photos and story of last weekends trip to URE

[Joshooha]

So, here is the story. I found out that this will likely be the last weekend I will have off from work for quite sometime, quite possibly through the end of November. As a cause of that I decided I needed one last overnight trip to URE. Well no one could really go on such short notice, so I gathered my dog and camping gear and drove up there late afternoon on Saturday hoping that CNICKGO would join me on Sunday. When I got there I was just putzing around debating on where to go for the night, so I decided I would just hit Rocky mountain loop from the Dutch John trail head and circle around it to find a place to set up my campsite. Well as I had stated it was just the dog and I and we hit the trail. About 1/4 mile into it I saw that the left hand turn that turns into a big muddy rut with a rock off to the side seemed pretty slick, so I goosed it a little and hit it. From there things went downhill...

Now obviously when you are in a rut you are at the mercy of the line that is drawn, well that line allowed the whole vehicle to shift directly towards that rock to my right hand side. As I hit it I heard a thud and then I came up out of the hole and I heard scraping, like I had a tire down and I was buried in the fender well...no big Deal. I kept driving about another 500 feet until I got to a safe point to pull off the trail where its level with easy access to get back on once I change the tire. I got out and this is what I saw....

Well sure enough, ya I had a flat, but obviously we had bigger issues here.

I had sheared the leaf spring clear off the front of the shackle...

Now as I had stated I was by myself! Lucky enough where I pulled over I could camp out easily and just wait until morning when Nick showed up so we could figure out what I was going to do.

As luck may have it there were 2 guys in a wrangler that came up from the other direction and were intelligent enough to help me devise a plan to at least drive it back to the trail head and have hopes that someone could bring a roll back...

first-We took 3 ratchet straps and wrapped them around the axle then tied them to the unibody, so that we could pull the axle forward

We then ran into an issue with the tire still rubbing and locked up on the fender.

To solve this issue, we took 2 rocks and shoved them behind the rear shackle to push it back forward. We then took 2 pieces of wood and placed them in front and behind the axle to hold the leaf spring down further to keep the tire away from the fender.

After doing all of this I was then able to limp it all the way back to the trail head!
I got back to the trail head, they wished me luck and they went on with there lives. I then tried calling some people, but with little to no cell service I just gave it up. As I was setting up shop for the night some more guys came over and asked if I needed help, so after I explained what happend they extended the offer to help fix it the following morning. Well again as luck would have it, there "just so happened" to be an abandoned XJ near 109 that was left for dead that Saturday afternoon. I was stoked to be able to go see if we could fix it.

Well the next morning after assessing the damage and changed the flat. I tried contacting Nick with no luck via phone or CB. I then left my post and started limping the jeep towards 109 in hopes that leaf spring was still there.

While driving down the service roads to 109 I drove passed the guys that offered to help me fix it! They were still up for it and decided to follow me down there.

Well 1.5 hours later and about 2 gallons of water sweated out I had the jeep back on the trail with a nice gangster lean! hahaha.

Wheeled all day Sunday with no issues and drove it home!

After cleaning all the mud off I have a damage list.
Leaf spring (obviously)
RF tire-junk (hole in side wall)
RR tire-O.K. Chunk out of sidewall and a bent rim
LF tire-slow leak (already had it)
RF SPARE-2 nails sticking straight through it.
Front pinion seal is now seeping
swingout broken along with CB antenna (again)

Now because the XJ is leaning so hard on that RR the steering wheel is about 90* left and I can not hook up the LF sway bar link because its so hiked up.

In conclusion, during my time away from wheeling, I need to save up some money and fix this pig!!!

 

[Lowrange2]

I had about the same luck last time I was there... not quite as bad as yours tho. I broke my rear DS on Kadak rock and had to make it back to the trail head on the front shaft. .

 

[RenegadeT]

I'm curious, what brand spring and how much lift on the one you broke?

 

[UNCC_99XJ]

You forgot the part about the frantic phone calls I was getting and making trying to get a truck and trailer up there to you lol.

 

[BRUISER]

i assume after you stole the leaf you did call the rangers or the police and let them know about the jeep.. because it could have been stole and then trashed and someone could be looking for it.

 

[Lowrange2]

i assume after you stole the leaf you did call the rangers or the police and let them know about the jeep.. because it could have been stole and then trashed and someone could be looking for it.

Or it's been sitting there for the past year for people to use parts off of.

 

[BRUISER]

Or it's been sitting there for the past year for people to use parts off of.

nope it was there for 1 day before he took parts..

 

[Lowrange2]

It must have been a different one last year that I saw.

 

[thechief86]

well, it looks like he wasn't the only one....
bruiser was that your jeep?

 

[Ghost]

Wow! And this is why we dont wheel alone..... glad you are ok and got back. Yea that heep needs to be gotten out of there.

 

[High2by]

Wow. That's using the ole noggin right there. Glad you were able to drive it out and then on home. A rear leaf spring, yep, that's not usually in the spare parts box.

 

[Burrellsjeep]

So you come upon an XJ on the side of the road that looks beat up and assume its ok to remove parts off of it? I mean the thing is sitting on main forest road.

What if that morning or lets say the day before your Jeep crapped out and you had to leave it, and someone trashes it, Does that give everyone that comes along the right to remove parts off of it. At what point in anyones mind does this seem ok.

This makes all of us look bad, the fact you came on here and bragged about it. Along with posting pictures of you stealing parts was real smart.

What going to happen if someone starts looking into what happened to this XJ? For example the police.

 

[Ghost]

So you come upon an XJ on the side of the road that looks beat up and assume its ok to remove parts off of it? I mean the thing is sitting on main forest road.

What if that morning or lets say the day before your Jeep crapped out and you had to leave it, and someone trashes it, Does that give everyone that comes along the right to remove parts off of it. At what point in anyones mind does this seem ok.

This makes all of us look bad, the fact you came on here and bragged about it. Along with posting pictures of you stealing parts was real smart.

What going to happen if someone starts looking into what happened to this XJ? For example the police.

If I know Joshooha like I think I do he would offer the part he took back and any info he had to help with solving the crime. Lets be honest here though, I would bet that it was taken to URE beat to a snot then left abandoned like had been done before. IIRC there use to be a FSJ at the base of the big hill climb on Dutch John. I have also heard of this happening on several occasions. I would not call his story braging but more of this is what happened to me I learned not to wheel alone from it.

 

[UNCC_99XJ]

So you come upon an XJ on the side of the road that looks beat up and assume its ok to remove parts off of it? I mean the thing is sitting on main forest road.

What if that morning or lets say the day before your Jeep crapped out and you had to leave it, and someone trashes it, Does that give everyone that comes along the right to remove parts off of it. At what point in anyones mind does this seem ok.

This makes all of us look bad, the fact you came on here and bragged about it. Along with posting pictures of you stealing parts was real smart.

What going to happen if someone starts looking into what happened to this XJ? For example the police.

You do make some very valid points, but knowing Josh like I do, he wouldn't hesitate to return the parts in the event that someone were to start looking for them. He did ask all of us that usually go or know him if we were interested in going, however as mentioned it was short notice and we all had prior arrangements. He made the choice to go alone. I'm fairly sure that he's learned his lesson about wheeling alone (just like we all have at one point in time).

Looking at that Jeep again, it appears to be abandoned. No tags (required for any vehicle that drives on any of the roads in UNF...also indicates that it wasn't left the night before while the owner was attempting to locate help), and doesn't appear to have been the type of Jeep that was a trailer queen (typically they're hacked up a decent amount to clear the tires and other crap that makes them no longer streetable). Not to mention if it was a trailer queen, it wouldn't have been left behind when it broke anyways....isn't that the point of trailering it?

 

[Ghost]

So you come upon an XJ on the side of the road that looks beat up and assume its ok to remove parts off of it? I mean the thing is sitting on main forest road.

He also said he was told about it he did not come apon it.

 

[Jamescad04]

I know if I were in that position I would have done the same thing, as I'm sure the rest of you would as well. He is a smart guy and very resourceful and does whatever he has to do in order to get home, not many people have that kind of skill or courage to do this. I give him props all day long for this and I know he is a stand up guy.

 

[Burrellsjeep]

Lets be honest here though, I would bet that it was taken to URE beat to a snot then left abandoned like had been done before. IIRC there use to be a FSJ at the base of the big hill climb on Dutch John. I have also heard of this happening on several occasions. I would not call his story braging but more of this is what happened to me I learned not to wheel alone from it.

Looking at that Jeep again, it appears to be abandoned. No tags (required for any vehicle that drives on any of the roads in UNF...also indicates that it wasn't left the night before while the owner was attempting to locate help), and doesn't appear to have been the type of Jeep that was a trailer queen (typically they're hacked up a decent amount to clear the tires and other crap that makes them no longer streetable). Not to mention if it was a trailer queen, it wouldn't have been left behind when it broke anyways....isn't that the point of trailering it?

Your assuming the Jeep is abandoned as did everyone else that came upon it. If I left my Jeep I would pull the tag, so it wouldn't be stolen also. Regardless taking parts off and Abandon or stolen Jeep is illegal period.

He also said he was told about it he did not come apon it.

How does this make any difference

I know if I were in that position I would have done the same thing, as I'm sure the rest of you would as well. He is a smart guy and very resourceful and does whatever he has to do in order to get home, not many people have that kind of skill or courage to do this. I give him props all day long for this and I know he is a stand up guy.

If I steal food to feed my family, it is still stealing correct? Doesn't make it any better. I am not questioning the type of person he is, but the actions that he has taken.

How do you think this would look on the six o'clock news?

It pisses me off to see people use the forest land to dump a stolen vehicle or abandon one they no longer want, If that was the case. But instead of hearing "we found a XJ left for dead and contacted the rangers" its "Well again as luck would have it, there "just so happened" to be an abandoned XJ" what would happen if the ranger had pulled up when they were removing the springs.

It really not my issue, so I will get off my soap box. Just hoping it works out for the best for him.

 

[Ghost]

Your assuming the Jeep is abandoned as did everyone else that came upon it. If I left my Jeep I would pull the tag, so it wouldn't be stolen also. Regardless taking parts off and Abandon or stolen Jeep is illegal period.

I would not remove my tag bc I would not leave my jeep like that. I have only been wheeling like this since about 2002 but in those years and wheeling places like Tellico, Harlan, Morris Mountain, Callantee, and Uwharrie I have never had to nor has anyone I have been with had to leave a vehicle for more then the time it takes to go get the parts to get it off the trail.

 

[Burrellsjeep]

I would not remove my tag bc I would not leave my jeep like that. I have only been wheeling like this since about 2002 but in those years and wheeling places like Tellico, Harlan, Morris Mountain, Callantee, and Uwharrie I have never had to nor has anyone I have been with had to leave a vehicle for more then the time it takes to go get the parts to get it off the trail.

Great I am glad to hear that.

Lets say someone stole it and left it there, So at that point its fair game to take what you want?

 

[Ghost]

Great I am glad to hear that.

Lets say someone stole it and left it there, So at that point its fair game to take what you want?

I never said that only said that I know joshooha and know that he would do whats right. If its return the spring he borrowed to get home I'm sure he would do it. I guess you have never done nothing wrong?