I fought the mud and the mud won...a few issues to deal with after (?)

patrick32378 [OP] · 11-25-2012, 12:15 AM

Today I decided to just cruise down on some dried up lake bed near me. Looked like cracked dry earth. Then I hit it. No way I was going anywhere. Somehow came across a friend with a friend nearby with a big jeep and winch. He comes. He immediately (friendly) lectures me about how toyotas really werent meant to go offroad. I just smiled, nodded and held my tongue. He was helping after all. So then he then proceeds to get stuck as well. Again I held my tongue. He calls a buddy.

3 hours later we are all out. We all agreed we havent seen mud like this. It's like thick black tar/grease and it just glops together.

During the rescue I had a "r/t oil temp" light come on a couple times so I'd shut it down. There were some nasty smells. One guy said I should immediately change my transmission fluid and that I might have caused some damage.

- Yes on changing my transmission fluid asap? Anything additional I should do?

Lastly taking a step back a week. I had my tires rotated. Car drove fine. After rotation I had a little bit of wobble. They said the inside was a little choppy but it will even out. It had been going well. Today after the mud and many many many quarters at a powerwasher it's not just wobbling, it's shaking my whole FJ from the front pretttty bad at 40mph+.

Could this rescue have messed up alignment? Other things (mud related) that could have cause this?

I didnt get to the wash until near dark and was there well into the night (ugh). Tomorrow I"m going to get under there and clean it as well as I can. I might have to wait till its all dried up to get it. Every part behind the wheel was just dipped in this thick sludge.

Any suggestions about these issues would be appreciated

On the upside. One day someone a few hundred years from now might find my shoes which are currently 3 feet down some tar/mud pit.

***bazross*** · 11-25-2012, 12:23 AM

G'day Patrick,
I'm no expert with mud, but I've read alot on this forum... the wobbles could be mud still stuck inside the rim... have you really super duper cleaned the wheels, inside and out ...
and all the suspension. Mud gets every where.... so hopefully the only challenge is still more mud throwing the balance out and making it wobble....
Good luck,
Cheers
Baz

BIGGUY · 11-25-2012, 12:24 AM

You could have mud clogging up the cooler in front. The wobble could very well be clumps of mud still clinging to the inside of the wheels and there might also have been a wheel balancing weight knocked off.

patrick32378 [OP] · 11-25-2012, 12:28 AM

Most big mud clumps are gone (still some stuck around calipers etc.

The knocking off a balancing weight could have happened.

I think the only way I'm going to get this sludge off is to take off the wheel and clean all the suspension/calipers etc then get the inside of the wheel...anything left a power washer cant get.

The transmission issue also concerns me if anyone could chip in. I suppose I wont know if i did any damage until it goes out?

***FJNewb*** · 11-25-2012, 12:30 AM

Sounds like your coolers were overheating. Since they were effectively plugged with mud that would explain why. Rather than shutting down it is often better to turn on your heater to try and minimize the overheating of other components. At least thats what I've always been told.

Could have mud on, inside or around your tire/wheel well which is causing vibrations.

***bazross*** · 11-25-2012, 12:31 AM

x2 on 1/2 mill's comments, clean the lower radiator from inside and out .... and inside your bumper ... lol, basically the whole underside ....
Cheers
Baz

patrick32378 [OP] · 11-25-2012, 12:32 AM

Oh. one more thing:

One guy that came was kind of an ass. I think he only came because his other jeep buddy asked. He asked me to give him 80 or 100 in the next couple of days for a new battery.

This doesnt make sense to me. Does running a winch ruin a battery or is there a battery on a winch? I'm not up on my winches. If it's possible I"m happy to give him anything I put him out but is that an honest claim?

patrick32378 [OP] · 11-25-2012, 12:34 AM

Quote:

FJNewb previously said:

Sounds like your coolers were overheating. Since they were effectively plugged with mud that would explain why. Rather than shutting down it is often better to turn on your heater to try and minimize the overheating of other components. At least thats what I've always been told.

Could have mud on, inside or around your tire/wheel well which is causing vibrations.

these coolers..you're referring to the radiator (since there is no stock oil or transmission cooler?) and then cleaning the radiator would ensure this is unclogged, correct?

Black 'n Tan · 11-25-2012, 02:44 AM

Regarding the request for payment ($80-$100). Was this guy running a secondary battery for his winch? I'm no expert, but this sounds kinda... bogus. Just sayin'. Again, WTH do I know.

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Black 'n Tan · 11-25-2012, 02:48 AM

... Oh and I do know this. Most if not all winches do NOT have a battery on them. You have to hook up the winch to you battery. By the way, nice Metal tech bumper. I have the same set up.

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