OK. I own a 2007 Unlimited Rubicon 6-speed with a OME lift and some other happy goodies. But, my Jeep is in Virginia in my driveway...... and thus not the source of my tale.

I'm currently on a work trip to Idaho. I have been totally psyched thinking of all the killer off-road areas (Thanks to the various magazines hyping Moab in Utah and all the other sites on the Pacific northwest). Anyhow, when I got in town, I of course requested and begged to upgrade the "subcompact" rental to a Jeep Wrangler. After some polite smiling and sad looks I got my wish. Hell yes, some killer wheeling opportunity after business meetings, etc.!! Well, I got my rig, a no-optioned 2-door X automatic. I did note that it had a much lower ground clearance.....but hey, it's a Wrangler, so what!! Close enough for government work :

Anyhow, this morning I did a safety survey for my job occupation, and en-route I noted a place called Lava Rocks hiking trails near Idaho Falls. Sounded like a nice place to check out. After work, my new friend Kurt and I hopped in our rental rig and flew down the road to explore. As soon as we turned off the interstate we saw that it in fact was a OHV trail. Sweet. Click....4WD. We happily began bounding down the trail, checking out the lava rock formations (which are quite neat I might add). Anyhow, the road began to get muddy. No sweat, it's a Wrangler. Then the road began to get really muddy and sloppy. No prob. I was riding the driver side wheels on the ridge of the road and the passenger wheels on the center of the trail out of the watery mud. I was practicing the whole tread lightly thing and wanted to stay on the road so not to disturb the desert vegetation. Anyhow, in the middle of all this muddy slop, well away from a main road where any one would see us......

Mistake #1: The nice little radial road tires on the X are no the same as the mud terrains on the Rubi. The front wheels slid off the road edge and splat....right into the thick of the mud.

Mistake #2: A 2-door X doesn't have near the ground clearance of an Unlimited Rubi + 2" lift. I high-sided the whole Jeep. Front diff was buried in the mud. Transfer case skid plate was planted in the mud. Tires were about 1/2 covered in sloppy water. I made it about 6" from slipping into the mud to full stoppage.

My bud Kurt was like "Oh $h!t". Me......I wasn't worried. I remember looking at him and saying, "Dude, check this out" I reached down all confident, like Capt. Kirk getting ready to score with some alien chick........ and then I got confused. Where the hell did my Axle lock switch go....?...... Oh crap. No prob, got a winch....... well........not on this Jeep. Oh double crap. Guess I can rock the clutch to get it out. Hmm.....automatic. $%%^&

We got out of the Jeep. We tried pushing it backwards to get it off the "mud ridge" it was sitting on. No way in hell. The whole damn body was resting on the center of the road. The wheels were just hanging out. Thankfully we didn't panic......much Anyhow, I began diggin in the underbrush off the trail and found a piece of firewood. Put that under the spare tire jack to create a ghetto-fabbed high-lift. Had to lift from the bumper. Thank God it's a rental........

Got the front diff out of the mud. Got in, put it in 4WD Lo, hit the gas.......made it 2" before sinking on the mud and high-siding the Jeep again. #$%^. Jacked up the Jeep again. Heard some funny sounds from the bumper. (Did I mention it's a rental yet??) Anyhow, this time Kurt gave it a full force diving football hit to the bumper as I floored the gas in reverse. Yep, she started to move. Then I got scared I'd get stuck a 3rd time......so I gave it more gas and began sawing the steering wheel to get some tire bite. No chance with the radials.....but they can definetly throw some mud.......a 30' rooster tail of it to be exact.

BTW, if you are going "balls out" in reverse......guess what. The mud from your front tires also goes in reverse. This leads to...

Mistake #3. If stuck in mud in a rental Jeep......put the soft-top up!!!

I began to feel a heavy rain as I was going in reverse. It was raining mud in the Jeep! The rental (without floormats I might add ) I thought of stopping, but then decided that I'd get stuck again in the middle of BF nowhere.....so I gave it even more gas. About 50 yards later I was out of the mud. It looked like a Moose crapped in my hair. As for the Jeep....well, I have pics. I still don't know how mud got on the rearview mirror........

In short, I learned 3 things (again):
1. Know your vehicle. I knew the ground clearance was less on my rental, but didn't think about the tires or lack of other 4WD amenities I've been used to when on the trail.
2. Don't wheel alone. I'd still be out there if I didn't have a friend along.
3. Put the top up before going WOT in mud. I'm going to ruin several hotel towels tomorrow morning wiping lava rock off the radio, seats, carpet, vents, mirrors, rollbars, etc, etc.

 

Lol. That musta sucked but was a good read for us. Thanks for sharing.

 

LOL, thats funny I would have gave it back to them covered. Thats the nice thing about rentals

 

Nice Story....What did the Rental Company say when you returned it???

 

Thanks for the story ...i will remember to put the top up before playing in the mud...

 

I hope they call you to do a survey on your rental experience

I was hoping for more muddy interior pics haha

and whats this rocking the clutch if you are stuck in mud thing you speak of? I hope you remember if stuck in mud with a clutch you can ruin you clutch if you suck it up into it

 

most deffinately great story lol thanks

 

Damned if I wouldn't a been right there with ya.

 

Aw man.. haha Wheeling an unlocked Jeep is not for the timid or weak!!!!! lol

 

Awesome...glad no one was hurt. Only way the story would have been better if your new friend 'Kurt' had been new friend Sally, or Sue, etc. Wouldn't be so sure you didn't get stuck on purpose.