[K-Dog7469]

We just got a ridgeline in the shop. ( not mine ) Hit in the front. Not real bad.
Would any one care to see a photo blog on it? If I post some step by step photos would any of you be into it ?
I mean I dont care either way. I would rather just get the job done. but if any of you are interested in the process let me know.

 

[Rich M.]

This sounds interesting. What I would like to know or see is if you will use OEM parts or will aftermarket parts be used.

If it is aftermarket parts, how does everything fit?

Hopefully I will not be in collision repair situation, but this would be good information to have if a collision does occur.

Basicially, OEM versus aftermarket. I am guessing the insurance company may decide this for me.

 

[eurban]

I had front end damage repaired a couple of years ago on my 06. They pulled the front subframe cross member back forward from its damaged pushed back position so that the truck's frame wouldn't be towed in in the least, and then they essentially bolted on all new OEM parts (except for the ac condensor.) In the end just about every damaged part was replaced with only very small amount of accident damaged areas remaining.

My overall impression was that the Ridgeline is built like a tank and that it was possible to bring the front back to an almost undamaged state.

I would most certainly be interested in reading about the repair process from professional's standpoint!

 

[Dnick]

Yes, also interested to see this.

 

[K-Dog7469]

In the parking ready to come inside.

 

[K-Dog7469]

all the stuff removed from the front.

Now give it a good look see and find out what all is going on.

 

[K-Dog7469]

Tranny cooler is toast so are the pipes.

Hood doesnt look too bad from the outside, but underneath the seams are split and there is a good amout of underside damage. Needs a new hood.

( you are looking up at the underside of the hood with the seal pulled back. )

 

[K-Dog7469]

I noticed with the hood shut its sitting kinda funkey.

So I took some measurements, and sure enough there is structural damage.

( you are looking straight down from over top of the core support over the battery )

Making a measurement diagonal across the engine bay, to the headlight bolt hole, you can see I am off a bit. The green line shows where the measuring tip landed. It should have landed in the bolt hole.

Now we wait for the insurance company to come out and approve the additional labor to pull the unibody.

 

[Slider]

I've been hoping to hit a deer with mine. I have that front bumper trim and grew tired of it. Painted it body color and it's ok but if I could take it off and not have 9 holes in the bumper I would. Is that true there's 9 holes when you remove it? :act035:

 

[eurban]

Where do you get that measurement spec from? What are you measuring from? Is it in the regular factory manual or some sort of Honda manual specifically for body shop work? Or are you comparing measurements from the passenger and driver's sides?

Thanks for the pics!

 

[K-Dog7469]

I've been hoping to hit a deer with mine. I have that front bumper trim and grew tired of it. Painted it body color and it's ok but if I could take it off and not have 9 holes in the bumper I would. Is that true there's 9 holes when you remove it? :act035:

If you remove that hideous thing there will be holes.

 

[K-Dog7469]

Where do you get that measurement spec from? What are you measuring from? Is it in the regular factory manual or some sort of Honda manual specifically for body shop work? Or are you comparing measurements from the passenger and driver's sides?

Thanks for the pics!

Good question.

First thing I did was measure left rear fender bolt to right from fender bolt. Then I measure right rear fender bolt to left front fender bolt. If they are identical, no worries I move on.
If they are not identical, which in this case they were not, I go in the office and have my manager print out a measurement data sheet. Like this one...

This told me that it is 1583mm (?) from the front bolt hole on the hinge on one side to the headlight bolt hole on the opposite side. I set one of these ...

to 1583mm and dropped one point in the bolt hole on the hinge and see where it lands on the headlight bolt hole. Well that green line near the hole on page one is where the pointer landed. I verified on the opposite side and confirmed the top box structure is to the right about 15mm

 

[Dnick]

Very interesting stuff. I'm pulling up a chair.....

 

[speedlever]

From the 06-08 FSM:

 

[Carsmak]

Ok I'm in. K-Dog, once the insurance decides keep us in the loop. This is really interesting. As usual Speed has the other set of answers...

 

[chiph]

Could that (point D) be off because the upper radiator mount is tweaked? It seems that point E is on the rail and more structural than the upper bar, and so more indicative of the frame being straight or not.

Chip H.

 

[speedlever]

I'd love to find that diagram in my FSM that Kevin posted in post #12 above. Perhaps I haven't searched on the right term yet.

 

[K-Dog7469]

Okay I didnt get a lot done today. I had other projects that were a little bit hotter.

All I did on the ridge today was remove the fan assy, the radiator and the AC condenser.
After that I attached it to the pulling machine. I expect to be able to pull it Monday or Tuesday.

 

[K-Dog7469]

Could that (point D) be off because the upper radiator mount is tweaked? It seems that point E is on the rail and more structural than the upper bar, and so more indicative of the frame being straight or not.

Chip H.

I am not following you....

First off lets get a little clarity. I am going to assume when you say " upper radiator mount " you mean the top most metal piece. ( Upper tie bar )
The nice thing about a unibody is if you have one thing off you usually will have others as well. Just the measurements I took being being off was enough to tell me there is structural damage. Additional measurements would do nothing but confirm that.
The only point of primary impact was to the rebar ( bumper ) seeing the damage to the left end of the rebar, as well as parts of the offending car INSIDE of the rebar confirms all that.

In essence the next step is to recreate the impact in the reverse direction. Meaning, attach to the rebar and pull the front to the left.

 

[K-Dog7469]

I'd love to find that diagram in my FSM that Kevin posted in post #12 above. Perhaps I haven't searched on the right term yet.

Pretty sure its ALLDATA.