Hi All,

Be careful when you wish the Element was a Hummer. Watch the clip. Turn up the sound to hear all the details and watch the tires carefully.

NOTE: The website is a little slow so be patient for the whole loop to load.

http://www.lemonizer.com/upload/uploadsSep/killedit.wmv

I saw that elsewhere and flinch every time...

-brendan

Very unfortunate. I like the light bar rack.

yea, that's what happens when you try and take a chevy tahoe off-road on a rock trail.

there is only 1 hummer - The H1. Not the Tahoe H2, or the S10 H3.



http://www.e-shen.com/element/posing.jpg

I wonder if that's covered by the warranty? It probably was, since the guy most likely lied and never told the dealer he was rock crawling.

I hope it wasn't. I kinda had respect for the H2 before seeing that clip. Now I can see that it's nothing more than a chromed out Tahoe with a weak front suspension. GM cost cutting going on here.

What I wanna know is how they got him off the trail in that condition.

[quote:42eeeb6270=" "]Now I can see that it's nothing more than a chromed out Tahoe with a weak front suspension. GM cost cutting going on here. What I wanna know is how they got him off the trail in that condition.[/quote:42eeeb6270]

Hmm, actually, I think it was the steering linkage, not the suspension.

Yeah, I wonder how they got it down!

-brendan

new link to video:

http://www.uglypeoplesuck.com/bits/2003/11/13/KilledIT.wmv/download

your welcome.

reading the replies I thought it was going to be much more interesting to view then it was.. ok, so what happened, i heard a crunch and saw it stopped, but what happened..

what a shame huh.. and how much did they pay for that hunk of metal??
Over 50K for a freaking H2.. oh my gosh, that is just insane! Now really in defense of the people climbing rocks with their Hummer.. pay that much you expect you can! as well should double as a boat and or plane!

Looks like he busted a tie rod. Most people who go off road should carry extra parts and the tie rod can be changed on the trail. The stock units are rather weak and once you break a few you'll be glad the aftermarket units are stronger.

Do tie rods break because they are low and hit rocks, or because the front wheels get jerked every which way on rough terrain? The Element's tie rods are well out of the way, but could still be damaged by forces on the wheels.

paulj

While I've never seen a tie rod break (they're big hunks of steel), I've seen them bend. Particularly after hitting a big rock.

But I think this guy had the tie rod end ripped out. Most of them just screw into the ends of the tie rod. It's a very nasty fix on a trail, unless someone brought a welding rig along.

That was definatly the tie rod end, or some part of the attachment shearing off. I used to off road in a 76 Jeep CJ 7 about once a week. The tie rod ends were much larger than those used on today's vehicles. I got caught up on a log and bent the tie rod about 20 degrees off strait ahead on the trail (to this day i don't understand how). I just took a 3 lb sledge to it until it was about strait and continued on my journey, replaced it when i got home. I guess they dont' build them like they used to, but they really should for that kind of money.

At least this guy had his off road. Most of the folks who drive Hummers here park them in a garage at the office, and would never consider mud or grass, or a 6 inch curb ascent, let alone a trail full of rocks.

I just love the fact that everyone is bashing the Hummer because it broke. Yet 99% of those that are doing the bashing have little or no real Off-roading experience. I've seen some 100% custom built vehicles, I'm talking from the ground up, break while off-roading. Breaking things and getting stuck are part of off-roading. If you're not doing one or the other you're not pushing the limit enough. No stock vehicle is designed for rock crawling. You need to upgrade the suspension as a bear minimum, possibly your transmision and a whole number of other things. Stock just doesn't cut it.

Not to be rude or anything but comparing the 76 CJ to the 2000ish H2 is kinda like comparing a 68 Dodge Powerwagon to an 04 Lincoln Navigator. There's just no way to compare the two vehicles. One was made ruggid and tough and other was made to make the owner think it was ruggid and tough.

Not to be rude or anything but comparing the 76 CJ to the 2000ish H2 is kinda like comparing a 68 Dodge Powerwagon to an 04 Lincoln Navigator.

Hey Temo. I think we're preaching the same sermon. I was saying how the older vehicles were built more sturdy and heavy duty. I also noted that this guy was "using" his vehicle. Vehicles in use off road break quite often and it is necessary to either travel in groups, or carry extra parts for your vehicle's weakest links, and be good at trail fixes. I shaved off a drain plug once on a rock and had a heck of a time cleaning the trail and creating a plug for the long limp home.

And i do think that H2s were built to be "rugged and tough" as you speak against. But again like you said, even as they are built stock, they are not "properly" equipped for rock crawling. Just my 2 cents.