Roll it?

CTjeeper16 · **Posted:** Thu Oct 12, 2006 11:43 pm

Anyone here ever rolled their KJ? Are there any tips or tricks to determine what will and wont be a line that has roll over potential? I know I have soemtimes seen lines that look the best, but I cant help but wonder about roll over. Granted, on these lines I've never even gotten 1 tire off the ground (i'm still making payments afterall...), and I've seen pics in the forum of KJs at angles that seem to surely want to roll. (What is the rollover angle for the KJ anyway?) I was wondering if any of the more "seasoned" riders out there have advice on how to avoid, or how to know if there is a high risk of rolling as opposed to what is well within the capabilities of the truck. Thanks!

priell3 · **Posted:** Fri Oct 13, 2006 12:18 am

You mean like this?

CTjeeper16 · **Posted:** Fri Oct 13, 2006 9:51 am

yeah. exactly like that.

Edvalencia · **Posted:** Fri Oct 13, 2006 11:45 am

You can pretty much feel it when you're getting close to rolling it.
The Jeep feels like a seesaw and you kinda just know your'e pushing the limits.
The pucker factor will also tell you when you should back down. :wink:

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Fri Oct 13, 2006 12:26 pm

Edvalencia wrote:

You can pretty much feel it when you're getting close to rolling it.
The Jeep feels like a seesaw and you kinda just know your'e pushing the limits.
The pucker factor will also tell you when you should back down. :wink:

Yea, ive been in a YJ with leafs thats dont flex. We were on the edge of a HUGE hill and were trying to turn around b/c the hill was to big to get back up with its crappy tires and lack of a locker. The hill was facing our right and the left rear tire was on a birm causing the front left tire to lift off the ground! I must say thats the only time Ive been scare while offroading. Thought for sure we were going to roll all the way down that hill.

Our right rear tire was on the little birm on the right of this pic.

Sorry, I get off topic very fast. ADD..

Mutt · **Posted:** Fri Oct 13, 2006 1:01 pm

Edvalencia · **Posted:** Fri Oct 13, 2006 1:06 pm

/\ - They ignored the pucker factor......

Jeger · **Posted:** Fri Oct 13, 2006 1:16 pm

that was just a skid plate inspection :wink:

its easier when the rollover like that.

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Fri Oct 13, 2006 1:20 pm

Mutt wrote:

Whats the story? You cant just post a pic of a libby flipped and not say anything!

I thought it was yours at first! Then noticed the rims and the lack of skids..

Thats actually the first one Ive seen flipped, kinda weird looking..

nolakj · **Posted:** Fri Oct 13, 2006 1:38 pm

I gotta agree Mutt! Story please....

OAOKJ 2 · **Posted:** Fri Oct 13, 2006 2:31 pm

CTjeeper16 wrote:

Anyone here ever rolled their KJ? Are there any tips or tricks to determine what will and wont be a line that has roll over potential? I know I have soemtimes seen lines that look the best, but I cant help but wonder about roll over. Granted, on these lines I've never even gotten 1 tire off the ground (i'm still making payments afterall...), and I've seen pics in the forum of KJs at angles that seem to surely want to roll. (What is the rollover angle for the KJ anyway?) I was wondering if any of the more "seasoned" riders out there have advice on how to avoid, or how to know if there is a high risk of rolling as opposed to what is well within the capabilities of the truck. Thanks!

First,
You need to know the feel of pushing your own limit. Don't try to understand someone elses feel, that could get you in trouble very quickly! Do you understand what I mean? My limits could be far different from your limits due to experience. It is something that just takes time and NEVER push your limit beyond your comfort level.
Go out find a small incline or better a trench and do some experimentation, but don't just go drive up until you roll it, get it to where it feels slightly teedery and and feel how it rocks to the front or rear and this will help you start to feel your limits.
Remember "if you are uncomfortable in a situation then you are pushing your limits" It is always better to choose a different line that you are comfortable with verses rolling your vehicle, injuring yourself, and/or someone else!!! In some circles "He that is the stupidest is the coolest!" I can't speek for everyone at L.O.S.T. but, we are out to have fun, then drive it home!!
If you are running a tube chassis rock buggy then yeah, push it all you want. But, this is more than likely your daily driver and you probably have to go to work Monday.

Second,
My wife rolled her KJ not on a trail but on a desert dirt road. And as unfortunate as it was it took the roll very well. It made a full roll and stopped with the drivers side down. We flipped it onto it's wheels and you could open all four doors, granted not one of them lined up at all! They still would open and close, that speeks volumes about the strength of the unibody. She wanted it replaced only with another KJ!!!

mikekj_cda · **Posted:** Fri Oct 13, 2006 4:56 pm

I`m at work sneaking some L.O.S.T. time in and now I'm all curious about that pic Mutt :shock:

We need the details!

Mutt · **Posted:** Fri Oct 13, 2006 5:39 pm

Sorry folks, I'm busier than a one legged man in a butt kicking contest right now. Home remodeling, I'm busier at home than work.

The KJ in that picture got tossed on it's roof on Potato salad hill in Moab. I stole the pic from another forum. Sorry, but that's all I know, other than the owner had just built said KJ and was sadly dissappointed in it's performance. Stating something about purchasing a Wrangler. Another person blaming driver error on the vehicle.

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Fri Oct 13, 2006 5:59 pm

Haha, I would say he was disappointed in its performance. :roll:

Tokyojoe · **Posted:** Fri Oct 13, 2006 7:16 pm

Didn't occur during LOST Moab. We watched an idiot attempt to go up Potato Salad in a big pickup, in reverse. He stopped before making it up. I think he realized that it wasn't worth trying to impress the girls as much as he thought. POtatos Salad can be done by a KJ. It isn't that bad as long as you follow the right lines....that goes for any vehicle trying to climb it.

That roll over was driver error....not KJ error.

Edwin · **Posted:** Fri Oct 13, 2006 8:40 pm

Jeger wrote:

that was just a skid plate inspection :wink:

its easier when the rollover like that.

nolakj · **Posted:** Fri Oct 13, 2006 8:56 pm

Another testament to the safety of the KJ.

USAFCOP · **Posted:** Fri Oct 13, 2006 10:23 pm

As OAOKJ 2 said, it all depends on you and your skill and comfort level.

As many Rockies and some West guys will say, my limit is a little higher than others. I am used to driving IFS (HMMWVS) and know how it reacts to many situations and angles. I also have lockers front and rear, and have used the front locker to walk into and out of a potential roll over here in Colorado... Yes my boy was in the back seat, he was safe even though Skyjump was looking for the strap... :twisted:

Another thing that has a lot to do with it is speed and your momentum., as basic physics states, an object in motion tends to continue in that motion until acted upon by another object or force (friction). So even if there is an extreme off camber situation, you could go real slow and make it, but if you are going faster and sliding, then you will be on your side just as quick.

As already stated, just go out and experiment and only go as far as you are comfortable with, not your freinds.

Skyjump136 · **Joined:** Tue Jul 05, 2005 6:50 pm **Posts:** 1633

Yes, I did witness the spectacle described above. Ted's passenger side front wheel slipped into a deep trench and left his rear driver's side tire hanging about 5 feet in the air (yes, 5 feet). I've haven't seen anything like it before or since. The only thing that saved him from going completely over was his rock rail contacting the other side of the trench. Because of his front locker he was actually able to back out of the trench on his own power, but it was some scary stuff. :shock:

USAFCOP · **Posted:** Sun Oct 15, 2006 12:04 am

Hey Joel, you can remove the "pro-temp" from your sig now

Roll it?

Who is online