I thought even Electrical Engineers would walk the terrain first before playing with expensive toys. Glad you're OK. Shame about the JK. I'm pretty sure the Insurance Company will deny your claim and as for the "can I upgrade to beefier suspension" question. Yes - but you are going to pay for it. Insurance Companies only revert back to stock parts that came on your Vin#.

 

dude that suuuuuuuuucks.

how fast do you think you were going into the slide?

 

August 1987, had a brandy new F/S Blazed and wanted to go play on the logging trails up behind the state forest. Of course I was alone(mistake #1). So I set off up the mountain, and I had a ball playing up there. Then I decided to follow the new haul road out. Went out a ways past the last log yard, came upon a bulldozer parked in the road, and around him I went(mistake #2). A little way on, I'm going down one long steep hill and the trail has turned to sucking mud, I have it floored and am just barely moving.Get to a flat spot, and I can see the "road" only goes a short way down the next hill before it ends, no way to go out that way, only way is back up through the mud, and I knew.....no f'n way I was gonna make it. I took one hell of a run at that hill, I think I made it 1/2 way up, and I was done, sunk to the frame rails. I shoveled a spot for the high lift and put logs and rocks and trees under that thing, and they all just got pushed down under the mud. It was a LOOOOOOONG walk out. Luckly the friend I asked if he could help me out, knew the dozer operator, so the next morning we all went to get my Blazer out.
Since the Blazer had settled into the mud a bit, overnight, we had to shovel out a place to open the door, but the dozer had little trouble pulling me out. Only minor damage, and that was from using his chains because(mistake #3 coming here) I didn't have any straps with me.
They never could get that haul road open, seems it was a major drainage area for the mountain. And when I was delivering the dozer operator his "thank you" case of beer, he was telling me how, a day or so after getting me out, that mud grabbed hold of his dozer. He ended up throwing a track and having to get pulled up the hill his own self.

Don't wheel alone(ok I still break this rule)
Make sure you have recovery gear!

And for god's sake, don't go around the bulldozer blocking the road, it might be there for a good reason.

we all learn a little each day, and accidents do happen. Just don't go zippin' into anymore ditches.

 

ooooooooooops

 

just curious...do ALL insurance companies cover off-road accidents?

 

Oh lord, I've done more stupid stuff than probably most of yall combined......just NOT with a 30K vehicle. THAT was my point. Still glad no one was hurt. That's the most important thing.

 

I'm far from an auto insurance expert, but my guess is no. I have 2nd or 3rd hand knowledge of claims being denied because a Jeep was "off road," which can mean anything from a Forest Service road to muddin'. I'd guess your policy would be more expensive if it covered all off road risks.

 

Yep, experience is something you get just after you need it. Now you have it and I bet you won't do that again! I'm glad there were no serious injuries.

 

Nope, not ALL companies or policies cover them. MINE however does. In fact mine covers everything and anything that can happen to my vehicle on or off the road as well as parked. I made sure I got it that way but then agian my insurance company (at least in this state it can vary state to state) with full coverage insurance covers all that anyway.

As to the OP I even know to look at crap before trying it and stuck the jeep about 2 months after I bought it. I followed my cousins advice into one fo the worst holes I have been in in a while. She ended up calling her husband for the tractor and there was no damage to the jeep then agian it was just a bad mudhole. The lesson here is always get first hand knowledge of where you are and what you intend to do PERSONALLY. Do not just look at it and say okay or take someone else's word get out there and look at it by walking around.

 

SH** happens man ,just live and learn like we all have and thank the lord everyone ended up ok.