mgaspard

Found this on another Jeep forum. Please think and have someone with you when you work under a vehicle. This is bad but could be a lot worse. This was not me.
This isn't the typical 'carnage' you'd think about when you think Jeeps, but it was as a result of one.

I was installing my RC 2.5 lift in my garage the day before Thanksgiving. I had 2 floor jacks under the frame, tires under the skid, and 2 jack stands under the rear axle (front tires were on and I was working on the last spring, drivers side rear).

When I jacked up one side of the rear axle to make room on the other side for the spring, the Jeep lifted off the floor jacks under the frame because the spring was in that side.

The jack under the axle kicked out and the jeep came back down onto the jack stands, but it was moving towards me and the jacks tipped over.

The rear quarter panel landed on the back of my shoulder and folded me forward and pushed me into the ground. I was sitting indian style next to the Jeep and my chest was down on my thigh afterwards.

Somehow, because I couldn't breathe, I managed to get a little lower and roll onto the garage floor. I just layed there while my g/f called 911. I was rushed to Mass General Hospital.

I fractured my T3,4,5,6 and shattered my T7 vertebra. Spent a week in the hospital and now I'm just limping around my house over winter break and start PT soon. Here's a pic of where they dug into me, and the Jeep's not much to look at. It's sitting on all 4 missing a spring. My grandfather put the wheels back on while I was in the hospital.

A couple buddies of mine are coming over this Sat to finish up my last spring and put the 2 rear shocks in. I'll be able to drive before I can do the work. I can't wait to drive my Jeep again.

I am going to make a full recovery. I just may not get back the sensation across my lower back, but I'm lucky to be walking. I can deal with a numb area right above my butt.

Cruiser

Glad you made it out as well as you did! A friend back in high school was working on his El Camino and it came off the jack stands and killed Him.. So you are very lucky.. and unlucky at the same time.. I feel for you.. had a T-1 fractured back in march due to a head on crash..
Just listen to the PT people and get better!

08SaharaM6

He is very fortunate. Glad to see he is ok, for the most part.

tgrt

Yikes. I'm glad it wasn't worse.

rob4607

guy down the street used to work on diesel engines he ad his own shop at hs house. while working under the truck something happened and he truck landed on his head. after a long recovery his wife left him because he is now slow I guess is the politicaly correct way to put it. he can still get around and drive a vehicle but his short term memory is messedup as well as speech. my family gave him a little 4x4 extended cab s10 with insurance and we pay him to feed the longhorns in the evenings as well as get the feed from the feed store. as soon as I take the wheels off I put them tire under the calipers so if it falls I have a chance. be careful and good luck with a speedy recovery

biglynny

Yikes! Glad you'll be ok eventually. Get well soon.

wiredawg_mg

Maybe we should also say not only do you not offroad alone you should not do this type of work alone.

Very fortunate for that guy to make it out at all. I could have been much worse

superman_tom

Thats scary...glad the guy is going to be ok though, all the best in his recovery!

cyberbrain

dude that sucks. Just today while out on the trail we learned this lesson. a late 90's ZJ broke a U joint front axle. The person was bolting the brake caliper back into place had his should between the body and caliper inside the wheel well. well someone wanted to use the jack handle as a breaker bar, and accidently released the jack. at that point the jeep came down ontop of the guy, but the way he was sitting, it kinda covered him like a shell. He is very lucky to be alive at all today. Damn I hope you can make a full recovery from this.

Gravel Gertie

OMG! I'm so sorry you suffered from your accident. On the bright side, maybe we will all be a little bit more careful when working on the Jeeps so no one else gets hurt. Hope you get well quickly.