Well if you read Andrew's post on the trail report you know that I was able to do Voodoo. But it came at a terrible cost. After Andrew got his axle fixed they decided to get off the trail and head back but Brian and I were ahead of everyone else in line so we continued on. We both made it through but when I got to the access road I realized that something was not right. When I hit the gas there was a bump in the back so I knew I had broken something. So I pulled off the road and checked and sure enough did I ever. Total damage is the following and I still don't know how I did it all.
Rear of jeep
Broke one axle u-bolt on each side
Bent the other two
Twisted both springs over too the left
Bent the frame under where front right hanger connects to it
Front hanger nearly ripped from frame
Front of jeep
Twisted axle over to the passenger side (not sure if springs are bent)
Ripped spring hanger along with shackle completely off frame (drivers side)
So far in my 14 months of wheeling I have been able to fix all breaks by the next wheeling event. These included everything from axles, u-joints, tranny's and T-cases. But this one takes the cake. My jeep has been through a lot and it is starting to show on many places. I had planned to rebuild it with a new/used frame and wrangler tub this coming fall and winter. Now it looks like that time frame may have to be bumped up a whole season. Which will mean that my jeep and maybe me will be out of the wheeling scene for all summer. Maybe even into the fall.
Now to the modification portion of this thread.
If I am going to rebuild my jeep with a better frame and newer galvanized wrangler tub then I might as well go all the way and put a full cage in it too. I plan on keeping all the running gear the same (worked well so far). Might change the transmission to a T-5 so I can get an overdrive. I also will be keeping the cj front clip along with everything that will say it is a cj (tailgate, dash, and so forth) and of course the most important one of all the color. If anyone has done a wrangler tub swap I could use some info or ideas. Also the cage I could use some ideas on too. I would like too tie it into the frame along with the seats.
This is going to be a long project and I will keep posting the progress.
ps: I will get pictures soon of the carnage.
Tom (temporarly jeepless)