1. Registration trouble? Please use the "Contact Us" link at the bottom right corner of the page and your issue will be resolved.
    Dismiss Notice

Fabulous Trail Repairs ... Beyond The Flat

Discussion in 'Builds and Fabricators Forum' started by Focker, Dec 14, 2016.

  1. Dec 14, 2016
    Focker

    Focker That's a terrible idea...What time? Staff Member

    WA
    Joined:
    Aug 18, 2014
    Messages:
    7,540
    Have an off the wall trail or roadside Jeep repair that you never thought possible? Share with the group so we can get our Jeeps back on the trail.

    This thread was inspired by Posimoto's trail side pitman arm swap.
     
  2. Dec 14, 2016
    Posimoto

    Posimoto Hopeless JEEP Addict

    Minden, Nevada
    Joined:
    Aug 7, 2003
    Messages:
    4,538
    Be wary of inexpensive pitman arms. I had one that I got from 4 Wheel Parts that broke on a rather difficult trail. Fortunately someone in the group had a spare and I was able to get out without issue. If you have your choice of a $45 or a $65+ pitman, buy the better one. If that pitman arm had broken while I was bombing down the road it would have been very ugly. I bought a quality arm from PartsMike and it is bulletproof. Also, consider a proper brace from the steering box to the passenger side framerail.
     
  3. Dec 15, 2016
    OzFin

    OzFin Vintage Jeep Guy

    Michigan
    Joined:
    Jul 16, 2007
    Messages:
    940
    Wow, that is alarming, glad you didn't get hurt. I am curious where it broke at...the spline area, the drag link end or perhaps it just broke in half ?
    I continue to be amazed at some of the poor quality parts out there.
     
    Last edited: Jul 20, 2018
  4. Dec 15, 2016
    ITLKSEZ

    ITLKSEZ Hope for the best, prepare for the worst

    Liberty Lake, WA
    Joined:
    Aug 13, 2015
    Messages:
    6,656
    That's awesome that you were able to get out with borrowed parts, but... who carries an extra pitman arm?!!
     
  5. Dec 15, 2016
    jpflat2a

    jpflat2a what's that noise?

    Hermosa, SD
    Joined:
    Jul 30, 2003
    Messages:
    8,513
    I do.
    I like to carry the parts that can really ruin your day.
    Pitman arm don't take up any space/room at all.
    In my opinion, you need to be able to steer, stop, and have rolling tires to get out of any bad situation. Without those 3, you're in trouble.
     
    dnb71R2, rejeep and cookieman like this.
  6. Dec 15, 2016
    ITLKSEZ

    ITLKSEZ Hope for the best, prepare for the worst

    Liberty Lake, WA
    Joined:
    Aug 13, 2015
    Messages:
    6,656
    It just seems like a random part to carry. Why not a whole box?

    In a race once, I clipped a tree with my left front tire while it was turned about half-way to the left. It almost stopped us dead. The impact built so much pressure in the front of the box that it cracked the front cover in half and covered me in steering fluid. Everything else somehow survived.
     
  7. Dec 15, 2016
    Posimoto

    Posimoto Hopeless JEEP Addict

    Minden, Nevada
    Joined:
    Aug 7, 2003
    Messages:
    4,538
    The pitman broke in the middle. I thought I was screwed. It would have been 5 hour trip out to pavement and another hour to the nearest auto parts store. Then reverse. Talking about good luck, I had drilled the taper out of the pit a so I could use a helm joint. Another guy in our group had a air powered drill and a 5/8". drill bit. He ran the drill off of a Power tank. In about 40 min I was back on the road.
     
    Danefraz, OrangeCJ5 and ITLKSEZ like this.
  8. Dec 15, 2016
    Posimoto

    Posimoto Hopeless JEEP Addict

    Minden, Nevada
    Joined:
    Aug 7, 2003
    Messages:
    4,538
    Of course non of that matters if you don't have the socket for the nut and a ppitman arm puller.I now carry a spare pitman aswell as a coil, HEI module, repair lines for the aiir system, a fuel pump and on and on. It's often the small parts that can ruin your day.
     
  9. Dec 16, 2016
    jpflat2a

    jpflat2a what's that noise?

    Hermosa, SD
    Joined:
    Jul 30, 2003
    Messages:
    8,513
    Space and weight of course.

    In fact, I have both power and manual pitman arms in my Jeep.
     
    tarry99 likes this.
  10. Dec 19, 2016
    johneyboy03

    johneyboy03 The green beast

    Quebec, Canada
    Joined:
    Jan 15, 2011
    Messages:
    2,115
    Last winter i broke the throttle cable right in the middle of no-where.

    Took off one of my shoe lace, and use it as a cable, work perfectly to get out of the trail :)
     
  11. Dec 19, 2016
    ITLKSEZ

    ITLKSEZ Hope for the best, prepare for the worst

    Liberty Lake, WA
    Joined:
    Aug 13, 2015
    Messages:
    6,656
    Did that in a '79 Audi Fox once with speaker wire. :D


    The old 134s with the skid plate spot-welded to the oil pan... With enough ridiculous abuse, the u-joint cross on the front driveshaft can come in contact with that pan and tear the spot-welds out of the bottom. All the engine oil leaks out of the holes.

    Fix: The sheetmetal screws that hold the shifter boots to the floor thread into those holes and seal perfectly.
     
    Danefraz likes this.
  12. Dec 19, 2016
    73 cj5

    73 cj5 Not ready for the junkyard yet

    Clinton, Mississippi
    Joined:
    Jan 10, 2014
    Messages:
    2,137
    Wasn't on the trail per se but I lost my quick connect from the slave cylinder to throwout bearing going down the road. Fix was to cut the quick connect off and with four 5/16 clamps, transmission hose, and dot 3 I was back on the road.
     
  13. Dec 19, 2016
    sterlclan

    sterlclan Member 2022 Sponsor

    exploring the...
    Joined:
    Feb 21, 2009
    Messages:
    3,869
    duct tape fan belt... filled the radiator with the rest of the beer.
     
  14. Dec 19, 2016
    Focker

    Focker That's a terrible idea...What time? Staff Member

    WA
    Joined:
    Aug 18, 2014
    Messages:
    7,540
    Was is it a 50/50 mix? :sneak:
     
  15. Dec 19, 2016
    johneyboy03

    johneyboy03 The green beast

    Quebec, Canada
    Joined:
    Jan 15, 2011
    Messages:
    2,115
    Put an egg inside a radiator to stop a leak. Worked great...but still need to fix it when home.
     
  16. Dec 19, 2016
    Focker

    Focker That's a terrible idea...What time? Staff Member

    WA
    Joined:
    Aug 18, 2014
    Messages:
    7,540
    You can trail ride in a Jeep without breaking eggs?
     
    dnb71R2 likes this.
  17. Dec 19, 2016
    johneyboy03

    johneyboy03 The green beast

    Quebec, Canada
    Joined:
    Jan 15, 2011
    Messages:
    2,115
    ahaha good one ;)
     
  18. Dec 19, 2016
    ITLKSEZ

    ITLKSEZ Hope for the best, prepare for the worst

    Liberty Lake, WA
    Joined:
    Aug 13, 2015
    Messages:
    6,656
    You can with coil springs. ;)

    Either that, or his copilot is a hen.
     
    Danefraz, Focker and johneyboy03 like this.
  19. Dec 19, 2016
    Tom_Hartz

    Tom_Hartz Member 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    North Carolina
    Joined:
    Apr 9, 2014
    Messages:
    478
    Happened to me In Arizona. Sealed it with pepper.
     
    ojgrsoi and johneyboy03 like this.
  20. Dec 19, 2016
    Fly Navy

    Fly Navy Member

    Emerson, IA
    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2014
    Messages:
    361
    Pepper??? First time I ever heard of that!
     
    Tom_Hartz likes this.
New Posts