I have a 2001 2wd CTD club cab with a flat bed. Truck has high miles but newer motor and tranny. Performance stuff are bigger turbo, head studs, aftermarket intercooler, gauges, smarty, FASS and a DD clutch. My buddy used it today and a few minutes after he went in, the neighbor knocked on the door and told him that the truck had just rolled down the hill and hit an abandoned house (parking brake cable broke and truck must not have been in gear good). It broke the welds attaching the flatbed to the frame and smashed the bed into the cab, crushing the back of the cab and ripping a 3 foot gash in the back of the cab. I am certain they will total the truck even though after pulling the bed out of the back of the cab I could drive the truck back to my house.

My question is:

Should I try to keep the truck and put a new cab on it, or let them take it? The flat bed is barely damaged and could be repaired in less than an hour, and the truck is still driveable, but would def have to have a new cab. How much time and money am I looking at putting a new cab on if I do it myself? Any suggestions on how to handle the insurance company with all the aftermarket stuff on it? I don't have the factory parts to just switch and put back on it.

 

43 views and nobody has any input? Somebody has to have put a cab on one and has some incite into if it is worth the effort or not.

 

I would definately say fix the truck. (buddy should help out too). Sorry to hear man

 

Well, not to be rude, but they might have read about how "It broke the welds attaching the flatbed to the frame", and figured 'why bother'?

Someone really welded a body to the trucks' frame? I've seen that done on older trucks where at least there was some substance to the frame, but the newer trucks with the 1/8" (if that) thick, pressed/stamped steel frames aren't all that stout to begin with. Go putting beads of weld on them and it's just like perforating a piece of paper, it gives the steel a place to break easily.

I'd pull the motor and tranny if they're newer and worth it and scrap the rest of it. Just my personal opinion.

 

The cab is an easy swap. Find a 1500 in a U-pull yard. Pull your fenders and hood and swap the cabs. Pull the Dash out. Swap your wire harness, gauge cluster(or whole dash if yours is good) and whatever other good parts you have into the new cab. If you don't have cruise, power windows, power locks, power mirrors, tilt, etc. It is a good time to upgrade. Don't forget to clean out the heater core and evaporator while you are in there.

 

My input would be to take the motor and all the goodies out and find a ford with a blown motor to make a swap out of.
The dodge chassis is crap.. but the motor and a built trans from the dodge are worth keeping

 

Sounds like a lot of work.

Settle with the insurance Co. and start over.

 

See what the insurance offers first. While you're waiting, source the repair parts. If they total it, ask what it would cost for you to buy it back. As far as all the views and no comments, remember where you are. Start talking carnage and you're gonna get folks looking for pics! (BTW, where are they?)

 

I would fix it or do a ford swap.

 

I am all for the Ford Swap!! I am taking a perfectly good 95 and ripping the engine and tranny out for a Ford swap. I thought it was going to get spared when I found a 93 this week but turns out the 93 was 4X4 and the transfer was pass side drop. So now it looks like the 95 will see carnage. It is going to be a tight fit with A/C, aftercooler and fans. I may have to punch my freshly painted firewall in an inch or two.

 

I have def considered the Ford swap. I think the Ford is the best looking truck but the Cummins is the best motor. Adjuster came today and seemed to think it would not get totaled, that it would just need a new back and top to the cab. Hard for me to believe that wouldn't total it.

As for the bed welded to the frame, the factory bed mounts were welded to the frame from the factory, not my doing, so I am not sure how them being welded to the frame is a problem. I don't really know how else you could mount brackets to the frame. You cannot u-bolt them because the fuel tank is against the frame and u-bolts would def crush the thin frame rails.

 

I will try to post pics tomorrow.

 

Here are some pics of the damage. The bed was not really hurt at all, most of the damage happened to the back of the cab.

 

Easy fix

 

I can see the cab is pressed into the door so it will take a bit more than a skin. I bet the whole cab is torqued. I would swap cabs if you want to save it. It would take less time and be better.

BTW Have that bed attached better next time. It was not welded! It was just tacked. If you are going to weld it burn a bunch of rods. I was expecting to see carnage to the back of the flat bed where it hit. I don't see anything but a broke rotten board. You could have lost that bed loaded on a rough road.