Isuzu Trooper Owners Club UK™

[dxmedia]

Found this article and thought that it's probably worth a read by anyone who plays around in quarries or on rocks...


Rollovers are a double-edged sword in the world of off-roading. On the one hand, theyprovide thrilling entertainment for spectators. Just like watching a NASCAR racer plow awall at 150 mph, when you see rednecks three rows deep at a trail obstacle, nine timesout of 10 they're waiting for the rollover. On the other hand, rollovers can represent a realloss of money, pride, and, in some unfortunate circumstances, physical well being for theoccupant(s).There are certain inevitabilities in life. There will always be death, there will always betaxes, and 4x4s that get taken off-road will sometimes roll. So if you find yourself in thisunhappy circumstance, here are some things to consider as you assess the damage, rightthe vehicle, and hopefully get it home.

Before You Roll

It sounds a little ominous to plan on rolling, but if you have a game plan in place, you andyour passengers will stand a much better chance of escaping a tumble without injury.First, make sure you've got a good rollcage. At the very least, Wranglers and CJs aregoing to want the factory rollbar. With all of the companies making aftermarket cages forJeeps nowadays, there's really no excuse to be unprepared. A cage that is tied to theframe in several places is best, but even a cage with large foot plates that can't punchthrough the floor is better than nothing.Second, make sure everything in your 4x4, including you and your passengers, will besecured. This goes beyond everybody having a seatbelt and actually using it, but you'd besurprised at how many rollovers we've heard of or witnessed where occupants wereejected because they thought it wasn't macho to wear a belt. Make sure the belts are ingood shape and can be adjusted securely. Kids should have adequate belt coverage or aproperly secured car seat. Have your passengers look around for a good hand-hold like onthe bottom of the seats or a secure grab handle. You don't want them instinctivelygrabbing for the rollcage or roof and losing fingers and limbs. Finally, ensure that thereare no loose objects that can come dislodged and fly about like missiles. A flashlight cancause real damage, and a jack or spare axleshaft could kill somebody.Third, make sure you've got a fire extinguisher within easy reach of both the driver andfront-seat passenger. A good place is usually in the middle of the floor near the shifter. Inthe event one of the front-seat passengers is knocked unconscious and a fire erupts, youwant both occupants to have easy access to the extinguisher.Fourth, make sure your factory rollover check valve in the fuel tank is functional. Jeepsrunning a fuel cell should either install a check valve in the breather tube or make surethe one that came with the tank is functional. You don't want a steady stream of fueldumping out of the tank if the 4x4 comes to a rest upside down.Finally, make sure your positive battery terminal is covered and protected from smashedmetal. You don't want the battery to arc on crumpled sheet metal, potentially starting afire.

During the Roll

There's that moment when you just know you're going to go for a ride. In that splitsecond between thinking it's not going to happen and coming to terms with the fact thatthings are about to get hairy, try to keep your calm.If you're the driver, you're going to want to grip the steering wheel at the 5 o'clock and 7o'clock positions with both hands and make sure to keep your thumbs out of the wheel sothey don't get broken off when the tires grab and the wheel jerks. If you're the passenger,think back to where your safe hand-hold was and grab on tight. Whether it's an oh-S#!Tbar on the dash or simply grabbing the bottom of the seat frame between your legs, makea conscious effort to keep your hands and arms inside the vehicle and away from therollbar and roof where your fingers and limbs could get smashed between the cage andthe ground.If there's broken and flying glass, just shut your eyes and try to go with the 4x4. It'sbetter to get an extra bump or two because you couldn't anticipate the 4x4's movementsthan to have a shard of glass ruin your eyesight.

As Soon As You Stop

As soon as the 4x4 comes to a rest, the driver should make sure the ignition switch isturned off. Then the driver should make sure everyone is OK as he/she quickly assessesthe situation. How is the 4x4 oriented? Are there any imminent dangers like falling off acliff, open wounds, or unconscious passengers? If not, the driver should make sure boththe 4x4's transmission and T-case are in gear and the emergency brake is set.Grab the fire extinguisher before exiting. If you're upside down, make sure to braceyourself before unfastening the seatbelt so you don't go tumbling. If there are injuries,grab the first-aid kit if it's readily accessible, but don't worry too much at this point if it'snot. Chances are, somebody outside will have one they can grab or will get it from therolled vehicle once everybody is outside and accounted for.

Getting Out

If the 4x4 is on its side, the passenger closest to the top should get out first, being carefulnot to step or fall on those below. If the doors won't open and the 4x4 has a soft top, goahead and unzip the side window and crawl out while being aware of any vehiclemovement. Try not to kick or punch out a window for exit unless it's absolutelynecessary. The chances of being severely cut by broken glass are very high.If the 4x4 feels like it wants to tip over as you're exiting, wait for your trailcompanions to secure the vehicle with straps. If anybody has a neck or back injury andthe situation is secure, don't move them. It's better to wait for professional emergencyservices to arrive and remove the injured person from the vehicle on a back board than torisk spinal injury.

Getting Righted

Don't be in too much of a rush to push the vehicle over and get going. Before winching,pulling, or pushing the vehicle onto its wheels, double check that the transmission and T-case are in gear and that the driveshafts and axleshafts aren't broken. You don't want theJeep to go rolling farther down the hill once it's righted. Find a rock or log to chock thetires before and after it is righted.Take a minute and visualize how strap placement will affect how the vehicle will move.Usually, you're going to want to place the strap on the opposite side that you want theJeep to turn or roll, as shown in the photo. Move any debris or personal belongings thatmay have fallen out and make sure bystanders are clear and the winch and straps aresecure before tugging.



Assessing the Damage

Once you've pushed, pulled, heaved, or winched the 4x4 onto the tires, go around thevehicle and look for all signs of damage. Before blasting away with the key to start theengine, pop the hood and make sure the battery hasn't come off its mount. Pull thedipstick and make sure there's still enough oil in the crankcase. Top off the powersteering and brake fluids if necessary. Ensure there's no damage to the cooling system. Ifthe radiator is leaking, you'll need to solder, add eggs, or radiator stop leak to getyourself going.Bump the key quickly a few times, listening to see if the engine spins freely. If it soundslike there's resistance, don't turn the key anymore or you could hydro-lock the engine,damaging a piston, rod, crank, or all of the above. Remove all the spark plugs, then spinthe engine to eject any oil from the cylinders. Once you're sure there's nothing in thecylinders, you can reinstall the plugs and start the engine. Be prepared because the enginewill smoke for some time as excess oil on the cylinder walls is burned off.Don't drive the 4x4 yet. Give the undercarriage a good inspection, with particularattention paid to the steering system. Make sure the drag link, tie rod, ball joints, sectorshaft, and steering-box mounts are all sound. Then give the driveshafts a once over,checking the U-joints and U-bolts/straps for damage. Try to determine if the axlehousingshave bent. Inflate any tires that may have become unseated, or install a spare if the tirecan't be reinflated.Finally, pick up all the glass, oil, and other debris and load it up. You put it there. Youtake it with you.

Getting It Home

Depending on how badly you rolled, your 4x4 may be drivable or it may not be. It's upto you and the local law enforcement to make the final decision. However, if you dodecide to hit the highway, here are some tips we've picked up from watching others.First, let the 4x4 run off-road until the engine smoking is down to tolerable levels. Youdon't want to hit the road looking like a James Bond smoke screen. Not only will youattract every cop within miles, but you'll probably cause accidents.Sweep up any and all glass in the 4x4. Once you're rolling, tiny fragments will becomeairborne and Murphy's Law dictates most will come to rest squarely in your eyeballs.Wear motorcycle goggles if you have them. If your windshield has been damaged orknocked out completely, stop by a hardware store and buy a sheet of Lexan or evenplastic as a makeshift windscreen. Secure it with lots of duct tape and/or drill some holesand fasten it on with rope, zip ties, or straps.Drive slowly. Like menace-to-traffic slowly. You don't know for sure if there are hairlinecracks waiting to break in your steering or suspension, so err on the side of caution. Tryto notice any wobbles, pulls, or jerking that weren't there before. If they get worse as youdrive, pull over and investigate. You may need to call a tow truck.Make sure any body damage isn't going to cause an accident. That means your mirrorisn't going to fall off on the road, your door isn't going to swing open into oncomingtraffic, and your body tub isn't tweaked to the point that your driver seat is gently restingon the passenger seat.If your axles are way bent, your steering is pretzeled, or your engine, transmission, ordriveline is toast, it's best to get yourself as close to the trailhead as possible and call inthe tow truck cavalry.


http://www.jpmagazine.com/techarticles/trail/154_0607_4x4_roll_recovery/index.html
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[mutlley]

i was always taught in that sort of situation...........



get ready to put your head between your legs and  kiss your nuts........................GOODBYE!


nice article.

[Gypsyfilly1964]

[dxmedia]

[leeanson]

interesting that mate well found  ihope i dont go through a roll again, it put the *beep* up me    
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The secret is not to tighten things to tight coz you can never get the BA****DS off again.  HE HE...