What would you do in a rollover?

[Materdaddy]

Anyone have a list of mechanical to check before starting and engine for the first time after a roll over?

Something I read a few years ago... very useful information:
http://www.jpmagazine.com/techarticl...ery/index.html

[Guest]

I am a little worried about bringing my son on trips now. Being honest! What "level" trip was that (IE; extreme, mild, etc)?

Ron

[Desert Jewel]

I am a little worried about bringing my son on trips now. Being honest! What "level" trip was that (IE; extreme, mild, etc)?

Ron

Ron that trail was extreme. Your best bet is to go on planned group runs where the more experienced wheelers can help spot you thru obstacles, give you tips/pointers, and make sure you get home safely. I started wheeling about 4 years ago in my stock jeep. I wheeled mostly with the Victor Valley 4 Wheelers who really help show a "newbie" the ropes. Once I felt more confidence I started wheeling with MJR. The best trails to learn on and that give you a taste of what to expect are Rattlesnake Canyon and Jacoby Canyon in Big Bear, and then you have Mule Canyon in Calico. Those are pretty much the easier trails. With your lift and when you feel more confident, you'll enjoy Gold Mountain, John Bull, and Dishpan in Big Bear, and Odessa in Calico. Don't be afraid to sign up for a run on one of these trails...and do not hesitate to let the trail leader know you are new. They will take you under their wing and help you whenever needed.

[Dukes69]

I guess extreme means different things to different people. I think I would classify anything at HDR as mild to moderate.

[Guest]

Note to self then ask those who have kids to rate the trail. This way I know.

[Dukes69]

Note to self then ask those who have kids to rate the trail. This way I know.

Extreme doesn't equal dangerous. However, with an improper amount of skill a fire road can kill.

Ha that rhymes!

[Guest]

Grand Master Chris, thanks for the clarification...

I hear you though. Thanks.

[New2image]

This was posted on another Forum and has great points

Posted: Tue May 26, 2009 6:15 am Post subject: What to do WHEN you roll

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I watched the video of the violent roll at HDR that Vicki posted on her website. As the vehicle was going over I saw the passenger's arm up by the roll br - big no-no. I figured I would share what I have learned and what I keep reminding Mary.

1) ALWAYS wear your seat belt. The idea that you're going to "jump away from the vehicle" is ridiculous.
2) If the vehicle starts to roll, DO NOT put your hand out to stop it. I know it sounds silly, but I have seen people do it countless times.
3) Keep your hands away from the roll bar. Drivers grab the steering wheel with both hands, passengers grab the "oh shit" bar or the bottom of your seat.
4) Push your feet against the floor or the seat in front of you and push your ass firmly into the seat.
5) Lean forward and keep your head down.
6) Wait until it stops, then think about where you are before you release your seatbelt. I have seen people release their belt and fall on their head.


All great points and remember it can happen anywhere but you cant live by what if....but be prepared no matter.

[Schmo]

6) Wait until it stops, then think about where you are before you release your seatbelt. I have seen people release their belt and fall on their head.

Back in High School I rolled my car and forgot about #6. Made it thru a pretty nasty wreck without a scratch, but had a nice lump on my head from when I released the seatbelt!

[GP4Play]

I was 7 on 1'st roll over.School Bus driver hit a pothole on a muddy Mtn. road. They said we rolled 3 times before we landed upside down in a Blackberrie patch.Ok,that don't count.My rollover in a Jeep was at North Bend Ore. Dunes.I made the mistake of doing #3 and it felt like I was hit with 80grit sand paper,Don't want it to be on rocks so hands on the wheel.Every time I go play I tell my Wife and boys what to do,Thank you all for the info I missed.
Dennis

[Guest]

Educate me. What's #3?

[GP4Play]

3) Keep your hands away from the roll bar. Drivers grab the steering wheel with both hands, passengers grab the "oh shit" bar or the bottom of your seat.

LOL ,Sorry about that

[inVERt'D]

I've rolled my Jeep TJ twice now. Both rolls occurred on flat dirt roads going over 40 mph. Both were coincident with worn-out, loose, and broken suspension and steering parts (no real coincidence). Both times, the Jeep shut off as soon as the rolling stopped, was righted within a few minutes, and started up just fine. Fuel injection can be a good thing.

Roll cages are a good thing too. One of the first things I purchased after my first roll was a Poison Spyder Customs "Full Cage." It was the best kit available at the time. I welded it myself, doing my absolute best with my very modest skills. When I rolled the second time, the better cage made a big difference--much less damage to the Jeep's body, and more importantly, much better protection for my passenger and I. The PS cage suffered no visible deformations.

Regarding passengers, I don't just tell them what to do in case of a rollover, I make sure they're aware that there is a good likelihood of rolling, especially in certain situations.

Here's what I've learned that maybe hasn't already been repeated in this thread, but was really underscored in the video. Rollovers can occur suddenly and when you do not expect them to. Short wheelbase vehicles like Jeeps are especially prone to sudden rollovers--they are not as forgiving as longer wheelbase vehicles. I have fast reflexes, and I know what to do when a vehicle starts going sideways, but both times I rolled, loss of control was sudden and irreversible. Whoever said "'Oh shit!' and pray" nailed it--there are no atheists in rollovers. You know what scares me more than the likelihood of rolling offroad? Rolling onroad...think 70 mph on a busy freeway--it happens.

[Guest]

I've rolled my Jeep TJ twice now. Both rolls occurred on flat dirt roads going over 40 mph. Both were coincident with worn-out, loose, and broken suspension and steering parts (no real coincidence). Both times, the Jeep shut off as soon as the rolling stopped, was righted within a few minutes, and started up just fine. Fuel injection can be a good thing.

Roll cages are a good thing too. One of the first things I purchased after my first roll was a Poison Spyder Customs "Full Cage." It was the best kit available at the time. I welded it myself, doing my absolute best with my very modest skills. When I rolled the second time, the better cage made a big difference--much less damage to the Jeep's body, and more importantly, much better protection for my passenger and I. The PS cage suffered no visible deformations.

Regarding passengers, I don't just tell them what to do in case of a rollover, I make sure they're aware that there is a good likelihood of rolling, especially in certain situations.

Here's what I've learned that maybe hasn't already been repeated in this thread, but was really underscored in the video. Rollovers can occur suddenly and when you do not expect them to. Short wheelbase vehicles like Jeeps are especially prone to sudden rollovers--they are not as forgiving as longer wheelbase vehicles. I have fast reflexes, and I know what to do when a vehicle starts going sideways, but both times I rolled, loss of control was sudden and irreversible. Whoever said "'Oh shit!' and pray" nailed it--there are no atheists in rollovers. You know what scares me more than the likelihood of rolling offroad? Rolling onroad...think 70 mph on a busy freeway--it happens.

Flat road doing 40mph? How did that happen?

[inVERt'D]

Flat road doing 40mph? How did that happen?

Bumpsteer, made possible by a lift (and as I mentioned above), loose, worn-out, and broken steering and suspension components. First time I hit some dried mud ruts. Second time I had actually slowed down from about 65 after realizing that my rig was doing strange things; we had just finished a night of fun on Blow Sand, and a day of wheeling in the "badlands" in Ocotillo Wells. Don't ask what was wrong with my steering and suspension, because the only thing that wasn't wrong were my three good shocks. The next day was a lot of fun, too (going slow), but the drive home wasn't fun at all.

To follow the point of this thread (which I'm afraid I digressed from--my apologies) both times after a brief battle to straighten the Jeep out, all I could do was hunker down and hold on to the steering wheel. On the second roll, I know my passenger was already braced on the dash grab bar and his handle on the roll bar.

Personally, I don't like the "grab the seat" philosophy; be concerned about your hands and arms, yes, but be very concerned about your head. I'd sacrifice almost any other part of my body to protect my head. If you have a suitably protected handle on the cage, at least you have some kind of brace against lateral forces, and you can brace your head against your arm. A fast roll in a Jeep can be a particularly violent one, because its sides are so flat, and it's so square--if that first side hits flat ground square--wow. If you manage to hold onto your seat, that's something of a feat. Hunker down? Do your best, but in a fast roll, I was whipped around some, and I'm fairly strong. The upside to the Jeep's squareness is that you may not roll as many times as you would in a more streamlined vehicle.

The other point I was trying to underscore was that a Jeep is a very easy vehicle to roll, and you should be prepared to roll. (I think that was the implicit (unwritten) point behind this thread.) The short wheelbase makes it easier to roll, for the same reason that it makes the Jeep a terrible vehicle to tow with--very little "leverage" with regard to traction and gravity. For the same reason, I don't believe you'll ever see a SWB Jeep win a Baja 1000, the Dakar rally, or anything like those--it will be at a severe disadvantage to every vehicle with a longer wheelbase.

I know this is a Jeep enthusiasts' forum, but let's be honest about its capabilites: SWB Jeeps suck at going fast, and they suck at climbing (if you don't agree, watch that video again). Jeeps, as capable as they are, have a long and celebrated history of rolling--which is why it's probably the only mass-produced vehicle to come from the factory with a "sport bar."