My charger fell off our lift!!!!

[resq302]

Ok, I was just finishing up with the front suspension and brake line job when I was using a bottle jack to raise the k-frame to get the front end high enough to install the front wheels on and I would be done.  As I was walking long side our 4 post lift, the bottle jack or the car must have shifted weight and the car went sliding off the jack and into the one post creasing my driver side fender in the area of the marker lens.  To make matters worse, the pass side came down on the front part of the lift denting the lower front part of the fender and the rear lower part of the fender got dented by the 6x6 that had been on the unibody.  Luckily enough the rotors held the car on the ramps of the lift with the driver side resting on the bottom part of the rotor and the pass. side resting on the ramp by the hub.   A call was placed into my insurance company Hagerty and they said I would be getting a call from an adjuster on Mon.  Man, it felt like someone sucker punched me in the gut when it happened.  I guess things could have been worse... I could have been reaching under to remove the wooden 6x6 blocks I was resting the unibody on when it fell and could have crushed or even pinned me.  We were able to get the car back onto the lift and tires back on with minimal additional damage.   With any luck, and a prayer, I am hoping to have the charger ready for Englishtown on Fri.  If not, I will be there with the battle scars as cleaned up as possible after the adjuster and body shop looks at the damage.

Again, it could have been a lot worse, just hurts really bad emotionally now, but it should be able to be fixed.  Wish me luck.

Brian

[Chryco Psycho]

That bites , Be careful

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

Ouch Brian, tough luck dude.

Like you said, could have been worse.

Hopefully the're isnt any hidden damage.

[Mefirst]

You could have been under the car when it decided to drop...

[resq302]

I think it is only cosmetic damage as it  did not drop that far , mabe a 1' and a half, or fast but I don't exactly  remember the whole incident.  Guess my brain is trying to repress the bad memory.  Just sucks that it happened as that was the last thing I reallly needed to do to my car mechanically wise and then it would have been small stuff like nuts and bolts and stuff.  Oh well, I keep telling myself it could have been a lot worse and that it is hopefully an easy fix for the body man.

[tan top]

I think it is only cosmetic damage as it  did not drop that far , mabe a 1' and a half, or fast but I don't exactly  remember the whole incident.  Guess my brain is trying to repress the bad memory.  Just sucks that it happened as that was the last thing I reallly needed to do to my car mechanically wise and then it would have been small stuff like nuts and bolts and stuff.  Oh well, I keep telling myself it could have been a lot worse and that it is hopefully an easy fix for the body man.

      sorry to hear that brian. just think about what could of happend . like the other guy's say it could of easily been you or your hand/ arm squashed,but when any of our chargers suffer damage no matter how big or small it sill knocks the wind out of you  good luck with the repairs ,hope you get it fixed on time .

[moparjohn]

Brian sorry to hear that but glad you are ok. See you next week. John

[limey]

Thats bad news my friend
Like everyone is saying, that could so easily have been you under there....Also thank God for insurance....its rotten luck, but there are some blessing there for you to count!

[resq302]

I looked at the damage again today after I backed the car off of the lift (after making sure the brakes worked), and the damage does not appear to be that bad aside from some cracked/scratched paint and creased metal of both fenders.  I got the ride height set properly and took it for a couple runs up and down the driveway.  The brakes seem to be ok which I was worried about as it landed on the rotors.  I still have yet to take it above 20 mph though so if the weather is decent tomorrow it is off to ETD for an alignment.  That trip should let me see how it handels around 50 mph or so. 

After the adjuster looks at the damage, some polishing or rubbing compound MIGHT make it look better and I can always try using that Twist-A-Dent tool I have used on my daily drivers.  I, again, keep telling myself, it could have been worse!  My kid could have grown up or be born without a father.  I guess it is one of those things that you just have to look back in a couple years and laugh even though right now it hurts like hell!

[resq302]

UPDATE!!!!!

Had an autobody guy check out the damage today and got a estimate of $1500.  Earliest he said he could take it would be the end of the month.  Looks like I will be attending the Mopar Atlantic Nationals with some battle scars.

[41husk]

sorry to here that, but it could have been much worse.  Will the insurance Co. cover the repair?

[SeattleCharger]

  Ow, that is sad.    Didn't realize body damage could be done like that with a jack falling,

[resq302]

Seattle,

The type of lift we have is one of those perfect parker / backyard buddy type of lifts that have 4 posts and you drive the car onto ramps the full length of the car.  The vehicle is essentially lifted under all 4 tires of the car (very similar to an allignment lift).  When the car fell off of the bottle jack, it was not that far away from the front lift posts/columns hence the damage to the left front fender.  The right front fender caught the front tire stop on the end of the lift and pushed it upward.  Basically if it was not for that lift column, the entire car would have went completely off of the lift and everything would have been A LOT worse.

[Chris G.]

Brian, glad to hear no one was hurt. It really sucks to hear about that. It reminds me of when I was coming home on 280 and the car in front of me flipped up a large crumpled piece of aluminum and it smacked right into my front.

If your paint guy told you $1,500, the damage can't be too bad. Just to match and blend that paint would be pretty costly I'd imagine? I'll see you Saturday.