The end of an era...

Jeepin Jason · Yesterday, 02:04 PM

Still trying to process this. And not sure what we'll do from here. We took my JKUR and BigRed out to the Hot Springs Off-Road Park this past weekend. This was my son Jonathan's second time wheeling on his own. He was so excited to finally go back to Hot Springs and get to wheel for himself in BigRed (which is/was his primary daily driver).

The kids are on Spring Break this week, so this was his Spring Break trip. We drove up Friday, wheeled Saturday and Sunday, and drove home on Monday. Everything had gone really good, then Sunday even we decided to head out for "one last trail" before dinner. Famous last words.

Jonathan wanted to take the lead so I let him go first and I'd follow him around. We started up a trail that went up hill, and he took a bypass that went up and to the left of the main trail, then came back down and to the right a bit, with a bit of off-camber to the passenger side. As he was coming down the other side, a rock under the passenger front tire gave way and it was enough to send Big Red up and over into a full barrel roll.

The passenger side slammed hard on a couple of rocks that caved in the right side A and C-pillars. I think the safari roof rack prevented there from being more damage to the roof itself. The Jeep somehow landed back on all 4 tires, and thankfully other than the body damage nothing broke, and most importantly, no one was hurt.

The engine died and we couldn't (and still can't) get it restarted (no fuel pressure for some reason), but a couple of guys in big Jeeps happened by not long after it happened and help get Big Red winched and strapped to a position where we could use gravity to basically coast and tow it back down the trail to the main road and back to camp so that we could get it loaded onto the trailer.

All the door windows were rolled down, so that probably save them, but the front triangle window and whatever you call that rear window section on the back door on the passenger side were both broken out, along with the driver-side cargo side window when that side of the body took a big rock hit in the roll.

I know it's just a vehicle, but damn...

Untitled by Jason West, on Flickr

CaliJeepinTJ · Yesterday, 02:57 PM

Oh wow, man. Glad nobody was hurt. Big Red definitely did its part to keep things from getting worse.

ct90YJ · Yesterday, 04:08 PM

Damn. That sucks but I'm glad the kid is ok.

HotSEXJ · Yesterday, 10:16 PM

Jason, I'm VERY glad to hear your boy is OK.

regarding Big Red, we need to summon vintage bbaXJ...

Steve · Yesterday, 10:43 PM

Damn man. Looks like Big Red will live to see another day in a slightly different form, and more importantly your kid is okay.

Story you both will have for the rest of your lives.

6DoF · Today, 06:42 AM

oh man, that much trail time and it's inevitable right? at least chicks dig scars!

glad he's ok.

should be easy enough to fix enough to keep the rain out, if she's mechanically together then game on.

Yesterday, 02:04 PM	#1
Jeepin Jason I run this joint Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 136,734	The end of an era... Still trying to process this. And not sure what we'll do from here. We took my JKUR and BigRed out to the Hot Springs Off-Road Park this past weekend. This was my son Jonathan's second time wheeling on his own. He was so excited to finally go back to Hot Springs and get to wheel for himself in BigRed (which is/was his primary daily driver). The kids are on Spring Break this week, so this was his Spring Break trip. We drove up Friday, wheeled Saturday and Sunday, and drove home on Monday. Everything had gone really good, then Sunday even we decided to head out for "one last trail" before dinner. Famous last words. Jonathan wanted to take the lead so I let him go first and I'd follow him around. We started up a trail that went up hill, and he took a bypass that went up and to the left of the main trail, then came back down and to the right a bit, with a bit of off-camber to the passenger side. As he was coming down the other side, a rock under the passenger front tire gave way and it was enough to send Big Red up and over into a full barrel roll. The passenger side slammed hard on a couple of rocks that caved in the right side A and C-pillars. I think the safari roof rack prevented there from being more damage to the roof itself. The Jeep somehow landed back on all 4 tires, and thankfully other than the body damage nothing broke, and most importantly, no one was hurt. The engine died and we couldn't (and still can't) get it restarted (no fuel pressure for some reason), but a couple of guys in big Jeeps happened by not long after it happened and help get Big Red winched and strapped to a position where we could use gravity to basically coast and tow it back down the trail to the main road and back to camp so that we could get it loaded onto the trailer. All the door windows were rolled down, so that probably save them, but the front triangle window and whatever you call that rear window section on the back door on the passenger side were both broken out, along with the driver-side cargo side window when that side of the body took a big rock hit in the roll. I know it's just a vehicle, but damn... Untitled by Jason West, on Flickr Untitled by Jason West, on Flickr Untitled by Jason West, on Flickr Untitled by Jason West, on Flickr Untitled by Jason West, on Flickr Untitled by Jason West, on Flickr

Today, 06:42 AM	#6
6DoF AKA: jeepnski Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 17,066	oh man, that much trail time and it's inevitable right? at least chicks dig scars! glad he's ok. should be easy enough to fix enough to keep the rain out, if she's mechanically together then game on. __________________ ...................................___ .................. ________\|\|___\____ ..;.;;.:;:;.,;..;\|/_(O)\______ /_(O)\|

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Yesterday, 02:57 PM	#2
CaliJeepinTJ Phukkin' punk Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 47,203	Oh wow, man. Glad nobody was hurt. Big Red definitely did its part to keep things from getting worse.

Yesterday, 04:08 PM	#3
ct90YJ I am da fatarsss Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 9,067	Damn. That sucks but I'm glad the kid is ok.

Yesterday, 10:43 PM	#5
Steve empoll Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 46,778	Damn man. Looks like Big Red will live to see another day in a slightly different form, and more importantly your kid is okay. Story you both will have for the rest of your lives.