mountainexplorer
1/2 ton status
Today it was a huge pain in the rear.
Step 1: Drive out back to retrieve a hood and fender.
Step 2: Drive back down to field to pull other parts and load up axles and leave.
It took me about 3 hours to get to step 2. Going back down my road idling along, the flatbed started to drag the rear differential so I backed up to get a run at it. When I backed up, the rear end high centered and it wouldn't move forward or back.
If only I could add the movement and flowing water sound effect to this image.
I call Greg, who comes up and gives me a tug with his Jeep, which is all I needed to get free of that one spot. Then he got stuck. So I hook back up and pull him back. With the wheelbase and narrower track of the Cherokee he is able to get out of the ruts and get out. My highway tires and regular wheelbase/track kept me in the ruts, so I just go for it.
I am able to rock it back and forth and make progress, until I suddenly halt abruptly. High centered again. Greg tried tugging on me again. I see the Jeep back up and lunge forward, but I don't feel a thing. Only thing I saw was the strap break after several tries. I also discover I'm able to hit 4th gear and reach 50mph on the speedometer. My tires were pretty much in the air (above ground).
We go down and get my Stepside, to use the winch. We drive up in the Stepside... I go around the flatbed and drive out back to turn around (in an attempt to winch the flatbed backwards to free it).
The Stepside runs out of gas once we get out back.
We walk back down and I find about a gallon of old gas that I saved from a parts truck I flipped up side down a month earlier (and had saved the gas into a bucket as it ran out of the tank). I have no extra money to buy new gas cause I have $6 left to my name right now until I sell something.
I go add the gas, start the Stepside, turn around and we hook up the winch. Greg puts the flatbed in reverse as I winch it backwards. This is a 9000lb Warn winch, of which has done well every time I have used it in the past. It won't even budge the Flatbed. I let the motor run for a bit to account for the battery drain, but have to shut it down cause my gallon of gas won't last long.
I decide to do what you aren't supposed to do and pull backwards with the Stepside using the winch cable. I go to start the Stepside. Dead. Both batteries are drained dead from the amount of energy the winch was using trying to pull the flatbed, even with me keeping the engine running/charging the whole time.
Greg walks down and get his Jeep, comes up and jump starts the Stepside, I try backing up and all 4 of my Boggers just spin as well as the tires on the flatbed. No movement. Finally I just start jerkeing on the cable a little harder each time until it finally pulls the flatbed back. Then after a few tries, we get the flatbed driven out and down to the field.
By now it's the time I'm supposed to be leaving and I'm just starting Step 2 according to my plan. (notice my Cherry Picker doesn't roll too well either). The flatbed barely made it across this section of the front yard without getting stuck. So much for my grass this year.
I thought mudding was supposed to be fun... but in my life, it's just a reality be it a fun day or work day.
Step 1: Drive out back to retrieve a hood and fender.
Step 2: Drive back down to field to pull other parts and load up axles and leave.
It took me about 3 hours to get to step 2. Going back down my road idling along, the flatbed started to drag the rear differential so I backed up to get a run at it. When I backed up, the rear end high centered and it wouldn't move forward or back.
If only I could add the movement and flowing water sound effect to this image.
I call Greg, who comes up and gives me a tug with his Jeep, which is all I needed to get free of that one spot. Then he got stuck. So I hook back up and pull him back. With the wheelbase and narrower track of the Cherokee he is able to get out of the ruts and get out. My highway tires and regular wheelbase/track kept me in the ruts, so I just go for it.
I am able to rock it back and forth and make progress, until I suddenly halt abruptly. High centered again. Greg tried tugging on me again. I see the Jeep back up and lunge forward, but I don't feel a thing. Only thing I saw was the strap break after several tries. I also discover I'm able to hit 4th gear and reach 50mph on the speedometer. My tires were pretty much in the air (above ground).
We go down and get my Stepside, to use the winch. We drive up in the Stepside... I go around the flatbed and drive out back to turn around (in an attempt to winch the flatbed backwards to free it).
The Stepside runs out of gas once we get out back.
We walk back down and I find about a gallon of old gas that I saved from a parts truck I flipped up side down a month earlier (and had saved the gas into a bucket as it ran out of the tank). I have no extra money to buy new gas cause I have $6 left to my name right now until I sell something.
I go add the gas, start the Stepside, turn around and we hook up the winch. Greg puts the flatbed in reverse as I winch it backwards. This is a 9000lb Warn winch, of which has done well every time I have used it in the past. It won't even budge the Flatbed. I let the motor run for a bit to account for the battery drain, but have to shut it down cause my gallon of gas won't last long.
I decide to do what you aren't supposed to do and pull backwards with the Stepside using the winch cable. I go to start the Stepside. Dead. Both batteries are drained dead from the amount of energy the winch was using trying to pull the flatbed, even with me keeping the engine running/charging the whole time.
Greg walks down and get his Jeep, comes up and jump starts the Stepside, I try backing up and all 4 of my Boggers just spin as well as the tires on the flatbed. No movement. Finally I just start jerkeing on the cable a little harder each time until it finally pulls the flatbed back. Then after a few tries, we get the flatbed driven out and down to the field.
By now it's the time I'm supposed to be leaving and I'm just starting Step 2 according to my plan. (notice my Cherry Picker doesn't roll too well either). The flatbed barely made it across this section of the front yard without getting stuck. So much for my grass this year.
I thought mudding was supposed to be fun... but in my life, it's just a reality be it a fun day or work day.
