A stupid mistake, a very stuck truck and how I got it unstuck
#1
07-06-2009, 11:38 PM
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Eastern Central New York State
Posts: 1,003
A stupid mistake, a very stuck truck and how I got it unstuck
Hey guys. You are all going to laugh at me for this one. On July 3rd, I was driving the Jimmy in our backyard out to the shed to grab some stuff that was too heavy to carry right after a few rainstorms over the past few days. Little did I know, the ground was super saturated and the mud was mixed in with sewage from the septic system (rural area). I thought the lawn was okay because the whole backyard had no standing water and a uniform grass coverage all around. I drove over it with it in 2HI. BIG MISTAKE. The rear of truck sunk 6 inches in seconds I thought "Ha. Happened before. *Stop, Neutral, 4HI*".
But that is where it gets worse. Truck still wouldn't budge and one side wasn't spinning because one side was digging deeper. I drop it into 4LO and 1. Even WORSE MISTAKE. The tires were so deep I ended up spinning all 4s in 7" of mud and parts of the undercarriage were touching and scorching the grass.
I was about to call AAA or the local tow company with 4x4 tow trucks until I had an awesome idea. I knew we had the spare paving stones from my Eagle Scout Project (a circular retaining wall was part of it) only 100ft from the truck and they were only 22 lbs each. I placed them in back of the front wheels in an alternating pattern to form a track for the front wheels to grip to. Since the hole on the left side was not as deep as the right side, I managed to use the flat stones instead of the full depth stones to make it a level track. I got back into the truck. Restarted it, put it into R, and SLOWLY made the front wheels push the car back. Still didn't work, so I took the already-ruined floor mats I already tried and put them behind the rears. Tried again and THE TRUCK BACKED ITSELF OUT WITHOUT A TOW ROPE. Drove it back to the garage only to find sewage and mud all over the body, wheelwells and behind the bumpers. I also found out that the undercarriage was actually touching the mud and that the exhaust system left a mark in the mud. I washed the car by hand, but because of the smell and the tires, I took it to the local car wash the next day. Took care of 95% of the mud and 100% of the smell.
I admit that was the stupidest mistake I have ever made with this truck. Fortunately, when I was making my moves to get it unstuck, I did it slowly and carefully to try to free it with the mats and the paving stones and made sure no wheels were moving when changing gears to make sure a new transmission was not going to be part of the equation. I must say that my mom was not to happy about her lawn being torn up, but she doesn't really care because lawns grow back.
Also good thing I had the transfer case and both differential fluid changed a few months back. The rear diff needed it because the oil change place guy said it was dark. I am going to have all three checked again tommorrow due to this incident when I get the oil changed (due anyway, 765**).
WELL...... It least I know the 4WD works after the front axle "rebuild" (gears were stripped due to a broken shift fork) and later the TCCM and several fuse replacements 1.5 years ago (just after we got the car. I didn't cause those failures because it was the 1st time we used 4WD in snow we found out the front axle wasn't locking in) as well as both CV joint replacements done at different times......
Go ahead.... laugh if you want.....
ComputernerdBD
But that is where it gets worse. Truck still wouldn't budge and one side wasn't spinning because one side was digging deeper. I drop it into 4LO and 1. Even WORSE MISTAKE. The tires were so deep I ended up spinning all 4s in 7" of mud and parts of the undercarriage were touching and scorching the grass.
I was about to call AAA or the local tow company with 4x4 tow trucks until I had an awesome idea. I knew we had the spare paving stones from my Eagle Scout Project (a circular retaining wall was part of it) only 100ft from the truck and they were only 22 lbs each. I placed them in back of the front wheels in an alternating pattern to form a track for the front wheels to grip to. Since the hole on the left side was not as deep as the right side, I managed to use the flat stones instead of the full depth stones to make it a level track. I got back into the truck. Restarted it, put it into R, and SLOWLY made the front wheels push the car back. Still didn't work, so I took the already-ruined floor mats I already tried and put them behind the rears. Tried again and THE TRUCK BACKED ITSELF OUT WITHOUT A TOW ROPE. Drove it back to the garage only to find sewage and mud all over the body, wheelwells and behind the bumpers. I also found out that the undercarriage was actually touching the mud and that the exhaust system left a mark in the mud. I washed the car by hand, but because of the smell and the tires, I took it to the local car wash the next day. Took care of 95% of the mud and 100% of the smell.
I admit that was the stupidest mistake I have ever made with this truck. Fortunately, when I was making my moves to get it unstuck, I did it slowly and carefully to try to free it with the mats and the paving stones and made sure no wheels were moving when changing gears to make sure a new transmission was not going to be part of the equation. I must say that my mom was not to happy about her lawn being torn up, but she doesn't really care because lawns grow back.
Also good thing I had the transfer case and both differential fluid changed a few months back. The rear diff needed it because the oil change place guy said it was dark. I am going to have all three checked again tommorrow due to this incident when I get the oil changed (due anyway, 765**).
WELL...... It least I know the 4WD works after the front axle "rebuild" (gears were stripped due to a broken shift fork) and later the TCCM and several fuse replacements 1.5 years ago (just after we got the car. I didn't cause those failures because it was the 1st time we used 4WD in snow we found out the front axle wasn't locking in) as well as both CV joint replacements done at different times......
Go ahead.... laugh if you want.....
ComputernerdBD
Last edited by ComputerNerdBD; 07-07-2009 at 12:45 AM.
#2
07-06-2009, 11:41 PM
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Eastern Central New York State
Posts: 1,003
More photos
Including the driver side and closeups of the tracks.
#8
07-19-2009, 10:37 PM
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Eastern Central New York State
Posts: 1,003
Originally Posted by stevo
good job
i too am a scout
working on my eagle here soon =]
i too am a scout
working on my eagle here soon =]
If you need advice, PM or email me.
My advice to anyone working on Eagle: Never wait until the last minute to do any Eagle Scout work. I ended up doing that and after delays doing the project only 6 days before my 18th birthday.
Also sorry to hear that about your Blazer. Must have been a great truck for you.
Last edited by ComputerNerdBD; 07-19-2009 at 10:49 PM.
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