Gladiator Rubicon Gets Stuck Pretty Good -- "This Will Be The HARDEST Rescue Ever" (Matt's Off-Road Recovery)

[Lunentucker]

Sponsored

 

[Sweetums]

Oh boy, Matt is trying to do something other than WOT with a Yankum rope? God help the JT owner, it will be a miracle if he gets it back with a straight chassis.

 

[Capngeo]

There's mo elfin' way I'd have put myself where Matt did in front of the wheels while the wing nut was at the controls and engine running!

 

[Scott L]

Shows the Gladiator is very capable if you know how to drive it and or have a good spotter. Though the weak link on Rubicons are the valve stems. Broke mine the same place playing in the rocks.
This also shows the owners a dumbass. Wheeled alone wasn’t aired down didn’t have recovery tools the list goes on. Hopefully this was an expensive lesson and he or she decides they aren’t cut out to wheel at least until they get a clue.

 

[TheSolarWizard]

this could be an ad for Jeep tbh. MAYBE a bison could do this but there are zero other off the shelf mid sizers doing this trail

 

[KevinC]

Pretty impressive for a stock Rubicon with probably 38psi in the tires.

 

[SightsOfIron]

Pretty impressive for a stock Rubicon with probably 38psi in the tires.

agreed. With some bigger wheels/lift there's no stopping it on that trail

 

[dos0711]

Exactly what I thought. Pretty impressive for a stock rig.

 

[fourfa]

Thinking about how to self-rescue that stock vehicle from that high-centered spot without calling for help. Jack up all the tires one by one and stack rocks under, to lift the stuck center skid? Drive over the spare tire?

 

[KevinC]

Thinking about how to self-rescue that stock vehicle from that high-centered spot without calling for help. Jack up all the tires one by one and stack rocks under, to lift the stuck center skid? Drive over the spare tire?

Stacking rocks may have been a good option. But not knowing the drivers skillset or how far into the trail he was, it may not have worked. Seems he was alone. How much time/patience would you have meticulously placing rocks and getting in and driving a few feet, only to repeat it again and again. Based on our limited information, it looks like that might have been his only alternative. I would have tried it and stayed out there all night if it was working.

 

[T-Rock]

It takes more skill, time and effort to drive stock IMO. Problem is that even with a good amount of skill there are still places where it is just to difficult for stock & it is not only easier but also more enjoyable if you have more clearance to get through those obstacles.

I think @fourfa called it, the driver probably could have self-rescued by jacking up and placing rocks. To @KevinC''s point... If they had a spotter they may have gotten out on their own, with patience and experience to pick good lines. But without a spotter, a good jack, having confidence to stack & use rocks the right call was made.

 

[Sweetums]

Thinking about how to self-rescue that stock vehicle from that high-centered spot without calling for help. Jack up all the tires one by one and stack rocks under, to lift the stuck center skid? Drive over the spare tire?

Use a LiftMate and a high-lift to raise each tire and build a road under it, then drive off. I've rescued vehicles this way in the past, it's low impact and minimizes the chance of damage.

 

[fourfa]

Right answer to be sure, but I doubt that driver had a hilift much less a liftmate…

I’d need to watch again closely but it could be tough to squeeze even a stock jack in the right spot under the axle if the rocks are positioned badly. I wish people would think about that more before switching to bottle jacks tbh

 

[JTGuy]

It made a U tube video for Matt, not much more.

 

[Rusty PW]

Sometimes I think this is prestaged. Matt grabs a buddy's JT and drives it to a spot where it looks bad. Then starts to video the recovery.

I've been on tougher trails than that when I was still stock.

I did almost the same thing with the valve stem. Mine didn't lose any air. But a piece of the metal tip is missing. It's bad enough that I can't use a pressure gauge or air hose.

Sponsored