BigJ
FRF Addict
- Joined
- Aug 5, 2010
- Posts
- 5,448
- Reaction score
- 1,561
Check out this timing: I was in a fender bender on a Friday morning (50/50 fault 
), I had a claim in with the insurance Friday evening, I posted asking for suggestions Saturday afternoon, had an appointment set with Baker by Saturday evening, had an insurance check in my hand Monday afternoon (for $1300, Baker charged me $1200), got myself down Baker Thursday morning (400miles away) and picked up my truck Thursday night. How freaking cool is that?
After having it for a few days, including some serious time in the desert...
-overall, and all things considered, he did a fantastic job. I have zero regrets going this route. I absolutely love the form, and the function!
-I hate that the spare spare doesn't fit anymore. John and I talked about a hitch spare tire/jerry can carrier and he's going to get me details and numbers soon. For around town stuff I think I'll carry a can of slime.
-I need to find a better spot for the plate. Still not sure what I'm doing with it yet.
-Raptizzle suggested I hit the local O'Riley's and pick up a roll of body panel trim, and it works really well on the cut edge of the sheet metal. I still plan to paint over the edge for rust protection, but I probably won't need to silicone the strip on there since it already sits really firmly.
-I'm definitely gonna powder the bumper a textured black. Just a matter of time.
-I measured then vs now and and found that the hitch is about 8" higher than it was. Toooons more clearance.
-Departure angles... my really rough math says the following:
The red line's angle with the stock bumper and hitch was around 21deg. Its now around 42deg. An increase of 21 degrees.
The yellow line's angle with the stock bumper and hitch was around 13deg. Its now around 35deg. An increase of 22 degrees.
*Please don't beat me up on the math. I was literally using the handle of a shovel and a tape measure to eyeball this. The point is we're talking HUGE departure angle increases here.
-Aesthetics? I love it. People at the M&G in AB this past weekend seemed to love it. I get to work today and a couple of my guys hate it. One guy said the bumper should have been made from "2inch tube rather than conduit".
Just goes to show, different strokes for different folks 
So there ya go. There are some great things about this mod, and there are a few not so great things. But all in all I have zero regrets and I'm thrilled to have done it. And above all I can't say enough about John and his willingness to work under my insanely compressed timeline, and within a very reasonable budget.
), I had a claim in with the insurance Friday evening, I posted asking for suggestions Saturday afternoon, had an appointment set with Baker by Saturday evening, had an insurance check in my hand Monday afternoon (for $1300, Baker charged me $1200), got myself down Baker Thursday morning (400miles away) and picked up my truck Thursday night. How freaking cool is that? After having it for a few days, including some serious time in the desert...
-overall, and all things considered, he did a fantastic job. I have zero regrets going this route. I absolutely love the form, and the function!
-I hate that the spare spare doesn't fit anymore. John and I talked about a hitch spare tire/jerry can carrier and he's going to get me details and numbers soon. For around town stuff I think I'll carry a can of slime.
-I need to find a better spot for the plate. Still not sure what I'm doing with it yet.
-Raptizzle suggested I hit the local O'Riley's and pick up a roll of body panel trim, and it works really well on the cut edge of the sheet metal. I still plan to paint over the edge for rust protection, but I probably won't need to silicone the strip on there since it already sits really firmly.
-I'm definitely gonna powder the bumper a textured black. Just a matter of time.
-I measured then vs now and and found that the hitch is about 8" higher than it was. Toooons more clearance.
-Departure angles... my really rough math says the following:
The red line's angle with the stock bumper and hitch was around 21deg. Its now around 42deg. An increase of 21 degrees.
The yellow line's angle with the stock bumper and hitch was around 13deg. Its now around 35deg. An increase of 22 degrees.
*Please don't beat me up on the math. I was literally using the handle of a shovel and a tape measure to eyeball this. The point is we're talking HUGE departure angle increases here.
-Aesthetics? I love it. People at the M&G in AB this past weekend seemed to love it. I get to work today and a couple of my guys hate it. One guy said the bumper should have been made from "2inch tube rather than conduit".
Just goes to show, different strokes for different folks So there ya go. There are some great things about this mod, and there are a few not so great things. But all in all I have zero regrets and I'm thrilled to have done it. And above all I can't say enough about John and his willingness to work under my insanely compressed timeline, and within a very reasonable budget.
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