How to ruin a really sharp 98 sport GT

Not too proud of this one, but it's my responsibility to inform y'all of the demise of an explorer.....especially if it's mine

I was coming home from a weekend of wheeling up in Hazleton PA at Paragon with Lizardtrac, Doug and Das Frem when I took what I thought was the exit for 83 South....it *USED* to be, anyway...now it's the Express lane with no exits and no signs to tell people! I was really tired and trying to figure out how far out of my way I'd have to go to turn around when Blackjack launched over a really rough section of this Jersey-wall-lined-concrete shoot called an express lane.

Somehow lost control of the wheel and he took a really hard left into the wall, then proceeded to 'ping pong' off the passenger side wall and ram back into the driver side wall. The tire blew instantly and suddenly it was really hard to steer.....

 

[Doug]

I'll have you all know the fishtank is back in one piece and holding water. *waits for lindsy to call him nasty name and threaten to hurt him when lindsy sees this*

(yes her truck is fixed and its doing fine.)

 

[X24]

ROFLMAO

Glad to hear it (the fishtank) is fixed.

 

[Spas]

*smacks the unholy tar outta Fug*

Sorry I haven't posted sooner- I've been busy like you wouldn't believe! I got Jack back last thursday night and have hardly gotten out of the driver seat since

There's a lot of little things that are buggin me, like the hood and door not being aligned right, and the clicking from the very new and unbroken-in suspension up front, plus the fuzzy idle from the engine being so covered in dust: but by God it's good to have him back

I took pics, I'll have them up soon!!!!

 

[Bashman]

Glad to hear Blackjack is back. Some of us were getting worried, we thought we would have to organize a Focus intervention.

 

[Crankcase]

Originally posted by Bashman
Glad to hear Blackjack is back. Some of us were getting worried, we thought we would have to organize a Focus intervention.

Well, She never did mention giving the Focus back....... LOL

 

[Spas]

Rotfl..no no. The poor little Focus got returned to Enterprise just a little bit worse for wear

Oh, one other thing I forgot to mention...the guys at the shop are decent people, but obviously very forgetful....they threw my spare parts in the hatch and never bothered to see what the tinkling noise was- the sound of the plexiglass on my sub box shattering, no doubt

Ah well, just an excuse to make a better one, I suppose.

 

[Crankcase]

Worse for wear? Did you neutral drop it or something?

 

[Spas]

Can't say I was the one who neutral dropped it.....maybe somebody else on this board

It *was* a good little car, lol.. Seriously, I gave it back in better shape than i got it...gave it a bath and everything. Can't let that nice blue oval get dirty, ya know?

 

[Spas]

Ok, not the best pic, but you get the idea.. Muchos Gracias to Lizard for the new alarm and for helping me to get my replacement dual fogs in Got the hood realigned to a less noticable degree, now onto the door and figuring out why the engine is making a noticable "BRR" at idle

 

[Spas]

Well, 7 months and a few hundred dollars as well as a lots of personal grief later, and Jack runs and drives like a champ again!! I've replaced the hubs (pass side was shot, driver side was on its way) and this past weekend I nagged Doug into doin both upper and lower ball joints on both sides (Thanks again, fuggle). While he was hammering away with the pickle fork we realized the cam adjusters (I think that's what they were called?) were completely bent and the pass side toe in (? again?) bolt had taken a hike, plus I somehow managed to bend the front crossmember that the PS rack is bolted to and have no idea how The frame is still bent slightly from the accident, but I visited a frame specialist and he said it would be fine. The whole front end body panels are moved over half an inch though, hence the gaps between the fenders.

Got the cam adjuster kit and an alignment today- the adjusters are maxed out, but he goes in a straight line again with much less fuss.

I'm gonna chalk the wreckage up to bad ball joints, really bad alignment, driver fatigue and the tires being way too wide for the truck. I plan on getting some slimmer ones (possibly pirellis since they're way cheaper than the F1's) by the end of this year, since the front tires' tread is worn down and uneven.

Anybody who doubts their ball joints, take the tire OFF and check them- we couldn't hear the tell tale clicking with the tire on!!!!!!!!!!!!



Thanks again to all who helped out: Doug, Draper, Justin, Parli- you guys rule!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Blee1099]

Atleast you got Blackjack they way it was prior to your little fender bender. Hopefully we'll see it this Saturday night.. Just don't bring your rollback Now we need to get Fishtank 2 in tip top shape.

 

[explornj]

sorry I wasn't able to help with the ball joints, I hate being under the weather, next time you are up here I will try and get your truck on the alighment rack and check everything for you

 

[Texplorer]

Wish I could have gone up there this weekend but it just didnt work out. Maybe next time.

 

[Spas]

It's the thought that counts, Jus!

Ben, I don't even want to think about what 14 years of Ny salt has done to Tank's suspension..Jeff said he filled up a whole bag with rust from just changing the radius arm bushings

 

[Blee1099]

Originally posted by Spas
It's the thought that counts, Jus!

Ben, I don't even want to think about what 14 years of Ny salt has done to Tank's suspension..Jeff said he filled up a whole bag with rust from just changing the radius arm bushings

Oooh Nice..

 

[Spas]

Wow... it's been a whole year since this fiasco...It amazes me how many things can change in such a short time, and not always for the better :/

That was probably the most fun weekend of my life now that I think back on it *reminds Matt, Fug and Lizard of the 'bat incident'*, no wonder I wrecked- I must have been way more exhausted than I realized.

Well, that and Lizard was right: the teeth on the rod that runs through Blackjack's PS RACK are chipped and/or broken off, which, when combined with lowered suspension and too-wide tires leads to extremely skittish steering, especially over rough surfaces. This has led to a slow death of the PS Pump as well as messed up suspension components. I plan on pulling his 4wd this year and getting some kind of proper lowering spindles since I'm sick of the way he handles with the damn AWD. Besides, I have my 'snow and inclement weather' explorer now

Jack's frame is still bent to a 102" Wheelbase on the driverside and a 103" Wb on passenger side. The new cam adjusters are completely maxed out just to keep a straight line. I'm getting new tires hopefully this fall in the same size X24 has (255/60/17). I DO NOT recommend going with 285/60/17's!!!!

Also, if you guys hear ANY noise from your rear axle, check it ASAP.. I know I'm special but I'm also the only one I know who's ever been able to grenade the axle bearings on a supposedly 'indestructable' 8.8.

I still look out the window every night and thank God for that little black beast sitting patiently out frontthough, waiting for me to come out and let him loose

 

[Doug]

Millions of peaches... peaches for free... millions of peaches, peaches for me...

 

[PTCO187FF]

I take that road back and forth from pittsburgh to allentown and I hate that damb express lane wrough as hell my 94 almost bought it in that chute too. I took it once now I just stay in the normal lanes and grin and bear getting around tractor trailers.

 

[storlied]

I'm just a little confused... you got Blackjack back?!?!

 

[blueka]

dude... the thread's like 4 yrs old... !!

Si