Oops!

General discussion about our beloved Tercel 4WD cars
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Petros
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My tercel:: '84 Tercel4wd w/extensive mods
Location: Arlington WA USA

Oops!

Post by Petros »

No one hurt. Have to find a way to get it back on its wheels.
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'87 Tercel 4wd SR5 (current engine swap project)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
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Mattel
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My tercel:: 1988 Corolla 4wd Wagon (AKA Corolla All-trac) 5speed, AC, Power Sunroof, Windows, Mirrors, Steering, Locking, Diff Lock, 14" Corolla SX Alloys with Silica Hankook Tyres, 4afe, King Springs, Upgraded Headlights, Full Synth oils, 210,000kms
Location: Melbourne, Australia

Re: Oops!

Post by Mattel »

Ouch! is that your Mazda?
Previous: 83 Tercel SR5 4wd, 84 Tercel SR5 4wd
88 Corolla 4wd Wagon 5speed, All power options, Fact Sunroof, Diff Lock, 14" SX Alloys, Hankook Tyres, 4afe, King Springs, Upgraded Headlights, Full Synth oils, Tow Bar, 210,000kms
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Petros
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My tercel:: '84 Tercel4wd w/extensive mods
Location: Arlington WA USA

Re: Oops!

Post by Petros »

yes, the 4wd '92 MPV (which is now our "extra" since my wife now drives a newer Lexus) My wife was trying to move it down our driveway after a very wet snow storm and it slid down the driveway, and over the side. It was all in slow motion, no one hurt. there is a 2 ft cut bank at the base of the slope which is what caused it roll over. pulling it back on to its wheels would not right it because right side wheels would still land on top of the bank (so it would roll back), even though it rests on level lawn. I am thinking to pull it back up so it is still on two wheels, leave the cable on it, and use another come-along to pull it backwards to where the ground is more level, and than finish pulling it back over onto its wheels.

The only damage I can see is the left side rear view mirror was folded back into the left side window and broke it. My wife had to climb out the right side door, which was like climbing out a hatch with a very heavy door.

OTOH, I offered to plant a maple tree in it and allow the tree, as it grows, to lift the van off the lawn. So the van in the tree would become a permanent part of our landscaping. at the very least I was going to put flower pots on top of it until spring, so it would bend in with the landscaping.

I should post pictures of it when we figure out what we are going to do with it.
'87 Tercel 4wd SR5 (current engine swap project)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
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irowiki
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Location: Farmington, NM

Re: Oops!

Post by irowiki »

Glad she was ok!
Former Tercel Enthusiast (not a practical family car anymore but they still have a place in my heart)

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87 Corolla FX16, 105k
94 Jamboree RV (Ford E-350), 90k
95 Camry Wagon, 170k
97 4runner, 275k
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Jonymoto
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My tercel:: 1983, DLX 4wd wagon with 4.1 manual gearbox, tow bar). Manual steering. 313,000 kms. Tercel 4WD SR5, 1987, 500,000kms. Other car - 2003 Rav4, AWD, 2l manual, Peugeot 407 Diesel (93,000 miles) in Ireland for use when on holiday there.
Location: Melbourne, Australia

Re: Oops!

Post by Jonymoto »

Glad your wife is ok.

Would deflating the tyres, beforehand, prevent it from rolling when you get it up? Can you chock the wheels before lifting up? Sorry just making suggestions. It's hard to tell what the problem is when everything is covered in snow. How about waiting for the snow to melt - only kidding.
When you lose, don't lose the lesson - The Dalai Lama
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Gottolovem
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My tercel:: 1985 SR5 with snow plow,1987 auto 1984 parts car,1987 FX-16 GTS
Location: Reno

Re: Oops!

Post by Gottolovem »

I'm glad she's alright! curious to see how you "right" the situation :oldgeek:
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Petros
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Joined: Sun Jan 28, 2007 6:31 pm
My tercel:: '84 Tercel4wd w/extensive mods
Location: Arlington WA USA

Re: Oops!

Post by Petros »

snow is mostly gone now, may give it a try soon (before the next snow!). the problem is the car is on level grassy area now, but the if I roll it back on to its wheels, the two right side wheels will be up on a bank (where you can see the skid marks, that is a steep bank), with the left side wheels will be down on the level. If the right side is too high the car will not stay up right but fall back on to it's side. So I will first pull it back so all four wheels are on the ground, if it will not stay up right on the side slope, I will leave the cable on it used to roll it back, and than pull the car backwards where the ground is not as steep.

Likely I can do it by myself with a two come-alongs and some rope or cables.
'87 Tercel 4wd SR5 (current engine swap project)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
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splatterdog
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Location: Minnesota, USA

Re: Oops!

Post by splatterdog »

Pull it over with T4 in EL from just ahead of where its parked now. Driver 2 backs it up to the road while T4 holds tension. Probably be better with a bigger tow vehicle. Wouldn't want the MPV dragging the T4 down!

Or tip it back up and yank it down the drop with another tow vehicle.

Bad tire's involved?
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splatterdog
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Re: Oops!

Post by splatterdog »

Another thought. If the surface it's on right now isn't too abrasive, why not just slide it away from the drop then right it. Snow covered grass, skid it the whole way to the road edge! Haha
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Petros
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My tercel:: '84 Tercel4wd w/extensive mods
Location: Arlington WA USA

Re: Oops!

Post by Petros »

we consdiered sliding on the snow, it would only take about 5 or 6 ft so it can stand upright, but that would likely lead to more damage.

I think the safest and easiest way is to run ropes or tow cable to any tree (we also have several large rock boulders there) up slope of the MPV and pull it back with a come-along so all four wheels are on the ground, but leave the cable in place. than pull it backwards with another come-along until it is on the driveway where there is little side slope, allowing it to stand up right on its own. than check all fluid levels and see if it will start.

Tires were good, we had about 6-8" of heavy snow, than good freeze overnight, than it warmed up and rained on it. So it was fozen with lots of water and slush on top. She was just trying to move it to another parking place but did not realize it was like an ice skating ring under the slushy surface. She should have just left it in place until several days later. I could not get my T4wd up the driveway (as you can see in the pic, that is where I left it for the night since it was just slipping and sliding around right there).

Despite all of the rough road,icy road, snowy road, off road and muddy road driving I have one in over 40 years, I have never managed to roll a vehcile (almost did twice, but saved it). Been stuck lots of times, but always managed to keep it shinny side up.
'87 Tercel 4wd SR5 (current engine swap project)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
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Petros
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Posts: 11930
Joined: Sun Jan 28, 2007 6:31 pm
My tercel:: '84 Tercel4wd w/extensive mods
Location: Arlington WA USA

Re: Oops!

Post by Petros »

wasted an otherwise good weather Saturday, but managed to get it up right by myself (without putting myself in too much danger). Took about 5 hours locating the correct tools, straps, etc and rigging it up (some experimenting), than getting it started. it had lost 3 quarts of motor oil, but transmission fluid was fine, as was the battery.

got it to balance on all four wheels rather precariously first, so I put a second hand winch on it and pulled it backwards to try and get it on the gravel driveway. brakes were full of ice, so I had to heat them with the hand torch to get the wheels to roll once it was up right. It had rained several days, likely allowing water into the brake drums when it was on its side, and than several days of below freezing weather...also made all the doors frozen shut, had to work through the broken window.
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Goats found the cable a good place to scatch their back
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dog watching from a safe distace (smarter than goats)
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I got plastic over the window now (we since had a few more inches of snow, but back to rain today). I will have to replace the mirror and the window at least. I might be able to pull the dented panels out with a suction cup.
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'87 Tercel 4wd SR5 (current engine swap project)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
atoyta
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Joined: Thu Jan 29, 2009 11:32 pm
My tercel:: 3 wagons now
Location: Monroe, Washington

Re: Oops!

Post by atoyta »

That was a bunch steeper than it looked from the picture taken from above. Pretty good side hill. Good job on getting it out without further damage.
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ARCHINSTL
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My tercel:: Goldie is a 1986 SR5 attualmente con Weber/also owned the first T4WD in STL in late '82
Location: Kirkwood, a 'burb of St. Louis

Re: Oops!

Post by ARCHINSTL »

atoyta wrote:That was a bunch steeper than it looked from the picture taken from above. Pretty good side hill. Good job on getting it out without further damage.
What he wrote!
I think the whiteness of the snow just washed out any sense of perspective.
Tom M.
T4WD augury?
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loess
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Location: Iowa

Re: Oops!

Post by loess »

Nice work! When the grid crashes, the zombies are running wild, and we all sail madly into dystopian apocalypse, I plan on living in my very own castle comprised of dead car parts and various other miscellaneous scavenged scrap. When my two ton drawbridge inevitably falls over, I'm hiring you to right it again with pulleys and winches :)
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