+Etrex Pirate Posted May 10, 2004 Share Posted May 10, 2004 This is my story of a bad day of geocaching. I recently bought a 1990 Ford Bronco partly to do some of the off road caches in my area. I have driven it around for the last two weeks including a little bit of off roading to make sure it ran well. Saturday I decided to go for my 100th cache and make it an off road one to make it more special. Luckily I decided to bring my cell phone and pack a backpack and a cooler with drinks “just in case” something went wrong. I was going to invite my neighbor who just bought a Jeep to join me but he was working on it so I thought I would let it go and ask him next time. I got my dog and headed out. I went to a couple off road caches that were on about a 14 mile run off the road but rated pretty easy. Everything was going great until I got within .15 miles of the first cache and while driving about 15 MPH on a relatively flat dirt road and heard a loud bang. I stopped the SUV and looked underneath to find I had broken the U-Joint to the rear drive shaft. I spent about 45 minutes trying to remove the rear drive shaft before realizing it would not move regardless since the transfer case would not run on front wheel drive only. This is where the fun began. Luck was on my side since I brought my cell Phone and car charger. I was able to get a signal on top of the hill and after trying to get a hold of many people I was able to get my brother who lives about 100 miles away to meet me at a lake that was in view. I gave him directions where to meet then headed out on foot to the long hike to the meeting place. I grabbed the backpack, drinks from the cooler and my dog and headed down the mountain. It ended up being about a 10 mile hike to the meeting place and since I could not get a signal in the canyon I had to walk all the way there so he wouldn’t miss me. About 30 minutes after I got there he arrived with drinks for the dog and I and we went to the auto parts store that luckily had the U joint which I bought two of just in case. We then went to my house where I fed the dog grabbed all my tools and luckily my neighbor was finished working on his Jeep. I explained what had happened and he was more than happy to help out. We collected all our tools, flashlights, etc. and headed back to my truck. The best part of the story is all of us were mechanically inclined so we were able to fix the drive shaft in a couple of hours and make it home in one piece. I owe my brother and my neighbor a lot for their help and things worked out in the end. I did not get the cache but I will be back after going through the whole drivetrain since the previous owner had let the u-joints go completely dry. I’m sure it could have been worse but for me it was still a bad day of geocaching. Quote Link to comment
+briansnat Posted May 10, 2004 Share Posted May 10, 2004 I always say a bad day of geocaching is better than a good day of walking barefoot over broken shards of glass. Quote Link to comment
McKenzie Clan Posted May 10, 2004 Share Posted May 10, 2004 Sounds like you have a great neighbour... and brother. Scott Quote Link to comment
+BadAndy Posted May 10, 2004 Share Posted May 10, 2004 I always say a bad day of geocaching is better than a good day of walking barefoot over broken shards of glass. Shards of glass are for wimps. Try dragging the edge of a piece of paper across your bare eyeball. I hate it when that happens...... Quote Link to comment
+Smitherington Posted May 10, 2004 Share Posted May 10, 2004 Quite a story! Fortunately, you were prepared to the extent that you were able to get help. Better luck on the next attempt. Quote Link to comment
uperdooper Posted May 10, 2004 Share Posted May 10, 2004 did you post it as a DNF? Quote Link to comment
+Etrex Pirate Posted May 10, 2004 Author Share Posted May 10, 2004 did you post it as a DNF? Funny, I almost posted a note. Since I didn't actually walk up to it I decided to post my story here. What started out to be about an hour trip just after noon turned into a long hike and ended around 10:30 at night. I'm glad I actually had the sense to bring the drinks and cell phone or I would have had a much harder time getting out of there. I’m also grateful that I was able to get a-hold of my brother and my neighbor was home and willing to help me retrieve my Bronco. I will be back to log it once I get my truck in shape. Quote Link to comment
+SixDogTeam Posted May 10, 2004 Share Posted May 10, 2004 So the Jeep rescued the Ford, right? Quote Link to comment
+Etrex Pirate Posted May 10, 2004 Author Share Posted May 10, 2004 So the Jeep rescued the Ford, right? Yes but the ride back in the Ford was much more comfortable Quote Link to comment
+CCrew Posted May 11, 2004 Share Posted May 11, 2004 So the Jeep rescued the Ford, right? And that's a surprise?? Quote Link to comment
+IV_Warrior Posted May 12, 2004 Share Posted May 12, 2004 I spent about 45 minutes trying to remove the rear drive shaft before realizing it would not move regardless since the transfer case would not run on front wheel drive only. Why wouldn't it? If you removed the rear driveshaft, and left it in 4x4, you should have been able to drive it out as essentially a front wheel drive vehicle. Quote Link to comment
+BAF Posted May 12, 2004 Share Posted May 12, 2004 (edited) So the Jeep rescued the Ford, right? And that's a surprise?? Yes that is a surprise I've pulled out more jeeps with my 1971 Ford pickup then I can count. The main reason they needed to get pulled out is because they all think "I have a Jeep (Chev. or Ford ect.) it's four wheel drive I can go any were". When will you all learn? It's not all the vehicle it's 90% the driver, That is if you know your vehicle limitations and know how far your can push your luck and how you can get around some of the vehicles limits. By the way I've never been stuck were I've needed to get pulled out yet, not that I haven't tried though, but I'll keep trying just for the experience. :( Etrex Pirate I'm glad all turned out well other then you had to work no your Bronco. Edited May 12, 2004 by BAF Quote Link to comment
+Renegade Knight Posted May 12, 2004 Share Posted May 12, 2004 I spent about 45 minutes trying to remove the rear drive shaft before realizing it would not move regardless since the transfer case would not run on front wheel drive only. Why wouldn't it? If you removed the rear driveshaft, and left it in 4x4, you should have been able to drive it out as essentially a front wheel drive vehicle. I can't tell you why but I've read about this before. There are transfer cases or ways to hook to those transfer cases that don't let you do the front wheel drive trick. Quote Link to comment
+boomhwr653 Posted May 12, 2004 Share Posted May 12, 2004 (edited) Four wheel drive does not mean you will not get stuck, it means you will get stuck worse!! Edited May 12, 2004 by boomhwr653 Quote Link to comment
+Etrex Pirate Posted May 12, 2004 Author Share Posted May 12, 2004 Why wouldn't it? If you removed the rear driveshaft, and left it in 4x4, you should have been able to drive it out as essentially a front wheel drive vehicle Unfortunately the Bronco transfer case is not a locker type more like a differential. Even in 4x4 Low range the rear shaft would spin since it had less friction. I use to have an old Nissan 4x4 that had a FWD option. The Bronco does not. Like BAF I have pulled out many Ford, Chevy and Jeeps when I had the Nissan unless they were burried too deep in the sand. I knew the limitations of my truck, others thought there were no limits to theirs. I don't care if it's a Jeep, Subaru or a Yugo that helped me out as long as we made it back to the truck. Quote Link to comment
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