Expedition Leader
This thread seems to be a good example of why not to take an 8-ton truck into the jungle. Wood bridges in the rain forest means rot.
It also seems to serve as a good example of how self recovery could save your gear. With the right skill, winch, tools and time they could have gotten the mog out of there on their own. With the right tools on the truck and skills they could have field repaired it themselves.
Just saying....
Adventurer
Plenty of other reasons why you should take an 8 ton truck into the jungle - just compare the lifestyle of living next to/on top of your Patrol vs living inside a Mog. I definitely won't be spending two or three driving around the world in a Patrol. Little trucks are good for short trips, not for overlanding.
Adventurer
Very true. In a Unimog at least you have the option of not taking the bridge
In this case, the bridge probably would have been fine if it was in a good state of repair, but it wasn't. And this isn't limited to the Amazon, have you seen some of the bridges in the US?Some of those aren't in a great state of repair as well.
Given the choice, I'd be in a Expo mog any day.
™
Not many can carry a spare windshield.Originally Posted by RMP&O
I take a couple different lesson from this accident. First, Don't drive a truck across bridges that aren't used by similar or larger local commercial trucks. Second, in much of the world your vehicle will be stripped if you leave it. That includes Mexico. Someone needs to stay with the vehicle. That may take some bravery and discomfort in the jungle.
It seems to me that advice from strangers in all countries on road conditions is consistently unrelaible. Which makes sense as there's little way to discern the wise from the unwise.
I would never try to carry enough gear to self extract and repair in a situation like they faced. Apparently with the helpful Brazilian military it's not necessary in that country.
Last edited by dzzz; 10-20-2011 at 01:48 PM.
Don
Expedition Portal Moderator
Expedition Leader
"Don't drive a truck across bridges that aren't used by similar or larger local commercial trucks."
Good advice. In this case, the bridge is on BR-319, a national highway, the main road (the only road) between the Manaus area and Porto Velho. In the dry season, the road is used by a few heavy trucks who don't want to make the trip floating on a barge. There used to be bus service on this road in the dry season, but I don't know if it exists today.
From the blog, it sounds like the Brasilian government's effort to make the road an all-weather highway, with modern bridges and an armored surface (read: a gravel road) is about half done.
Adventurer
Why do you need a windshield to drive out? I've had a Landy that was fun without, and a 150mph car that didn't have one from the dealer! Most Harley riders seem fine with decent sunnies too! A square cab Mog only has flat glass too, so one reason to take it rather than a U500 with a nice big curvy thing
A rear mounted electric winch and a few snatch blocks and they would be out?
After that though I think at least one cup of tea would be required before normal service was resumed!
Jason
Expedition Leader
In a life or death situation you would be glad if you had gear to extract the truck on your own. If you didn't have the money to replace everything inside the truck you would be glad if you didn't loose it all.
just saying....
Oh and I would drive around the world in a Patrol any day before a Mog. But that is me....
Explorer
Well my first response to all this is that they made it out alive. My second response is that they will likely continue with their adventure.My third response is that I can't cast the first stone, many times I have crossed bridges that I should have checked before I crossed them and luckily, no harm and no foul.Finally, adventure doesn't mean an uneventful trip without hardship or bad things happening to you and yours. You can either spend your life living or you can live your life in fear never crossing the line and never taking chances. They merely crashed their Mog and had it stripped by thieves. So what. I hope they can share this story with grand children!
I still remember the time we camped in Algonquin (I was about 10), a bear stole our cooler, my dad had to run into the bush to recover it and the MNR shot and killed the bear the next morning.Mom wasn't happy and tried to spin it but really, I knew the bear was dead.
John H.
1970 Mercedes Unimog
2004 F150 Heritage Supercab
1974 Holiday 17' Travel Trailer
It's not about the truck and it is not about the distance traveled. Get out there with whatever you have, meet people and see things. Push the envelope of your comfort zone and live.
Explorer
It's easy for some of us to offer useless criticism.
Let's just be happy they made it uninjured and with a semi-intact vehicle.
Charliegood example of why not to take an 8 ton truck into the jungle
Last edited by charlieaarons; 10-22-2011 at 05:51 PM.
Unimog U500 with Unicat camper; diesel BMW X5 35d, diesel BJ40 Landcruiser and diesel M37
No way!!! In this situation no electric or hydraulic winch on the truck would help. Truck is simply too heavy and too deep in the trench to winch it-self out.
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