Yesterday afternoon and a friend went out to this place where theres good wheeling in the summer called Kato to go and play in the snow. After messing around on these little hill climbs I found a new trail I had not even been down before and started driving back it. I was cruising at decent speed and came to a dead stop.

I ended up getting some deep ruts that couldn't be seen because of the snow drift and my front diff was dug in pretty good. My friend with his explorer tried to get me out and moved me a little bit. My wheels were stuck pointing towards the drivers side and I couldn't turn them to straighten them out. Well after getting pulled a little my I had no more steering and my tie rod collar snapped.



I also found out then I had a blown tire.



At this point we start heading back to town in my buddies explorer which is about half an hour away. After doing some calling around on the way back Advanced had the collar for $25. I also made some calls and got my friend with his lifted 1500 on 37"s to come out and my other friend with his hemi to come out. We get back out there and try pulling me out with my friends 1500 and my truck wouldn't budge since the wheels were stuck turned and couldn't get them straightened.

We ended up using a high lift to get my friend end up and cut down branches to stick under the flat tire to help get my front diff up out of the frozen ground. Then we hooked up my friends hemi along with the 1500 to try pulling me out and after jerking me a few times we got my truck moved back about 5 feet or so. Since my wheels were turned my front end got out of the ruts a little bit. We got a spare on the front and straightened out my front wheels and used a ratchet strap to ratchet my tie rod so my wheel would be straight. Using both trucks again we got me out of the back enough to get the broken collar off and the new one on.

All and all between getting stuck and getting my truck driveable to get home was in about 7 hours with it being only about 9 outside. I need to take my truck in for an alignment now and my wheel sits upside down but I was due for one anyways. My friend that works at tire and lube at walmart picked up my rim and tire this morning before he went to work to check it out and get it remounted. Looking at it last night the rim and tire both looked fine but I'm still waiting to hear back from him on it.

Other than that it was a long cold night and this morning I put this little video together from this summer/winder of some clips I have of my truck and the last few are my friends.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvX2SBujdpo

 

you were lucky to get out of that last hole, hahaha good to see you actually use your truck like i do, but now im stuck with broken header bolts in the head, ...........good fun

 

I just got a text from my friend that took my rim and tire into his work and says I owe him $10.

 

Nice video, your truck sounds great. I hate off roading in the winter for the exact reason you just explained. There are hidden ruts that are hard as concrete. Last winter I was doing about 30mph and hit a rut that stopped my truck dead in its tracks. Sent the passenger's head into the dash board

I haven't done that kind of stuff for a while, hmmm i got the next few days off and I just got a new camera...

 

See why I don't want to go wheelin anymore?

 

I seem to recall you telling me to put my ***** back where they belong when I said I didn't want to go wheeling anymore. Have a little change of heart?

 

thats some good stuff, thats what i put my truck through....sometimes....but with th snow...im blasting through everything lol

 

relex wht for exhaust you run just no muffler or complet stright pipe

 

When I break get stuck good or break something I say that I'm not going to go out anymore, but for some reason I keep going back for more.

 

^ yea ill be back out agin but for now im done.