Well I was out all day long (Sunday) taking the kids for rides on the X4 (runs real good) and I have to run it with the choke pulled out 1/2 way. I have NOT gone through anything on it yet. Just put in new plugs and new gas and filter.
Won't run with choke out or in, but is really good at half Choke.
Guess I need to rebuild the carb. Do you agree?
Anyway, I was out riding it last night and found a 7' ditch that it did not like. I saw it coming and locked up the brakes and slid it down into it. I got rolled over the handle bars and put the throttle thumb piece into my inner left leg, about 1/2 way between the boys and my knee. Had to walk home about a mile and then the squad took me the rest of the way.
Had at least an open wound the size of a silver dollar, all kinds of muscle showing, fat hanging out, just was real ugly.
I'm sore as $hit right now, I got the sled home, we had to take my truck out there to pull it out (today with help from my Father-in-law and my best friend - I of course couldn't even walk). The banks were just too steep to do anything. It was a real wet ditch with running water so it was like diving into a pillow but the damn throttle just ripped through my carharts and jeans and tore me up. Thanks to the carharts or I would have been a lot worse off.
I know I will have to replace some of the steering arms, I'm sure they got bent. Need a new windsheild (broke that) but it was in good shape other wise.
Man, I'm hurting, can't walk, they only put in about 6 threads to sew me up, but they said they had to let it drain. I'm going to have an ugly scar there that is for sure.
I'm to blame, I know that. I'm just lucky that I didn't cut my main arterie and bleed to death.
Guess my whole point is to know the land your driving on and you won't get hurt.
I sure did learn the hard way.
Does anyone have a new windsheild for a X4?
The guys in the squad were great as was the hospital people!
Kind of gives you a awakening to how much you can get hurt with these old sleds if you not carefull.
I walked away, but watch out for those sudden drops, they really can mess you up.
I need some steering parts for the X4 and a windsheild. Anyone?
GRP
GRP
CRASH and Bleed
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Danzig
- Posts: 4431
- Joined: Wed Aug 17, 2005 12:00 am
- Real Name: Paul File
- Location: Van Orin, Illinois
CRASH and Bleed
You are a lucky guy!!
Stay out of those ditches!! They bite real hard. Especially on sleds that have about one inch of suspension. Stick to the fields and nice clean areas. Remember also to keep and eye on guide wires from power poles too.
Was this your first ride of the year?
Stay out of those ditches!! They bite real hard. Especially on sleds that have about one inch of suspension. Stick to the fields and nice clean areas. Remember also to keep and eye on guide wires from power poles too.
Was this your first ride of the year?
1973 JDX8
1978 Liquifire 340
1980 Liquifire 440 CC Racer
1980 Liquifire 440
1982 Liquifire 440
"Gotta Lick It Before You Stick It"
1978 Liquifire 340
1980 Liquifire 440 CC Racer
1980 Liquifire 440
1982 Liquifire 440
"Gotta Lick It Before You Stick It"
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400brian
- Posts: 5621
- Joined: Wed Jul 20, 2005 12:00 am
- Real Name: James T. Kirk
- Location: South Central Wisconsin
CRASH and Bleed
Gary
That is how the kids nowadays get killed all the time, only they are riding sleds that go 90+ mph.
When I was a kid, it seems like fences were the big thing that bit guys. Barbed wire is REALLY nasty. Rainville knows what I'm talking about.
My brother says that the thing that kind of freaked him out riding in northern WI, is all the ribbons tied on the trees on every corner. Getting a tree between the skis at high speed is deadly.
I never got hurt riding as a kid, never dinged the sled too bad, but there were enough close calls to pucker the gonads up the posterior.
:o I don't know if it helped or not, but the kids my age, were among the first in WI, required to take a snowmobile safety course. Many of us did, and I don't remember anyone that did getting busted up, so maybe it did help.
My point is: I know you wanted to get your kids involved in sleding. Now you have some experience to motivate you to try your best to prevent them from getting hurt.
Get well quick.
That is how the kids nowadays get killed all the time, only they are riding sleds that go 90+ mph.
When I was a kid, it seems like fences were the big thing that bit guys. Barbed wire is REALLY nasty. Rainville knows what I'm talking about.
My brother says that the thing that kind of freaked him out riding in northern WI, is all the ribbons tied on the trees on every corner. Getting a tree between the skis at high speed is deadly.
I never got hurt riding as a kid, never dinged the sled too bad, but there were enough close calls to pucker the gonads up the posterior.
:o I don't know if it helped or not, but the kids my age, were among the first in WI, required to take a snowmobile safety course. Many of us did, and I don't remember anyone that did getting busted up, so maybe it did help.
My point is: I know you wanted to get your kids involved in sleding. Now you have some experience to motivate you to try your best to prevent them from getting hurt.
Get well quick.
'09 Vintage Challenge Survivor, and I wasn't late for supper!
'10, '11, '12, '13,'14,'15,'16,'17, '18, 19, 20, 21, 22 Vintage Challenge Survivor !
72 400 restored, Father bought new in '71
73 X8 restored
'74 340 green machine
'74 X8 9 time VC finisher
'78 Spitfire in progress
2 '75 340S 1 running, one on deck
'78 LF 440 future CC clone
'73 Skiroule RTX 440, 500 mi.
CRASH and Bleed
That was close, as Rich said the artery could have been fatal..........I know its past tense but I shut the sleds down at 4:00 PM and all the other rules apply also....I feel for you as ditch riding is my favorite riding. Heal well.....Jon
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Matt
- Posts: 4747
- Joined: Wed Jul 13, 2005 12:00 am
- Real Name: Matt
- Location: Coopersburg, PA
- Contact:
CRASH and Bleed
I'm glad that you are OK. Sounds like it could have been bad.
Matt - JDsleds.com AdministratorCRASH and Bleed
Gary,
Glad to hear that your OK. Hopefully the sled will fare as good.
Rainville and I have a good story about a ditch. We went for a ride with him leading on an Arctic cat, me following him on an 80 liq, and my brother in law following on my 83 liq. We were riding on a trail that we had rode many times past, even the week before. The event that we didn't account for was the 35 degree warmup that the area had that week. Joe took the Cat into a ditch/culvert opening unexpectedly with me following him in sideways. A good thing I went in sliding-the left ski tore the seat and broke the rear grab bar mount on the Cat and was looking to make (incriminating Claus marks up Joe's back (Grandpa got run over by a reindeer)). Luckily, not much more than our egos and a few replaceable parts on the Cat got hurt. Joe and I still rib each other to this day, still look at the pictures . Even on trails that you regularly ride during the day acidents can occur.
That bad omen still wasn't enough to make us turn around that day. We went on after gathering our collective wits, but were forced to turn around a few miles down the trail when Joe's sled began spitting track clips like bloody chicklets after a baroom brawl. Turns out that the rear shock mount shaft will clean a track of its clips if unattached to the slide rails. I guess I was lucky that the shock/shaft didn't punch a hole in the track and send me over the handle bars.
I guess traction aids (studs) may have saved both of us from the ditch, but hindsight is 20/20 and I'm nearly going blind.
Thanks,
Kenny
Glad to hear that your OK. Hopefully the sled will fare as good.
Rainville and I have a good story about a ditch. We went for a ride with him leading on an Arctic cat, me following him on an 80 liq, and my brother in law following on my 83 liq. We were riding on a trail that we had rode many times past, even the week before. The event that we didn't account for was the 35 degree warmup that the area had that week. Joe took the Cat into a ditch/culvert opening unexpectedly with me following him in sideways. A good thing I went in sliding-the left ski tore the seat and broke the rear grab bar mount on the Cat and was looking to make (incriminating Claus marks up Joe's back (Grandpa got run over by a reindeer)). Luckily, not much more than our egos and a few replaceable parts on the Cat got hurt. Joe and I still rib each other to this day, still look at the pictures . Even on trails that you regularly ride during the day acidents can occur.
That bad omen still wasn't enough to make us turn around that day. We went on after gathering our collective wits, but were forced to turn around a few miles down the trail when Joe's sled began spitting track clips like bloody chicklets after a baroom brawl. Turns out that the rear shock mount shaft will clean a track of its clips if unattached to the slide rails. I guess I was lucky that the shock/shaft didn't punch a hole in the track and send me over the handle bars.
I guess traction aids (studs) may have saved both of us from the ditch, but hindsight is 20/20 and I'm nearly going blind.
Thanks,
Kenny
Kenny Waters(boy)
Rochester, NY
Mechanic for founding VDR teammate JDJR
Opinions are worthless...Education is priceless
Aspiring to be the Charlie Daniels of the torque wrench
'74 X-6
'75 X-8
'75 340S
'77 340 Liquifire
'78 440 Liquifire
'80 Spitfire
'80 Liquifire (completed VC and sometimes raced)
'81 Liquifire (bib #212f Red Lake Vintage CC Sled)
'82 Liquifire
'83 Liquifire
'83 Sprintfire (1 runner +2 parts sleds)
'96 Indy Storm (hated by JDJR and Thundercats)
Rochester, NY
Mechanic for founding VDR teammate JDJR
Opinions are worthless...Education is priceless
Aspiring to be the Charlie Daniels of the torque wrench
'74 X-6
'75 X-8
'75 340S
'77 340 Liquifire
'78 440 Liquifire
'80 Spitfire
'80 Liquifire (completed VC and sometimes raced)
'81 Liquifire (bib #212f Red Lake Vintage CC Sled)
'82 Liquifire
'83 Liquifire
'83 Sprintfire (1 runner +2 parts sleds)
'96 Indy Storm (hated by JDJR and Thundercats)
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JoeRainville
- Posts: 4355
- Joined: Tue Aug 02, 2005 12:00 am
- Real Name: "John Deere Joe"
- Location: Fort Worth, Texas
- Contact:
CRASH and Bleed
GRP,
Glad to hear you made it through this in one piece. Even us older and experianced guys get into trouble by not knowing the area, or going off trail. Jon is right that night time riding increased your chances of an accident. I did my barbed wire incident at night.
Funny, but every time I ride through an opening in fence, even a marked trail through an open gate, I have a tendancy to duck or pull my arm up to protect my neck. Waters Boy thinks it's pretty funny, but I swear I can feel the scars pull, even 19 years later. I bet your leg twitches next time your ride by that ditch again.
I can't count the times I've gone over the bars on my old 03 SnoPro while racing. I learned to straighten my arms out when I saw the nose of the sled dig in so it flung me over and away from the sled. Got some nasty bruises from a few of them, but no other injurys. Luckily my 05 doesn't 'buck' me off like that 03 did.
I've never heard of a throttle tearing a leg like that, it's pretty scary to think about. Just as a thought you might want to consider a Safe-Jac or Tek-Vest, and Tek Ridder makes a pair of protective shorts with thigh pads too. Although I don't recomend studding 30+ year old tracks, I do keep my late model trail sled studded, mostly because the are old beat up SnoCross sleds, but the stop on a dime!
Good luck with your recovery!
-Rainville
Glad to hear you made it through this in one piece. Even us older and experianced guys get into trouble by not knowing the area, or going off trail. Jon is right that night time riding increased your chances of an accident. I did my barbed wire incident at night.
Funny, but every time I ride through an opening in fence, even a marked trail through an open gate, I have a tendancy to duck or pull my arm up to protect my neck. Waters Boy thinks it's pretty funny, but I swear I can feel the scars pull, even 19 years later. I bet your leg twitches next time your ride by that ditch again.
I can't count the times I've gone over the bars on my old 03 SnoPro while racing. I learned to straighten my arms out when I saw the nose of the sled dig in so it flung me over and away from the sled. Got some nasty bruises from a few of them, but no other injurys. Luckily my 05 doesn't 'buck' me off like that 03 did.
I've never heard of a throttle tearing a leg like that, it's pretty scary to think about. Just as a thought you might want to consider a Safe-Jac or Tek-Vest, and Tek Ridder makes a pair of protective shorts with thigh pads too. Although I don't recomend studding 30+ year old tracks, I do keep my late model trail sled studded, mostly because the are old beat up SnoCross sleds, but the stop on a dime!
Good luck with your recovery!
-Rainville
Honorary Tech Editor
Chuck Norris doesn't get frost bite. He bites the frost.
Chuck Norris doesn't get frost bite. He bites the frost.
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deererunner
- Posts: 25
- Joined: Sat Oct 22, 2005 12:00 am
CRASH and Bleed
I know how you feel,A couple years back I clipped a low limb on a groomed trail that got me on my left shoulder and knocked me off sled ,No damage to sled ( 80 liq). but that is where the fun ended. First guy behind me didn`t have any brakes (unknown to me) .He drove right over me face down,breaking my collar bone then the second guy had brakes he stopped right on top of me separating a few ribs YEEHA!. Still had to load me up and trvel 5 mi. to get home .Told doctor I fell off roof on to woodpile I didn`t think he would believe the truth. BE SAFE>>>
CRASH and Bleed
Gary
Glad you are alive, seen some bad stuff as a local EMT. Just this past Saturday one of our local girls,15 yr old, hit a ditch with a friend on the sled with her. She ate the handlebar with her mid section, compounded with her buddy slamming into her. She got up and the two managed to get the sled out and turned around. Rode home complained of a stomach ache. Mom took her to the hospital, Severe internal bleeding and a torn spleen. She's in intensive care....
In Iowa it's illeagal for children to be out sledding without a parent nearby. Those kids are very lucky to be alive. We make it a practice to shut down at sunset, too many things jump up and grab ya after dark.
Glad you are doing OK.
mike
Glad you are alive, seen some bad stuff as a local EMT. Just this past Saturday one of our local girls,15 yr old, hit a ditch with a friend on the sled with her. She ate the handlebar with her mid section, compounded with her buddy slamming into her. She got up and the two managed to get the sled out and turned around. Rode home complained of a stomach ache. Mom took her to the hospital, Severe internal bleeding and a torn spleen. She's in intensive care....
In Iowa it's illeagal for children to be out sledding without a parent nearby. Those kids are very lucky to be alive. We make it a practice to shut down at sunset, too many things jump up and grab ya after dark.
Glad you are doing OK.
mike
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JoeRainville
- Posts: 4355
- Joined: Tue Aug 02, 2005 12:00 am
- Real Name: "John Deere Joe"
- Location: Fort Worth, Texas
- Contact:
CRASH and Bleed
Hey Guys,
Since I love to rip on the Waters Boy, I have to add a few things to his story. First, I was on a borrowed Cat, my buddies 91 EXT. That was a nice sled in the mid to late 90's. Kenny was on MY 80 Liquifire following me.
I rode that trail the day or two before, and it was fine. What got us was the snow filled culvert was melted from underneith by running water, and the snow sunk about 8 feet across making a 4 foot deep hole near the road. I didn't see it in time, like GRP, and slid into it sideways. Kenny was following close, and ran a ski up the sled, (and my back!), pushing me farther into the ditch. He went through the windshield of the Liquifire and into the ditch head first.
Lesson learned: Trails change! And, if you hit the guy in front of you, its your fault for following to closely. Total cost wasn't too bad: A ski, rear suspension shock and mount, and track clips on my LF, and the seat cover for the Cat (ouch: $250.00!). Kenny's head is hard enough that he just got wet, no injurys.
We still give each other lip about that, and yes, I do have pic's of the mess. Riding with Kenny was always a photo-op!
-Joe
Since I love to rip on the Waters Boy, I have to add a few things to his story. First, I was on a borrowed Cat, my buddies 91 EXT. That was a nice sled in the mid to late 90's. Kenny was on MY 80 Liquifire following me.
I rode that trail the day or two before, and it was fine. What got us was the snow filled culvert was melted from underneith by running water, and the snow sunk about 8 feet across making a 4 foot deep hole near the road. I didn't see it in time, like GRP, and slid into it sideways. Kenny was following close, and ran a ski up the sled, (and my back!), pushing me farther into the ditch. He went through the windshield of the Liquifire and into the ditch head first.
Lesson learned: Trails change! And, if you hit the guy in front of you, its your fault for following to closely. Total cost wasn't too bad: A ski, rear suspension shock and mount, and track clips on my LF, and the seat cover for the Cat (ouch: $250.00!). Kenny's head is hard enough that he just got wet, no injurys.
We still give each other lip about that, and yes, I do have pic's of the mess. Riding with Kenny was always a photo-op!
-Joe
Honorary Tech Editor
Chuck Norris doesn't get frost bite. He bites the frost.
Chuck Norris doesn't get frost bite. He bites the frost.
CRASH and Bleed
Very serious here.....studs are so important for braking that I won't ride a current sled without them, no juice, home by 4:00 PM, in the shop, full saftey gear, no hot trails on the weekends, actually broke a sled in half hitting a drainage ditch in front of Deere and Co. in Moline, broke the front bulkhead off, pushed the bars over the speedo and tach, I like to ride hard, but know that if I do it's dangerous as you push the envelope of capability....remember the old sleds have alot lower handling and control ability...be safe guys....life is really very short!! Best Jon
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WinnipegStPaul9
- Posts: 5577
- Joined: Sat Jul 23, 2005 12:00 am
- Real Name: Don Amber
- Location: Churubusco, IN
CRASH and Bleed
I have only two words.....................Job Security. Seriously, be careful. Even Paramedics don't like to get out in bad weather. I just came off of a 48 hour shift that involved a lot of being out in the snow, wind.....glad to be home.
Don, Paramedic
Don, Paramedic
Feel free to check out our website www.buscobullet.com for restorations or parts.
CRASH and Bleed
Ok here is the latest. I went for my checkup today at the Doctor's and she said I was healing very very good, no infection. I've got to stay on the antibiotics for another week. I'll get the stiches pulled next Tuesday. You should see the bruising and swelling! I was going to post a picture but I think you all get the idea.
I haven't been able to look at the sled yet. Not to mobile yet. But at least we got it home yesterday. I didn't want her to get frozen in.
Thanks for all the support! It made me feel good to see the posts when I got on here today!
I'll hopefully get to look at it maybe this weekend. I'll have to bring it into the garage and let her thaw out. I was thinking of doing that today but I'm too sore.
I was about 1/2 inch from getting my main artery. My Doc read me the riot act and she is right! She couldn't believe I walked over a mile home with that wound. She's great though!
My friend who drove the sled home said he had a very hard time turning (I think he said left) so I know I've got some steering items to look at.
Thanks Rich, I'll let you know what I find.
I think I'm going to bring it in anyway, it is a balmy 79 degrees in the garage and letting the sled thaw out will be good for a few hours.
I'll let you know what I find.
Thanks again everyone for the support!
GRP
I haven't been able to look at the sled yet. Not to mobile yet. But at least we got it home yesterday. I didn't want her to get frozen in.
Thanks for all the support! It made me feel good to see the posts when I got on here today!
I'll hopefully get to look at it maybe this weekend. I'll have to bring it into the garage and let her thaw out. I was thinking of doing that today but I'm too sore.
I was about 1/2 inch from getting my main artery. My Doc read me the riot act and she is right! She couldn't believe I walked over a mile home with that wound. She's great though!
My friend who drove the sled home said he had a very hard time turning (I think he said left) so I know I've got some steering items to look at.
Thanks Rich, I'll let you know what I find.
I think I'm going to bring it in anyway, it is a balmy 79 degrees in the garage and letting the sled thaw out will be good for a few hours.
I'll let you know what I find.
Thanks again everyone for the support!
GRP
CRASH and Bleed
Well she is in the garage, not to get all the ice melted off, the mud off of her so I can open up the hood.
Updates to come!
GRP
Updates to come!
GRP
CRASH and Bleed
Glad to hear you are healing up ok we all have probably had close calls ive been lucky never been hurt. The closest ive come was in 83 Im on my 80 Liquifire in the UP of Michigan it was snowing so hard you could only see about 5 ft. I was leading breaking trail and all of sudden it got quiet then the next thing all my tools in tool box were in my face I had just jumped a railroad bridge that was no longer there. They all got a good laugh afterthey found eery thing was ok. Be safe! Shannon