XJ / TJ Recovery

NOTNSUV

NOW I Know!
Supporting Member
Joined
Sep 18, 2021
Messages
1,776
Location
Spring Creek, NV
Had to go recover a buddy in his TJR Monday. He spent Sunday night on the mountain @7400' and walked 4 miles Monday morning to get cell coverage.
Took the XJ with all my gear. Didn't wanna be hammering the new gearsets in low range, deep snow and 'shock loads' on the snatch strap. Buried the XJ on the way in, busting through the crust on a drift. Cheap X-Bull traction boards got me out but busted them up. They also helped get the TJ free. We strung together well over 100' of kinetic and other cables and straps.. still prefer that method over winching. Had good tire chains on hand but didn't need them.

270590757_10222814971185277_8136913615307532504_n.jpg


Harrison Pass XJ-TJ 01-10-22.jpg


Humbolt.jpg


X-Bull.jpg
 
Last edited:
Glad you are both out. Hopefully you have learned to not go alone in the future. Wether is a play time outing or a recovery always have a second rig whenever possible.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jerry Bransford
Glad you are both out. Hopefully you have learned to not go alone in the future. Wether is a play time outing or a recovery always have a second rig whenever possible.
Yes dear! :rolleyes:

I had 10 guys on standby who happened to be at work Monday but know the area and our location, and would come after us at a predetermined time. And yes, my buddy knows better and has admonished himself without his buddies piling on. Neither of us are rookies to this game.
 
Nice XJ, what are the specs on it? When I had my XJs I pulled out some surprisingly large vehicles that were stuck in the snow. A friend dragged a stuck suburban out of a ditch and 20' up a 1ft deep snow covered hill back onto the road with his and it only had a rear locker.
 
  • Like
Reactions: srimes
What, no YouTube video?

All that excitement!

Nice work...glad everyone is safe.

-Mac
Wasn't all that exciting for two old farts but it did get me out of my recliner. Normally I have my dash cam running but since I backed into the TJ it wouldn't have shown anything. Guess we needed a 3rd just for film duties.
I did lose a bolt out of the top of my JKS Disco on one side so that noise had to be researched and fixed.
It was great weather (low in 30s) so that was a good thing.
 
  • Haha
Reactions: TheBoogieman
Nice XJ, what are the specs on it? When I had my XJs I pulled out some surprisingly large vehicles that were stuck in the snow. A friend dragged a stuck suburban out of a ditch and 20' up a 1ft deep snow covered hill back onto the road with his and it only had a rear locker.
Thanks. I just happen to have my list from when it might have been for sale a year ago. I've had this since '08-ish. In general these are surprisingly capable but still don't get a lot of respect,, until it's proven. I never did get around to stiffeners on the uni-body but don't do a lot of rocks or heavy flexing and all the doors still work..lol.
CAD really made a difference in ride quality and I can really haul ass on the dirt if needed and still do very well on the trail.

1999 Jeep Cherokee XJ Sport. 147k mi.

4.0L/AW4
4-port Neon injectors
62mm Throttle Body
Spectre Cowl Air Intake
Upgraded Coil and plug wires.
Napier Precision Hood Vents
Auxiliary Transmission Cooler.
NP231 transfer case
SYE
Tom Woods Driveshafts
High Pinion Dana 30 Front 4.56 w/ARB air locker. Yukon Axles, Warn locking hubs
C8.25 Rear 4.56 w/ARB air locker. Yukon Axles. Rear Disc brakes added.
ARB single compressor tucked in rear cargo slot. Plumbed to ARB lockers with dash switches. Included in spot is terminal block for all accessory relays/fuses.
Both diffs professionally built from the guy who wrote the books on building XJs (Eric Zappe). “Catcher’s mitt” pumpkin guards, front and rear. Reinforced axle tubes.
Steel 'D' 15x8” wheels. BFG KM2 33 x 10.5 x 15. 4 @ 80%, spare at 100%.
OME adjustable upper/lower front control arms w/brand new Rubicon Express Control Arm Drop Brackets.
MetalCloak true Dual Rate coil springs. (Mmmhhh)
IRO 4.5” Leaf Packs. Shackle relo brackets.
Rusty’s Offroad steering.
JKS Front Swaybar Quick Connects.
JKS adjustable track bar.
OME Shocks x 4
JCR transfer case skid.
JCR Rock sliders
JCR gas tank skid
JCR tire carrier/Rotopax/Hi Lift jack rear bumper. Reverse lights.
AJ’s front bumper with VisionX 20* Spots.
Warn 9000i winch. Master Pull synthetic rope.
Rusty’s Offroad steel fenders front and rear. Factory fenders trimmed to fit.
Interior is near perfect with camo front seat covers, Quadratec floor mats.
Cold AC, heat works A1. NO windshield washer (see Rusty’s Fenders)
Black with tinted windows, NO decals.
Recently buffed spot rust off roof, used Eastwood rust inhibitor per instructions and rolled on RaptorLiner. Otherwise the Jeep is rust-free.
Kenwood CD/Stereo (never use it but it works).
Kenwood TK-8180 30w remote mounted GMRS with roof mounted 1/4 wave antenna.

Pics are with swaybar connected just for a pose on a trail run.
Now, back to our regularly scheduled (TJ) programming.

181638824_10208774678480433_2710630899201413927_n.jpg


180944515_10208774677120399_1860073273092879299_n.jpg
 
Wasn't all that exciting for two old farts but it did get me out of my recliner. Normally I have my dash cam running but since I backed into the TJ it wouldn't have shown anything. Guess we needed a 3rd just for film duties.
I did lose a bolt out of the top of my JKS Disco on one side so that noise had to be researched and fixed.
It was great weather (low in 30s) so that was a good thing.

I usually can make a good video with a go pro head cam and my cell phone on a tripod for a cut away wide shot. Third person would be great...but that never happens. Maybe when (if) my channel grows up I'll buy a drone.

I use OpenShot for editing...open source ergo free software... little rough at times but easy enough.

-Mac
 
  • Like
Reactions: NOTNSUV
I usually can make a good video with a go pro head cam and my cell phone on a tripod for a cut away wide shot. Third person would be great...but that never happens. Maybe when (if) my channel grows up I'll buy a drone.

I use OpenShot for editing...open source ergo free software... little rough at times but easy enough.

-Mac
Yeah, I'm not that into it and no YouTube. I do post a bit from the dash cam on our club FB or such but that's it. I do miss out on a lot of the good stuff tho'. Did get my same buddy on video slow rolling his TJ in the snow last Spring tho'. Not a great video but documentation anyway.. lol.
 
I expected to see 4'+ of snow for a TJ to get stuck. Back in the day in Burlington VT, I used to ride by bicycle to school in snow twice that deep. I didn't even wear shoes and bikes back then didn't have gears for hills. ;) 🤫

p.s. Honestly, I drove my TJ to deliver newspapers on Va back roads for 60 miles in 3' of snow. PITA to stop and go 350 times in deep snow. People don't realize that driving in deep snow is easy. Stopping and starting on steep hills hundreds of times is a bitch.
 
Last edited:
  • Haha
Reactions: Irun and NOTNSUV
I expected to see 4'+ of snow for a TJ to get stuck. Back in the day in Burlington VT, I used to ride by bicycle to school in snow twice that deep. I didn't even wear shoes and bikes back then didn't have gears for hills. ;) 🤫
As always, pictures don't tell the story, and it's easy to think it was an easy spot to get through, when in fact it would have taken chains to get through that and still would not have prevented high-centering the diffs. 18"-ish with hard crust on top and crystallized snow - break through and it's like trying to lift the front tires over a 2' ice jam/ledge.. it digs deeper than any forward progress made. And yes, he's on 35s with lockers and experience. Fresh snow is an entirely different situation.

Many think Jeeps/4x4s are invincible when in fact they're often just capable enough to get into trouble.
Had he/we made it around the next corner there would have been umpteen more crusty drifts to get through to get to the top, then 15 miles down to the next maintained road, which was not part of the 'plan' anyway.
 
  • Like
Reactions: TheBoogieman