Bad Day Off Roading

[Doom4life]

Well I went to check out some local trails that I hadn't been to before with a friend. Spent a few hours having a blast and exploring, until I decided to play around int he mudpits...

I must have been too eager or something because as I went off the main part that takes you deep into the mudpit, I made a sharp turn into one of the areas of the mud pits. Anyways, after a few seconds things got really bouncy and than BOOM.... I hit a freakin rut and got stuck (which I later found out was made by truck with 42's and up). Anyways, this place is well known locally and minutes after I got stuck a guy came over on an ATV and offered to pull me out. He back after a little bit with a yellow Dakota, hooked a hook to my rear leaf springs and as I gave it in reverse, he gave it in drive and pulled me right out.

If my front end wasn't down int he rut, I think I could have made it out, but it was nice to get a hand!

Anyways, after surveying the damage:

- Huge dent in bumper (popped it back into place) with major scratching and paint cracking.... Really sucks as I just had the bumper replaced a year and a half ago
- Alignment is knocked way off. I have to hold it just a little over an 1/8 of a turn to the left to go straight, otherwise it veers crazily to the right. Aside from something grinding when I turn to the right sharply, there is no other issues (ie steering play, wobble, vibration, etc.) so I am assuming an alignment will fix this. There doesn't appear to be any damage to the suspension or steering
- Cracked inner fender
- Horn is now kinda messed up... when you hit the door lock button its softer and higher pitched
- Fog light must have gotten jostled because its pointed quite a bit more down. I tried to adjust it, but the beam wont go as high as the other light.


It's a lesson learned, I have been really lucky all this time I have gone off roading to have had no major damage like this. It could have been a lot worse but it wasn't, and I DEFINALTY came out of this with a lot more knowledge (not too mention a light pocket).

[Mystake]

how would going into a rut and hitting some mud caues THAT much damage? :S :S :S

[Doom4life]

The rut was about three feet deep. I was told by some of the guys there that thats where the mudders mainly go, so they just spin their tires and dig right in. I guess picture it like this:

l.....l
l.....l
l.....l
l.....l
[=l==]l <-- Front of my truck

The [==] designates where my truck was. While the "." represents muddy water. And the grooves were like:

\..../.....\..../
\_/........\_/

As I said, it happened as I was turning around and I didn't see the ruts that were right beside me as I got off the main part of the trail. Had I seen them I would have stayed well away.

[Doom4life]

Also, my truck was probably at a good 30-35 degree angle :s

[Mystake]

Also, my truck was probably at a good 30-35 degree angle :s


well damn dude, that's some deep shit(no pun intended)!!

frig eh?
sorry to hear, was it some good fun at least?
and pics?

[Doom4life]

It was a fun day before I hit the mud flats. I spent like three hours exploring beat up forrest service roads and getting into areas I didn't think my stock Dakota could get into.

However, the mud flats was the last part of the day and I spend like 30 seconds before this happened :S. But like I think, you have to screw up a few times to learn, right?

Luckily the damage won't cost me that much, with the only real expensive thing being the bumper. I definatly will be a LOT more careful next time.

[Mystake]

It was a fun day before I hit the mud flats. I spent like three hours exploring beat up forrest service roads and getting into areas I didn't think my stock Dakota could get into.

However, the mud flats was the last part of the day and I spend like 30 seconds before this happened :S. But like I think, you have to screw up a few times to learn, right?

Luckily the damage won't cost me that much, with the only real expensive thing being the bumper. I definatly will be a LOT more careful next time.


skip the bumper and go in harder next time so you don't hafta worry about it!

[pwhiteelec05]

price you pay for playing, no pun intended

[DarkDak01]

:needpix::gotpix2::D




:sorry:

[pirahnah3]

well man look at it this way if the worst you really have to go for is a front end alignment your not that bad off. as for the horn i bet you have one thta is just packed with mud take a look sounds like the low tone is caked up good.

[Five9Dak]

My low tone horn is broken too, it sounds really gay, I don't even use it now.

[Jarheadoo7]

yeah sometimes the mud can really bite you in the ass.. i was in almost the same situation w the ruts..

http://www.dakota-durango.com/forum/showthread.php?t=50603&highlight=fool

[Doom4life]

Sorry for the lack of updates.... been way to stressed out with school and this.

Anyways, I'm supposed to get my truck back on Tuesday!! :mullet:

Although I did do some MINOR frame damage, however it will be fixed. The problem with how the wheel sat was fixed by replacing the lower control arm. However, the stealerships mechanic couldn't get a dead on wheel alignment and started suspecting some damage to the frame. Uh oh, not good. Well I got a call from the bodyshop on Friday that there was some very minor frame damage, so minor that visibly everything looked perfect, however as he said, "The numbers don't lie." The drivers side, which was fine he said was .4 (Im assuming degrees?), while the passenger side (damaged) was .6. He said that a wheel alignment probably could have been done and noone would have known the wiser, however I gave them the go ahead to fix the frame (which he said they are going to cold bend it back).

All in all, total cost ~$2000... OUCH, but I have DEFINALTY learned my lesson!

[Doom4life]

Here are the pictures:

http://members.shaw.ca/kkijowski/Stave/stave01.jpg
http://members.shaw.ca/kkijowski/Stave/stave02.jpg
http://members.shaw.ca/kkijowski/Stave/stave03.jpg
http://members.shaw.ca/kkijowski/Stave/stave04.jpg
http://members.shaw.ca/kkijowski/Stave/stave05.jpg

You can see in the third one, the start of the ruts. What you can't see, is that I was turning a sharp right to avoid the water and ruts as I stay well away from them. However, I didn't see how close I actually was to the ruts as it was in my blind spot.

I'm thinking if the tires weren't turned, I probably would have avoided the suspension damage....

[Jarheadoo7]

2000!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! yowzers!!!!

nice pics thou!

[Doom4life]

Haha, thanks. Yeah, $2000 is quite a bit....

Basically its $1000 to replace the lower control arm, and $1000 for the frame repair.

Yes, I know I could have probably gone elsewhere and gotten the control arm replaced for cheaper, it was a gamble with warranty that it looks like I lost as its not covered (not really expecting it to though). However, they did replace the lower ball joints on both sides under warranty.

I am going to try and call the head office for Chryslers warranty Monday morning as a last ditch effort to see if it is covered. I know its my fault and as I said I am not expecting them to cover it. However, in my warranty brochure, it supposedly covers upper and lower control arms and I am curious to see exactly what scenarios they would be covered. I'm doing it more incase the dealership is trying to rip me off as opposed to trying to argue that it should be covered.

Although, by getting it done through the dealership, they are paying for a rental of a 2009 Suzuki Swift (which by the end will be seven days worth). I miss my truck, but I am loving the awesome gas mileage, lol.

[Mystake]

burnout video in the swift eh?

sucks about the damage. I had less damage to the s10 hitting the curb and flying off a 5ft tall retaining wall!

[lil_black_dak]

holy shit 2k is way to much man. but now a days if they fix it right i suppose that is all u can ask for.... ruts dont even look that bad haha