Libby Spun-out on the Hwy

It was Tuesday night, I was driving WB I-196 @ 50-55 mph. We had a big snowstorm Sun Night/Mon Morning. It was snowing lightly, so I didn't want to go fast in case of any icy spots. I was 2WD. Next thing I know I'm doing a 180 and fell into the ditch. Took a while but I got out. I was facing the wrong way, so I had to do a U-turn and the Jeep slipped again into the median. This time it was really stuck. Left it there overnight and called a tow truck in the morning. I'm alright, but wondering about something. The front driver side tire (left) has a flat. Put some air, and there isn't any leaks. Question is how did I get a flat, was it from the impact of the spin-out? It wasn't the LBJ, still intact. Should I change my diff and t-case fluids. Front Skid is full of snow.

jeepkj02 said:

It was Tuesday night, I was driving WB I-196 @ 50-55 mph. We had a big snowstorm Sun Night/Mon Morning. It was snowing lightly, so I didn't want to go fast in case of any icy spots. I was 2WD. Next thing I know I'm doing a 180 and fell into the ditch. Took a while but I got out. I was facing the wrong way, so I had to do a U-turn and the Jeep slipped again into the median. This time it was really stuck. Left it there overnight and called a tow truck in the morning. I'm alright, but wondering about something. The front driver side tire (left) has a flat. Put some air, and there isn't any leaks. Question is how did I get a flat, was it from the impact of the spin-out? It wasn't the LBJ, still intact. Should I change my diff and t-case fluids. Front Skid is full of snow.

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probally just unseated to tire bead a little(when you spun out and hit something) which made it go flat.I wouldn't worry about changing any fluids.

Get the alignment checked since you hit hard enough to knock the bead off.

Glad you didnt hit anything or hurt the Jeep. Sounds like it could of turned out alot worse than it did.

That does make sense, the lip of my wheel was scratched.

Happened to my wife's G6 on M53 two years ago - hit ice, slid sideways into the grass median and popped the bead off the rim. You should have seen all of the grass, dirt, and mud caked onto it.

If you hit that hard, dont be surprised if the wheel is bent as well.

Glad you are ok. I wonder what caused it to suddenly spin like that, why were you in 2x4 anyway? Did you accellerate or hit the brakes just before spinning?
Once I had the same problem, I posted here two winters ago, as soon as I touched the gas pedal I was facing the trees, then I turned the wheel and I was facing the guard rails, then back to trees, sort of like drawing an arch left-right-left while moving forward and I was able to stop just before hitting a tree.

2003KJ said:

If you hit that hard, dont be surprised if the wheel is bent as well.

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If the wheel was bent wouldn't it be leaking? It's a cragar steel wheel.

hyedipin said:

Glad you are ok. I wonder what caused it to suddenly spin like that, why were you in 2x4 anyway? Did you accellerate or hit the brakes just before spinning?
Once I had the same problem, I posted here two winters ago, as soon as I touched the gas pedal I was facing the trees, then I turned the wheel and I was facing the guard rails, then back to trees, sort of like drawing an arch left-right-left while moving forward and I was able to stop just before hitting a tree.

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Nope I was just cruising around 50mph. Didn't do any sudden braking or acceleration. I was in 2x4 because like I said the road was clear, just flurrying a little. I have no clue why I spun-out.

Probably just black ice. Crap will get you everytime.

Spinning out isnt fun at all. Ive only done it once in the rain and Im going to try and never do that again.

Rim is probably fine if its not shaking at high speeds or leaking.

Had my own "incident" the other night. Trying to follow the tracks in the dark through a bit of blowing snow (countryside, no street lights), I didn't realize the tracks left the pavement and touched the gravel shoulder for a bit (small right hand bend and likely the "track setter" cut the corner). Anyways the passenger rear tire tried to hold the edge of the pavement but slipped off and brought the back end out to the right. As i steered into it, it jumped back up on the pavement and it shot me back on the road facing almost exactly the same direction as before (a bit pointed left) but now I was across the centre line and in the oncoming lane. Being in 4FT I got on the throttle pretty heavy, the front tires grabbed and started pulling as I steered to the right and got back in my lane. I missed an oncoming car by about 3 car lengths (not super close but with us both going 40mph, close enough). It was one of those slow motion "OH... DARN..." moments, not enough time to even panic, just do the right things and everything works out well.
I remember a couple winters ago when the g/f comes home from work and tells me she missed a big left hand bend in the road, drove off down the embankment and came to a rest at the bottom (ten feet down, soft snow). She just put it in reverse and followed her tracks back out, then realized she was in 4FT and probably should've been in 4PT. Nice to know that the vehicle can hold it's own even when we make driver errors.

I wonder if ESP would have helped under those conditions. 4Factor, what year is yours?

Cleaned up all the snow, aired up the tires, and topped off the fluids. Rides great. No unusual vibs and noises. Supposed to be 35F tomorrow, I give it a good wash.

Glad to hear you're okay and that you didn't do any serious damage to your Liberty (other than an unsightly stain on the driver's seat).

My first winter in my Liberty reminded me how 2WD rear axle driven vehicles behave in ice, it is scary. I've been used to driving FWD vehicles for so many years.

Whenever the weather gets messy (A.K.A. snow or slushy) I opt to slip my Liberty into 4WD. I used to be concerned about driving at highway speeds in 4WD but in reality if the weather is bad enough to need 4WD I ain't going to be going any faster than 45 or 50 MPH.

Luckily I've never wiped out (yet) but what surprises me more than that is that I often find myself driving through a blinding snowstorm in 4WD at 45 MPH and some idiot in a minivan passes me

hyedipin said:

I wonder if ESP would have helped under those conditions. 4Factor, what year is yours?

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Ohh yes, ESP is designed to keep you from spinning out and it does an awesome job at it.

I wish we would get some snow at home so I could try it out.... Wk has yet to be in snow.

LibertyFever said:

Glad to hear you're okay and that you didn't do any serious damage to your Liberty (other than an unsightly stain on the driver's seat).

My first winter in my Liberty reminded me how 2WD rear axle driven vehicles behave in ice, it is scary. I've been used to driving FWD vehicles for so many years.

Whenever the weather gets messy (A.K.A. snow or slushy) I opt to slip my Liberty into 4WD. I used to be concerned about driving at highway speeds in 4WD but in reality if the weather is bad enough to need 4WD I ain't going to be going any faster than 45 or 50 MPH.

Luckily I've never wiped out (yet) but what surprises me more than that is that I often find myself driving through a blinding snowstorm in 4WD at 45 MPH and some idiot in a minivan passes me

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Usually when the weather is bad enough (snowstorm), I put it in 4-HI PT. Nothing I hate more than driving in a zero visibility blizzard. I find it shocking how minivans and fwd cars pass right by me!

jeepkj02Quote:
Originally Posted by LibertyFever
Glad to hear you're okay and that you didn't do any serious damage to your Liberty (other than an unsightly stain on the driver's seat).

My first winter in my Liberty reminded me how 2WD rear axle driven vehicles behave in ice, it is scary. I've been used to driving FWD vehicles for so many years.

Whenever the weather gets messy (A.K.A. snow or slushy) I opt to slip my Liberty into 4WD. I used to be concerned about driving at highway speeds in 4WD but in reality if the weather is bad enough to need 4WD I ain't going to be going any faster than 45 or 50 MPH.

Luckily I've never wiped out (yet) but what surprises me more than that is that I often find myself driving through a blinding snowstorm in 4WD at 45 MPH and some idiot in a minivan passes me

Usually when the weather is bad enough (snowstorm), I put it in 4-HI PT. Nothing I hate more than driving in a zero visibility blizzard. I find it shocking how minivans and fwd cars pass right by me!





Come drive around may area in a blinding blizzard,then you'll get passed by a orange KJ that's only in 2wd.I'm not a crazy driver(okay I am) but I know the limits of my KJ and know how it reacts so I'm not affraid to drive as I please.Go to SD in the same weather and you'll get blown off the road by a 18 wheeler,or the snowplows,seen it happen more then once.Nothing is funnier then seeing a plow truck send a Chevy Cavalier 50FT in the air cause it won't get out of his way when booking 80mph down the interstate clearing snow.

definitely watch out for anything underneath...i spun out like that in my old car..went across some grass, totaled the undercarriage (1800 wortch of damage.)

The ESP works great in our 06 Libby. I've tried to make it break traction but it is very sure-footed. My wife was fairly confident when driving our Grand Cherokee on bad roads, but has full confidence in her Libby. We live in a rural area and have had some crappy driving conditions this winter...she just gets in her ride and goes in total control.

hyedipin said:

I wonder if ESP would have helped under those conditions. 4Factor, what year is yours?

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2004 Limited with no electronic "helpers" like ABS just mechanical stuff like the rear LSD (doesn't really apply in this situation). I like to think **I** have ESP.. you know the extra sensory perception kind Apparently my ESP didn't work or I would've seen it coming