30 Great Months

[Ed Carpenter]

I knew this day would come eventually, but I was hoping it wouldn’t come for a long time.  However, it was only a matter of time till either my back or the Wrangler couldn’t take off roading any longer, and it appears that last Saturday the race ended in a tie with both my back and Wrangler sustaining damage.  (Ironical isn’t it—Saturday, March 15th—the Ides of March.  Maybe I should change my nickname from Safari to Julius Ceasar!)

Anyway, if you don’t mind a long story—read on.

Ever since elementary school I had a craving to drive a Jeep.  That never happened until August 2005, when at the age of 59 I test drove a new Wrangler.  Somehow it didn’t “feel” like I thought a Jeep should feel.  Then I went to see a car salesman friend of mine at a dealer that had a ’95 red YJ.  I test drove it, fell in love with it, and bought it.  That was the beginning of family discord, if you know what I mean.  Anyway it was strictly a street vehicle all its past life and for the first five months that I owned it.

One day I was at the credit union and saw a guy wearing a Rausch Creek tee shirt.  That sparked my interest, so I remembered the web address and checked it out when I went home.

About this same time my granddaughter was attending nursery school with “Big D’s”, Dennis Ebersole’s twins.  One thing led to another and I attended my first Jeeps R Us meeting in January 2006, and went on my first trail ride a few days later.  I WAS HOOKED!

Since that time I’ve been going to Rausch Creek as often as I could and got caught up in that Jeep acronym—just empty every pocket.  Just like every other off roader, I tried to customize my ride with the options that I really wanted and that I could afford.  I had it to the point where my trips to Rausch Creek were a good combination of vehicle capability and driver skill—with some occasional driver stupidity thrown in for good measure.  My wife could never understand how a man with a bad back could take bumping around over rocks and I couldn’t explain it to her.

As I said in my first paragraph, I knew the day would come when my back or the Jeep would give out, and that occurred on Saturday.  But what a great way to go!  I was leading a group of mostly BMJA members and I hit some first time trails for me.  Trail 1C was new for me, and it was a blast.  The one part of trail 4 was new to me (I think), and while on that trail I thought I heard something break with a loud “pinging” noise, but we continued on.  And I finally got up the courage to try “Snake Bite” for the first time and that’s where my back started to bother me.

I went to the chiropractor Monday morning, after calling on Sunday.  I already had appointments scheduled that day with the rheumatologist for my back and the physical therapist for my neck.  The chiropractor described my condition as acute—acute what I don’t know—and wants to see me again before my next regularly scheduled visit.  I’ll survive, but the Jeep may not.

I knew that I had lost the bolt out of my front track bar for the third or fourth time and that I had blown a fuse to my brake lights.  I took the YJ to Capital Area 4 Wheel Drive Center yesterday and was asked how I possibly drove the vehicle there.  Apparently both front wheels are about to fall off with bad wheel bearings, I have a leak in the steering box (which I knew), three of the four leaf springs are either badly bent or broken, there’s some sort of problem with the rear drive shaft, the frame is bent, and the gas tank is badly bent (which I knew).  There might be other problems that I didn’t catch.  I’m waiting for an estimate from John at Capital Area, but expect the numbers to be “past the point of no return.”

It’s not that I can’t come up with the money to pay for it; it’s just that it probably isn’t practical to do so any longer.  I will probably be putting it up for sale and/or parting it out.  Watch for further postings.  And I probably will not be replacing it, which means that my off-roading days are finished.  If I do buy another Wrangler; it will be strictly a street vehicle.  I recently purchased a 2005 Jeep Liberty, but have no intentions of wheelin’ that vehicle.

I’ve made many new friends from all over the east coast through my wheelin’ experiences, and I can truly say that the camaraderie has been great and that you have been just as good to me as even my church family.  I will probably continue to come to the Jeeps R Us meetings on a somewhat sporadic basis and will try to keep up with everyone else on the JRU, Rausch Creek, Christian Crawlers, BMJA, and other web sites.

Old Jeepers never die—they just meet one too may rocks!

[ChrisTaylor]

Ed - Say it isn't so....  You will be GREATLY missed.  I have never talked to anyone at RC that has not wheeled with you and loved it.  You will always have a seat in my Jeep anytime you want to come up.

[Shiprekd]

Ed,,,,

As said previously, you will be missed by many. You touched alot of people in your adventures at RC and I remember wheeling with you almost 2yrs ago. Your attitude and personality was infectious....

Be assured that when ever you want to come and get a wheel'n fix, you'll have a ride here too.

Be safe in your future endeavors....

Ship

[BigD]

Ok All,

I'm going to start the Save safari part collection.  I spoke with Ed tonight and if he can get the jeep fixed, he will still keep wheeling, just not do anymore blacks, at least until his back finally says he can't wheel no more.

I will donate two working Dana 30 hub assemblies to fix his front axle/tire issues.
I think he would still need a YJ rear drive shaft, or at least a u-joint, and stock YJ leaf springs to get him running again.

Anyone got any of these things lying around to help get Ed and his Jeep back out on the trail.

I'd be willing to help in wrenching also to save him funds of having to apy a mechanic.

BigD

[jeannies_driver]

i have a better idea, we do a wrench fest, get you a nice shiny 2-3" lift, new steering box, some new wheel bearing's and a SUSPENSION seat and send you back out on the trail's ! that stiff jeep seat isn't doing you any favor's, but i know several people who wheel and race after breaking their back's because of the support of a suspension seat. maybe something to think about once you get your back sorted out a little bit. 

[ChrisTaylor]

Great idea!!  I can get my hands on a 80 somethingYJ that was abandon on my friends property.  I was going to strip it for parts anyway.  I will donate anything on there that is still good.  I just need a trailer to get it somewhere to tear it down.  The springs looked good when I looked at it.  He said the frame was bent... how bad is it Ed?

[BigD]

Hey Chris,

Thanks for the offer of help.  I see you are also on Christian Crawlers, can you see if anyone can help with this effort.  I am coordinating parts over on Jeeps R Us website, and have offered the garage I share with another gentlemen to do the wrenching, and he ahs also agreed to help wrench.

BigD

[Shiprekd]

Way to go guys...

Personally, I would get a good look at his ride for a "second opinion". Then start delegating the parts and work. We all know how entities tend to suggest more work than what's truly required.....

"Hey, ummmm,, I don't know how to tell you this but, your spring ends arch upwards dude... for shur, you need new ones..."

[BigD]

I don't live too far from Ed and plan on getting a good look at his rig to see what it needs, but even if the list is correct.  I would say the mandatory thing which need replaced are the Dana 30 Hub assemblies, the broken leaf spring, and the u-joint in the driveshaft, or maybe even the entire driveshaft.

I like the idea of getting him a true suspension lift, but I'm not sure with his back if he can handle the jeep going much higher than it is.

My Main goal is to get him fixed so that he doesn't give up wheeling and all the joy he's brought to so many by helping lead trail rides at the park.

I hope someday to retire and be able to wheel as much as Ed has in the last 30 months.

[Ed Carpenter]

Actually, one of the reasons I took the vehicle to Capital Area Four Wheel Drive was to look into an add-a-leaf suspension.  But then he told me I should ditch my shackle lift.

As far as the bent frame--I think (unless there's something new) it's the same bend I've been driving with for over a year and one half.  That's why I sit low in the right rear.

Thanks a million guys!!

One other thing I forgot to mention--the primary reason I took it to get fixed in the first place--I lost the bolt out of my front track bar for the third or fourth time.  Yes, the track bar IS required for state inspection.

[Shiprekd]

A track bar that doesn't want to stay is an EZ fix ;O}

Delete that for sale thread,, or I will :O}

[bullfrog]

A track bar that doesn't want to stay is an EZ fix ;O}

Delete that for sale thread,, or I will :O}

X2  we can use my garage if you need to.  and i can get my trailer to him too.  i have a 2 post lift to make things easier if there isn't one closer.  i'm only off work on mondays, sunday afternoons and tues mornings until about 2pm.  if i can help in any way i will.  ed needs wheeling.  it's in his blood now!

i bet his wife hates this idea!  it's an off road thing, she wouldn't understand.  lets get this jeep done! 

[Tommy]

 Ed and I are going to pick his jeep and get to my shop to look over it to see what he realy needs.

[trikpony]

having wheel'd with Ed (first time)  this past Sat.  Have to say this guy did the hard stuff, I watched in amazement as he crept along snakebite.... stock suspension??  anyway hope he and the J**P get fixed up.

[Lynn]

Wow, what a way for the troops to rally.

if the YJ is too far gone, trade it in on a Grand Waggoneer!  That one the park had a couple years ago was like driving in a Lazy-boy, I loved it.  My Cherokee is almost as cushy a ride.  I still remember riding shotgun in a YJ on the highway and figured that was how the chiropractors stayed in business. 

Good luck Ed with the rebuild/upgrades and getting your back straightened out! 

[phoenix827]

and a SUSPENSION seat

Just my $.02, and I knwo you don't know me(so my opinion carries a ton of weight:biggrin:) but there are a few people up this way (CT area) that swear by their suspension seats. Might be enough to keep you on the trails.

[Tommy]

Ok, Ed, Earl, and I met at CA4WD to look it over the jeep and yes he's going to need some of things but not all the parts.
will no more later today when it gets move here.

here a small run down of what hes going to need to get back up and running.

4 springs ( 1 is in 2 pcs. the other 3 are not happy.
power steering box is leaking (runnnig out of the seal)
shocks look OK
rear drive shaft needs u joints ( 1 bolt holding it in the jeep)
shock mounts are ok (bent but ok)

 

[BigD]

What about the front hub assemblies for the axle?

Are they shot??

BigD

[Tommy]

not shore. we did not move it yet..
I will no more in 2 hour's when Earl and I go pick it up.
We did not what to drive the way it was. 

[bullfrog]

if i can help let me know.  not sure how i can help, but will do what i can.