Topic: Cotter Pins are very important [Jeep related not Kappa]

[elff]

I'm not sure what happened, but I lost a cotter pin and then a Castle night on the Driver side TRE of my Tie Rod last night.
You haven't truly experienced death wobble until you lose the connection between your steering wheels.
Not fun at 50mph.
I managed to not hit anything and had to park on the median as I was in the left lane when this happened.
This is how I managed to limp the beast home


Will run to Napa to get a new TRE.  All I need is the Castle nut and Cotter Pin, but wtf, it's a spare part for down the road.
Since it was at night, I was using my iphone as a flashlight and dropped the little , so now I have a nice long single crack down the screen.
Grrrrrrr
I think nothing else got damaged on the jeep and thankfully the tie rod is one of the flexible aluminum ones or I would be buying one of those and would not have as easily been able to get back on the road.

Guess it could have been way worse. 

[melissadunagan]

 I would say you where very lucky and it was not your time to go.

[Critterman]

Talk about a walk on the wild side.  glad nothing worse happend

[Yogi]

Glad to see that you are still around to show pics and post about this!  WOW!!  Had to be scary!   

I agree with Melissa D.: It just wasn't your time yet!   

[1LILNDN]

elff : That Wire worked ,lucky you had it.I use to carry Duct Tape ( The mechanic's Friend)  in my camper . Air shock blew out on my 47 when I was pulling my camper   back from  Western MD on RT68 .Temp. Fix duct tape and wire and hand air pump got me home safe. You were very luck being in the left lane.Glad your safe too.

[SHiNY]

Nice work McGyver!  The elves are certainly watching over you

[HAMMER DOWN]

Nice work McGyver!  The elves are certainly watching over you

 

I blow the front drive shaft out of my Chevy full time 4x4 blazer @ 65mph on the highway. Sheared the front spline off the transfer case. I put the trans fore case in HI-Lock & drove it to about 10mile to an auto part store & used JB Weld & a flat plate of 1\8" steel to cap the hole. refill with gear oil & drove it another 30 mile home.

Great on the fly fix
Mike

[Sol Asylum]

Just think that 20 cent cotter pin only cost you lets see:
1 tie rod end plus time to put it one and an alignment
1 new iphone
2 feet of bailing wire
oh and one new pair of shorts and a seat cushion.

For what its worth I would say that nut has been gone for a while, see how there is layer of filth where the nut shoulder should have been covering the knuckle.

[elff]

It's already repaired. I heard it pop and with how easy it slides in and out of the knuckle, it had to have occurred right there. I 4 wheel my jeep so that is why you are seeing the dirt. And the part of the bolt you see in the picture is exposed when the castle nut is tightened all the way.
I won't be buying a new iPhone. Only the touchscreen is cracked. The LCd is undamaged and is a different part. I've done this repair on about 10 3GS iPhones so it's no big deal. As far as the tres, I go through them due to the strain of the 37" tires, so having a spare now just prevents me from buying on later. All I needed was the castle nut and cotter pin, the tre and tie rod were undamaged. I can still use the wire  its nicely wrapped up waiting for an electrical useThe tie rod itself is a special aluminum one that can bend without breaking.  Well worth the money. It's been to he'll and back.  As for the shorts and underwear, they are fine too, I just happen to have an extremely clean sphincter from sucking them up it.

[GXPinKC]

Just tuned back in on the forum elff as we have been on vacation and find your post.  Man alive, you are one lucky dude for sure!  Just fortunate that you were not injured seriously.  Glad also to hear about your spotless shorts and underwear!  Didn't realized that you would give us a course in Human Anatomy and Physiology, but under the circumstances, uh, fear and the adrenalin rush that happens, provides opportunity to find out things about the inner workings of our parts!  If what you describe is really true, the adrenaline rush must have been something else!  Sorry you lost your shorts! 

[smartin]

Glad you got it all worked out. I'll bring you one of those small, bright flashlights that Cheers found so you won't need to use your iPhone in the future.

[ChopTop]

Glad to hear your OK, and yes your right it could have been worse.  I've always heard you're not a real Jeep owner until you've experienced death wobble.  I remember hearing about it after I started hanging out on the Jeep forums but I didn't understand what it was until it happend to me.  Shortly after we got our 97 Cherokee I stuck on a small two inch lift spacer kit on it because I thought it would make it appear less like a soccer mom type vehicle.  You do literally think the vehicle is going to disintegrate apart around you while its going down the road and all you see is this image of yourself holding onto nothing but a steering wheel as you slide to a stop on your keister.   And even after you've stopped the cabin is still wobblin   You'd think DW would be an adequate descriptive but for me it was HOLY MOTHER OF GOD $HIT YOUR PANTS WOBBLE.  Then you let go of the steering wheel and see that your hand prints have been molded into it.