Rear body panel replacement

Bob_Mac said:

My daughter got in a pickle in a snow bank and tried to use a tow hook on her rear hatch latch hook(insert face in palm emoji)...severely bending the rear body panel. Has anyone done any body work in this region? Is the rear body panel welded into place or is it a case of just bolting a new one on? I do not have access to the vehicle to inspect it myself. I see the rear body panel can be ordered as a stand alone part but i'm unsure if it's welded into place. If not, I cant just pull one from a junkyard and repair next time she visits.

2007-2017 Jeep Patriot Rear Body Panel 5160150af | TascaParts.com

2007-2017 Jeep Patriot part # 5160150af - Rear Body Panel

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It is welded.

Ya..that's what I was afraid of...thanks for the quick reply! Time to do some fab work!

@Bob_Mac don't know if this will be useful or not, but here's the link to the Patriot body repair manual:

Thanks Sandstone! Not sure how I'm going to attack it....

It's spot welded into place. To replace it is going to take some real body fab expertise. It's too bad that most manufacturers don't put a tow hook in the bumper someplace just for that function. Some do, but not many. Always try to go to the strong part of the frame or differential area. There is always something solid under there and it's worth the dig to get to it. Reminds me of a time when I tied a chain on a females car in a ditch and when I started to pull, the chain hook popped off and caught the power steering line. Ya.....good times. I was on the hook for cost of the line and a p/s pump and fluid. That taught me: don't offer to help, unless you have a nylon strap.

Ya..I've had a few recovery fiasco's myself...that's why all I could do was laugh when she told me the story. Don't think I'm gonna tackle the repair. It's a 2008 2wd pushing upwards of 200K. I got the hatch to where it will latch. With the rear body panel being bulged outward the rear hatch is about 3/4 of inch from being flush to where it should be. You really don't notice it and she doesn't really care about aesthetics. 😂