OBX Fisherman
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Mar 21, 2005
- Location
- Winston-Salem
Cliffs notes version:
towing XJ on a dolly with an SJ
XJ fish-tailed uncontrolably on interstate
lost control
crashed into guard rails
jeep buddy got me fixed up
Long version:
This is what it looked like before hand:
THE ORDEAL: Sam was following behind me and we just started down the hill past the Pinnacle exit on highway 52. I had to move over to the left lane to allow a bob-tail semi to merge on to the highway. I was running about 60. The XJ started fish tailing and got progressively worse. Braking would only worsen the situation so I gave it some gas to try and straighten the XJ back up. The fishtailing got so bad it started pushing the back end of the waggy around. I was at the bottom of the hill and finally lost control. The waggy headed for the right side of the highway where I crashed into the guardrail and ricocheted off toward the left side of the road. The waggy plowed into the guardrail on the front right corner while the XJ and dolly jack-knifed behind me. The waggy has swamper prints on the driver’s side wood paneling from the XJ. Both jeeps were side-by-side, each pointing the opposite direction.
Sam got over in the left lane and block traffic. A couple people asked if we were Ok. I didn't suffer any injuries, but I'm a little sore now, probably from tensing up and bracing for impact. Fire and EMS arrived on scene along with a Stokes county sheriff. Had to sign a bunch of stuff saying I wasn't injured. We got word from the Highway patrol that we could move the vehicles to get them off the highway. I put the XJ, which suffered a bent drag link and busted out tail-light, in 4 low and drove over top the tow dolly to the amazement of the sheriff and local Fire-Rescue. The dolly got mangled pretty badly. The driver’s side tire of the XJ came loose from the straps probably when I jack knifed.
I drove the XJ back over to the right side of the highway facing traffic. We then went back and hooked the dolly up to the waggy. The waggy dumped all it's coolant on the road. We had to unhook the dolly from the waggy to get the XJ off. I fired up the waggy and drove to the other side of the road while the sheriff stopped traffic. Sam pulled his rig father down the road and over to the right side.
The highway patrol arrived and wrote a report. After signing more papers for the HP we waited until traffic subsided somewhat and I turned the XJ around and drove it down to Sam's rig. The HP picked me up and we had to drive to the Pilot mtn exit to double back. When we got back to the waggy we decided to try the same thing, only this time drive the waggy to the Pilot Mtn exit, about 2 miles away. The HP followed behind me as I drove a very dented in waggy. Remember I don’t have any coolant in this. I watched the temperature keep rising as the exit approached. We got to the exit just as the temperature reached the critical point. Sam drove his rig down there also.
We decided to unload BUG from Sam’s trailer and load the waggy up on it and take it over to Bills shop. While Sam unloaded BUG I walked 2 miles back to get the XJ. We got the waggy loaded up and tied down on the trailer and left the XJ and BUG at the exit. Took the waggy over to the shop and unloaded it. Got back to the exit and I hooked up the dolly to the XJ for the ride home. Sam got BUG loaded up and headed on to Windrock after tempting me to ride with him. Wish I could have gone, but I needed to take care of business here.
Since the neck of the dolly is bent it dog track to the right about 2 feet. I was able to limp back home via back roads. The drag link on the XJ is severely bent, and the back quarter panel on the passenger side is pushed in from the first collision with the guard rail. I'm going to get a new drag link and taillight hosing and the XJ should be good. Also need a new sway bar. The sway bar eye where the disconnect attaches shattered during the wreck.
I'm very happy/lucky/thankful that no one else was involved and that I escaped without injury. After colliding with the first guardrail I was worried about the bob-trail semi plowing into me as I crossed the interstate. Sam said the semi realized what was happening and slowed down.
Here are some pics of the carnage. I wish the damage were trail damage instead of accident damage.
The dented up waggy.
towing XJ on a dolly with an SJ
XJ fish-tailed uncontrolably on interstate
lost control
crashed into guard rails
jeep buddy got me fixed up
Long version:
This is what it looked like before hand:
THE ORDEAL: Sam was following behind me and we just started down the hill past the Pinnacle exit on highway 52. I had to move over to the left lane to allow a bob-tail semi to merge on to the highway. I was running about 60. The XJ started fish tailing and got progressively worse. Braking would only worsen the situation so I gave it some gas to try and straighten the XJ back up. The fishtailing got so bad it started pushing the back end of the waggy around. I was at the bottom of the hill and finally lost control. The waggy headed for the right side of the highway where I crashed into the guardrail and ricocheted off toward the left side of the road. The waggy plowed into the guardrail on the front right corner while the XJ and dolly jack-knifed behind me. The waggy has swamper prints on the driver’s side wood paneling from the XJ. Both jeeps were side-by-side, each pointing the opposite direction.
Sam got over in the left lane and block traffic. A couple people asked if we were Ok. I didn't suffer any injuries, but I'm a little sore now, probably from tensing up and bracing for impact. Fire and EMS arrived on scene along with a Stokes county sheriff. Had to sign a bunch of stuff saying I wasn't injured. We got word from the Highway patrol that we could move the vehicles to get them off the highway. I put the XJ, which suffered a bent drag link and busted out tail-light, in 4 low and drove over top the tow dolly to the amazement of the sheriff and local Fire-Rescue. The dolly got mangled pretty badly. The driver’s side tire of the XJ came loose from the straps probably when I jack knifed.
I drove the XJ back over to the right side of the highway facing traffic. We then went back and hooked the dolly up to the waggy. The waggy dumped all it's coolant on the road. We had to unhook the dolly from the waggy to get the XJ off. I fired up the waggy and drove to the other side of the road while the sheriff stopped traffic. Sam pulled his rig father down the road and over to the right side.
The highway patrol arrived and wrote a report. After signing more papers for the HP we waited until traffic subsided somewhat and I turned the XJ around and drove it down to Sam's rig. The HP picked me up and we had to drive to the Pilot mtn exit to double back. When we got back to the waggy we decided to try the same thing, only this time drive the waggy to the Pilot Mtn exit, about 2 miles away. The HP followed behind me as I drove a very dented in waggy. Remember I don’t have any coolant in this. I watched the temperature keep rising as the exit approached. We got to the exit just as the temperature reached the critical point. Sam drove his rig down there also.
We decided to unload BUG from Sam’s trailer and load the waggy up on it and take it over to Bills shop. While Sam unloaded BUG I walked 2 miles back to get the XJ. We got the waggy loaded up and tied down on the trailer and left the XJ and BUG at the exit. Took the waggy over to the shop and unloaded it. Got back to the exit and I hooked up the dolly to the XJ for the ride home. Sam got BUG loaded up and headed on to Windrock after tempting me to ride with him. Wish I could have gone, but I needed to take care of business here.
Since the neck of the dolly is bent it dog track to the right about 2 feet. I was able to limp back home via back roads. The drag link on the XJ is severely bent, and the back quarter panel on the passenger side is pushed in from the first collision with the guard rail. I'm going to get a new drag link and taillight hosing and the XJ should be good. Also need a new sway bar. The sway bar eye where the disconnect attaches shattered during the wreck.
I'm very happy/lucky/thankful that no one else was involved and that I escaped without injury. After colliding with the first guardrail I was worried about the bob-trail semi plowing into me as I crossed the interstate. Sam said the semi realized what was happening and slowed down.
Here are some pics of the carnage. I wish the damage were trail damage instead of accident damage.
The dented up waggy.
for ya, Sam.
