Can you feel the point a rig will tip over

WHITEY

WHITEY

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 26, 2006
Location
DURHAM, NC
I've been wheeling for a few years now and have seen a few rollovers but no saves. I have gotten out at off camber moments and tried pulling the top side up to see if I'm getting close but have yet to feel the truck balance that way. I have felt like I've come close twice going down hill but both times were simple solutions, accelerate down hill whether I like or not. Is there a trick out there to tell?
 
When your seat cover hits your colon, it time....
 
It all depends on the rig. I know that mine has felt pretty dang tipsy before, but I've never gone over. The longer I've wheeled it the more comfortable I've gotten with the tipsy feeling, and it's always really funny to me when I'm with a passenger who isn't used to it. My wife has jumped out of the rig a couple times because she thought it was going over! I can't say that I've ever seen anybody flop one where it was a legitimate complete surprise.
 
Roughshod said:
I can't say that I've ever seen anybody flop one where it was a legitimate complete surprise.
Click to expand...
My one flop was no suprise. I felt it going before it happened. Hell, I even predicted it. It was in a deep "V" ravine, so I didn't really have that far to go over anyways. Point is, for me, I can tell about when she's about to go. I've been close a few times after that, but never went over. I was passenger in my friend's jeep when he flopped it to my side. He didn't believe me when I said it was about to go, or he didn't care since it was going to my side. That one hurt a little.
 
WHITEY said:
Is there a trick out there to tell?
Click to expand...
Yup. Flop it, then you'll know what your rig is capable (or not capable) of. Honestly, you can't fully know or understand where that line is until you've crossed it.
 
I have flopped the CJ on it's side a few times and basically each time it was of my own fault. Either, I could have chosen a much better line or my dumbass kept trying until it just ended that way.

That being said, I would rather have some form of rollcage protection and just keep arms and legs tucked in the rig during a roll than attempt to jump out...

With this exception...and recommendation...

..If I ever felt the wheeling situation was completely unsafe or "said trail assault" was utterly pointless from the get-go, I would plant my two feet on solid ground....and if said parties still insisted, then I would just stand aside & take pictures of the fools proceeding to wreck their own junk...:shaking:
 
I wheel the Trail Whale / 06' power wagon and flopping it on purpose would cost me too much! I have been getting more brave at Kodak (at URE) lately and I'm also perfecting "the Bump" on tall rocks. Seeing that 87 Yota at Kodak flopped got me thinkin. I went up kodak just to the left of the V notch that same day. My truck only has a 4" lift and 35" tires. An exo may be in my trucks neat future.
 
To fully explain it is not easy.
But I will say, you can definitely "feel" when the rig is going to go over, you just can't always stop or control what leads up to it.
A lot of rolls happen when the front bounces downhill and takes the vehicle with it...
 
WHITEY said:
An exo may be in my trucks neat future.
Click to expand...
Exo on a fullsize? Why would you want to make a super wide rig even wider? There's tight enough spots at Uwharrie. You put an exo on there and you're begging to get wedged between trees. Just accept the fact that if you're going to wheel it, the sheetmetal is going to get "massaged." Might as well put a cage in it, not around it, if you're worried about flopping it.
 
My old tj I could push it and know exactly when to stop b/c I rolled it lightly twice. My yj I feel uncomfortable all the time in it. I wheeled the tj once or 2x a week. Its all on getting the feel for a vehicle. That and f'n up a few times.

When your seat cover hits your colon, it time....
Click to expand...

bout sums it up imho
 
i know my rigs point pretty good. its about right here...camera was about a second off. was a lil more top heavy right before
ai71.photobucket.com_albums_i134_icepritchard_100_1288.jpg
 
My $0.02

johnski said:
Yup. Flop it, then you'll know what your rig is capable (or not capable) of. Honestly, you can't fully know or understand where that line is until you've crossed it.
Click to expand...

x2.

Yea...you can tell when its getting close in any given situation. But how close? Only if ya been over in that situation before, could you be even, "pretty sure".

I have had Yeller Jeep over 7 times plus one back-flip. (never felt the back-flip coming until it was...uh...back-flipping! :rolleyes:) Also, I have had flops, where I didn't think I was "there", and it went over, and I have been "there" and it didn't go over! Lots o' variables affecting if and when it flops.

BigJuggy said:
...my dumbass kept trying until it just ended that way.
Click to expand...

Yep...most of em, that was how it happened!:shaking:
 
It's not always easy to tell when it will flop. other times you know well in advance, but disregard that "here it comes" feeling. The best indicator I ever ran across were tires and side mirrors, when the mirror on one side is almost touching dirt, and the tires on the other side aren't, it's about to flop.
 
^X2 -> I was going to say that as well. Get some flex in that thing!
 
Whitey the 3 times I have rolled my YJ I never felt it coming, it just flopped my XJ there were a few times I though it was going to go over and didn't. Saying that there was a time that the XJ did almost roll if not for the quick thinking of some friends to jump on the left side side step at the time. Lorie can tell you why she will not go on a night run in December after a rain storm on Daniel.
 
take a look at this video, I could feel when my rig was about to, but i tested it a lot. look at 52seconds, 3:04min and 3:30 min you can see at what point i was ready to go over, also the ending of the video looks pretty sweet http://youtube.com/watch?v=wLRoMqfaxAE
 
seems like your ass will pucker way before your flop... (granted every rig is different) but my old set up was tested a fair amount

DSCN0343.JPG


DSCN0356.JPG
 
Mmm... seems like there would be a way to safely test the point of roll over. I believe I have been close a few times but it's hard to say. Usually when I hear a bunch of bystanders gasping and moaning, I think I'm getting close. But trail virgins watching gasp and moan about everything and can throw that theory out the window. Any ideas about testing the rollover point safely?
 
got4-lo said:
seems like your ass will pucker way before your flop... (granted every rig is different)
Click to expand...

...and most asses will pucker at different points! :rolleyes:

And mine hasn't puckered since the first flop. Oh...yea, except for the back-flip!:eek:
First thru 6th...
Funwitholjeeps.jpg

...and number 7 at the Farm
Rollover7.jpg

...and number 8 at the Farm!
Rollover81.jpg
 
Okay! I know I'm still considered a newbie but what gives with the forums! One minute I can't see 5 posts (including my own) then next, out of nowhere, there they are? I do have a new pc with window vista, could that be my prob?
 
Back
Top