Getting into a Jeep with a bad left knee

Mud dauber

TJ Enthusiast
Supporting Member
Joined
Dec 7, 2018
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253
Location
South Carolina
Hi Guys

I am out in Colorado skiing and blew out my ACL & MCL.

My daily driver has a two inch lift. Am I going to be able to get in and keep my left leg fairly straight. I am in a soft brace now. I feel like I may be able to do it but at this point I am in Colorado away from my Jeep

After surgery will be different. My knee will be locked in a straight position for two weeks.

Anyone had this unfortunate experience?
 
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Sorry to hear. A few years back I was running across a street in israel when my foot went into a pothole. I twisted it really bad and partially tore a ligament. I had to trade cars with my parents (thankfully they live close) since at the time all I had was the 5 speed jeep and 6 speed brz.

If trading to something lower isn't an option you can install a set of grabars. That way you can pull yourself up and keep weight off the leg.

Hope you have a quick recovery.
 
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My wife tore her ACL a couple of years ago, and there's no way she would have been able to get into the TJ. She found it hard enough getting in and out of our Cherokee (2015).
 
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No to make light of your injury, it sucks to be sure, but, thought you may enjoy this as you recover. Remember growing old is not for the weak at heart.
I certainly feel like this now!

Thanks everyone for sharing there experience. I will certainly try to find another vehicle to drive. Or maybe try a step up until surgery.
 
I have an ‘05 with a two inch lift and 33’s and when my wife and I go cruising I have a small folding stool that she uses to get in since she had a total knee replacement. I put the stool out and the place it in the backseat when she’s seated. It seems to work well for us.
 
Just kind of thinking out loud but, along the lines of what others have said, could you get a small aluminum step to which you could attach a cord? You could keep the step behind the driver's seat and, before you get out, open it up and use the cord to drop it down to terra firma; then use it to help in getting out of the Jeep. After a safe landing, pick it up and place it on the driver's seat for when you come back.

When getting back in, you drop the step back on the ground, climb in, and then use the cord to hoist in back in to be again be placed behind the seat.

Something like this from HF might fit the bill but you would definitely want to get something that has the proper height to optimize its beneficial effect.

I agree that hard-mount grab bars are going to be your MVP in this case.

Best wishes for a speedy recovery!
 
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Hi Guys

I am out in Colorado skiing and blew out my ACL & MCL.

My daily driver has a two inch lift. Am I going to be able to get in and keep my left leg fairly straight. I am in a soft brace now. I feel like I may be able to do it but at this point I am in Colorado away from my Jeep

After surgery will be different. My knee will be locked in a straight position for two weeks.

Anyone had this unfortunate experience?
Unfortunately, that's one reason why I traded in my TJ for a JL. My husband has had a knee replacement and will be getting a hip replacement in the future. Getting in and out of the canoe style TJ was just too much for him. I love my husband more than my TJ (close second) so we decided it would be much better for him. Just our experience. Hope your surgery is a quick heal! Spring and Summer are coming!
 
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Hi Guys
After surgery will be different. My knee will be locked in a straight position for two weeks.

Anyone had this unfortunate experience?

I had to get in and out of a 280zx a very long time ago with my right knee locked. It could be done. I think you can do it by putting your good leg's heal on a step and get in and swing around. Good luck. I am 6'2" so that didn't help having such long legs.
 
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You said left knee. I broke my left leg right at the knee joint last year. For a good long while I had 50% or less range of motion in the knee. My Jeep is not lifted and on 31s but same principal applies. I am 5’9”. Small plastic two step ladder/stool that is light weight. You won’t use the second step but will use it to grab the ladder and pick it up and in the Jeep.

Put stool facing front of Jeep. So when you step up you are facing front of Jeep. Grabbars very useful here.

Once on first step holding grabar swing left leg back and turn your body away from Jeep and put your butt on the edge of drivers seat. If you do this right you are in a sitting position facing out the drivers door. Now use right foot to step on top step of ladder and your right hand to scoot your butt back. Then swing your body in toward front of Jeep. You might need to grab left knee and help bend it to get your left foot in.

Then using left hand with right hand holding grabar pick up and fold two step ladder fold it and put in behind front seat or in passenger side of front seat.

I used this method throughout my physical therapy until I could get in without it.

If you have or can get OEM side steps that might even be easier and you won’t need the stool. They can be had cheap on CL and you can resell them when you no longer need them. But the grabars are a must.

Good luck.
 
Ok Guys and Gals,

It has been 5 days since my accident. My knee has stabilized somewhat and I have range of motion enough that I think I can make my way into the cockpit of my TJ. Probably using the suggested stool and helping my left leg in. I go home this Tuesday so I can try to drive it Wednesday when I go for my MRI.
I’ll post up my results and thank you all for suggestions. I appreciate your helpful comments!
Scott
KN4SMO
 
My experience is based on my mom, and she was maybe 5'5" tall. My mom's left knee had virtually no movement. To get her in a car the biggest challenge was the vehicle door opening. To get my mom into a vehicle, the first thing we did was move the seat all the way back. She would enter the car butt first, slide to the back of the seat, and then swing her legs in. She could get into my full size truck, my sedan, and my wife's SUV. When she would get into my truck (similar to a lifted jeep), she used a small wooden step stool to get her body up to the door opening, and used the had grips.

I think the challenge you will face is the size of the jeep's door opening. Maybe if you slid the seat back AND folded the backrest portion of the seat down to allow you to slide further back to swing your leg in, you might be able to enter your jeep.
 
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Hi all, I did get home last night. Today with a little effort I was able to get into my Jeep and drive with no problem.

I had my MRI this afternoon. When the technician made it a point of saying you better wear your brace, It confirmed the worst.

I meet with my surgeon tomorrow where he will make a plan. I imagine this thread will go dark for a couple days. I think I will have surgery Friday.

After surgery there will be a couple weeks of no driving the Jeep. I cannot keep a straight leg and get into the driver seat.

Further post about surgery will start again in the off topic section. Thanks again for all your input and direction.
 
Ouch !!! My Daughter did hers dancing, acl and mcl , bucket tear they called it....she hated being restricted to what she can and cannot do...a stool worked well for getting in and out of the Jeep...I was going to say you could always get a RHD Jeep ;).
 
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