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Old 10-06-2012, 07:27 PM   #1
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What Should I Expect In Front Cap Repair From Accident

Hey folks,

Returning home from our southwest trip today we were going through Tulsa, OK and a gentleman in a pickup with his load unsecured lost his deer tree stand about 10 car lengths in front of me. Traffic on both sides and luckily the stand went to the right of the lane and I stuck it with the right front corner instead of running over it.

The cap is cracked up to 3/4 of the way to the windshield and 3/4 across the entire lower part of front end. The headlight bracket and fog light bracket both came off the fiberglass and a hole was punched through right at the corner on the passenger side.

Will the whole cap below the windshield need to be replaced or can this be fixed by a body shop? I want to be prepared when I contact the guy's insurance carrier. I would rather have the front cap below the windshield replaced.

Only had this rig a little over two weeks!

Thanks!
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Old 10-06-2012, 07:34 PM   #2
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Well, thank the Lord you all are ok. The rig can be repaired and now you can quit woring about the first ding or scratch.
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Old 10-06-2012, 07:34 PM   #3
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REplace the cap. Tell his carrier that it was not a repaired cap when their insured's negligence caused the damage to your MH.
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Old 10-06-2012, 09:03 PM   #4
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You might consider taking to the factory in Forest City for the repair.
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Old 10-07-2012, 11:15 AM   #5
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Dave,
Very sorry to hear about your incident. That kind of situation is one of the most feared predicaments we have for ours. If, I get into or around a situation like that, especially where the load is not secured that well or, unsecured, I do one of two things. I either do whatever it takes to overtake and pass that person or, I drop way, way back and am constantly on the lookout for a way out if, anything should fall off.

Some states are pretty diligent about keeping an eye out for unsecured loads and some, don't care all that much. It depends on how many officers are out and about and, what their priority is at the minute. All this doesn't of course help you, it's already happened. So, keep us informed of how it's all handled. Can you take and post some pictures?
Scott
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Old 10-07-2012, 03:59 PM   #6
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Scott,

With the overheating issue, fuel filter, air filter, and then this accident, I was real glad to get the rig into the driveway from this trip. I got under today and checked everything and also noticed that the "ITASCA" mud skirt was bent from impact and the eye bolts were stretched. There is a big impact on the rubber side. I am glad I put it on after the tow truck broke it off in Grand Junction or the tree stand would have run right under the motorhome and it the front of the 2008 Escape we were towing. We had to have flattened the stand when it hit the motorhome and the skirt acted like a snow plow pushing it out the right side.

I attached a picture of the damage and hope you and the others can see it. The picture doesn't show the cracked fiberglass running up and accross. I call the other guys agent tomorrow.

All I can say is we have had our share and hope it is smooth sailing from now on! Same thing happend with our first run on our last motorhome we had. I was able to replace a panel after ordering it from the manufacturer. This is way more than my capabilities.

The fog light and the headlight brackets are detatched. I removed the fog light as it was hanging.
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Old 10-07-2012, 04:04 PM   #7
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Early this year I had an accident on my previous coach, a 2007 Winnebago Voyage and the front cap was damaged pretty severely. My insurance company did not question replacing the cap, although on that coach the cap was multiple pieces not just one piece. Everything below the windshield was replaced as well as the 2 windshields. Some of the metal brackets behind the fiberglass that support the fiberglass front pieces had to be straightened and re-welded.
The biggest delay was in waiting for Winnebago to make the front panels. They do not stock them and make them on order.
We had a sudden trip come up and decided to trade the coach in the middle of the repair for our current coach. I did check back and the repair looked good and they quickly sold the coach before the repair was totally complete, a couple decals missing.
The repair cost was an astronomical $25K, I was amazed it was so expensive. Insurance was State Farm.

Good Luck,
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Old 10-07-2012, 04:38 PM   #8
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Dave,

The lower cap on the Journey's/Meridians of that era are one piece with the exception of the generator access door. While I am sure a competent collision repair center can do the repairs (pretty much like a big Corvette ), I would also try to get them to pay for a new cap. Winnebago can certainly advise how long it would take for them to make one but I would suspect they still have the molds. A call to their owner relations will get you a quick answer.
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Old 10-07-2012, 05:02 PM   #9
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A word of advice from someone who has dealt with this as a service manager. a good fiberglass man can repair the cap and it will look good as new. A good car body man can repair the cap and it will look good as new. The only difference is, the bondo repair will not last. Bondo does not do well in a fiberglass repair after a few years. Due to the difference in material, the bondo usually starts to crack. If they are going to repair the cap, Insist that they fiberglass it.
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Old 10-08-2012, 04:15 AM   #10
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Winnie will have the molds for the cap. They keep them for a long time.

I believe that the best repair would be at the customer service at Forest City. Once the repair is in process they have access to the possible hidden damaged parts once the cap is removed.
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Old 10-08-2012, 06:59 AM   #11
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We had our entire front cap replaced in the first six months ownership (a fellow RV type back into us while we were sitting on our jacks). Insurance was accomodating and put everything back with new parts even a new dash board (yep, he hit us hard).

One caution, it took years to get our front windshields to seat properly after that. Insurance covered it all but the inconvenience was---inconvenient. We were finally made whole and have had no further problems.

Still have the same rig nine years later. Good luck on your repairs.
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Old 10-12-2012, 09:09 AM   #12
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Replace the whole cap. We have done a number of them in the past, and on the Winne units, a lower cap can easily be replaced in 5 hrs. Now if any structural damage has occured, then the job will take longer. And that does not include any paint work required.
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