My New ('90) XJ - Stuck

Tim Hallam · Posted: Sun Sep 28, 2008 3:15 pm Post subject: My New ('90) XJ - Stuck

I got board yesterday (9/27) and decided to head down the road to Lake Shastina, 7 miles away from my house. I usually go camping out there in the spring and I hadn't been out there for a couple months. When I got there I was surprized to see how low the lake was, infact, there was little more than a small stream where the lake usually is.
The ground didn't look too muddy so I figured my Jeep would just drive right on over the terrain. I drove down the boat ramp and made it about 150' past the end of the ramp in 4-Hi. I didn't realize how muddy it was until I tried to turn left and I just kept going straight. I let the Jeep roll to a stop, then I put in 4-Lo, reverse... It moved about 6 inches before the wheels started slipping. From that point on every move I made I just ended up another inch deeper. I spent about 40 minutes digging and puting dry rocks under my tires. No use...
Someone gave me a ride home and that's when I asked my neighbor who has a 4X4 F250 if he could pull me out. He was up for helping me so we through two 25' tow straps in his truck and headed off to recover my Jeep. Well, as you can see from the photos, his truck got stuck in even shallower muck than my Jeep did. We spend about two hours trying to dig his truck out. No use... The more we dug the more water would come out of the ground.
Shortly after giving up on his truck a couple duck hunters came across us with a little Ford Ranger. Their Ranger wasn't even able to budge the F250. They let us use their cell phone and we ended up calling AAA.
The tow truck driver was a local guy and only billed my neighbors AAA plan for one "recovery" since he knew me. He had to freespool 175' of cable to reach me and then winched me back to solid ground. The F250 was at an obscure angle to the boat ramp where the tow truck was. The 6,000Lbs of the F250 and the obscure angle made it much harder for the tow truck to winch it. The tow truck began sliding down the boat ramp on loose gravel.
The hole thing from the time I first got stuck out there until the time we both got out was about 6 hours.
And to finish off the day... I made it no more than two miles back from the lake when red and blue lights lit up behind me. Ugh!...

No front bumber, no front license plate, no rear license plate lamp and running a stop sign!

I had my front license plate with me though and I explained to the officer that I was in the process of re-building my front end and that I had a bumper at home. He was currect that I didn't come to a complete stop at the stop sign. I kind of made it into a "yield" sign since no one was coming. I have no damn idea where he was sitting! Came out of nowhere... Like they usually do.

He was a really nice guy though and let me go...
[IMG]http://i374.photobucket.com/albums/oo184/Hallam-Photography/Laredo/CRW_9400.jpg[/IMG]
http://i374.photobucket.com/albums/oo184/Hallam-Photography/CRW_9401.jpg
http://i374.photobucket.com/albums/oo184/Hallam-Photography/CRW_9396.jpg
http://i374.photobucket.com/albums/oo184/Hallam-Photography/CRW_9412.jpg
http://i374.photobucket.com/albums/oo184/Hallam-Photography/CRW_9409.jpg
http://i374.photobucket.com/albums/oo184/Hallam-Photography/CRW_9437.jpg

That's the best I can do... Sorry.
_________________
The true measure of a Jeep is not where it can go, but rather, where it has been.

1986 Pioneer, 1990 Laredo, 1991 Sport, 1993 Sport & 1998 Sport.

Tim Hallam · Posted: Sun Sep 28, 2008 3:20 pm Post subject:

OK... I can't figure this out!

I know its simple...

I apologize for the absence of imagery

I'll fix it.

Tim
_________________
The true measure of a Jeep is not where it can go, but rather, where it has been.

1986 Pioneer, 1990 Laredo, 1991 Sport, 1993 Sport & 1998 Sport.

1999amethyst · Member Joined: 12 Aug 2008

i cant see pics.
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99-XJ

Tim Hallam · Posted: Sun Sep 28, 2008 5:55 pm Post subject:

You're..........Correct!

I'm not sure what's going on other than me being photo bucket illiterate.

Can someone help me? I don't understand what I'm doing wrong. I tried this a few times doing it differently.

Sorry.

Tim
_________________
The true measure of a Jeep is not where it can go, but rather, where it has been.

1986 Pioneer, 1990 Laredo, 1991 Sport, 1993 Sport & 1998 Sport.

1999amethyst · Member Joined: 12 Aug 2008

u have to make sure that you use the one thats labeled for forums.
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99-XJ

Tim Hallam · Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2008 10:16 pm Post subject:

I'm sorry guys.... I'm doing it right. It's just not working on JH for some reason.
_________________
The true measure of a Jeep is not where it can go, but rather, where it has been.

1986 Pioneer, 1990 Laredo, 1991 Sport, 1993 Sport & 1998 Sport.

Tim Hallam · Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2008 10:29 pm Post subject:

The links is the best I can do... Sorry.

Comments appreciated.

I know it doesn't look impressive. I sure couldn't get my Jeep to budge though! Even after 40 minutes of shoveling.

Tim
_________________
The true measure of a Jeep is not where it can go, but rather, where it has been.

1986 Pioneer, 1990 Laredo, 1991 Sport, 1993 Sport & 1998 Sport.

jppilot61 · Moderator Joined: 06 Mar 2004 Location: Tappahannock, VA

Would love to see pics of the Tow Truck Driver!

Wonder what he told his family and friends about his day!
_________________

1992 XJ Laredo
RE6130 4.5" XJ Super-Flex Kit
RE1801 Slip Yoke Eliminator Kit NP231

1999amethyst · Member Joined: 12 Aug 2008

they work
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99-XJ

Orangeamc13 · Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 7:55 am Post subject:

Tim Hallam · Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 10:01 am Post subject:

Thanks Orangeamc... I'll try that when I'm at home.

Tim
_________________
The true measure of a Jeep is not where it can go, but rather, where it has been.

1986 Pioneer, 1990 Laredo, 1991 Sport, 1993 Sport & 1998 Sport.

Tim Hallam · Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 10:17 am Post subject:

[quote="jppilot61"]Would love to see pics of the Tow Truck Driver!

Wonder what he told his family and friends about his day![/quote]

The tow truck didn't get there until after it was dark so I didn't get any shots of it. I did have my tripod so I could have set up and got some cool shots but I felt like an ass not helping.

The tow truck driver (Ed) pulls a few people out of there a year. Luckly I was within reach of his winch so he didn't have to leave the paved boat ramp. A couple months ago he went out there to recover a vehicle that got stuck in sand at a different part of the lake (Spear Head) and he ended up getting his 14,000 pound tow truck stuck too. He spent 6 hours digging and blocking his tires before he was finally able to get out. The other tow trucks from the fleet were busy with other tow jobs.

We were lucky he came out there at all really. He was just loading up his truck to go to a roll over accident 60 miles away in Redding when AAA called him and told him about us.

I think I winch would be a good investment for me... I'm done with that "lake" for a while. Well, at least until it snows Smile

or until there's water in it again.

Tim
_________________
The true measure of a Jeep is not where it can go, but rather, where it has been.

1986 Pioneer, 1990 Laredo, 1991 Sport, 1993 Sport & 1998 Sport.

Brad The Best · Member Joined: 14 Jan 2007 Location: Kamloops B.C Canada

a winch is only good if you have something to hook it up to . that ford should of got you out if he had more chain and could get on solid ground .

looks sweet though , to bad you had to get a tow truck .

Tim Hallam · Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 10:01 pm Post subject:

Oh I know... I felt like a wuss not digging myself out all night. At least I didn't pay for it and it wasn't my idea.

I was blowen away that the Ford got stuck! It has front lockers and super low gears. All four of his tires were spinning too.

When he first backed up there he was on dry ground. It didn't sink until he tried pulling me.

See, this is a lake bed that has been sun-crusted on top. The top 3 inches is dry. I could walk and jump on it and not get muddy at all. But the weight of the vehicle breaks through that sun dried crust and digs into the mud below. It's a trip!

If I had 100' of winch line I think we could have positioned his Ford on solid enough ground for me to winch on.

Thanks for the comments.

I'll have to start taking more photos of my Jeep adventures... I mostly do landscape photography.

www.hallamphotography.com

Tim
_________________
The true measure of a Jeep is not where it can go, but rather, where it has been.

1986 Pioneer, 1990 Laredo, 1991 Sport, 1993 Sport & 1998 Sport.

Brad The Best · Member Joined: 14 Jan 2007 Location: Kamloops B.C Canada

when i do crap like that i actually carry around 100 feet worth of chain , cable , straps and enough shackles to hook it all together . it makes getting out go a lot better . Very Happy