World's Worst 1st Off-road

[Copper42]

1072508

Well, as some of you know, today was my baby's 1 st trip off-road. I have been looking forward to this for two weeks. Got up real early, picked up my best friend and off we went looking for trails. We stumbled across a logging trail and pulled down. Hit the first hole and the Jeep handled like the champ she is. Went down a steep hill and came to the next slush pit. I hit it and flop. The Jeep came to a halt and sank. Not a bad sink, but stuck nonetheless. After about an hour, and only 4 inches to show for, we decided to flag down some help. We found a guy in a dodge that was kind enough to help us out of our mess. My buddy had stood in the thigh deep pit to try and do anything to get us to move before we found help. Once out, no big deal. I headed back to the road and took him home. The day wasn't that bad. Well, as I was nearing my house, I had to shift down to move around traffic. It was at that time, my day fell apart. The clutch would not disengage and I could not shift out of overdrive. I was able to muscle it into 2nd and limp home. I called my dealer. They had me call roadside assistance and have it towed back to the lot. My Jeep only has 3700 miles and the clutch has gone out. The dealer says it is still under factory warranty, but I bet he says I did something by taking it off-road. I didn't abuse the engine or the clutch once it was stuck. What a horrible day. My baby is out of commission until atleast Monday. :-( Once I figure out how to post the pics I will.

edited by: Copper42, Jun 21, 2003 - 12:13 PM[addsig]

 

[far_right]

1072510

welll.... at least you wernt afraid to use your jeep..... after it gets back, try changing the fluids in the axles, and tcase, b/c the dealer most likely wont have done that[addsig]

 

[far_right]

1072511

welll.... at least you wernt afraid to use your jeep..... after it gets back, try changing the fluids in the axles, and tcase, b/c the dealer most likely wont have done that[addsig]

 

[BostonJeep]

1072514

someone got a lil too excited and hit the button twice heh...


sorry to hear that man, i got my jeep (95 yj) like 3 months ago, and after a week the fuel pump went, and i was really pissed about it too. But after that, havent had a problem since...

hope everything works out for ya! bj[addsig]

 

[Bounty__Hunter]

1072517

Two lessons. Clutches don't like being used while sitting in mud/water. Don't go wheelin alone, always have a second vehicle. Hope the bad first experience doesn't shy you away from the fun of 'froadin :lol: [addsig]

 

[64Jeeper]

1072522

Hey Copper, I'm guessing that by now your Jeep has told you what it wants. ::hint:: (lift) ::hint:: :-D [addsig]

 

[Alaskan_Jeeper]

1072531

Hey just think of it as a leraning curve.. You learned, and from that you shall be better prepared the next time. If I were you, I would look into getting yourself a good winch and maybe if nothing else a come-a-long... I never go wheeling with out some line and a shovel myself, along with the trusted handyman jack.. Just a few things you should always carry with you.

Any ways I hpe your not to discouraged from getting back on the trail. Don't worry, we all have had our share of the "what the *&^% is wrong with this thing now" But it can truly be a love hate relationship.. You'll love it when she working great and you'll hate to have to fix something when it breaks.. Just the nature of the game.

Happy Trails and I hope it all comes out good at the dearlership..

OlllllO [addsig]

 

[TJoffroad00]

1072542

Yes ALWAYS CARRY A HIGH LIFT JACK!!! I learned from personal experience today. I just drove through a extremely deep and rutted trench filled w/ Alabamas finest gumbo mud and barely made it, of course i was proud I told my bud, '83 Toyota Landcruisers= JAP CRAP, he might not want to try it but since we hadnt gotten anyone stuck in a while we told him to go for it.He sunk like a rock, this is w/ a 6" lift and 33" Baja Claws. Well we had a winch cable no winch, dont ask long story, and hooked it from my hitch to his front tow hook. Couldnt pull him out, so i started to try and snatch it. Cable snapped and nailed his hood(dent and paint destroyed) Only way he got out was usin a high lift for two hours as a come along and then i jerked him out w/ a chain when he got close. Made for a great day but w/out the highlift it woulda sucked bad, Ill never be w/out mine. Sucks about your first wheelin trip but your just learnin, everyone gets stuck. Get urself some spacers and mud terrain 31s and swaybar dicos and go back and own that mudhole! Oh yeah got some awesome video wish i knew how to put it on the computer.[addsig]

 

[Bounty__Hunter]

1072544

Lesson #3, never pull quickly on a cable or chain when there is slack, lucky somebody wasn't seriously injured.

I hope you at least had the cable secured to a heavy ClassIII receiver, through the receiver and secured with the hitch pin. Never from a hitch ball or anything lighter than ClassIII.

I hate hearing stories like these, makes me wince thinking about the pain that would have been endured had anybody been standing close.

Anybody ever see the pic with the pickup that had the busted back window right were the driver's head was. Guy was pulling out a friend, had a chain hooked to a ball on the back bumper of the stuck truck. Ball broke and came right through the back window and into the driver :-O Lesson learned.

It's good to get these things out there, so others can avoid such dangerous methods.[addsig]

 

[Sully]

1072547

I always watch out for people being pulled out.That steal cable you may be using could kill someone.Ive heard some horrible stories about snapping steal cables,even one where a guy lost his hand!!! :-O You just have to know what your doing and watch out.Those steal cables can be a dangerous thing. Sully[addsig]

 

[USMPK9]

1072548

look at it this way,, you're not sleeping in that mudhole,
and you and your buddy are in one piece.

My .02.. Doesn't sound like a LIFT was what you
really needed today... Sorry all, more vital gear to carry.

1. Jeep Together,, Got to take a buddy, with a rig,

2. Commo- list includes CB, Shortwave, most important: Cell Phone.

3. Recovery-
a. Proper tow points, fore and aft,
b. Tow strap (Loops, NO HOOKS)
c. Come along $20
or Highlift (Better) $70,
or better yet, Winch (Best) $700?

4. First Aid- pick up a selfcontained kit for under
$25, Cheep insurance, most vital, pressure bandages.


believe me, Alot of us have had to learn the hard way.
It's just one more step in becoming you're own Jeeper.


Jeep Well, Jeep Together, Jeep Safe.
[addsig]

 

[K-Phat]

1072550

Your story sounds a lot like my first time taking my rig off road. Still had the Temp tags on her. Got her stuck really good in a mud/sink hole with 27 in radials. Took my and hour to rocker her out. But I learned a ton and was even more impressed with the Jeep when it was all said and done ;-) [addsig]

 

[Copper42]

1072559

I actually had a come-a-long and a heavy chain. Didn't budge my rig one bit. The decision was made about half way into the ordeal that my buddy was getting rid of his Audi (yuppie car) and getting a 4x4. :-D Anybody know how much a new clutch is if the dealer throws the price my way? [addsig]

 

[jeepin_madness]

1072560

I know the deals about winch cables and snapping. had a friend of mine on a job site just about have his ear cut off by one. hes lucky it wasn't his head. I also used to drive a tow truck and had a cable snap in me one time. It aint pretty :-( [addsig]

 

[Tug-n-pull]

1072562

The first thing to do is start small and with a seasoned off raoder. Take it ez and learn as you go. When confronted by an obstical that is seemingly over your head go around or back out. I am not talking down to you here it just a learning thing that must be learned and we all go through it from time to time. Don't let this stop the off roading it just means you pushed the edge a bit to much to soon. Later on and hope the repairs are covered in the dealer deal. tug[addsig]

 

[joejeepny]

1072568

Many people buy Jeeps for different reasons. Some buy them to go offroading which to them means going up or over or through things. To others it means getting off the beaten path. Many people looking for some solitude Four Wheel ALONE and get far from a good cell phone signal. Thiers one thing that you must follow when four wheeling alone. Look before you leap! Before you go over a hill you get out and see whats on the other side. Before you go through a river you see how deep it is. Before you go over a difficult rock climb you get out and visualize what your gonna due when you get in their. The Jeep cant do what the mind cant visualize. Sure things dont always go as planned but if you checked things out before when you do get stuck you should be able to get yourself out with a highlift, a couple of 18" x 18" peices of 3/4" plywood, a good spare tire, lug wrench,2x long snatch strap, two clevis loops, and a shovel. Sure a winch would be great but it can only help you go forward and cant help you right a roll over. If your smashing around the local trails and your freinds are a cell phone call away who cares go have some fun and get stuck. Just dont hurt yourself.[addsig]

 

[TJoffroad00]

1072575

I do have a class III hitch and had it rigged properly the failure was all in the cable. I had just made my buddy move who was video tapping right before it broke i didnt know he was back there in the first place and when someone mentioned him i made him move immediately! It would have probably decapitated him, he had never been offroadin and didnt know any better. I know it isnt best to pull on a slack cable but when i was half way i the mudhole myself just pullin wasnt an option cause i couldnt budge him.[addsig]

 

[Bounty__Hunter]

1072581

Yes a winch will right a rolled vehicle, even if it's righting yourself. Snatch block.[addsig]

 

[purpleyjgirl]

1072608

Sorry to hear about your bad experience, I bought my clutch at autozone for $120. For the whole system. It was a pain in the @ss to install, Im not sure what the difference would be for your jeep but mine is a 94' 4cyl. 5spd. yj. Good luck, Purple[addsig]

 

[joejeepny]

1072672

A burned clutch would not cause the pedal to not disengage the clutch. The throw out linkage is damaged. I beleive you truck is hydrolic which means you broke a hose or got air in the line or dirt is stopping the bearing from sliding to push agaist the pressure plate. The dealer shouldnt say anything negative unless thier is physical damage like you tore the hose off. Tell the dealer to watch a jeep commercial. [addsig]