Front end damage - upgrades to do

[Will Ram 2500]

Have an opportunity to do a facelift on the front of my Tradesman since it got hit yesterday. A big metal MoDot workers sign along with its stand was in the lane of traffic yesterday and the van ahead of me ran over it and flung it in the air and into the front of my truck at 65 mph. Broke the grill, damaged headlight, broke the brackets that hold the grill and headlight on, chipped a spot of paint on the hood, scraped through the chrome on the bumper in several spots, then flipped up when I went over it and dented the bottom of the nerf bar on the drivers side.

MoDot hopefully covers the damages otherwise my insurance, which would cover what's there currently. I'd pay the difference on upgrades. I'm thinking a body color grill and a Laramie bumper with the fog light cutouts so I can add fog lights. Can't decide on chrome or body color on the bumper. My back bumper is chrome. Would like to do either the Laramie projector headlights in chrome or black. Those require an additional harness if I'm not mistaken. I've attached a front end pic of damage and prior to damage to get an idea what it would look like.

I'm putting it in the heavy duty section to get opinions from others with heavy duty trucks.

 

[mohemipar]

Bad luck for sure.

I have seen a few guys do body colored bumpers/grill on Trademans and it looks really good. I'd maybe go that route, but then the rear bumper would need work.

 

[bobbo7915]

the projector lights do require an adapter harness. i have a body color front bumper and the paint is beat up from rock chips with only 35k miles on it, so i would stick with chrome.

 

[mohemipar]

Good point, the chrome bumpers are a lot tougher. If that is important to you.

 

[Will Ram 2500]

Kinda leaning towards body colored grill with the chrome Laramie bumper. Possibly blacked out quad headlights. I know these chrome quad lights are awful for being able to see. I assume halogen bulbs would improve that on both styles of quads. I've read where 1 type of bulb would cause those to flicker. How much better are the projector lights over the quads? Where is a good place online to get the parts necessary to upgrade the lights and get a wiring harness for new projectors? Also all the parts needed to add stock fog lights in a Laramie bumper so they operate with the low beams. I've seen someone on here added 2 cubes on each side for fog lights. I need to read up on lighting to figure out what I'm going to do on that end.

 

[Will Ram 2500]

I was expecting it to look way worse when I got home. It was really loud when it hit. Did small amounts of damage to several items. At the height it hit I think if I had been in a car that it would have gone through the windshield.

 

[MADDOG]

My neighbor did a body colored grill and still has the chrome bumpers. It don't look bad at all.

 

[McBroom]

Have an opportunity to do a facelift on the front of my Tradesman since it got hit yesterday. A big metal MoDot workers sign along with its stand was in the lane of traffic yesterday and the van ahead of me ran over it and flung it in the air and into the front of my truck at 65 mph. Broke the grill, damaged headlight, broke the brackets that hold the grill and headlight on, chipped a spot of paint on the hood, scraped through the chrome on the bumper in several spots, then flipped up when I went over it and dented the bottom of the nerf bar on the drivers side.

MoDot hopefully covers the damages otherwise my insurance, which would cover what's there currently. I'd pay the difference on upgrades. I'm thinking a body color grill and a Laramie bumper with the fog light cutouts so I can add fog lights. Can't decide on chrome or body color on the bumper. My back bumper is chrome. Would like to do either the Laramie projector headlights in chrome or black. Those require an additional harness if I'm not mistaken. I've attached a front end pic of damage and prior to damage to get an idea what it would look like.

I'm putting it in the heavy duty section to get opinions from others with heavy duty trucks.

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Don’t get the cart in front of the horse.


I Love My 2018 RAM 2500HD 4x4 Off Road. 6.4L. USMC (ret)

 

[Will Ram 2500]

Don’t get the cart in front of the horse.


I Love My 2018 RAM 2500HD 4x4 Off Road. 6.4L. USMC (ret)

If MoDot won't take responsibility, my insurance will under comp and I have a zero deductible on comp. I already talked to my agent about filing a claim if MoDot denies it. If I can get a check for the estimate, when the time comes, I can do all the work myself except the paint for the grill. Watched a video on upgrading to the projectors and that's super easy.

 

[McBroom]

If MoDot won't take responsibility, my insurance will under comp and I have a zero deductible on comp. I already talked to my agent about filing a claim if MoDot denies it. If I can get a check for the estimate, when the time comes, I can do all the work myself except the paint for the grill. Watched a video on upgrading to the projectors and that's super easy.

If you’ve got enough proof then you can threaten a lawsuit and they’ll get off their ass and take care of you. Been there done that here in my home town with a raised manhole that ripped up my oil pan. They bought me a brand new engine and a complete front end rebuild with tires.


I Love My 2018 RAM 2500HD 4x4 Off Road. 6.4L. USMC (ret)

 

[loveracing1988]

If MoDot won't take responsibility, my insurance will under comp and I have a zero deductible on comp. I already talked to my agent about filing a claim if MoDot denies it. If I can get a check for the estimate, when the time comes, I can do all the work myself except the paint for the grill. Watched a video on upgrading to the projectors and that's super easy.

I'm actually in the process of upgrading to a chrome bumper to get fog lights only I'm using bedliner on the bumper just because. The grill you could always plasti-dip, I did mine red 2 or 3 years ago and it still looks good. I think the cross bar section of the grill I might try and color match with plasti-dip but I haven't decided yet.

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[Will Ram 2500]

I'm actually in the process of upgrading to a chrome bumper to get fog lights only I'm using bedliner on the bumper just because. The grill you could always plasti-dip, I did mine red 2 or 3 years ago and it still looks good. I think the cross bar section of the grill I might try and color match with plasti-dip but I haven't decided yet.

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I think I'd rather stick with paint on the grill instead of plasti dip. When everything gets figured out with insurance or the state, I'm thinking chrome bumper with the fog light cut outs, painted to match body grill shell using my current inserts, and factory projector headlights. Can't decide between chrome and black. I have lots of time to figure it out, but I'm kinda leaning towards black since the grill shell will be body color and black accents look really good on Granite Crystal.

 

[loveracing1988]

I think I'd rather stick with paint on the grill instead of plasti dip. When everything gets figured out with insurance or the state, I'm thinking chrome bumper with the fog light cut outs, painted to match body grill shell using my current inserts, and factory projector headlights. Can't decide between chrome and black. I have lots of time to figure it out, but I'm kinda leaning towards black since the grill shell will be body color and black accents look really good on Granite Crystal.

Just start with a painted front bumper if you are going to paint it. That way you don't have to worry about painting over chrome.

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[Will Ram 2500]

Just start with a painted front bumper if you are going to paint it. That way you don't have to worry about painting over chrome.

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Sticking with chrome on the bumpers I think. If I do paint, I won't get chrome.

 

[Will Ram 2500]

Here's an update. Mo Dot denied responsibility, so I filed with my insurance company under comp coverage which is a zero deductible. I took compensation as a check. I'm satisfied with it. Got a check for $2258 last weekend. Unfortunately, my plans to fix it the way I want are on the back burner. I've been an IT contractor at the same company for 5 years and was told a few months back I'd be converting to an employee. Upper management at the discretion of 1 person says my position isn't needed, so I'm out of a job tomorrow. The market is tough for a Mainframe Cobol developer. Looking at lots of other areas outside of IT as well since I'm sick of it after 21 years in the field, but it's awful searching for a new job. We'll see what happens, but once things stabilize for me I'll probably just throw a painted grill on and replace the 1 headlight.

 

[Joizee camper]

Looking at lots of other areas outside of IT as well since I'm sick of it after 21 years in the field, but it's awful searching for a new job.

IT security is popping up everywhere, can't hurt to give that a shot. Best of luck to you hope you find something soon.

 

[mtofell]

Is that a Tradesman? I thought those had black grills?

I have an Outdoorsman that has body colored grill (same color as yours too). I'll snap a couple pictures so you can see what it would look like.

 

[loveracing1988]

Is that a Tradesman? I thought those had black grills?

I have an Outdoorsman that has body colored grill (same color as yours too). I'll snap a couple pictures so you can see what it would look like.

There is a chrome appearance package that includes chrome bumpers, grill, and wheels.

 

[Will Ram 2500]

IT security is popping up everywhere, can't hurt to give that a shot. Best of luck to you hope you find something soon.

Just got an offer today as an Account Manager at a huge landscaping company late this afternoon. I've had my own lawn business for 13 years that I'd grown to 80 accounts at one point while running a crew while I was working another full time job. Back in '15 I couldn't get employees so I sold most of the accounts. Those 13 years busting my ass as a second job paid off now for a new career.

 

[Will Ram 2500]

Is that a Tradesman? I thought those had black grills?

I have an Outdoorsman that has body colored grill (same color as yours too). I'll snap a couple pictures so you can see what it would look like.

Oh yeah...that would be nice to see.