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View Full Version : My GSSW whine....



Sandy R
03-25-2006, 11:42 AM
Thursday I didn't get out of the store until 2pm, 2 hours later than I planned for my 6 hour drive to GSSW. Oh well, I'll still catch the end of the meet & greet. I high-tail it out I-10 and sit in traffic for a hour through the so-Cal area. Finally breaks up about 3:15 and I'm up to 70mph in the fast lane going through Banning, CA. Yeah, I too had never noticed Banning before this trip. All of a sudden I feel a slight vibration for about 1-2 seconds and then my front driver's side drops to the pavement and my wheel and tire pass me on the freeway. Sparks all over the place, no brakes, hear truckers on the CB yelling "brake check, brake check this is gonna be bad." Somehow I manage to stay along the center median until I stop. CHP couldn't believe that I didn't spin out, roll several times or hit anything. The damn spindle snapped and the wheel & tire assembly fell out at 70mph. We (myself, the CHP & the tow company) searched for 1/2 mile behind and in front of where the Jeep stopped in both directions on the freeway but never did find my wheel & tire. I spent the first couple of hours after the incident being pissed off and feeling sorry for myself for missing GSSW and for having to spend what I know will be a lot of money to get my front end fixed or replaced. But after having a day to reflect and chill out I'm just going to do nothing on it for a week or so and then get on a mission to get it handled in time for GSW. :D Hope everybody that did make it to GSSW had a fun & safe run. I brought about a dozen little prizes to donate to the raffle so you can either save them for next year or I can kick them into the GSW raffle this June. I'll let the GSSW planners decide.

EDIT: Let me know where to send my t shirt money and I'll pay for that and for mailing it to my house.

OverkillZJ
03-25-2006, 12:19 PM
Wow. THAT SUCKS!

BigDaveZJ
03-25-2006, 01:29 PM
Holy shnikies man! At least you're okay!!!!!

Snowman
03-25-2006, 02:23 PM
Tough break! I'm really sorry about that. I know that you were really looking forward to GSSW. The fact that you did not roll or spinout speaks to the good work you have done on your rig and your driving ability.

See you at GSW.

Z
03-25-2006, 03:15 PM
That sucks. I am, however, a little surprised that you didn't have a replacement somewhere in your rig for that! :) (You have everything else!)

Just get it done in time for GSW, 'cause that's what REALLY counts! :)

Cue-Ball
03-25-2006, 04:49 PM
Sandy,

Like Dave said atleast you are okay and did not endo it or anything.

Still suck though.

REALLY SORRY to hear that.

JohnBoulderCO
03-25-2006, 04:56 PM
Sandy, All I can say is Wow! I bet that was quite a ride. Glad you are OK. See you at GSW. John

Sandy R
03-25-2006, 05:45 PM
That sucks. I am, however, a little surprised that you didn't have a replacement somewhere in your rig for that! :) (You have everything else!)

Tom, take a good look at the pics I emailed to you. That's all that's left. It would be kinda unreal to carry a complete replacement assembly and rotor and calipers, wouldn't you think?

Anyway, I need a week or so to smoke as much dope as I can get my hands on and then I'm gonna focus on getting it fixed for GSW. I didn't anticipate as much negotiations with the wife over the finances to repair it as it looks like I'm gonna have too.

Sandy R
03-25-2006, 05:46 PM
Sandy, All I can say is Wow! I bet that was quite a ride. Glad you are OK. See you at GSW. John

Yeah John, that was my adrenalin rush for the weekend.

Cue-Ball
03-25-2006, 07:31 PM
I had a similar thing happen when I lived in LA, well San Berdo actually. Anyway it was in my Mazda 626 the place I had the brakes done at did not use a new spindle nut, they reused the old one and they are a one shot item. I was on Foothill Blvd over near the 15 fwy when the wheel broke loose and cleared the intersection before I did. Atleast I was able to find the wheel :D

Cue-Ball
03-25-2006, 07:32 PM
I didn't anticipate as much negotiations with the wife over the finances to repair it as it looks like I'm gonna have too.

Good luck with the wife, believe me I completely understand that one. :smt062

JohnBoulderCO
03-25-2006, 09:19 PM
Keith has the wife issue solved. He goes through a set of tires every few months on his hot rod, I'm sure he has some ideas for you Sandy.

spykosshow
03-25-2006, 11:34 PM
So you just gave up lookin for your wheel?! If I were you I'd be out there untill I found it! Sorry to hear about that man.

BigDaveZJ
03-26-2006, 02:10 AM
Keith has the wife issue solved. He goes through a set of tires every few months on his hot rod, I'm sure he has some ideas for you Sandy.

Kathy hasn't gotten a whole new kitchen from me yet, how'd he end up getting it taken care of?

Sandy R
03-26-2006, 02:49 AM
So you just gave up lookin for your wheel?! If I were you I'd be out there untill I found it! Sorry to hear about that man.

Kinda tough when you're 122 miles from home without an operable vehicle.

rrubio
03-26-2006, 03:25 AM
EDIT: Let me know where to send my t shirt money and I'll pay for that and for mailing it to my house.
Sandy email me your addy and ill send you a shirt on me.

jeepnzj1
03-26-2006, 11:40 PM
man sandy what a bummer glad your ok, thats about 20 minuts from my house, if you were in banning some one prob stopped and snatched your wheel thats a pretty bad spot.

FearTheDentist
03-27-2006, 12:10 AM
Glad to see you made it home OK. Did the hotel charge you for the night? Sorry you couldn't make it- it was a great event, and when Kevin broke a tie rod end today it came up what a shame it was you weren't there, since you'd have certainly had a spare :) I gather you come prepared (you'll have to add a front axle to your kit now).

Sandy R
03-27-2006, 01:38 AM
Did the hotel charge you for the night?

I don't know yet. Thanks for canceling Friday & Saturday for me.

nate
03-27-2006, 02:04 AM
So I take it your running a D44 or D60?

Sandy R
03-27-2006, 02:16 AM
So I take it your running a D44 or D60?

44 reverse cut for the front

nate
03-27-2006, 02:18 AM
I've never heard of a spindle breaking like that. It just broke right off the knuckle?... was there part of the spindle left on the knuckle?

Sandy R
03-27-2006, 02:25 AM
I've never heard of a spindle breaking like that. It just broke right off the knuckle?... was there part of the spindle left on the knuckle?

Shoot me your email address and I'll send you a few pics--don't know how to post them on the forum and I don't feel like learning tonight. :o

nate
03-27-2006, 02:26 AM
nate379@yahoo.com

Metalman
03-27-2006, 08:51 AM
Glad you're ok Sandy. I almost died a couple of months ago when the wishbone bolts snapped on my rear axle going 70 mph. Scared the shit out of me. It takes forever to slow down from 70 when something goes wrong. Great driving skills keeping it from rolling Sandy!

Mtn WJ
03-27-2006, 09:38 AM
Sandy

Now I have the Paul Harvey on the whole thing. Some great driving skills for sure. Sorry you lost the wheel.

Yep I was in the same boat with my wife on car mods lately. I was able to negotiate with the purchasing department however. Its a secret at this time on how I did it. I'll tell you tonight if we end up getting that beer.

Good Luck.

ELLLLLIOTTTTT
03-27-2006, 09:51 AM
thats interesting. same thing happened to me on friday when my wheel spacer effed up. it must be a white ZJ thing. :smt093

BigDaveZJ
03-27-2006, 11:52 AM
thats interesting. same thing happened to me on friday when my wheel spacer effed up. it must be a white ZJ thing. :smt093

Are you going to sell the other one now? :flipoff2:

Sandy R
03-27-2006, 07:24 PM
Spoke with Dynatrac today who built the axles and they are guessing the lug nuts came loose and sheared off the wheel studs. That would really piss me off at myself to be so careless.

Mtn WJ
03-27-2006, 07:42 PM
Sandy

Its not too late to accept a free beer on me just to make you feel better. I am around the corner from you tonight. Staying off of the 5 and western in Glendale.

jsteves
03-27-2006, 09:22 PM
tough break, glad you are ok though

nate
03-27-2006, 09:26 PM
The D44 you have uses unit bearings? That's what had me thinking it was a D30.

Z
03-27-2006, 10:40 PM
Tom, take a good look at the pics I emailed to you. That's all that's left. It would be kinda unreal to carry a complete replacement assembly and rotor and calipers, wouldn't you think?


Sandy,

It was partially a joke and partially praise for how prepared you always are. Guess its still too raw for jokes, sorry 'bout that.

KevinF
03-28-2006, 01:24 AM
I'm really happy to hear that you're alive and well, Sandy. That must have been one hell of a ride. I can certainly understand your frustration...taking time off, packing the rig, reserving the room, and so on. I'm damned glad that that's ALL you lost, and certainly attributable directly to your experience and cool-headedness (is that a word??) Anyway, we missed you, but I'm glad that we have the opportunity to catch up in Moab instead of the alternate.


Spoke with Dynatrac today who built the axles and they are guessing the lug nuts came loose and sheared off the wheel studs. That would really piss me off at myself to be so careless.

This is not something that I deal with daily, so bear with me...but if all five lug nuts came loose, the wheel would have left the hub intact and gone flying off somewhere. Also, you'd have gotten a LOT of vibration prior to one or two seconds previous...namely every time you changed lanes or made a turn, if not moving straight forward.

Now, I do know that the unit-bearing WILL separate just like that if the outer shaft is broken or missing, because one of my buddies broke an outer on the trail and tried to drive home on the unit-bearing without the shaft inside (he removed the entire shaft, inner and outer) and the same thing happened. SO...my money is that the shaft had sheared long before you got on the freeway, and wasn't holding the assembly together tightly. May be water under the bridge at this point, but their assessment doesn't make any logical sense to me.

Anyway, hang in there, and again, I'm *REALLY* happy to hear that you're going to be OK. These events aren't the same without you, and I'm glad that we'll be blessed with your company in Moab.

Thoughtfully,
Kevin

ELLLLLIOTTTTT
03-28-2006, 01:47 AM
Are you going to sell the other one now? :flipoff2:

I can sell it to Chase so he'll have a complete pair! :booya: