How to ruin a really sharp 98 sport GT

[Spas]

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.....

 

[Spas]

I'm still amazed that i stayed so calm through out the whole ordeal....I even had to laugh at the damage I did to the tie rod because Lizard did exactly the same thing last year, but on his passenger side!

NO, I'm not putting in a SFA!!!!!

 

[Rx4phun]

Oh man, I am really sorry to hear and see that. It's sad to see that happen especially to an Explorer double especially when it is a nice one. Glad to see you seem to be ok
Gary

 

[Spas]

Didn't really hit me until about 11 hours later, after I had my poor Mom drive all the way up to Harrisburg at 3am to bring me home so i could get my work rig and go rescue my poor baby...then the waterworks started

 

[Spas]

Well, that's what insurance is for, right....

 

[IAmTodd]

I'm sorry to hear about that Lindsy Doesn't look all too bad. Is the wheel ruined? What all was damaged? Looks like it might be time to paint the grey trim black?

Edit, From that pic it looks a little rough

 

[Spas]

I didn't sustain any injuries, btw...other than clenching my teeth so hard that I broke a molar

 

[Spas]

It doesn't look too bad fromt he pics, until you get up close and you notice things like how the knuckle sheared right off the hub, the tire caved the inner wheel well liner into the engine, both doors don't shut properly now, the grill is cracked, the airdam is ruined, etc...BUT NO FRAME DAMAGE, MWA HA HAAA!!!!!!!


The tire had about ten holes in it!!!!

 

[IAmTodd]

Well, you know how to wreck things right! Atleast not too badly. Any estimates yet?

 

[X~FACTOR]

Well, atleast you're okay. Everything else is just secondary.

Do you think maybe that something broke BEFORE you lost control of the vehicle? I know lowering our eXplorers put an unusual strain on the suspension. Can't help to think maybe this might have something to do with you loosing control.

 

[Spas]

Damage list so far:
Rear pass side quarter
Rear pass side altezza
Rear pass side rim ripped around lip
rear pass, front pass, front driver side flares all FUBAR
front bumper twisted up into fender
rear bumper scratched up
both pass and driver side front fenders
front driver side rim and tire no good at all
tie rod broke from hub at knuckle
driver side door has an inch wide gap at top now
hood moved forward off mounts
Airdam
foglights and mounting brackets
driverside clear corner broken

Probably more to come that I didn't see.....At least it's already at a body shop awaiting an estimate and examination tomorrow. With any luck they won't total it and I'll have him back in a few weeks better than ever...

 

[Hartman]

Man those pics are hard to look at! That's really unfortunate Linsy. It reminds me of when I lost a wheel going around a turn, although the damage I sustained was much less severe.

It could be a blessing in disguise. Now you have a change to do some killer paint work.

 

[Muskrat]

, I heard for the other guys. I'm really sorry linds, I hope that the wheel that got wreckjed was the one that bit the curb over the summer Glad you are alright, and nothing was seriously hurt. Let me know if you need any help, once agaion, very sorry, and glad you are ok

 

[Spas]

Well, i think the reason it turned so sharply was that I've gotten really used to having it in 2wd all the time....this morning I had it in AWD and therefore the brakes grab that much better....I just wasn't expecting it to work so well!

Here's what the concrete chute looks like; it's right at the interchange for 81 and 83. if you look hard enough you'll see: A) the mound of asphalt that no one ever bothered to fill the potholes with
B) the original point of impact followed by a long line of black running up the wall from where the tire popped. Jack was facing up the barrier when motion finally ceased.

 

[Hokie]

wow, that sucks.. we are all feeling your pain

 

[Spas]

Lol @ hartman....I'm being really optimistic about this, actually. The grille and bumper *REALLY* needed to be repainted, now they will be Shaun, unfortunately the rim that is beyond help was the nice one....the 'bad' rim just got even more shaved off of it *sigh* time to break out the Dremmel again....

Thanks for the support, gang- it means a lot to me

 

[IAmTodd]

Could've been much worse. Just gives you an excuse to get 2 new wheels Glad to hear the you're alrite for the most part(bad tooth, bad tooth!). I was thinking the opposite, that you had it in 2wd and it lost control. Were the roads wet, or was it just the fact of hitting the bump?

 

[Muskrat]

new wheels all around, cragars

 

[Spas]

I honestly don't know how I lost control of the wheel like that! It was about 75 out with cloudy skies...no rain no nuttin and i was going ten miles UNDER the speed limit! Probably just me being tired an panicing because the walls were so close together. Or....hmm......ok, I don't think Blackjack is allowed to talk to Skunk anymore, he's trying to be like her

 

[Doug]

Damn lindsy, i dunno what i was expecting to see but its not as bad as i imagined. i'm sorry i did'nt have my phone on, i would have been down there to help you if i had it on. though on the brightside it looks like its repairable.