Trail Run: HELP!! Stuck on 2N17X

[MrBash]

I sent this email to the President of the SoCal Chapter of HummerXClub. I also posted a thread on the Hummer Club Forum. I am also posting it here to see if there is anyone who can help us.

I'm sending this message to see if you can help us but please understand I don't want you to feel obligated to help in anyway.

Last night, we left our friends H1 on 2N17X which is a black diamond trail east of Lake Silverwood in San Bernardino County. His passenger side steering link broke from the joint causing the front tires to point in different directions. We strapped his winch line to my Jeep Wrangler with large rocks under my tires so we can winch him forward after his vehicle was tilted to the passenger side of the trail. The H1 is currently sitting tilted on the side of the road/cliff about halfway up 2N17X and I'm afraid my Jeep is no match for the weight of the H1.

We are experienced offroaders and have performed trail repair before but this one is a different situation.

We have the required parts to repair the H1 and get it off the trail. We are leaving the Rancho Cucamonga area around 8:00am to head back up 2N17X to try and save the beast. We are taking my Jeep, an F250 Super Duty Long Bed with a four inch lift and 37" tires, an H1 mechanic buddy and the required parts for the repair. I went back up there today to get a look of the situation in the light and take a few photos....not pretty.

More than using your Jeeps or your tools, I am mainly looking for fellow Jeepers to be out there with us to help out with ideas because I am clearly out of all ideas to help save this H1. The most intimidating factor is the 12,000lbs weight.
If you don't mind coming out there with us Wednesday morning, I would be grateful if you joined the party. If you are able to assist or know someone with an H1 and a winch that can help us out, please call me at (626) 710-6455.

I also contacted the San Bernardino Ranger Station, the CHP, 911, San Bernardino Mountain Search and Rescue and the fire department and none of these organizations are willing to help because it is not an emergency. They all said we just need to get it out ourselves.

Please let me know if you can help us or if there is anyone else I can contact to give us a hand.

Thank you
Bash

Here's a photo of the situation.

[curtis]

shant you need a winch and a couble of snatch blocks hooked to a couple of vehicles to pull it out. Cann't help you till after 3 pm.

[NAILER341]

Does it still run and drive? Is the concern the location and angle it is sitting on?

What is the nature of the repairs it needs?

[MrBash]

The tie rod end link is broken off the joint of the passenget side wheel. The vehicle runs just fine. My main concern is not the angle but the location. The vehicle is being supported by a small tree. It's located at the narrow pass where there are rocks stacked to support the road.

[NAILER341]

I wish i I could get out there to help you, but the 23'rd is out for me.

I think with a couple of heavy pigs winching it out of there before doing the tie rod you would be fine.

The problem is finding vehicles heavy enough to winch that beast from its current location.

Tie a bunch of vehicles together to get the weight you need to move the pig.

[lamar95x4]

Shant, I've drove Hummer's as a Marine for the last 15 years, it looks like the tie rod's fixed it should drive out. For safety sake you may hitch it to the F250 for an assist. The "up-armors" are heavy and with the newer turrets they get really top heavy which causes a lot of the same situations in country with the roads collapsing under the weight. With a full size truck you should be good. You could double anchor with multiple vehicles rigged to each other up the trail and use multiple snatch blocks to increase line pull.

Mike

[Desert Jewel]

I called Shant and gave him Craig's # from VV4W's...hopefully he'll be able to help out with a recovery.

[aw12345]

Shant, I can help out in the afternoon give me a call after 1pm, you could also pm Fred/ flatout he could probably help out in the morning. Some winching with a couple of vehicles if need be with snatch blocks and a heavy truck pulling it forward should put that big dog right back on the road

[inVERt'D]

Wish I could come help, but my Jeep's torn apart right now. Be safe winching and getting that thing out of there.

[aw12345]

\shant, here is what you do. secure the left side of the Hummer with a winch and a block or with a strap so it cannot slide down the hill then pull it backwards, that way it will steer. You pull it forward the front wheel will move backward and lock into the wheel well. If you pull it backwards you will have steering control with the other wheel and the one with the broken tierod will pretty much follow where you pull the hummer, also turn of the 4wheel drive just use the rear wheel drive and pull it with the f250 that way it should get back on the trail fairly easily

[RAT]

From the pics it look like winching it down hill will get it back on the trail. Let gravity help out, but make sure you have a sizeable vehicle with winch attached up front as well. DOes anyone have a ready welder that can make it up there? Weld the tie rod until oyu can move it off the incline. I would come help if I could Shant. Good luck.

[MrBash]

Well for the most part, heH1 does not have a 2wd option.

Here's an update. We decided to leave the F250 beast home. I got a call from the H1 psycho squad this morning and one of the guys will meet us with his H1. We are also taking up one other H2 with a winch.

Thanks to all for the inputs and ideas. I'll keep ya posted on the outcome.

[Nipple Twister]

Ifin ya still need help.........

......I am available to come up. I don't have a winch but I can help out with whatever else. I will check back here later this afternoon for an updated info.

[MrBash]

From the pics it look like winching it down hill will get it back on the trail. Let gravity help out, but make sure you have a sizeable vehicle with winch attached up front as well. DOes anyone have a ready welder that can make it up there? Weld the tie rod until oyu can move it off the incline. I would come help if I could Shant. Good luck.

No ready welder but we were talking about that. That's the next mod.

The main problem is the location. The road is so narrow it's tough to pull it directly ot tie it directly from the side. We're headed up there tomorrow 8L?00am. I'll keep everyone posted. I'm also going to go back up there toiday to check on it because we receievd a nice amount of rainfall last night which has me a little worried.

Will keep you posted.

[Willard]

A pair of 8K winches in unison may be able to tackle it.