Jeep grenade.

[ProfessorWes]

What happens when you flat-tow your brand-new 2021 Jeep Rubicon at highway speeds behind your RV . . . without taking it out of gear and leaving the transfer case in 4-LO?

Hope you have really good insurance. And a really understanding and sympathetic insurance agent.

https://www.thedrive.com/news/39794/rv-driver-annihilates-their-new-jeep-wrangler-by-flat-towing-it-in-4-low

What's even more damaging is that the vehicle was also left in first gear, meaning that as the wheels of the Wrangler turned, so did the driveshaft, transmission, and the rotating assembly of the engine. Tuten did a bit of napkin math and figured that at 55 mph, the engine was spinning somewhere around 50,000 rpm, well above the factory redline of 6,600 rpm.

Where's the kaboom? I was expecting an Earth-shattering kaboom! Oh, wait . . .

As you might expect, this job quickly turned into a rather expensive fix. Tuten said that the final bill of replacement parts is close to cresting $30,000, and that doesn't include labor. And no, this isn't something covered under the factory warranty. It's likely that insurance would also consider this mechanically totaled, but whether or not the insurance company will cover the mishap is unknown.

Still photos and video at the link. I'm just wondering how many other motorists following behind the idiot RV driver ended up getting bits of the poor Jeep's drivetrain either embedded in their tires, or knocking important bits off the bottom of their own cars?

 

[6GUNSONLY]

Wow.

 

[daveg.inkc]

Surprised fool even bothered to take it out of park.

 

[Snake45]

You'd think the idiot would have noticed his gas gauge moving like a windshield wiper. :lol:

 

[hittman]

Oblivious :roll:

Although I once had a couple of friends who rented a pickup in FL to drive home to IL.

They had the “tow” button engaged almost the entire way. Almost.

And they had declined insurance so ..... the transmission came out of pocket.

 

[redhawker]

My mechanic son pointed out that he thought that with that much resistance the tires should have been sliding on the pavement. He didn't think that the tire would have enough traction to spin the engine that fast. I'm just curious what kind of tires have that much traction. Obviously it did spin it fast enough for this to happen but I'm wondering if the tires were worn down also.

 

[Pat-inCO]

I sure hope that idiot DOESN'T own a gun. :roll: . :roll: . :roll:

 

[blume357]

My mechanic son pointed out that he thought that with that much resistance the tires should have been sliding on the pavement. He didn't think that the tire would have enough traction to spin the engine that fast. I'm just curious what kind of tires have that much traction. Obviously it did spin it fast enough for this to happen but I'm wondering if the tires were worn down also.

That what I was thinking... seems to me the RV must have been new to the driver or the driver new to RV's .... sure should have been able to tell something was wrong...

then again... I was towing a trailer down the interstate at about 55mph a few years back and happened to look in the side mirror and noticed all this smoke behind me... first thought was what have I done to the engine... then I realized the van was going fine.... tire had blown out on the trailer and I was burning what little rubber was still wrapped around the wheel.

 

[Mega Twin]

A friend did the sane thing with an old willis jeep.
The engine threw some rods but the transmission was fine.

 

[Dave P.]

Oblivious :roll:

Although I once had a couple of friends who rented a pickup in FL to drive home to IL.

They had the “tow” button engaged almost the entire way. Almost.

And they had declined insurance so ..... the transmission came out of pocket.

Don't know the brand of truck but on our Chevy 1/2 ton work trucks that would not have
caused a problem. All it does is allow the transmission to hold gears a little longer
and downshift a little quicker. If anything it should let the transmission run a bit
cooler at the slight expense of reduced fuel mileage.
Dave

 

[Hawk-in-Wi]

Surprised fool even bothered to take it out of park.

from the story > the vehicle was also left in first gear, manual transmission, so no park

 

[Jimbo357mag]

I sure hope that idiot DOESN'T own a gun. :roll: . :roll: . :roll:

...or a boat on a trailer.

 

[powder smoke]

Don't most people take the drive shaft out when towing a vehicle? It's not a big job.
But that thing pulled hard before it blew up! ps

 

[g5m]

Well, that turned out to be a pricey road trip!

 

[KIR]

It might look like this after roughly 75 years later...

 

[LDM]

As Yoda might say,"Strong in this one the stupid is."

 

[DeletedMember275]

I've seen people towing trailers with the trailer brakes locked; much smoke from tires and loud squealing noises ensued! I watched an Army wrecker towing an M151A2 MUTT (Jeep) once, and the Jeep flipped on it's side when they turned a corner too fast - and they drug it that way for a block or so. And, I once had my trailer air brake line get cut (long story) when test driving Army trucks. I wondered why the truck was slowing down, and then I realized that something had happened to the trailer so I stopped. This was on a dirt road at a test site, so no loud SCREECH to alert me. Stuff happens, but the driver in the article shouldn't own either an RV or a 4X4!

 

[Snake45]

It might look like this after roughly 75 years later...View attachment 5065View attachment 5066

Thanks for those pics! For some time I've been wanting to build a model of a Jeep turned into a hot rod and this gives me some ideas.

Actually I'm considering shortening the body to just behind the seats--something like a T-bucket--and then adding a short pickup bed made from the little USGI trailer.

 

[KIR]

Snake45. Glad you like it. I took the pictures at Hot August Night a couple of days ago in Sparks, NV.

 

[Wyandot Jim]

Don't most people take the drive shaft out when towing a vehicle? It's not a big job.
But that thing pulled hard before it blew up! ps

With 4 wheel drive all you have to do is put the transfer case in neutral. That is one of the reasons we have a 4 wheel drive Jeep Grand Cherokee.
Last year my neighbor forgot to put his brand NEW 4 wheel drive Ford truck in neutral for there trip to CO..
I don't know what all happened but he made it about 50 miles and had to wait 4-5 days for his truck to get fixed.
When after putting the Jeep in neutral I start it and shift into drive to make sure the transfer case is in neutral. No GO things are Good.
Yea I don't know how people can't tell the difference when towing that something is wrong or look in the backup camera and see smoke..