I Took My WJ Swimming!

"Rock Bottom" (rockbottom81)
06/06/2016 at 14:33 • Filed to: None

So a bunch of my friends and I went to waste a weekend abusing our trucks at the Silver Lake sand dunes this past weekend. Here’s a photographic story:

The Dune Fleet, before things went South... ignore the Dart.

A wide range of emotions from “OMFG SAND” to “quietly contemplating life on my roof rack”

Aaaaand then things went South. I took my Jeep Grand Minivan swimming because reasons.

Fishing around for a recovery point...

I hit the water just fast enough to put water over the hood, which of course swamped the airbox. I got it shut off before the engine hydraulic’d, but it still had a ton of water in it! Towed it out of the lake, pulled the plugs and turned it over to push the water out and it was fine. Drove it right out to the parking lot!

Time to go home and fix my jeep

Luckily I had a friend with a trailer who did me a solid and graciously dragged my soggy minivan back home... where the interior work began!

Water in the cup holders! It was really that high!

A couple gallons of water in the spare tire well!

Seaweed under the seats!

Solar powered interior dryer!

So as of now, I think the seats can be salvaged, but I bought a new carpet for it. The old one had over a hundred pounds of water in it. It was pretty hard to pull it out! Oh, and I filled the transfer case with water because the vent tube wasn’t tall enough. Fixed now. The only outstanding issue is a non-functional speedometer. I’ll sort that out this week.

As for the other guys, they mostly made it through without major issues. Just assorted new vibrations and wonkey alignments from flying-truck shenanigans. Pretty much the same things we get every year.

And for the record, I regret nothing! I bought this WJ specifically to beat to death. I have a 1991 XJ that I love more than life itself, so I bought this WJ to abuse. Mission accomplished! Next up: Drummond Island!

DISCUSSION (17)

Party-vi > Rock Bottom
06/06/2016 at 14:37

In what world is a WJ the whipping-Jeep for an XJ? This is madness!

Rock Bottom > Party-vi
06/06/2016 at 14:42

I’m just emotionally attached to the XJ. It’s unreasonable, but so is the whole “jeep thing”. The XJ is pretty much rust free, which in Michigan makes it worth it’s weight in gold. The WJ was pretty beat up when I bought it, so I don’t feel bad beating it up more.

That being said, the XJ does everything better off road. It’s insanely capable on the sand, and small enough to tuck into all sorts of small trails. The WJ is just a lifted minivan with a bunch of water in it!

Party-vi > Rock Bottom
06/06/2016 at 14:47

What are you having put into the XJ?

Dusty Ventures > Rock Bottom
06/06/2016 at 14:51

Should have taken the Dart to the dunes

Textured Soy Protein > Rock Bottom
06/06/2016 at 14:56

I got it shut off before the engine hydraulic’d

You mean hydrolocked .

SteveLehto > Rock Bottom
06/06/2016 at 15:59

I have been to Drummond in an original Hummer, back in the day. If I can find the pics, I’ll write a piece about it. There is an old rock quarry there that we explored - it had standing water that almost got over the hood. Almost . . . and it had drain plugs in the floor which came in handy.

The Hummer was from the MFR for us to write a piece on, which we did. They didn’t complain about all of the odd scratches we had put on it (at one point we also got it stuck and had to winch it out of a sandpit).

Rock Bottom > Party-vi
06/06/2016 at 16:00

Not sure what you mean, but it’s currently a 4.0 auto with a 231. Nothing fancy. I have a healthy Mercedes OM617 diesel mated to a Jeep AX15 and a 231 that’s going into the XJ as soon as I get tired of the 4.0 rear main leak.

Rock Bottom > Textured Soy Protein
06/06/2016 at 16:02

Nope. I meant what I wrote. Redneck is the hallowed language of my people and has been honed by generations of dirt-track racers and mud buggy pilots. We also say “warsh” instead of “wash”.

Rock Bottom > SteveLehto
06/06/2016 at 16:04

That’s awesome! I have a bunch of friends that go up a couple times a year and they always have a blast. I’m going to stay away from that water filled quarry, though...

Party-vi > Rock Bottom
06/06/2016 at 16:07

Oh - I thought you were replacing the engine in the XJ already. I had a 4.6L stroker for mine but unfortunately I wrecked it before I had the chance to get it dropped in.

Rock Bottom > Dusty Ventures
06/06/2016 at 16:08

There was much discussion about that, but we decided against it. It’s been particularly troublesome lately and I’m sure my buddy wouldn’t mind dumping it in a lake, but his wife seems to be pretty attached to it.

Rock Bottom > Party-vi
06/06/2016 at 16:12

Yeah, I went through the diesel last year and got the mounts built, mated it to the clutch and trans and t-case, so it’s ready to go in any time. The 4.0 just runs so damn well that I feel kinda bad about pulling it out! Seems like a waste to pull a perfectly functional engine out of a perfectly functional car!

Party-vi > Rock Bottom
06/06/2016 at 16:17

My Renix 4.0L refused to die so I never had a reason to put the 4.6L in - if you wait for your 4.0L to die you might as well sell the diesel engine.

area man > Rock Bottom
06/06/2016 at 16:25

Coincidence, I was just looking up some OHV areas for my trip out to California next month. Maybe this should dissuade me, but it’s doing the exact opposite...

Rock Bottom > area man
06/06/2016 at 19:01

It’s a riot and I always have a blast, even if I sink my jeep. How can you not have fun running over shit and making noise?! It’s like mountain biking with a stereo and a cooler full of snacks!

Dru > Rock Bottom
06/07/2016 at 09:26

Still the best looking GC of them all.

Rock Bottom > Dru
06/07/2016 at 09:45

I’m just slightly more partial to the ZJ. I do like the way a WJ looks with some aggressive tire, though. Like an angry minivan!