Hit a deer, what are my option?

CoyoteIrons · **Joined:** Sat Aug 08, 2015 6:32 pm **Posts:** 8

It's been quite a long time since I've even visited this forum but I need some advice. I just hit a deer with our 06 crd and suspect it is going to be totaled. I've only just notified insurance so I'm not positive it will be totaled out but by the amount of damage and what I think it's worth it will be done for. So I'm just doing some quick research on if it would be worth it to buy it back and part it out. It was still running fine right after the impact so the motor should be ok. Has about 151k miles on it, changed the timing belt about 20k miles ago, no mods unfortunately(could never afford them). I would feel bad if I let another crd go to the junkyard, what is everyone's opinion on this?

APC9199 · **Posted:** Fri Aug 03, 2018 7:22 pm

It will likely be worth buying back and parting out if you're OK with the leg work involved with that. How much actual damage is there? I've found that the labor involved with body and glass damage is about 2/3 of the cost of the repair. I rebuilt my own "totaled" CRD for less than 1/3 what I was quoted by local shops. Where are you located? There are a LOT of people who are always looking for parts vehicles and rebuild-able vehicles. Many people will buy the entire thing in its as-is condition for more than the insurance company will charge you to buy it back. You should have lots of options, but in any case please do buy it back since CRD's are getting more rare and harder to find affordable parts for. That amount of work on your end will be appreciated by the community!

CoyoteIrons · **Joined:** Sat Aug 08, 2015 6:32 pm **Posts:** 8

As long as nothing serious is broken I would have no problem with buying it back and fixing it myself, I've done it with other vehicles. However I'm not sure my wife would put up with me taking the time to do the repairs. If I could come out at least a little ahead I wouldn't have a problem selling it as is to someone. I'm in Northeast South Dakota.

As far as I could tell the fenders and flares are fine, the bumper is probably salvageable, everything in front of the mechanical fan is shot, that's all I could tell when looking at it on the side of the road, I was more concerned with getting my family and vehicle off the side of the highway than checking for broken stuff
http://imgur.com/B4NQVkK

WWDiesel · **Posted:** Fri Aug 03, 2018 10:28 pm

It certainly looks repairable!
Where are you located? :roll:

Billybob · **Posted:** Sat Aug 04, 2018 2:54 am

The wiring harness goes around the front of the engine bay....very good chance that it has been damaged.

My 2002 Export 2.5 CRD had a minor front-right collision compared to your damage and I had to replace about 9 wires completely to bypass that area.

Just something to be taken into account...you need to examine that harness very carefully but it is pretty difficult to get to.

TURBO-DIESEL-FREAK · **Joined:** Sat Apr 17, 2010 3:29 pm **Posts:** 1167

Following along.... we have a fellow KJ Liberty enthusiast up here in the Edmonton area who lives on an acreage, and he currently has an inventory of at least 14 KJ Liberty vehicles to part out. About 4 of these are CRDs.

So if you are in Canada, there are plenty of parts available.

If the front bumper is toast, I would upgrade to an ARB bull bar bumper.

TKB4 · **Posted:** Sun Aug 05, 2018 6:05 pm

when one of mine was totaled 2 years ago with about same looking damage and mileage and bent front right frame ( though alignment seems normal diving on private neighborhood road) I bought it back for $1600. The motor should be worth about $2000 and the transmission about $300 not to mention tires and wheels and transmission module and ECU and then several hundred for doors etc but this would require a lot of time and work to disassemble etc. If you don't want to try to fix it, I would ask about $2000 as is with engine running normally. I would also be willing to negotiate . I personally would be interested in engine and transmission if I was closer.

krb · **Posted:** Tue Aug 07, 2018 9:11 am

I feel your pain. I (or rather my dad) was in the same situation a while back. Dead deer and KJ Search for my first post.

I pulled the radiator out of the fan, unhooked the electric fan, pinched the leaking radiator tube closed and drove it. FINALLY found a used CAC (leaky), a used rad, AC evap & electric fan and got it road worthy. Drove it until it hit the 100K mark and now have it torn down again for the timing belt/water pump etc (and now the broken glow plug). As I button it up I plan to replace the hood, driver fender and grill and it should be back to BD (before deer).

We bought it back as totaled from insurance for $450.
Going from memory I think I spent around $1,500 on CAC, radiator, electric fan, lights and TB kit.
Found a gasser with a blown engine for $500 for the grill, bumper (wish I could find/afford an aftermarket bumper), center support, hood & fender and other misc. Plus I have the 3.7 intake now.

That’s going from memory but still lots cheaper than a $6-8K replacement KJ. Unless you count my. Time...

joelukex4 · **Joined:** Thu Sep 29, 2011 4:54 pm **Posts:** 386

These things are tanks. I hit a deer in the right front quarter, needed the front grill and all bumper cover and insert parts. Hood, fender and extension. The radiator support needed to be straightened but was not bad. Unfortunately the deer spun around and took out the right front door and kicked the rear door on its way down the side. He was dead.

Hoods are cheap but hard to find in perfect condition in the Midwest. ~$200. Fenders are cheap, ~ $50 - 100 oem unless you go aftermarket which are dirt cheap but will rust quickly. Remember everything from 05 - 07 will work for the body. My chrome grill for the limited cost $150. A black one is probably $50. The foam bumper inserts are expensive if bought new but are hard to find on a wrecker.

My total was $5K.

Sir Sam · **Posted:** Tue Aug 07, 2018 7:31 pm

joelukex4 wrote:

These things are tanks. I hit a deer in the right front quarter, needed the front grill and all bumper cover and insert parts. Hood, fender and extension. The radiator support needed to be straightened but was not bad. Unfortunately the deer spun around and took out the right front door and kicked the rear door on its way down the side. He was dead.

Hoods are cheap but hard to find in perfect condition in the Midwest. ~$200. Fenders are cheap, ~ $50 - 100 oem unless you go aftermarket which are dirt cheap but will rust quickly. Remember everything from 05 - 07 will work for the body. My chrome grill for the limited cost $150. A black one is probably $50. The foam bumper inserts are expensive if bought new but are hard to find on a wrecker.

My total was $5K.

If you look at the photos you will see the deer basically missed the bumper, barely dented the hood, but completely wiped out the grill area.

So add in some expensive parts to fix, intercooler, radiator, AC condensor, fan shroud, electric cooling fan - which are all diesel specific, and expensive.

Thats not touching on the fenders, hood, fender supports, radiator support "W" bar, etc that are all common to any 2005-2007 KJ.

Find a color matched KJ at a junkyard that didn't have a front end collision would be like striking the lottery, but in reality even finding straight front end body parts is a challenge.

joelukex4 · **Joined:** Thu Sep 29, 2011 4:54 pm **Posts:** 386

Here in the Midwest parts were a dime a dozen. Fenders, hoods & doors were easily accessible. The radiator W bar should be no problem sourcing from a junkyard. I even obtained the same color for the fender in A001 shape. I searched for the hood I wanted because I am anal and rejected many just because of a scratch. My body guy sourced the door being it was a large part.

If he drove it home and no fluids were on the ground then the radiator and condenser are most likely good. That leaves intercooler (possibly), fan & grille. The question not fully answered is were fluids leaking from the front end.

WWDiesel · **Posted:** Wed Aug 08, 2018 11:56 am

Once you get it fixed, do yourself a favor and add a "Deer" guard! :wink:

It might not stop all damage in the future, but it sure will lessen the expensive stuff.
I speak from experience since I have hit 3 of the critters here in Georgia where we have way to many of them.
That is why I have them on all my vehicles...

Mounted to frame:

krb · **Posted:** Sat Aug 18, 2018 6:54 am

I assume that grill guard is specific to the KJ? I'd like to find a used one and would broaden my search if it fit others as well.

You have any convenient pics of where/how it attaches to the frame (without going to much trouble)?

WWDiesel · **Posted:** Sat Aug 18, 2018 11:54 am

krb wrote:

I assume that grill guard is specific to the KJ? I'd like to find a used one and would broaden my search if it fit others as well.
You have any convenient pics of where/how it attaches to the frame (without going to much trouble)?

Yes, it is designed for the KJ and it bolts directly to the frame using some very heavy plate adaptors and a couple of pieces that slips into the frame's tube to strengthen it.
Two bolts each on both sides in the crossmember behind the bumper, and two bolts each on both outer sides bolted to the inside of frame's tube.
For a total of eight 1/2" bolts and locknuts holding just the plate adaptors to the frame. Then the brush guard bolts to the adaptors on each side with more bolts.
It is quite a very strong mounting. Best I remember, the brand is "Blackhorse"....

It comes with some guards that go over the headlights, but I chose not to install them as I did not like the look. See second picture.
:SOMBRERO:

Picture does not show all the mounting parts or how all mounting parts connects real clear. Hard to get a good picture with bumper in place. :roll:

Sergio del Castillo · **Posted:** Sat Aug 18, 2018 12:36 pm

NICE 'DEER' GUARD.

Do you think that will accept a removable winch? I have a winch, but I don't like to have it permanently installed, as I only "offroad" once or twice a year, and until now all the adapters that I have seen are but ugly and extreme difficult to install and remove the winch.

I have been lucky so far, some close calls but no hits, while my wife had two hits, with some really minor damage to her car.

WWDiesel · **Posted:** Sat Aug 18, 2018 2:47 pm

Sergio del Castillo wrote:

NICE 'DEER' GUARD.
Do you think that will accept a removable winch? I have a winch, but I don't like to have it permanently installed, as I only "offroad" once or twice a year, and until now all the adapters that I have seen are but ugly and extreme difficult to install and remove the winch.
I have been lucky so far, some close calls but no hits, while my wife had two hits, with some really minor damage to her car.

It will suffice if you hook it on one side of the the guard; but keep in mind it is not designed for winch loading.
I added two tow hooks, one on each side of guard inline with the center of the frame mount in case I ever need to be pulled or winched out. See hooks on picture below
Any good welder/fabricator could build a decent 2" receiver mount for the front of a KJ that could bolt to the frame and allow the use of a removable winch. :roll:

Curt Manufacturing sells an off the shelf bolt on front receiver mount for the Jeep KJ. CURT PN 31022 Front Mount Hitch
on Amazon for 111$ if you got Prime, it would be hard to beat that price even if a welder builds you one considering labor and materials... :juggle:

https://www.amazon.com/CURT-31022-Front ... B003ZS6XP0

Sergio del Castillo · **Posted:** Sat Aug 18, 2018 8:07 pm

Yes, but does not provide me with "DEER" protection. I was thinking one device for both functions.

WWDiesel · **Posted:** Sat Aug 18, 2018 10:08 pm

Sergio del Castillo wrote:

Yes, but does not provide me with "DEER" protection. I was thinking one device for both functions.

Then get a Blackhorse or similar well made brush guard and add a couple of tow hooks.
You should be good to go....

Hit a deer, what are my option?

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