GMT400 Strength

[INW-Iron-Steel]

Last night my wife's 93 burb, 'Moose', was rear-ended hard exiting the freeway. Supposedly the guy was lost, didn't realize he was getting off the interstate and disregarded the giant red lights in front of his face. Anyway, his Ol' Camry was smoked; grill smashed, hood wrinkled, leaking fluids all over. The Suburban, well here's the aftermath.

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Barely even a scratch! The metal straps where a previous owner had a trailer plug got folded, but that's it! My wife's got a bit of whiplash, but all told, it could have been much worse. Glad my wife is safe, and I don't have to go searching for a new car today. Thanks Moose, you've proved once again you're an absolute tank!

 

[joeblow867]

Gotta love steel bumpers.

 

[someotherguy]

Man! Glad she's OK and the 'Burb is, too. Usually those rear-enders in Suburbans (and of course Tahoe/Blazer/Yukon) with barn doors result in the bumper being just bent enough that it interferes with the door function, or causes them to rub on the lip of the step plastic. Looks like y'all just barely escaped that - I see what looks like a tiny amount of the lip that might contact the door edge. I'm betting the receiver hitch took most of the abuse.

Richard

 

[HotWheelsBurban]

Man! Glad she's OK and the 'Burb is, too. Usually those rear-enders in Suburbans (and of course Tahoe/Blazer/Yukon) with barn doors result in the bumper being just bent enough that it interferes with the door function, or causes them to rub on the lip of the step plastic. Looks like y'all just barely escaped that - I see what looks like a tiny amount of the lip that might contact the door edge. I'm betting the receiver hitch took most of the abuse.

Richard

And THAT is why it's a good idea, to have a properly installed trailer hitch, bolted to the frame with grade 8 bolts.
Glad y'all are okay!

 

[INW-Iron-Steel]

Man! Glad she's OK and the 'Burb is, too. Usually those rear-enders in Suburbans (and of course Tahoe/Blazer/Yukon) with barn doors result in the bumper being just bent enough that it interferes with the door function, or causes them to rub on the lip of the step plastic. Looks like y'all just barely escaped that - I see what looks like a tiny amount of the lip that might contact the door edge. I'm betting the receiver hitch took most of the abuse.

Richard

Thank you for the kind words! No kidding on the doors, that's the first thing I checked. I think that picture gives an optical illusion now that I look at it closer. That jagged edge along the top is a previous owners' handiwork with a razorblade (They must have been drunk when they did it). It's been like that since we've owned it. Oddly enough, the doors function better now (go-figure). On the driver's-side you always had to pull the handle and give it a bump to release the latch. It doesn't require the bump to release the latch anymore. I'm with you, I think the hitch took the brunt of it!

And THAT is why it's a good idea, to have a properly installed trailer hitch, bolted to the frame with grade 8 bolts.
Glad y'all are okay!

Very Very true! This is the 3rd or 4th time a trailer hitch has saved me in similar situations. First time in dry weather though... I think drivers are getting worse. Thank you for the kind words!

 

[Cadillacmak]

Last night my wife's 93 burb, 'Moose', was rear-ended hard exiting the freeway. Supposedly the guy was lost, didn't realize he was getting off the interstate and disregarded the giant red lights in front of his face. Anyway, his Ol' Camry was smoked; grill smashed, hood wrinkled, leaking fluids all over. The Suburban, well here's the aftermath.

Barely even a scratch! The metal straps where a previous owner had a trailer plug got folded, but that's it! My wife's got a bit of whiplash, but all told, it could have been much worse. Glad my wife is safe, and I don't have to go searching for a new car today. Thanks Moose, you've proved once again you're an absolute tank!

Your a good man for putting your family in a safe vehicle! Glad everyone is okay and your not out vehicle searching. This is why we went back to the GMT400, they are just built better than anything else. New stuff is just junky and costs a fortune when bumped.

 

[Groosalugg]

I think drivers are getting worse.

I don't know if it's actually true, but people using cell phones were assessed to be worse than drunk drivers. Now, I've obviously never done either of those because they're illegal, but I think they might be right. At least with drunk drivers, you can kind of predict when they're going to be on the road.

The biggest issue I take up with cell phones is, people are so inconsiderate they'd literally put your life in danger by not paying attention to the road, and not care. Honestly, I thought about this for a little while because it's kind of punishing everyone for the actions of a few, but...

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Yea, I'm one of those a-holes now, and I don't really care who I piss off anymore. If I'm stopping and you're behind me, I want your full attention.

 

[joeblow867]

I don't know if it's actually true, but people using cell phones were assessed to be worse than drunk drivers.

To vague to really study that one. We talking a .09 or a .69? We talking a 16 year old kid texting or a 40 year old making a call? Back when we had the slide open phones with full keyboards, I could jam out an entire novel driving with my knees remaining completely focused on driving and my surroundings never once looking at the phone. I think a lot of this "hands free" stuff is actually more dangerous. Where I live, as long as your phone is on a mount on the dash, its technically "hands free", but even making a speakerphone call using a touch screen with my phone on the dash is significantly harder and more distracting than having the phone in my hand. And its still legal to read a book/eat a meal while driving so what even is the point?

 

[joeblow867]

I'm betting the receiver hitch took most of the abuse.

Im putting a receiver on the front of my new truck. Mostly so I can carry my ebike on the front with my truck camper in the bed but the extra steel beam in front has that added strength bonus too.

I'll also keep one of these on the front and rear for even more protection and having a step will be useful. The new truck is a extended cab (not crew cab) long bed so if i need to snug her right up to the cement wall in parking ramps and what not, i can.

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This is the receiver. The only thing I can see that could have been done better would be to make that isosceles trapezoid reinforcing plate substantially bigger; i don't see any reason it couldn't have extended all the way to the mounting points and the tip of the receiver. But Its probably strong enough. I also might get a hitch mounted winch. I wouldn't want a permanently mounted winch because they just get destroyed from the elements but being able to pop it in the front or rear receiver when I need it, that could be really useful. If you keep an eye on these, you will eventually get a "used like new" one for 120-140$. Used like new almost always means someone bought it, it didnt fit, and they returned it.

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[jd33173]

Moose 1, camry 0. Glad your family is ok. Also moose is a great truck name.