TJ popped out of gear when unloading material from between the seats

gg1

gg1

TJ Addict
Original poster
Supporting Member
Joined
Feb 3, 2018
Messages
1,018
Location
Ohiopyle, PA, United States
So, as the title says, I moronically was unloading my TJ with some heavy 60" pieces of cut stone and I guess I hit the stick to pop it out of gear. Oddly, it didn't roll while I was unloading from the back, so it must have just taken a while to pick up momentum. It hit a tree, thankfully and I need a new bumper and driver's side fender. Mopar lists the pumper 5ED16JX8AG . It says brand Mopar. I am surprised they still make them, but that is what I want if they do. Are they really Mopar? I don't think I can get a Mopar front fender, so the body shop will deal with getting one as they seem to get better parts than I can, but suggestion on these two parts? Just don't want to miss anything. I have extra lights and the minor stuff. I'm lucky, this could have been WAY worse and I can't beat myself up too bad hitting the stick on nearly flat yard as I was unloading. If it didn't hit that tree, it could have gone WAY further and hit another big tree at a lot faster speed, or even made it to a lake. Bummed, but gotta move on and get it fixed.
IMG_0703.webp
 
  • Wow
  • Face Palm
  • Sad
Reactions: bbaldwin237, speeding_infraction, YGBSM and 2 others
Honestly, I'd look for a takeoff fender and bumper. If you find one in good shape, it'll certainly be better quality than any reproductions I've seen. Not sure if they're still made by Mopar or not.

I would, however, take a close look at that front suspension. If there was as much intrusion as that fender & bumper make it seem from that picture, there may be more damage.
 
  • Like
Reactions: gg1 and NashvilleTJ
Find the parts here:
https://www.car-part.com/

Chances are you'll find something locally too. Whatever you do buy used parts. The OEM style reproduction body parts never fit as well as the true OE stuff.
 
  • Like
Reactions: gg1
The latter scenario happened to a friends parents when i was in HS. They had a bronco II with a stick. We all lived on a lake. They parked outside their house, walked inside and someone forgot to either put it in gear or set the brake. They looked out the window just in time to see it punt a jon boat and swan dive off the breakwater about 20ft into the water. They got it out and dried out and running again but I don't think it was ever quite the same again.
 
And that's why you set the parking brake and put it in gear.

The bumpers are probably NOS MOPAR, not that much demand for the stock bumpers.
 
I don’t use mine much, but I’m starting to use it a bit. When I was sixteen been driving for a month or two it got cold while I was bagging groceries and chasing girls. Set the parking brake and the shoes froze to the drum. Being young and dumb I was petrified. Simple solution drive on and it’ll heat up and release. Been paranoid of setting it ever since. 🤣
 
  • Haha
Reactions: speeding_infraction and JKP
That's called single point of failure...

Same goes for AT, the parking pawl can get bound up if the vehicle is on a steep slope in P only and you'll have a hell of a time getting it out of park.

Or if you have an older Ford, it'll just pop out of park and roll away. Several of those rolled out of the 7-11 lot across the St from my parent's house and crossed the Rd and hit the trees in the old fence line on our property.

I've also watched an old Greyhound bus roll away from the store and hit an oak in our neighbor's yard. The oak won as always.
 
  • Haha
  • Like
Reactions: speeding_infraction, TJ Jim and Zorba
Thanks for those that suggest used. Sadly, fenders have a flaw from the factory with that junk catcher under them and stuff gets caught in there and rusts. I will look for one in silver however. Someone rear ended my Audi and just bend the trunk. I actually found one in the correct color, bolted it on and that was that. I'll give it a shot with the TJ. Thanks again for the reminder. I keep thinking there will be no good fenders out there, but there might be.

You don't need a parking brake on a slight grade. Jeep is sitting out there in gear with no hand brake as I type this. Been driving a stick since 13 years old and am 60. Get a grip. The Jeep didn't even roll when I bumped it out of gear, but it must have just had enough grade to slowly get going. I am interested in parts, not silly stuff.
 
  • Face Palm
  • Wow
  • Like
Reactions: speeding_infraction, TJ Jim and Zorba
JKP said:
Or if you have an older Ford, it'll just pop out of park and roll away.
Click to expand...

I had a 1983 F250. One day I pulled up in front of a restaurant and got out and slammed the door and entered the restaurant. When I came out after breakfast it was no longer parked nose first to the building, it had rolled away but the wheels were turned and it parallel parked itself right alongside the edge of the busy six lane thorofare during morning rush hour. Didn't hit anything and apparently nobody saw it happen.
 
  • Wow
  • Haha
Reactions: MikeE024 and JKP
Yeah, we watched several from inside our house roll into our trees. We also filled the gaps between the trees with cut off light poles.

LTDs, Galaxies. Not sure I ever saw a truck. None of them were hit by cross traffic, surprisingly.
 
My dad was notorious for not using the parking brake. Had a '53 Caddy roll off down our steep driveway when I was very small. I don't know where it went, but it wasn't damaged. Years later, we were unhitching our 5th wheel on a very slight slope - as soon as the ball came out of the socket, the truck started rolling away! Both doors were open, dad jumped in the passenger side laying across the seat and pressed the brake pedal with his hand; while at the same time I leapt into the driver's side and smashed my foot down on the brake pedal - with my dad's hand sandwiched between my foot and said pedal! :D :D :D A lot of yelling and cussing ensued, but the truck ('78 C30) was stopped...
 
  • Haha
Reactions: Frank M, JKP and Squatch
Look for a used fender from a similar year Jeep. If you buy a new one and paint it, the paint will be 5 shades off from the rest of your Jeep. A friend of mine had his silver 05' Rubicon's hood painted. I could tell it was him from 500 yards away.
 
gg1 said:
I knew there would be some that saw I made a mistake and they would get all excited and it is the highlight of their day. Some just need to prop themselves up if someone makes an error. It has always been like that in life. Some live for other's mistake so they can think, I would have never made that mistake. lol

Enjoy.
Click to expand...
Your rig, do with it as you will but you really should entertain the suggestion above to give the front suspension a good inspection. The front tire looks to be what did the final stop and that typically bends the lower control arm mounts over to one side. If you drive it or have driven it and the steering wheel is offcenter, that is a clue there are some other parts that need attention.
 
Zorba said:
SMH...

Americans don't use their parking brakes...

Sorry this happened.
Click to expand...

They need to start calling them what they used to call them,EMERGENCY brakes.back when all those Toyotas were throttle sticking,and people were on the phone call ing police,and they just drove to their deaths?maybe should have used the emergency brake.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Zorba and TheBoogieman

Similar threads

Mike_H
Solved: Clunk when loading and unloading drivetrain
Replies
56
Views
63,349
TJ General Discussion
Tobias7000
Tobias7000
Flivver250
Link between speedometer gear and stalling (PSA)
Replies
4
Views
2,303
TJ General Discussion
Jerry Bransford
Jerry Bransford
dragonflyz67
Popping out of gear after lift installed
Replies
12
Views
4,581
TJ General Discussion
beaufrusetta
beaufrusetta
J
Difference between 2000 and 2005 front seats
Replies
6
Views
4,132
TJ General Discussion
AjRagno
A
D
How big is the trunk space when seats folded up or seats taken out?
Replies
2
Views
740
TJ General Discussion
mrblaine
mrblaine
Jeep Wrangler PCM and module repair and replacement
Top Bottom
Back