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I hit a deer tonight...(pic)

yzmuddereffer

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Ohio
Hit a deer, pulled off, heard horrible sound under hood. The fan shroud around the fan on the left (facing Jeep) was cracked in two and getting chewed up by the fan. The plastic fan on the right was hanging by one screw. I had no light, so I drove three miles back to the nearest gas station and removed the shroud around the fan on the left and secured the fan on the right with a ziptie. There seems to be a small leak in the radiator, but it got me 35 miles home without the temp gauge moving even a touch past normal. Maybe stop leak will work? So, I need to buy a shroud and either replace or better secure the fan on the right. I also need a grille and the fiberglas part of the front that surrounds the grille. "Grille support," is that what it's called? Pic here: http://www.midwestmotocross.com/images/DSCN1027.JPG Please suggest a good/reliable source for where I should buy this stuff. Thanks!
 
I believe the technical name for what you are refering to "Grill support" is Header panel. I'd recommend a JY for your first stop, if you don't care about color or don't mind painting it (spray paint worked fine for me, all depends on how pretty you like it). As far as the radiator goes I'd personally replace it to avoid the worry, should be able to get a new one for <100, but to each his own. As far as the fan shroud goes I had no luck finding one intact in my JY, but while you're there take a look. I superglued and duct taped mine back together. :) Though I wouldn't recommend that for a permanent solution. Might be a good time to upgrade to an aftermarket fan if you're interested. Quadratec also seems to have a lot of those parts available.
 
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no bars leak, or any other "leak stopping compound". They don't just plug the leak, the excess has to solidify somewhere. Stopping up any passageway, or causing blockages is not what you need. A junk yard will have what you need. In my humble opinion bars leak is a waste of time and money, either now or in the future. You'll pay for the short cuts eventually
 
radiator at the junk yards are cheap and really easy swap, but just for the record you got off pretty easy for mackin' a deer! I was expecting to see some carnage, how fast wer you going?
 
Thanks for the help. You're right, thetank, I did get off easy. When I saw the first one, I slammed on the brakes, so I wasn't going that fast when I hit deer No. 2 (a small buck, maybe a four-point). Knocked him for a good loop through. Looked like he had some serious rear end damage as he dragged himself up the bank and into the weeds with his front legs.

I wasn't sure on the "grille support" thing, either, Dest. I did a few google searches, and that's what some online parts places listed under pictures of what I thought I needed.

It sounds like a junkyard is the best bet.

Edit: I found this: http://www.jeep4x4center.com/product-information.asp?number=55055233AE-K

Looks like everything but the radiator and fan cowl/shroud. Haven't really had time to compare prices, though.
 
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You may want to do a Setup like bigjohn1895. LOL
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http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1002033
 
MMMMM venison. Just had some 2 nights ago and antelope burgers tonight. You lucked out with that little of damage glad to hear you or your Jeep were not seriously injured. In your area I'd go get a JY radiator and have a radiator shop boil it out for yah. The probably won't be rotted like all of them by me. It would be cheaper in the long run and keep stop leak out of your system.
 
I hit a deer last winter, the craigslist arb bull bar made a heck of a difference. You may want to look for an aftermarket nose gaurd. I took it out at 60 and it just bent the license plate, and left fur on the steering. As the guys were sayin, a junk yard, and a day should see you back in the saddle again. NO STOP LEAK.
 
I have a plastic header panel I'll sell ya :)

I've hit 3 deer in my jeep. The last one, which was also the at the slowest speed, did the most damage. Having an aftermarket bumper though makes a HUGE difference.
 
Did you bring it home? venison would make it well worth the body.

After I came to a stop (the deer was still in front of me, which means it flew at least as far as it took me to stop), it flopped around for awhile then dragged itself up the bank with its front legs. There luckily was a barn and a pull off another 50 feet or so up the road, so I pulled in there. By then I couldn't find the deer.

You're right, though, the deer meat would have been worth the $350 dollars or so it will take to fix this even at full retail.
 
If you have junk yards available you would be best served staring there. Get a radiator for sure and maybe you'll get lucky and find a late model grill. I was just looking for a shroud about a month ago and had to go to the jeep dealer and get ripped off about sixty bucks because I couldn't find one in a junk yard and I couldn't repair mine w/ super glue. However, you should get off pretty cheap - probably less than two hundred bucks and a can of spray paint.
 
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