Well how do I start this ..................... I was going home from work the back way last Thursday night, what I had forgot about was alll the flooding we had right before the deep freeze .
That day we had got a light snow so I went the back way to see how much was still out there. This is where the problem started, the fields and the road all had small amount on them (no big deal right, thats what I thought)
I am driving at a rather slow 25-30MPH when I realize, I am driving on a solid sheet of ice. About that time remember the flooding and get on the brakes. One thing about anti-locks on ice is that they stop straight, but they just take forever to stop.

When she does stop I franticly get it in 4hi and start backing up................. for about 20' till I break through the ice .
After a few tries to free myself I knew I was screwed so I shut it down and opened the door to see how deep it was, about up to the rocker panels.
I knew then I was in for a bit of a wait.

Called my boss and said he would fire up the truck and head that way and call me back. While I was waiting I dug out the tow starp I carry and crawled to back to hook it up (without getting wet ) .................. and then to add insult to injury as I lean over the back of the CRD, my cell phone drops out of my pocket in to water (without my knowing it). So it was just getting better LOL

After about 30min the boss finds my and starts getting out straps and chains becaue I am about 150' from the clostest firm earth and the fun begins .

Another 20mins and the grunt of a Ford Powerstroke and the beforementioned 150'+ of recovery stuff the CRD was back on terra firma and no one got wet .........good thing too I was getting cold

Pics to follow...... taken on Sunday


Its hard to see in this one but the first torn up spot on the ice was where I was stuck



a little closer view...


the spot of the stuck


this one show how far I was from terra firma (I was standing where I was stuck)


as you can tell be this one the water level had dropped since Thursday night


And this just because I thought it was a cool pic



Oh and as far as the damage goes..... there was my pride a 10,000lb tow strap that snapped and the CRD famous out in the open oil filter


The oil filter and the rear of the oil pan was what had me stuck when they got hooked on the ice sheet that had broke under me. This will tell you how stong the filter mount and oil pans are on these things

Well that is about all I can remember for now and most likely left something out ........... am going to go price a tranny skid for my CRD


PS I found my phone in the water before we pulled out the CRD , dried out and it is still working not bad for being under water for about 20mins.

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'05 Bright Silver Sport CRD
245/70/16 BFG AT KOs (On the second set now.....First set was replaced at 106K miles)
some stereo stuff.........
L.O.S.T. #053490

Guess the skids are a good thing.

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No one knows as much as all of us.

Is this why there are the two white markers on the other side.

And it is definantly time for a skid plate. My cellphone has survived a trip underwater as well, it wasnt 20 min though

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It may be that your only purpose in life is to serve as a warning to others.

06 CRD Sport
Built 5/11/06
Jeep Green
Rocklizard diff cover
V6 Airbox

Thw white markers on the other side are for underground natural gas pipeline
This road is usually not underwater even when we have flooding, till this year

_________________
'05 Bright Silver Sport CRD
245/70/16 BFG AT KOs (On the second set now.....First set was replaced at 106K miles)
some stereo stuff.........
L.O.S.T. #053490

Great write up and pics to boot. So where there was water and ice, in the pics there is just ice and terra? I am surprised with the weight of our CRDs, you got that far. Had to have been scarey.

Fortunately, the phone was not a Chrysler product.

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Thanks,
Ken Jennings
2006 KJ Limited 4x4 CRD, Option Pkg G, Lt. Khaki, Built 1 Feb 2006
Tow Package for myself, EVIC TPM
Side Curtain Airbags for my daughter
http://www.kenjennings.cc/crd/dieselexp.html

On the night I was stuck, the water was at the bottom of the ice and the hole I had dropped into was full of water also. The water level has dropped about 2' or so in the 3 days between the stuck and the pics. So yes every where you see ice it had water right up to the bottom of the ice.

If you look at the top of the pic , out past where my tire marks stop you can still see the water in the next hole out (not sure what caused that hole but it wasn't me )

And yes to say the pucker factor was there would be an understatement.

_________________
'05 Bright Silver Sport CRD
245/70/16 BFG AT KOs (On the second set now.....First set was replaced at 106K miles)
some stereo stuff.........
L.O.S.T. #053490

I lived in a small fishing village once for 4 years in bush Alaska. The school had a pickup and I had to take the days trash out to the dump everyday after school. It got dark around 2:30 PM in the winter so it was always dark when I went. Beside not knowing what you would find at the dump, bears, wolves etc, the road would flood on high tide and I had to run the guantlet similar to what you went through. I had to get a run at it and the Dodge 1/2 ton would break through, and then water would splash up over the hood and cab. The water was about 2 feet deep with ice on top. At times, you could just let go of the wheel, and the truck would steer itself like a train. It freaked me out the first dozen times or so but after that, it was just a blast.