What did you do to your Jeep today? -Wrangler Edition-

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Johnny O

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Got hit head on by unsecured furniture at 80mph on Interstate 80 yesterday.

I have said it before, and will say it again: Nebraskans are the worst drivers in the world. I knew it was going to fall out of the lowered, dual axel pick-up (covered in right-winger decals and other offensive some such), but could do nothing as was boxed in on all sides by folks that refuse to maintain spacing let alone pay attention to the road. There was nothing I could do but watch in horror as someone's moving day turned into a multi-vehicle accident from five car lengths behind. I was able to slow down and back off a bit more, but couldn't escape otherwise.
So, I did what I had to do which was to maintain speed and take it. Thou shalt not lock 'em up at speed: That gets people killed.

If you're bolting on anything other than an ARB bumper, you doin' it wrong. Beyond a slightly bent front license plate and a piece of particle board nailed to a rear tire, there was absolutely zero damage.
Not even a scratch.

Half of the dresser/desk/cabinet was thrown over the roof of the Rubicon and into the windshield of the Honda tailgating me. The other half was directed under the Jeep by the skid plates and ended up lodged in the radiator of said tailgater. Some of the drawers and doors, plus other things like end tables and lamps that were blown out of the truck ahead of me were deflected to the sides of the Jeep, folding in the side mirrors in the process, then proceeding on at high velocity to total the Dodge minivan to my left and the WRX to my right. The minivan driver panicked and caromed off my fender flares then back the other direction to sideswipe a U-Haul box truck. The WRX lost a hood, windshield and driver window; locked up the brakes and got rear-ended by another brodozer. I had to administer first aid for shock, cuts, contusions, and stabilize the WRX driver for a neck injury while waiting for emergency services to navigate through the now completely chocked up freeway. Thankfully, no serious injuries. My trauma kit is gonna need a seriously expensive re-stock. But driving karma people, driving karma.

The guilty party clearly saw what had happened and left the scene at high speed. All in all seven of nine (great start trek reference!) different vehicles ended up with damage.
Good news is, I had my dash cam running and got exceedingly clear video showing the dualie's plate AND the face of the driver in his side mirror once zoomed in. It was easier to just give the cops the memory card out of the camera than F around trying to download and send it later.
A shame, as was EPIC video! A literal explosion of wood and laminate plastics and dust and Khaaaan! just rolls on through unscathed!

Needless to say, nerves are shot. Frustrating that my scrambled software thrives on a nasty situation, then switches to the fear and panic it should have felt 24 hours prior. Hopefully The Filth catches the guilty party as he owes me a few hundred bucks worth of trauma kit refills, plus two IFAKs and a cervical collar...and I had to wipe his furniture smears off the ARB Bondi.
 

seafish

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SO much to dissect here, but the most important part is in the first paragraph —

I did what I had to do which was to maintain speed and take it. Thou shalt not lock 'em up at speed: That gets people killed.

and then the last —

Frustrating that my scrambled software thrives on a nasty situation, then switches to the fear and panic it should have felt

Maybe frustrating, but those reactions are EXACTLY what kept you from deeper, and even possibly fatal injuries!!! GREAT JOB!!!

The rest of the story just makes for an excellent action movie script…in fact sounds to me that you would make an very good stunt car driver if you ever get tired of your real job, ;)

Of course, I'm glad the Jeep came through relatively unscathed too!!!
 
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Johnny O

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Thanks. Still waiting for the ol' brain to slow back down and let me sleep. Been a long couple of sleepless nights.
 

Johnny O

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Found more furniture parts in the undercarriage. Was informed truck bro was caught and arrested near Des Moines, Iowa yesterday.
Was also told everyone else is fine. WRX kid has minor whiplash and airbag rash. Got my cervical collar back and my insurance company will pay to replace the supplies in my trauma kit.

Gotta send a thank you note to ARB.
 

Johnny O

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SO much to dissect here, but the most important part is in the first paragraph —



and then the last —



Maybe frustrating, but those reactions are EXACTLY what kept you from deeper, and even possibly fatal injuries!!! GREAT JOB!!!

The rest of the story just makes for an excellent action movie script…in fact sounds to me that you would make an very good stunt car driver if you ever get tired of your real job, ;)

Of course, I'm glad the Jeep came through relatively unscathed too!!!
Damned Navy training. Do what ya gotta do under pressure...cry about it later. LOL
 

Johnny O

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Well sh*#.
Jeep overheated on wifey while in bank drive through Saturday morning. No idiot lifhts or codes. She did the right thing and turned start/stop off and the heater on full blast and got it cooled down and home.

No drips and zero signs of leaks. Drove all over trying to replicate.
Zero. Zilch. Zip. Nada.
Max operating temp is 225F. A tad high, but stable. Fluid level a tad low, but erred on side of caution last top off. Still well above minimum.
Wrote it off as sensor fluke.
Then, this morning on way to dog park, WHAM! while sitting at stoplight temp tries to climb to max and fan hits Ludicrous Speed.

Cool her down and carefully roll the four blocks home.
Confused as just did fluids two weeks ago.

Much frustration and wasted time later, finding nothing wrong with system, discovered that Turbo reservoir dipstick is dry. Learned I was reading the dip stick wrong. Lines mean nothing, One has to look for liquid in the small hols in stick.
Filled it up and all is well so far.
Bad design, black tank and dipstick for coolant.
Suspect my oil change place hasn't been checking the turbo tank. Yikes. Close call.
 

KJowner

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Has the turbo go its own cooling system? Liquid cooling on turbos is common with the daft stop start systems but I've not seen one with it's own tank before.
 

Johnny O

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Has the turbo go its own cooling system? Liquid cooling on turbos is common with the daft stop start systems but I've not seen one with it's own tank before.
Yep, liquid cooled. Own tank and intercooler. Reservoir is three times bigger than the shockingly tiny radiator one.

I love this drive train, but bloody hell it has some dumb design choices.
 

Johnny O

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Finished cleaning up from the storm of July 31st. Have enough fire wood for the next three years, mulched the rest. Hauled new gutters. Towed in a load of lawn compost soil and raked it in. Started cleaning adventures from the undercarriage.
Have decided I hate these skid plates. Gonna have to get better ones for next season.
 

HoosierJeeper

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Finished a trip out west to Moab and Rocky Mountain national park. Having the lift this time was awesome, couldn't have done Top of the World or Hell's Revenge without it. Only damage was I broke the mounts of the passenger side of the rear bumper so it's sagging a bit lol.
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Johnny O

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Knew I should have mounted cannon and hired a gun crew. Only in Nebraska does one have a need for full broadsides capability.

Yaaarrrrr!
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This is a fully functional replica of a Lewis and Clark expedition "keel boat", part of a traveling show to commemorate the anniversary of the largest Missouri river exploration after the Louisiana Purchase.
 

Johnny O

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Got hit by a Tesla on autopilot while at a stop light.
Jeep is fine (through driver front ball joints are creaky now).
Tesla and its driver were totaled. Had tchotchkes glued over her airbag.There's another nasty image forever etched in my brain...

Starting to think the machine gods are mad at me.

Thank Cthulhu I run a dash cam or I think my insurance would drop me.

Really, really sick of Nebraska drivers. Really really really glad I wasn't in Bert, who would not have survived any of the automotive chaos this year.
 

KJowner

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Got hit by a Tesla on autopilot while at a stop light.
Jeep is fine (through driver front ball joints are creaky now).
Tesla and its driver were totaled. Had tchotchkes glued over her airbag.There's another nasty image forever etched in my brain...

Starting to think the machine gods are mad at me.

Thank Cthulhu I run a dash cam or I think my insurance would drop me.

Really, really sick of Nebraska drivers. Really really really glad I wasn't in Bert, who would not have survived any of the automotive chaos this year.
Electric car drivers!
 

The Fixer

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Got hit by a Tesla on autopilot while at a stop light.
Jeep is fine (through driver front ball joints are creaky now).
Tesla and its driver were totaled. Had tchotchkes glued over her airbag.There's another nasty image forever etched in my brain...

Starting to think the machine gods are mad at me.

Thank Cthulhu I run a dash cam or I think my insurance would drop me.

Really, really sick of Nebraska drivers. Really really really glad I wasn't in Bert, who would not have survived any of the automotive chaos this year.

Glad you're OK, and the JL seems OK too! Teslas and their tech are downright dangerous at times. Earlier this year my son was in his '91 Mustang on the highway heading to work. He was following behind a Tesla. A deer hopped across the median, and I guess with their accident avoidance technology it almost came to a complete stop in the left lane. My son wound up hitting the deer AND the Tesla. Mustang was totaled.
 
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