Got rear-ended - spare tire assembly parts needed

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Kamil

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I was rear-end last night while stopped at a red light. It was a light hit, 19 year old in a Jeep Patriot. No damage to the Jeep, which was surprising... but not really.

The good news and bad news is that my fancy Yakima bike rack took the brunt of the impact. There is no bumper damage. The force of the impact hitch-mounted rack broke the bolt that holds the rack through the 2" receiver. The part of the rack that goes through the receiver was pushed in and then went into my spare tire.
And this is why there was no damage to Jeep's front bumper. My bike rack absorbed all the energy.

The spare tire, rather surprisingly, is fine. But when I push it, the spare now kind of swings on its assembly chain. It's got to be a decent push, it doesn't quite swing freely. I don't know if that's normal or not, perhaps one of you can get under your 4R and push your spare around for me? :)

I looked in many of the online parts catalogs but I was unable to find the spare tire holder assembly. Does anyone have a link or part numbers of the chain and the whole spare tire holder thing? I don't know if it needs replacement, or at least not yet.

Also, the receiver itself. It's a pretty beefy piece of metal. I don't think it is bent or anything but I haven't looked at the holes that sheered off the bolt yet. Replacement of that is $200. I'm not sure if I need to replace it yet but mine is pretty rusty. I don't tow, just use it for a bike rack.

Pic of the bike rack pre-collision for reference.
RIP Yakima FullSwing, June 2017 - June 2018. #neverforget
 

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I think you might regret not taking it somewhere for a professional evaluation.

What if there is some damage that you are not noticing? How are you going to get her to cough up the funds if something crops up later from this accident?
 
I'm guessing you never tried to lower your spare OP? That's what happens when you release a little tension. Try raising it.

I also agree with [MENTION=168275]MissouriBreaks[/MENTION], you are not at fault, and you are letting a careless driver off the hook while absorbing all the potential cost and liability especially if there is other damages.

Last time I rear ended someone, I had to pay raised rates for 3 years. THAT really changed my tune, ultimately I became a more careful driver. Perhaps 3 years of raised insurance rates would do the girl well...
 
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F that cash bs. Get insurance involved or YOU will be the one getting screwed. I understand wanting to help someone out and feeling bad for them, but you'll end up less than made whole in that situation, guaranteed.
 
STX4Runner said:
F that cash bs. Get insurance involved or YOU will be the one getting screwed. I understand wanting to help someone out and feeling bad for them, but you'll end up less than made whole in that situation, guaranteed.
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disappointing and negative perspective... and 100% ACCURATE! insurance and the police report are critical.
 
I agree. Cover your butt and go through insurance. They claim that they don't want to go through insurance but once they figure out the real costs to fixing a car, they will bail on you. I have seen this happen way too many times.
 
I don't know if the 4runner is anything like the Tacoma. With Tacoma if it takes a rear end collision on the trailer hitch, the rear of the frame rails usually get bent.

I hope this works out for you. People like yourself usually get burnt if the police and insurance do not get involved.
 
Would definitely go through insurance! Because the rack was essentially connected to the frame you could have frame damage that would be impossible to notice without the proper equipment. This can easily turn from a simple replace a few parts to salvage title with bent frame type of situations.

Like others have stated, take it to a professional shop and have insurance take care of it. Thats what were all paying for anyway. Just had a similar situation happen to me with my less the 800 miles on the odo 4Runner, but on the front end (I was parked and lady came like a bat out of hell to pull into her spot). Either way, I let insurance do its thing to make sure it was okay inside and out along with push for a diminished value claim, which you may want to look into as well.
 
Only one criminal right now...if this doesn't go through the proper channels your likely to get screwed down the line one way or another
Would you consent to driving it, driving others in it, selling it with the possibility of a potential "fatal flaw"...not the good deal

I know right now it's all good, but like everyone else, it's the crack before the shatter n even if it proves dismal at best, gotta get it looked at...anything stems from this, it's on you or clever enough people could say it was from a pre existing accident if something else happens

she's at fault, it's her wake up call...could save lives

Side note...was she avoiding insurance only or the cops?....

Another side note...the longer you wait, bigger hole you have to explain why it took so long....
 
Go through their insurance. Get an estimate and then have them send u a check. Fix what you want how you want it and come out ahead, as long as there’s no hitch/frame damage that is.
 
srsrogerissrs said:
I agree. Cover your butt and go through insurance. They claim that they don't want to go through insurance but once they figure out the real costs to fixing a car, they will bail on you. I have seen this happen way too many times.
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Exactly. I got rear ended a few years ago. Beat up the bumper up and popped and broke some of the pins hold the edge up near the taillight. Kid (driving) and his mom wanted me to go get an estimate and they said they'd pay for it out of pocket. Mom even looked at it and said "that doesn't look too bad. You can just pop that back in."

Yeah, no. Y'all hit me. I'm sorry you were driving your grandparents car and don't want to claim it on their insurance. They kept acting like it was going to be no big deal and wouldn't cost that much. I know it'd be at least $1000 after a new bumper, paint, labor and a rental car, and they'd balk at that and I'd be screwed. They even looked up my work email and emailed me a few days later telling me they'd still pay for it OOP.
 
STX4Runner said:
They even looked up my work email and emailed me a few days later telling me they'd still pay for it OOP.
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That's super aggressive... even more reason to go though insurance. Once you hand it off to claims, you should have zero contact with the other party.

Really these days, I have no interest in dealing with the other party, especially if I am not at fault. Not worth the time, the hassle, or the liability.

Running around getting quotes and negotiation with the other party isn't worth my time and its what I pay my insurance company to handle.

Reminds me of another accident I got into back in the day. I had a fender-bender and even after getting their information they decided to report me as a hit and run to the police because I wouldn't let them settle it outside of insurance.
 
Better go to a professional body shop and have it checked. If the receiver took a hit good chance the frame is bent. Also the foam behind the bumper could have damage you can't see. Don't be a nice guy, get a professional estimate and go from there. I bet it's going to be more then you expect. Also insurance will cover unseen expenses and repairs and rental vehicle while your is being repaired.
 
Insurance

I know you don't know me from Adam OP, but I'm going to chime in and strongly agree with what everyone else is saying. Absolutely go through their insurance! You are the victim, and there could be hidden damage you're not seeing that could become a serious issue down the road. Regardless of what you decide, sorry you got rear ended.

I've had my 4Runner for two weeks tomorrow. I've always been a defensive driver... but now I'm extra paranoid about what everyone else on the road might do.
 
got rear ended, thought it could get buffed out.. insurance estimated it at $1800.. this is a different car... but yea, hidden damage adds up.
 
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