Sad end to someone's FJ80

[xepyt]

I'm the owner of this 80, I didn't even notice this thread and so I already created a trip report which you can find here:

Trip Report: Death Valley and a Wrecked 80...

I skimmed through this thread, but here's a few answers to some questions I saw:

- TJM front bumper
- Doggo is alive. After being missing for hours and countless spottings, he found his way back to the crash site
- Car was going approximately 40mph
- Tires were aired down to 20psi
- More so a "roll over" than a flip, as someone here suggested the back end hit the road's outer burm and all went awry from there.

Breakdown of the crash:

A few miles down from the road we reach a crested slight left turn. My fiancée apexes a little early and the car begins to fishtail ever so lightly. She attempts to counter steer her way through the turn, but being lifted and top heavy with our spare + gear + extra fuel the weight transfer on the car is very apparent and steering input is crucial. By the second countersteer our rear tire hits the outer burm of the road and I feel the back end hop and the car starts to roll...

Thanks for all the kind words. We're still making sense of it all, but grateful to walk away from it.

 

[Amacfly]

This is a bit of a novice question, but I haven't yet had reason to air down my tires on any of the few trails I've taken mine out on. Do you think that the handling and weight transfer might have been sufficiently different to avoid the roll with the tires fully aired?

 

[skhochay]

Unless you have a Chinese snorkel. Good as a roll cage.

a lol , you saw the picture too, where top was flat and snorkeler was standing undamaged.

 

[retrofive]

a lol , you saw the picture too, where top was flat and snorkeler was standing undamaged.

It's been well documented here.

 

[Kaninja]

Do you think that the handling and weight transfer might have been sufficiently different to avoid the roll with the tires fully aired?

Hard to say in hindsight. I think having lots if weight above the roofline was a bigger factor in this case. Once the back end got squirmy it would be hard to reign in at that speed.

 

[NLXTACY]

Hard to say in hindsight. I think having lots if weight above the roofline was a bigger factor in this case. Once the back end got squirmy it would be hard to reign in at that speed.

^ this.

Unless you’ve driven a tall vehicle WITH a loaded roof it’s really hard to describe the feeling. But even as little as the weight of a 100# rack is enough to feel the difference especially when off camber. Now throw another 200# of crap up there and you either take things slow or...

 

[retrofive]

^ this.

Unless you’ve driven a tall vehicle WITH a loaded roof it’s really hard to describe the feeling. But even as little as the weight of a 100# rack is enough to feel the difference especially when off camber. Now throw another 200# of crap up there and you either take things slow or...

I drive so slow my 80 hasn't left the driveway in months.

 

[sanscruiser]

Gunner Kennels | Videos

 

[Marine7]

^ this.

Unless you’ve driven a tall vehicle WITH a loaded roof it’s really hard to describe the feeling. But even as little as the weight of a 100# rack is enough to feel the difference especially when off camber. Now throw another 200# of crap up there and you either take things slow or...

I agree with this 110%! You will NEVER forget the first time a vehicle breaks loose, and starts fish tailing on you! You can feel every pound in the vehicle shift, then shift again going the other way! It feels like hours to get it stopped..... then to shower, change your drawers, and gather the courage to get back in and let her rip some more!

 

[bloc]

There really doesn't need to be much shaking of internal organs.. a crushed roof can easily crush a cervical vertebra for a taller occupant.

Is it typical for these things to flatten like that in a roll over?

basically going 0mph when this happened, roof was hitting me in the face (I'm tall) and not nearly as flattened as many seen on this board:

 

[Jgunner]

I start on my cage tomorrow. 2" .120 wall is really sucky to bend with a manual bender fwiw

Dom I hope! But think, if it’s hard to bend in the bender, it’ll be hard to bend in a roll! Assuming it’s built correctly, welded well and gusseted properly. Don’t forget to weld to the frame and not the body only! It’s no Honda!!!!

 

[DirtScaresMe]

^ this.

Unless you’ve driven a tall vehicle WITH a loaded roof it’s really hard to describe the feeling. But even as little as the weight of a 100# rack is enough to feel the difference especially when off camber. Now throw another 200# of crap up there and you either take things slow or...

My roof basket is a light / cheap chinese version that I always wanted to upgrade but I'm thinking it might be for the best. I put folding chairs and our tent up there. Hopefully coming in well under 100LBS between the rack, the gear, etc.

I've put fuel up there before, I'll fix that.