Totaled a Truck.

[XxDaSTaRxx]

Welp, on the way into town this morning, hit a patch of black ice. Truck fishtailed and spun 180 degrees, and slammed into a few small trees in a treeline. Both myself and my brother were unharmed. Insurance won't cover her. Off to the junkyard she goes today, after 10+ long years. 

[NatCigg]

nobody hurt. 

I dive slower with the experience i've gained.  35 mph is Fast on ice.  4wd is a must.

when its this cold you can count on the salt not holding through the night.  shadows help to retain the cold as well.

Better luck in the future and watch out for those other crazy people called drivers. 

[Volron]

That's "totaled"?  Another one is; What was in the back of your truck?

[Karnak]

Sorry to hear about your truck.  I sold my '01 Tundra about two years ago for a bit over 9k.  Good truck.

That's "totaled"?  Another one is; What was in the back of your truck?

"totaled" as defined by the insurance company means "it will cost more to fix than we think the vehicle is worth" not "it is so smashed there is no way to realistically make it driveable again".

[XxDaSTaRxx]

That's "totaled"?  Another one is; What was in the back of your truck?

There is more there. Chassis damage, and the rear end of the truck is pretty much scrap metal.

Wasn't carrying anything other than a spare tire in the bed. Karnak is right, it is a common misconception. She is still able to drive, we could even get her unstuck with her own power.

[Volron]

There is more there. Chassis damage, and the rear end of the truck is pretty much scrap metal.

>Wasn't carrying anything other than a spare tire in the bed.< Karnak is right, it is a common misconception. She is still able to drive, we could even get her unstuck with her own power.

You should have had some weight in the back.  4+ sandbags or more in the back would likely have prevented your tail from breaking loose so easily.  Even a 4wd truck will have an issue with a light tail.  In the end, your tail is light and the highly likely end to break loose on ice.  I had 4 50lb bags of dirt in the back when I was in Wyoming during winter, and it made a difference.  Of course, this doesn't mean you can drive normally.  Still have to take your time.

Sorry to hear about your truck.  I sold my '01 Tundra about two years ago for a bit over 9k.  Good truck.
"totaled" as defined by the insurance company means "it will cost more to fix than we think the vehicle is worth" not "it is so smashed there is no way to realistically make it driveable again".

He said it was totaled, not that his insurance logged it as such.  He only mentioned that insurance won't cover.  As far as I am aware, liability insurance wouldn't cover something like this anyways.  He mentioned his truck is 10 yrs old, which I've yet to know an insurance company that would've fully covered her unless he was making payments to a bank.  Also, I only had that picture to go off of, which is why I asked.  I see folks around here driving around with their vehicles in worse shape than what I see in the picture.



Got any more pictures, or can you take anymore Dast?

[XxDaSTaRxx]

You should have had some weight in the back.  4+ sandbags or more in the back would likely have prevented your tail from breaking loose so easily.  Even a 4wd truck will have an issue with a light tail.  In the end, your tail is light and the highly likely end to break loose on ice.  I had 4 50lb bags of dirt in the back when I was in Wyoming during winter, and it made a difference.  Of course, this doesn't mean you can drive normally.  Still have to take your time.


He said it was totaled, not that his insurance logged it as such.  He only mentioned that insurance won't cover.  As far as I am aware, liability insurance wouldn't cover something like this anyways.  He mentioned his truck is 10 yrs old, which I've yet to know an insurance company that would've fully covered her unless he was making payments to a bank.  Also, I only had that picture to go off of, which is why I asked.  I see folks around here driving around with their vehicles in worse shape than what I see in the picture.



Got any more pictures, or can you take anymore Dast?

I've got one more of the rear left headlight being busted, but none of the chassis damage. I didn't realize it was a problem until we got it home. I didn't think to take any pictures.

I'll try to snap some and post em here tomorrow morning, she's still out in the driveway until we decide what to do with it. Right side where we impacted trees, that area is FUBAR. Entirely dented in and the headlight is somewhere in the treeline where she crashed.



EDIT: License plate numbers removed, thanks Volron 

[branch37]

I drive a 2013 short bed quad cab Z71.  Even with 4WD it is easy to lose traction on ice.  There is no weight what so ever in the rear end.  That raises a question with me.  Would it really be that hard for the designers to add some ballast in the rear end, or even center the weight better?  My 2006 Z71 had a after market rear bumper that was much heavier than the stock bumper, and it drove excellent on ice with the 4WD.

[Volron]

Might want to blot out the license plate number.  Just about every picture of a vehicle I've seen posted here had the plates blotted.

That being said and dependent on more pictures, if the frame is damaged/bent, you may be able to repair her.  Of course it'll cost you a lot if you wish to do body work as well.  But if the body isn't that bad, you could forgo that and just replace what is needed.  I still have body damage on my Pontiac from when someone hit and ran on me a few years ago.  I only needed to repair the L rear suspension and replace the tire (lucked out on rim not being borked).  Only cost me a grand.  It would have been 2500+ if I had the body work done.  But there wasn't anything that damaged the paint.  Just a little crumple/dent on L rear fender/panel.  If your frame is borked though, yeah.  Time for a new/used truck.

[jeep00]

I drive a 2013 short bed quad cab Z71.  Even with 4WD it is easy to lose traction on ice.  There is no weight what so ever in the rear end.  That raises a question with me.  Would it really be that hard for the designers to add some ballast in the rear end, or even center the weight better?  My 2006 Z71 had a after market rear bumper that was much heavier than the stock bumper, and it drove excellent on ice with the 4WD.

It is a truck and designed to carry weight. So when you don't it doesn't grip the same. And the bumper makes sense as it is extra weight as far back as possible.

[Masherbrum]

When it comes to driving on ICE, 4WD doesn't help.   Siping on tires, does a little bit.

[eddiek]

Man, that sucks that the insurance company won't cover the damages.
I'd look at a different insurance company if it were me.  I totalled my old work truck back in '09; it was a 1990 Chevy K1500 I had bought just for getting me to work on the rig and back.  Paid $750 for it when I got it.  I insisted on comp and collision, the comp due to the number of deer running around the area where I worked.  Sure enough, coming home from work one evening, I nailed a deer and it demolished the front end.  Insurance company totalled the truck and sent me a check for $3500 and allowed me to keep the pile of metal that used to be my work truck.  I salvaged what I wanted (engine and transmission and other odds and ends) and sold the body for $500.
Don't get the bare minimum amount of insurance you are legally required to have; assess the risks you encounter and insure your vehicles accordingly.  If you current insurance company won't give you the coverage you want or need, find another company.

[NatCigg]

When it comes to driving on ICE, 4WD doesn't help.   Siping on tires, does a little bit.

If its that bad you should not be on the road.  

in that sense studs or chains would would be nice.

[mbailey]

He said it was totaled, not that his insurance logged it as such.  He only mentioned that insurance won't cover.  As far as I am aware, liability insurance wouldn't cover something like this anyways.  He mentioned his truck is 10 yrs old, which I've yet to know an insurance company that would've fully covered her unless he was making payments to a bank.  Also, I only had that picture to go off of, which is why I asked.  I see folks around here driving around with their vehicles in worse shape than what I see in the picture.



Got any more pictures, or can you take anymore Dast?

I'm an Adjuster for an insurance company.....there are many companies and policy's that will cover a vech bumper to bumper comp and collision....age of the vech means nothing. I have an 04 Silverado that is 100% covered if I hit something or someone...or if something or someone hits me.  She's mine free and clear, having a loan on the truck doesn't affect coverage either way...it's all in the policy you purchase

I've only ever owned 4wd trucks....4wd on ice only means that all 4 tires are going to slip. Means nothing. Now n snow it's wonderful, but just because I have 4wd I still take it really easy in bad weather

Sorry to hear about the truck Dast, maybe take her and get an estimate before you junk her

[Masherbrum]

If its that bad you should not be on the road.  

in that sense studs or chains would would be nice.

I was merely countering two posts stating that 4WD helps on ice, when it most definitely does not.