Bad week for 77 series trucks.

[BiffS]

noticed the one in sask that rolled on Tuesday. i turtled mine Thursday.

minor soft tissue strains, but all occupants alive.

Picasa Web Albums - Clinton Wong - PZ crash

the story: road was in fairly decent shape, sanded and good traction. Was in 2wd and doing 90 - 100 most of the way since hope. Saw a bunch of trucks (Mostly Fords) in the ditches, stopped to check one out, but the cops had already been there. Grip was very good at that point, so we carried on. just as we started up the snowshed climb, there was 2 tow trucks recovering another truck ahead in the ditch, so i slowed to pass them (maybe somewhere between 50-60km) just after i passed, not sure if i was braking or accelerating, back end walked out, and we hit the front left on the guard barrier (which bent the leaf back thus the steep driveline angle) and then the rear hit, which shot us across the road. On the other side was a ditch, which we entered almost going sideways and plop! over onto the roof. Given the weight of the truck and the fact that it was mostly on the A pillar, we escaped virutally unharmed. opened the back door and let out the dog (who is ok) and we climbed out. Tow trucks were there in a minute or so.

Once on the road, it was a 2" thick sheet of pure ice. Fell down once when a passer by stopped to see if we were ok. tow trucks came, and about 5 minutes after all this a team of plows scraped away the ice. sh*t!..

anyhow, a night in Hope and home now. generally sore and stiff, going to get looked at today.

 

[1tontoy]

Man, glad you are OK.















Wanna sell me some parts? I need some door stoppers.

 

[T0Y0TA]

Damn dude, Which area in Hope ? hwy 3 ? or Hwy 1?
Sorry about your pzj 77 ! Buy pardo with broken engine then swap the body into pjz77 ?

 

[ForealBoreal]

weren't the guys from ATEB saying this is a good idea?
Sad to see another 77 go

 

[kbushnz]

Good to see that you are all o.k
We dont see that sort of stuff here in my part of NZ.
Sad to see your truck in that state, but could have been worse.

 

[Phil in BC]

Mud tires dont work that well on ice. Your lucky your ok. Loads of accidents along there this past week.

 

[Ratpuke]

Glad you're ok. It could always have been worse...

 

[prado t]

Another!Glad you are OK

 

[Kroll]

Good thing you're unscathed!
Sad to see another cruiser, especially a 77.

 

[Jim_Hbar]

Good to see you're okay!

X2 for "Phil in BC"'s comment about Mud Tires - probably the worst tires to be driving the Coquihalla on, in the variable conditions one gets there this time of year.
IMHO, Blizzaks are the only thing to run once you are beyond Hope.
I had BFG M/T's years ago on my FJ40 - got stuck in 4WD on a flat mall parking lot - got out of there, drove to the tire store and got them siped.
And for future reference, you probably should have been in 4WD - anytime the conditions are such that the drive-train won't bind up, into 4Hi she goes.

Can't believe the pictures of the recovery - those guys on the tow trucks certainly weren't the sharpest knives in the drawer! I don't understand why they would haul it up the bank on it's roof, rather than flipping it in the ditch. It's a moot point - ICBC is going to write it off anyway, but they probably did 1/2 the sheet-metal damage.
Then they hook it up, and haul it on the front axle, with the bent and possibly broken spring!

 

[Ratpuke]

And if you can't get blizzaks what is the next best thing?

(not meant to hijack the thread)

 

[Scud1373]

That's no good. good to hear all occupants are fine. saw the pics were those mud tires on you're cruiser?

I found that when I had my mud tires on they were slick as hell. switched to some winter tires I've noticed a difference fore sure. I also keep the 4wd on in case I need more control in those odd instances where the rear wheel drive just does not cut it.

 

[simonliew]

talked to you on E-mail,glad your ok.
Simon

 

[Jim_Hbar]

@Ratpuke:

I've tried Michelin Ice's on personal and company vehicles a few years back, and had a couple sets of Nokian's on a Heep XJ. Had a set of Michelin Alpins on that Heep that had amazing traction, and an equally amazing wear rate. One winter, and a bit of warm weather in the spring, and they were gone. The tire shop had said I would get 60K, and could run them all year. I think we got 25K.

We've found that Blizzaks work the best for our conditions - typically right around the freezing mark, slush that turns to ice under the pressure of the vehicle, or wet ice conditions. Basically the Southern part of the BC Interior, or coastal regions that get snow/sleet.

Once you get a bunch colder, Alberta or Prince George type winters, I understand that there are other Brands/tires that perform as well or better in those conditions - but once you get into the minus 10 and below, the actual driving conditions aren't as treacherous, IMHO. The nasty, dangerous conditions are always right around freezing, and the Coq is especially bad, because you pass through those zones four to six times in two hours on the really bad days.
If you drive a lot of gravel, deep snow, or sustained sub-zero conditions, there are likely better choices than Blizzaks.

I believe Bridgestone's initial patent on the Blizzak technology may have expired in the the past few years. The Blizzak's came out in 1988 in Japan, and patents run 20 years, so there may be other tire companies that have caught up, and copied the technology. However, I made the mistake of listening to the tire salesman once, saved a couple of bucks, and we went back to Blizzaks for the next set. We usually get three or four winters out of a set.

You know when you're driving down the freeway, slipping and sliding around, and those other cars pull out and pass you like there isn't anything wrong with the road? I'll bet you a beer I know what tires they have!

Next best? I don't know, and I'm not really interested.

 

[Ratpuke]

@Ratpuke:

I've tried Michelin Ice's on personal and company vehicles a few years back, and had a couple sets of Nokian's on a Heep XJ. Had a set of Michelin Alpins on that Heep that had amazing traction, and an equally amazing wear rate. One winter, and a bit of warm weather in the spring, and they were gone. The tire shop had said I would get 60K, and could run them all year. I think we got 25K.

We've found that Blizzaks work the best for our conditions - typically right around the freezing mark, slush that turns to ice under the pressure of the vehicle, or wet ice conditions. Basically the Southern part of the BC Interior, or coastal regions that get snow/sleet.

Once you get a bunch colder, Alberta or Prince George type winters, I understand that there are other Brands/tires that perform as well or better in those conditions - but once you get into the minus 10 and below, the actual driving conditions aren't as treacherous, IMHO. The nasty, dangerous conditions are always right around freezing, and the Coq is especially bad, because you pass through those zones four to six times in two hours on the really bad days.
If you drive a lot of gravel, deep snow, or sustained sub-zero conditions, there are likely better choices than Blizzaks.

I believe Bridgestone's initial patent on the Blizzak technology may have expired in the the past few years. The Blizzak's came out in 1988 in Japan, and patents run 20 years, so there may be other tire companies that have caught up, and copied the technology. However, I made the mistake of listening to the tire salesman once, saved a couple of bucks, and we went back to Blizzaks for the next set. We usually get three or four winters out of a set.

You know when you're driving down the freeway, slipping and sliding around, and those other cars pull out and pass you like there isn't anything wrong with the road? I'll bet you a beer I know what tires they have!

Next best? I don't know, and I'm not really interested.

Thanks. I'm a believer in Blizzaks. We've got them on one of our work trucks and they are great. Unfortunately, I don't think Blizzaks come in the size my rims are so perhaps I'll have to source a set of wheels too.

 

[crushers]

first,
as soon as winter hits then lock the front hubs and LEAVE THEM LOCKED. this way you can go from 2WD H to 4WD H on the fly AT ANY SPEED. especially good for those days of dry road/wet road/slppery road in a matter of seconds.
next,
get decent ice tires. i like Blizacks, Nokian are the best, even Canadian tire ice tires are a HUGE step above AsS or Mud tires.
finally,
you see people in the ditch, slow down, they are there for a reason.

glad the 77 totallers are okay, could have been much worse.

Calgary, ALL of Ontario, first snow and the brains freeze over. first snow and i stay home, let the idiots crash and burn, slidding through stop signs, slidding off the road, slidding into the back of the car ahead of them ... no thanks.

 

[Sowikal]

Hard luck

I'm the one who totaled his HZJ77 in SK on Tuesday. Sorry to hear about your accident. The a** end sure stepped out on me in a hurry too, I suppose the big difference is that I flopped her right into the ditch and you hit a railing first, hence you didn't go over as many times. Anyway, guess were both going to be looking for new rides.

 

[Elbert]

sorry about the wreck..

Do the BFG AT KO Tires perform reasonably well in those conditions? (for any of you guys who live up in the "great white north"?

I realize a dedicated winter/snow tires is the best.

 

[BiffS]

I'm the one who totaled his HZJ77 in SK on Tuesday. Sorry to hear about your accident. The a** end sure stepped out on me in a hurry too, I suppose the big difference is that I flopped her right into the ditch and you hit a railing first, hence you didn't go over as many times. Anyway, guess were both going to be looking for new rides.

me first on the replacement 77 series!

yeah, there's lots of woulda, shoulda's with this situation, but i've been driving that road for nearly 20 years, and perhaps that's what got me.

i was even saying just last week that i was going to groove those tires and exo the thing before the trip, but again, woulda, coulda.

Wayne, yep, thought about punching in the hubs, but just a few minutes before, i checked the conditions with the brakes and throttle and all was good.


MEt with ICBC this morning, and it looks like i can buy it back. . . price TBD, so maybe between all the wrecked 77s this week, we can make another one complete!

meeeh,

probably part this one out and use the stuff for the next one.

WHo's got a 77 for sale?

C.

 

[crushers]

like suggested, get a LJ78 or KZJ78 and stick the heart into it.
usually you can pick one up with a dead engine for cheap adn you have all the donor parts.

me, i lock the hubs first of nov and leave them locked till the end of feb or even march. you lose about 2 mpg in the real cold for the resistance of turning the front diff but the peace of mind is worth it to me.

vehicles with an auto locker in the rear should have front hubs locked in winter months, PERIOD. that ass end can come around even in conditions that you think it shouldn't.

i wasn't pointing fingers with my post, i was speaking words to the wise hoping that someone reading this thread would take the suggestions to heart and try it out.