in the woods and you don't want your wife to find out..

Are you sure you didn't bump your tratter whilst out dogging in the woods and that's why you don't want your wife to find out? Lol.. And no that part is not from experience lol

IamRobbie said:

Awesome lol. Get yourself to tesco, come back looking gutted and tell her when u came out from buying her some flowers someone had bumped your beloved tratter. Throw in a few tears and I'm sure she will believe it lol.

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:lol: good idea

IamRobbie said:

Yes experience lol... Although something has just clicked for me.. You say you bumped your tratter whilst out logging in the woods and you don't want your wife to find out..



Are you sure you didn't bump your tratter whilst out dogging in the woods and that's why you don't want your wife to find out? Lol.. And no that part is not from experience lol

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Haha! The missus is Slovakian and doesn't really know/understand the whole dogging thing. She actually believes it's just people meeting up and showing their dogs (oo err) and chatting about them! I've never wanted to tell her the truth!

bluedog333 said:

Haha! The missus is Slovakian and doesn't really know/understand the whole dogging thing. She actually believes it's just people meeting up and showing their dogs (oo err) and chatting about them! I've never wanted to tell her the truth!

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Haha I have an eastern Europe mail order bride too, some of the cultural and linguistic misunderstandings are genuinely funny, it seems a shame to explain too much sometimes doesn't it......

IamRobbie said:

I reversed into a massive tree outside aaronmorris' house,but I'm sure it wasn't there when I pulled up!

Keep the dent it looks good. Chicks dig scars!

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How the heck did you not see them.?! They're huge!!!! lol

DiscoPol said:

Haha I have an eastern Europe mail order bride too, some of the cultural and linguistic misunderstandings are genuinely funny, it seems a shame to explain too much sometimes doesn't it......

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Does my head in sometimes. Like when she points left and says 'we go right' vice versa. Makes me bloody nervous when she's driving and I'm giving directions. Makes me bloody nervous anyway!

IamRobbie said:

I reversed into a massive tree outside aaronmorris' house,but I'm sure it wasn't there when I pulled up!

Keep the dent it looks good. Chicks dig scars!

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Really? Why didn't I know about this :monitor_punch:
Or maybe you told me and I've forgotten

bluedog333 said:

bottle of cheap Port should do the job!

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Perhaps just keep the cheap port as back up in case she notices?!

twinter82 said:

Perhaps just keep the cheap port as back up in case she notices?!

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Good idea! And a duvet and pillow in the back of the 110 too!