Jeep Cherokee Rollover Damage Assessment
Вставка
- Опубліковано 29 сер 2024
- When you hear that a Jeep has rolled over you instantly think the worst. My son was recently cut off going down the highway and rolled the Jeep x2 and thankfully he walk away just fine. Our 1999 Jeep Cherokee XJ on the other hand has a lot of body damage that is going to be sorted out. This is just a quick video to show you the damage, more to follow on how we are going to bring her back to life. #rollover #jeep #cherokee
Project XJ First Video: • Jeep Cherokee - Projec...
🌐 TRAILRECON.COM 🌐
trailrecon.com
Check out our website if you’re looking for off-road or overland gear and equipment for your next rig and your next off-the-grid adventure. We have everything you need, including recovery gear, tents, cooking and kitchen gear, sleeping bags, TrailRecon clothes and stickers, and a lot more.
If you’re interested in reading in-depth articles about the places we go, products we use, and our personal insights about overlanding, you’ll want to check out our blog.
trailrecon.com...
********************
📲 SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS 📲
Facebook: trailrecon
Instagram: trailrecon
Never seen a rollover with that little damage. Wow. Glad to hear your son is safe.
Yep, it could have been much worse, thank you!
Yeh I'm amazed at how little damage there was. Talk about shear luck
I wouldn't put a penny into fixing the body damage. Massage the fender and roof so that the doors opens without crunching, and call it good. It now has battle scars and character. Do the fender flares and fix the steering and call it good.
Glad your son is ok! As long as the frame is straight and it drives true, the rest is fixable. Some of the minor damage, you may not want to bother with, it gives the Jeep some character...
Agreed. Get the frame checked and as long as the drive train and suspension is ok everything else is fixable. For me personally I would fix the doors, make sure the hood and tail gate works and leave the rest. It gives it character.
I would check the alignment and make sure everything is square. Hopefully your upgraded suspension was able to absorb the impact. I think the sheet metal just needs pounded out and jams will need readjusted.
Now cage it and roll it.
Well entire body is the frame. These are uni's.
what frame
Google It what's a uni body? Is there no chassis?
Glad your son is ok. You may need to re-upholster the drivers seat.
Normally you talk about road rash and trail damage as stories and character. This jeep has a story about flipping over in air and your son walking away unscathed just some bruises. Don’t fix the bumps just fix what you need to make it work because that is so an awesome story.
I am with you on this. I would only fix the rear door roof rail and put an new plastic mud gard on the front.
Wow, the fact the XJ survived with that little damage in a roll over is simply amazing. I don't think the roof will ever look 100% again, just too much sheet metal has been damaged. I like your plan. Fix what you can to the best of your ability and cover up the rest. Glad your son is okay, get a dashcam, the other driver could have been potentially liable for damages.
Most importantly everyone walked away, some of those dents just add character - the roof hopefully is fixable.
Glad to hear he walked away. The structural integrity of that roof has been compromised: if you pound the dents out it will never be as strong as it originally was because the metal has been stretched/fatigued and will likely not behave as well if the Jeep were to be in another crash/roll. The proper repair procedure is to replace the roof skin and any damaged supports/cross members underneath. If you would rather just push the dents out of the roof, I'd HIGHLY recommend considering a roll bar as your next mod. That being said, if you do choose to sell I'd be very interested in buying...I've been looking for a clean XJ to chop the top off of and make a custom pickup.
The damage to the roof is not significant enough nor is it strong enough in those areas to make a difference in another roll over. The pillars are good and there are no crimps or bends in the roof
And you can't cut off the top without reinforcing what you remove as XJs are unibodys. Cutting up (or off) the roof will compromise the entire XJs structure to body flex
Man! There's hardly any damage!
Sounds to me like you're overthinking it. My XJ has far more body damage than that from just trail riding. You'll have much more fun on the trails when you can hammer down and not worry about getting a dent or scratch on it.
Mine looks far worst also. Mine drives fantastic.
Wow glad your son is ok. He was really lucky. For the door problem my Cherokee just had the same problem. A friend showed me a body mans trick. Open the door slightly and stick something like folded up cardboard between the door and fender and slowly close the door. It took a few attempts and folding the cardboard more but it worked now the door opens perfect
Firstly, Thank God your son is okay and that the damage to the vehicle was minor. Wow, I would never guess that your XJ was in a roll over from seeing the damage. It seems more of a typical fender-bender accident (plus the roof) but not a roll over. The damage does not seem that bad at all. I think you're on the right track with making it a home/friends/new-and-improved project!
Here is what I would do:
1 - I would push/pound those dents out. As you mention the hood can probably be handled by a paint-less dent pull guy. I would get a good book on body repairs and start reading! :-)
2 - For the roof, I would remove the headliner and simply use whatever tools you can muster up; jacks, posts, body shop tools, whatever it takes to push that roof panel back up. I bet it will look good enough that most folks won't notice the repairs unless they know exactly where to look.
3 - Have the body/frame inspected by a reputable 4x4 shop with XJ experience to look & confirm that the frame/body has not been compromised at stress points, welds, seams, etc. Also, have them confirm that the whole vehicle is square and not bent out of square. Typical body inspection.
4 - It seems that the gaps between the doors and body can be adjusted and repaired. This leads me to think it is square, and should be repairable without too much body work.
5 - Amazing that not one piece of glass broke! That is a good indication (to me anyway) that there should be no significant structural damage to the frame/body unit. Which means it's worth repairing back to it's pre-accident condition!
I think once everyone's nerves settle down, and you take a good look at the needed repairs you may see that this is an opportunity to work on the rig more than you had planned, but still good project rig. It all seems all very do-able! I am sure there are more than enough local friends that will be willing to give you an experienced hand to get the rig back to tip-top shape! Looking forward to updates!
Good Luck!
I'm also glad your son is okay, and think the XJ is very salvageable. I think mariodesmo has excellent points, but feel the XJ may be a little tweaked. The ripples in odd places make me think the overall structure has been slightly compromised. I agree, take the Jeep to a place that has the right equipment to check and straighten the chassis. Pop out the dents to your satisfaction, and then I'd recommend strengthening the chassis with frame stiffeners, (it's been a while since I saw your build series so I can't recall if your Jeep has them.) Even if the chassis is straight, the welds have been stretched and could use some backup. Then I might suggest a cage; It'll add to the overall strength and, if you plan on wheeling the Jeep more, it's just a good idea. I'm no expert though, I'm sure wiser, more experienced minds will correct me. Lol. 😉
Dents are conversation starters. You guys will have quite a story to tell anytime someone mentions them. I would straighten out the rain gutter and get to top straight enough to mount a basket with no leaks but the rest just adds character.
Glad your son is ok! For a rollover it’s amazing how well the XJ held up!
I wouldn't put a lot of money into it. It's a trail rig so just rock it imo. You can try and cheaply sort out the dents but I wouldn't go much into it.
Like you said, the most important thing is that your boy is okay.
why replace it just rock the scars it has, don't waste money if ur gonna do it again on the trail. its not a sema build... rock it
Ferris Costa agreed!
X3
x4 scars are cool
It looks good and structurally, it looks solid. I wouldn't file a claim. Get an estimate at a reputable body shop. It's not that bad! the classic and upgraded look is clean! The investment in "sucia" is worth it! An XJ this clean is extremely hard to come by now a days, especially with the popularity of overlanding and off-roading. Also check the motor mounts!
Visual Overland or maybe get insurance to pay for a new one but keep the mods
Pull the rack off , get inside with some bottle jacks and some 2x4s and pop that top up. replace the fender and hood and pop the dents out of the read quarter.... sounds like some fun to me....
Sounds like Scott just gave you a plan Brad.
I agree with Scott. A bottle jack and 2x4s will do the job. Replace the front fender. Glad you sons ok. Just a testament to how sturdy that jeep is.
That's a what I was going to say. Put a jack on a board to disperse the weight. Use a 2x4 to push up the roof. A little at a time, should be able to make it pretty solid. Roof rack will cover the rest. I've seen other Jeepers do it when they've rolled.
I'm with you! Exo cage it!
I bet the boys are crushed! Sorry to hear it brad. You guys will get it figured out. Glad your son is okay too, car wrecks are a scary thing...
The body work your looking at is actually really easy and can be done in a drive way with little to no experience you all got this glad to hear your son is safe
Pound the roof out. Pull out the fender. Build a cage/roof rack. Don’t worry about the body damage. Just less things you have to worry about when out on the trails hitting rocks and trees.
Glad your son is ok. I’m an insurance adjuster, and you are right the car would total. If it were me I would put in an insurance claim and let them total it. A car is just a car. You lucky that there were no injuries. I would take off all the A/M upgrades and return the car to as stock as possible and let the insurance company take it. It will cost less to get another one in good condition and start over. You will already have the wheels, tires, and bumpers w the winch. And that may be your quickest option too. If you are OCD and don’t want to see any dents or color mismatch then you will likely need to have a professional body shop do some of the work like repair the roof. I’m glad that your son is ok and not injured. That is the most important thing!! The car while special to you is just a car and you can still make memories w your kids building another one. I do respect the fact that you want to fix yours tho. Good luck with whatever you decide.
I'm so glad your son is ok. I'd first check to see if unibody isnt tweaked. I'm sorry to say this but from experience it usually is. If it is I'd say still keep it and cut it up some and cage it, turn into rock crawler. If no unibody twist then replacing hood, fender, lining up rear bumper again and kicking the roof back up would make it look so much better without breaking the bank too much. Then go from there.. I'm local, could help if you need a hand or advice. Ran a jeep shop before. .
Wow that's scary so glad he wasn't seriously hurt. Very thankful :)
Glad your son is OK love the way your picking up the broken pieces stay strong keep going god bless
Harbor freight porta power and push those dents out. My brother in law rolled his toyota up in the snow, the roof of the cab was dented in far worse. Windshield was busted and doors were pushed out. We managed to push it all out and bought a new windshield and got it to seal. He still dailys it to this day no leaks. Check the frame and you should be good to go! Glad your son was okay and good luck!
Oh man I am so sorry, glad your son is okay! This is my worst fear for my XJ. Good for you for trying to fix it! It really doesn't look too bad all things considered! On the positive side it will make for some really interesting and unique videos watching you guys repair it! I'll make sure to watch! Let me know if you need any help I am in LA too!
Wow the damage isn't that bad considering that is rolled several times and really amazed the the glass held up. I was thinking of buying a project XJ at some point. Now after seeing how well it held up it's confirmed.
Wow!! So lucky their wasn’t anymore damage then that. Very glad no one was hurt. Jeeps are re placable but lives aren’t.
Glad to hear your son is okay. A testament to the strength of the jeep. It is crazy to know that it has been rolled over and only body damage. Cut the roof off and put a pop top like a ursa minor camper.
Man Brad I am so so so glad your son is ok. The xj doesn’t matter like he does, as far as the xj goes.... sort the body work and keep going on it
First priority = safety, like everyone says. :-)
Second priority = spend time with your son -- soon there won't be so many opportunities. If fixing could take away time together then accept the XJ''s current condition and focus on time together. If the valuable time together is fixing and improving things, then you are blessed with more opportunities.
I’m so happy that he was ok that’s the beauty of an old steel car
Glad that your son is ok. I cant fathom the relief you have just seeing him alive and well. Like everyone else is saying; the dents add character. God bless you.
The most important thing is that your son is ok, a life can not be replaced
I see the damage as very repairable, this XJ has been a blessing for your son, it saved him. The honest built quality of the 90's. Fix it, any body guy can do it, get back this rig back to family. Junk yard can get you all what you need, hood and fenders, roof needs attention and we fans wishing you all the best. Lesson tools go inside the latched box and no loose stuff inside a suv
Glad to hear no injuries! I for one am interested in seeing how TR will take a stab at fixing this up as much as possible, can be seen as an opportunity to bring the channel a little deeper into the "oh shit what now" repairs that we XJ owners know all too well =] GL
Glad to hear your son was okay. I actually found you on YT because of this build. I had a 97 just like it at one point. I understand the sentimental aspect of this vehicle, but that roof damage is going to be extensive to fix. Especially the gutter not lining up properly. Also, accidents happen especially when off-roading. With that said, it’s been in one rollover, what will happen if it’s in another? Will your son be okay with a second? In my opinion, purchase another and swap parts. Sentimental value is earned by wrenching with your boys. Any vehicle can gain sentimental value. Best of luck! Hope to see more XJ videos in the future.
Omg😯,,thanks God your son is ok.
It's a Jeep now it has character leave it alone and enjoy
Love this series. Still cleaner than most XJs in Illinois, looking for one to buy to start my build. Hope to see more videos and glad everyone’s ok!
Your son must of rolled it on a pile of pillows. Least damage I've ever seen. Glad he is ok. I'd say tweak what you can and drive as is.
I’m glad you son is safe👍🏻, fix the xj even if it’s not perfect, with a bottle jack and 4x4’s you can get the roofline close and it will give me a lot more videos to watch😬
Glad he's ok! I'm surprised no glass busted and the mirrors look so good. Thanks for the videos, cheers!
This is the least damage I've ever seen from a rollover, glad your son is safe and it looks like everything would be pretty simple to fix.
Before saying that you are not going to go one way or the other take it to a body shop for an estimate. Let someone who knows not only body work but structural damage inspection look it over. At that point you will have a wealth of information on what to do. If the body shop finds that it is structurally sound then you can make a decision on how to go about fixing the damage yourself back to the way it was, fixing what you can and mods to cover what you can't or going the rock crawler route.
However if the body shop finds that is is not sound then your decision is easy, claim it on insurance and get what parts you can off of it. Your children are worth more than sentimental value. :)
You can also look at what the body shop will charge to get it back into Grade A shape, Grade B shape or Grade C shape. When my XJ was T-boned I let the body shop know I was ok with salvage parts if it help them come under amount that would have caused it to be totaled.
Do some homework, talk to some pro's, talk with your boys and if you are of the persuasion pray on the matter.
Whatever your choice, good luck and glad your boy is ok.
Glad your son is ok.it all can be fixed.
Happy your son is safe and not truly harmed.
Good reminder of what is really important. So glad he's ok!
My friend rolled his 89 much worse, he slowly bent-back what was fixable and it lived as a daily driver and trail beater. It's good to go really, unless you want to cut it, it's worth saving
Jeeps will always be just glad your son is ok.
Brad: You got this, just more memories with you kids. Smiling!
Don't know how I missed this one till now. Once my daughter crashed my truck and the insurance totaled it. I bought it back for a fair price and fixed it myself. State Farm would only let me get liability because they paid for it once, but that was ok.
Glad you son was ok, thank God!
The most important thing is that your son is ok. That said at the end of the day you're left with a 20 (almost) year old jeep and it is a JEEP. They all end up with a few dents after a while especially if you wheel them. I'd take the head liner out and try to flatten the roof back out as best as I could and then hide it under a full length safari rack. The dents in the door (in the video at least) almost just look like parking lot dings. Fix/replace the hood and fender do a coat of paint and I'd call it good on the body side. At the end of the day it's a Jeep.
Important is your son is healthy. Everything else can be repaired. Many things should be done by yourself. This is a new challenge.
As an xj owner my advise it to try and bend the roof back but if worse comes to worse you may be able to find a roof panel or replace it and put in a soft top
glad your son is safe. bump up the rain guard and open the door gap up. those are war wounds. a reminder everyday to be more of a defensive driver. great build. I am building one myself with my two girls and my 2 yr old boy they have enjoyed watching what yall have done!
Glad to hear your son is okay.
So happy to hear your son wasn't hurt, you are right it could have been much worse.
That's the least damage possible for a roll over! That's amazing. Glad your son is ok!!!
Trail rig... run it. The fact that it rolled and no glass was broken is a miracle. Sounds like the grace of God at work.
Had a tree fell across a truck of mine one time several years ago.. I used a floor jack and and a 4x4 post and took my time and straightened out the roof..it can be fixed.. You can do this. Have fun with it..
I didn't think about using a jack inside the Jeep.... thank you for that tip!!!
On corners and things when you use the jack, you can cut the 4x4 to shape the top of it to fit the creases.. wish I had taken the pics to show you how it turned out. But I was able to drive it and it worked out wonderful for me. Had to have the glass replaced In mine. It did a number on my truck. But I had to have a way back and forth to work. So I just got the tree cut off it and got after it..Wish you the best from an ole country boy...
Brad, I was in a head on collision back in February on the 26th. Totaled my truck due to the fact i had liability and the guy that hit me had no insurance. He was driving under the influence of alcohol. He had no insurance, no driver's license, the truck he hit me with, he didn't own.And drunk, He walked away with out a scratch. My left arm had a hematoma about the size of a football, and my arm was black. It totaled the truck. He gets away with it and I am trying to piece a ride together. I have a jeep Cherokee XJ that I have been trying to get going, but my back is played out and I don't have help. I have had 5 back surgeries before the accident. I found out 3 wks ago I have 4 more buldging disc. Going to have to go to.the table again it seems.
But anyways, I really do wish you and your sons the best! Glad he wasn't hurt,the vehicle can be replaced. It's just the thought.
Also, thanks for the service to our country!
Like most other people have said, it's a jeep, not a show car. Make sure all the doors open without issue, no broken glass is a miracle. Rock the scars, they're stories to tell later.
Strongly recommend a dashcam of any kind. Spend as much as you want to, but my ebay $40 1080p cam WITH rear cam has paid for itself with the things I've caught. Just a friendly suggestion. Glad he's okay. I've rolled an old SUV with a close friend inside and we will probably never forget it. As far as the door and roof catches, man if it was me I'd use a hi-lift and just pop it back until it doesn't catch.
the boy is good - thats what matters. all that damage makes for good camp stories and character. its an off roader - drive it till the wheels fall off!
Sons safety's is such a blessing!! Jeep actually looks good for what happened. On a lighter note my trucks got more damage in a Walmart parking lot. Lol.
Shows how good a jeep😄 is built glad your son is ok
I rolled my xj on July 14th. Guy went in my lane headed towards me I swerved to avoid a head on and hit the start of a guardrail on the drivers side where the headlight is then rolled it down a hill. Completely smashed the roof and front end in Glass was everywhere but it started up and drove. They towed it of course there was no fixing it but hopefully gonna buy another!
Sorry to hear about your XJ! Hope you find a new one soon!
Sounds like old school Cherokees are really tough vehicles, and do a good job of keeping the occupants safe.
Glad your son is ok. Keep the XJ. Don't turn it into a crawler. You can hide the damage with a big roof rack and armor panels.
Brad, glad to hear your son is still healthy. Unfortunately this is a unibody construction. The roof, tailgate and door alignment after the accident says the whole truck is tweaked. I owned a 1998 that was actually the same, exactly, even the color. Loved it. This is a trail project now. Unfortunately, the steel in the unibody seams is really thin and not easy to weld on unless you're an experienced builder. I didn't roll mine or even have a collision or hard contact, just some trail use in situations I wasn't experienced enough. I was learning. I banged it around harder than I had built it for, as I said, I was still learning how to drive it. Gremlins krept in. Leaks around the windshield, window motors, switches, wiper motors all started to go. Find another and start again. Use this as a trail rig.
Glad your son is ok, he definitely had someone watching over him. And I agree with what most people said on here, don’t bother with insurance fix what you can and hide what you can’t with armor. One thing I would do since the XJ and ZJ are known for heating issues, get I louvered hood or fix what you can on the hood and wherever the creases are the worst(if feasible) cut out and install louvers. I have a ZJ and looking to do that myself lol and would love a video of that. Take care and God bless.
I see some guys saying to leave the scars, I’m not sure I agree. The damage isn’t as bad as it could be but if I were you, I’d do my best to repair or replace what I could. I’m fine with wear and tear over time but body work issues would bother me for sure. Good luck brad!
I buy alot of wrecked vehicles from a salvage auction i also have had alot of experience in mine or my familys vehicles being totaled. I currently have 3 of these xjs so know alot about them as well. This car will be totaled if you turn it in. But you can buy it back from the insurance company for next to nothing and they will give you a check for the cost of a replacement. The money is yours hopefully for more jeep mods and repair costs. The title would be stamped salvage but if your not gonna sell it anytime soon its a good idea
Glad you're son is ok. The dents will not all go away, you'll spend thousands trying to get that all fixed. Find a shop and get it put on a frame machine to see if the vehicle is still square and get some input from the shop if it's structurally sound or not.
I’d leave some of the dents - those are memory marks :)
Glad to hear your son was not hurt. Hope you can salvage "Sucia" and get her back on the trail.
1. Glad your son is ok.
2. Seems like a fairly easy fix. Check frame and alignment etc and if that's all good most of those dents could probably be pushed out from the inside. Might want to have a pro do the roof, but the other dents should be fairly easy to fix in the garage.
Glad your son is ok. I'd start buy taking off the hood and fender, straighten the dents, then skim coat with bondo and paint them. For the roof, Rent or buy a porta-power, then start slowly removing all the dings and dents. again, skim with bondo and paint. For the rack, just install rhino rails (or equivalents) and put on a rhino rack. If you take your time, and maybe get some help with the porta-power on the roof, it willl be great looking jeep (again). Keep posting progerss on it, please.
Glad he is ok. Keep building it. Buggy time !!! Tools and gear is always a fear I have, got to keep everything secure, locked down and in strong storage.
I’m relieved that your son is okay!! I saw the title and had a mini heart attack, but I’m glad that he’s okay!
Pull out the left fender out, it will allow the door to open and not rub.
Glad to hear your son walked away. These XJs are tanks
That XJ did it's job well. Your son is ok, and I'm very glad go hear that. It must have spent most of the rollover in the air to sustain such minimal damage. Good luck with all the repairs.
Fix nothing - wheel the shit out of it !! Send it !!!
Jeep saves son. Man saves jeep! Tough little Cherokee. Maybe add an interior roll cage just for good measure. SO glad your son is okay.
First off thank goodness your son is fine!
Its amazing that this rolled really not too much damage for a roll! Good luck with your choice of what to do with it. Easily repairable!
Brad im a father too that jeep save the life of your son the jeepwas a life saver after that rollover the jeep almost don’t have nothing bend and dent here and there bro they no make strong cars like those any more keep the jeep and feel the conexion between man and machine very glad you son is fine god bless bro
Brad, first off I'm glad your son is ok. Everything on the vehicle is repairable. Hood and quarter panels all can be pulled and hammered out. The roof isn't shot, it's just where I think you need to focus all of your energy. From what I can see by the camera angles, your roof is now racked to the left, which would explain the left side door closure issues. All of that can be pounded out, but I think it would be to your advantage to pay for 2-3 hours of time on a frame straightening machine to get everything lined back up.
The little cosmetic dents, dimples, etc. Leave em. Remember it's a trail rig, it's gonna get banged up. Call them war wounds. It adds character to the vehicle, and give you one hell of a story to tell around the campfire.
Only time I've seen rollover damage with no scratches is from the dunes. Please don't open that door again until you pry out the fender. Just stick anything in the door gap and pry it out.
I was looking at doing a rag top conversion on an XJ with an exo /overland cage. Probably beyond your plans, but would you trust that top to another roll with your kids in it? Think of it's sentimental value after something like that. Not trying to be dark MC, but drawing a picture of a possible reality.
Glad they're safe and you have these options to consider!
We built them XJs solid , I worked on the XJ assembly line for 13 years . Glad your son is ok !
Glad to hear son is ok! Now write it off and do a grand Cherokee 1st gen. Building the build is the best part!
Glad your son is ok. Tube doors, armor, outside cage, try to straighten roof as much as you can and call it done. Looks great as is adds character
First, glad your son is ok! Pretty impressive, that's not a lot of damage considering. Hood, fender, quarter panel, all easy fixes. Replace hood and fender brush up on your paint skills. Armor for the quarter panel. Pull the headliner to make sure the roof joist haven't pulled away from the sheet metal and start pushing it out. Should be able to hammer that gutter back into place with a block of wood and a dead blow hammer. Finally try your hand at welding and install an exocage. If she's straight and true, keep her alive! Long live the XJ!
Option #3 will make it look even better with body armor and a roof rack. Most anybody that looks at it won't ever be able to tell it was rolled.
Glad your son is ok and I think in the end you will still have an even better looking rig.👍
That sucks. Still has less body damage than my Cherokee. Previous owner was a drink so he wrecked it a few times.
Hey Brad, really sorry to hear this.. Glad that your son is okay.. Inspires me to hold on to my Landy despite all the trouble she gives.. Take care..
glad to hear no one was hurt
Praise God your son is ok.
Glad your boy is ok.
I’ve seen cherokees roll and they’ve held up pretty well. If they land on the roof the front will crumble quite a bit but this faired pretty well.