Look what I just did earlier today!

[jumbofordman]

Re: Look what I just did earlier today!

I actually didn't try to steer around the deer. Two hopped out into the road, and I applied the brakes in a moderate fashion with no problems and I would have missed those two with no incident. Then the third little one hopped out onto the road and instinctively I hit the brakes harder, hard enough to lift the back end enough to both lock the brakes and allow the boat to push it around. Had I just kept on going straight I would have had no problems hitting it if I just couldn't brake in time. Believe me, I've nailed my share of animals.

 

[MrsBoatinOkie]

Re: Look what I just did earlier today!

We had a similar experience just a few weeks ago.

Heading westbound on an overpass, when a lady makes a left turn in front of us into a exit ramp (wrong way) realizes then swerves coming straight towards us.

Hubby applys heavy pressure on the breaks but with a heavy '84 Wellcraft being towed behind on a single axel trainer, causes the back end of our truck to skid sideways. As luck would have it, and luck played a huge factor (plus some good driving reaction from both sides) the lady moves quickly to the side of the road, no one was in the lane to our right, and we are able to straighten the truck and trailer and continue on.

One of those experiences where time slowed to a crawl, but which truthfully only took about 1-3 seconds tops.

Sorry to hear that your vehicle and boat ended up in a ditch, but trully thankful you are okay.

 

[ingalp01]

Re: Look what I just did earlier today!

Thank God you are OK...

Deer are a pain in the butt. I live by this mantra... "When in doubt, Gas it!!!" That's an old solid truck, deer are expendable, and that truck probably would have faired well vs. the deer.

Glad you are un-injured.

 

[109jb]

Re: Look what I just did earlier today!

Armchair quarterbacking is easy so I hold nothing against the OP. I myself rolled a car when I was 17 years old trying to avoid a deer. I tried to agressively swerve to avoid the deer. The car was obviously totaled and still didn't miss the deer. On top of that I wound up with a nice scar on my head, broke my collarbone and right leg on top of the concussion. It happened late at night on a desolate country road and I was lucky another car saw my still lit headlights off the road because I was out cold. I woke up in the ambulancce on the way to the hospital. Spent 2 days in the hospital.

Since my first deer encounter I have hit 3 others in the almost 30 years since then. One I hit with a chevy 1/2 ton truck, one with a VW rabbit, and the last with a Nissan sentra. In every one of those cases I either didn't swerve, or only did a gentle manuever. In every case the deer died, I was not injured, and the cars were repairable. I have seen and avoided many many more deer over the years, but no aggressive swerve to do if for me anymore. If a gentle maneuver doesn't do it the deer dies.

 

[Subliminal]

Re: Look what I just did earlier today!

Love old trucks, but that is indeed a problem. Hard to keep those old brakes adjusted right from the getgo.

PS - 78 F250 is pretty much my all time favorite tow rig. If you could stick a Cummins in there...man oh man!

What's the plan for the new tow rig?

 

[jumbofordman]

Re: Look what I just did earlier today!

Love old trucks, but that is indeed a problem. Hard to keep those old brakes adjusted right from the getgo.

PS - 78 F250 is pretty much my all time favorite tow rig. If you could stick a Cummins in there...man oh man!

What's the plan for the new tow rig?

Well, the immediate plan is a Jeep CJ-7 I already have, it has a V-8 and a TH400 automatic. Then I'll look around as see what I can get a deal on.

 

[ebkolove]

Re: Look what I just did earlier today!

had one of those trucks for a whole minit, I loved it. As for the deer, man you never know what you're gonna do til it happens. Im in Texas and the roads are crawling with white tail...best trick, brake hard, then gas it, flips the deer up to the hood and slides it off.

Glad you're ok brother

 

[roscoe]

Re: Look what I just did earlier today!

You all need to get in a big rig and hit the highway, that will teach you not to swerve for animals.
My buddy left the terminal an hour ahead of me one night.
I passed him as he laid it on the side in the ditch to avoid some deer.
Split the trailer open and dumped $1.8 worth of cigarettes on the ground.

You train your brain not to react to animals on the road.

Ease off, break lightly, hit the horn, don't swerve till you are down below 20 mph.

Or... slam the brakes and swerve - hit another vehicle or say hello to the ditch and a tree.

More vehicles are destroyed by ditches and trees than by deer.

Sounds like jumbofordman did the best he could with the rig and conditions.

 

[metalwizard]

Re: Look what I just did earlier today!

You all need to get in a big rig and hit the highway, that will teach you not to swerve for animals.
My buddy left the terminal an hour ahead of me one night.
I passed him as he laid it on the side in the ditch to avoid some deer.
Split the trailer open and dumped $1.8 worth of cigarettes on the ground.

You train your brain not to react to animals on the road.

Ease off, break lightly, hit the horn, don't swerve till you are down below 20 mph.

Or... slam the brakes and swerve - hit another vehicle or say hello to the ditch and a tree.

More vehicles are destroyed by ditches and trees than by deer.

Sounds like jumbofordman did the best he could with the rig and conditions.

Wow here in southern utah they say twice as many deer are killed my cars than hunters every year. I drove a 42 mile stretch of road daily and saw more splattered deer than I can remember.

Scary part I rode a motorcycle most of the time. I promise you if a deer had jumped in front of me on the bike I would have swerved..

Glad you are ok. maybe this is a sign to upgrade!

 

[jumbofordman]

Re: Look what I just did earlier today!

I got the truck back into my yard today, here's the rear damage:

 

[metalwizard]

Re: Look what I just did earlier today!

Oh... that will buff out man!

 

[191Seanymphstriper]

Re: Look what I just did earlier today!

You can fix that! Come on! Shes a clasic! Find a new bed. Do some welding! Fix that cab! Get rid of the drums and buy a rear disk conversion kit. And your done. And it will still be cheaper then buying a new one!

 

[191Seanymphstriper]

Re: Look what I just did earlier today!

And truthfully The cab dosent look that badly damaged! If your not in a rush and have the $ Id just fix the old truck

 

[jumbofordman]

Re: Look what I just did earlier today!

And truthfully The cab dosent look that badly damaged! If your not in a rush and have the $ Id just fix the old truck

It is though. First off, the frame is twisted like a pretzel. The passenger side door won't open because the cab is crushed forward on that side. Even before the wreck, the cab had rust issues (floorboards, etc.) Every body panel is dented and scratched. Obviously the bed is kaput. I've actually done a lot to keep this truck on the road (the bed was replaced 10 years ago, and the cab 2 years ago.) While it would be cheaper to fix than buying a new one, it surely won't be cheaper than me buying a used one that will probably last me 10 years. I've had this truck for 12 years. I'll do all right parting it out (probably worth more as parts than as a whole truck.)

As to the brake upgrades you mentioned, it actually did have quite good brakes. Some time ago, I replaced the master cylinder and booster with ones from a 1-ton F-350. Front calipers were increased in size, and rear cylinders increased in diameter to equalize the brakes. I replaced the brake lines with new ones, and it had SS flexible lines. I've towed trailers weighing 4 tons before, and never had any problems bringing them to a stop. I did all this when I had 35" tires on it and did a lot of 4 wheeling with the truck.

 

[Biged007]

Re: Look what I just did earlier today!

Thank Heavens you weren't hurt Hell the rest can be replaced.
Ed

 

[a70eliminator]

Re: Look what I just did earlier today!

I really like those 78 Rangers with the square headlights but that 351M had to have been a dog with those 35's unless you had a 4:30 gear.
IMO 351M was not one of Ford's better ideas, I hated that motor.
By the way the hard core jeep guys are using ford running gears and axles.

 

[jumbofordman]

Re: Look what I just did earlier today!

I really like those 78 Rangers with the square headlights but that 351M had to have been a dog with those 35's unless you had a 4:30 gear.
IMO 351M was not one of Ford's better ideas, I hated that motor.
By the way the hard core jeep guys are using ford running gears and axles.

Ain't no stinking 351M in that truck, it had a mildly built 400 (a factory stroked 351 Cleveland basically, mine had a mild cam, 4-bbl carb and headers) and it ran strong, let me tell you. Fired right up when I went outside to start stripping it today. It has 3.50 geared axles, and no problem pulling 33" (what's on it now) or 35" (before) tires. Supreme low end torque is what that engine produced (longer stroke than a 460) so you don't need to gear them super low. The granny gear in the 4 speed was useless unless you just let out the clutch without giving it any gas, and it could smoke the tires in 2nd or 3rd gear. I have a 76 Jeep CJ7, too, so I know what the Jeepers are using. The tow truck guy wanted to give me next to nothing for the truck, but I know what the parts on it are worth.

 

[sasto]

Re: Look what I just did earlier today!

PS - 78 F250 is pretty much my all time favorite tow rig. If you could stick a Cummins in there...man oh man!

Gee.. Subliminal..all this time I thought diesel was for the boat and gas for the truck. Gotta get your priorities straight. Build the dock..... then build the house.

 

[j_martin]

Re: Look what I just did earlier today!

Thank God you are OK...

Deer are a pain in the butt. I live by this mantra... "When in doubt, Gas it!!!" That's an old solid truck, deer are expendable, and that truck probably would have faired well vs. the deer.

Glad you are un-injured.

I had a friend that hit 7 deer, one at a time at freeway speeds. He was driving an old Ford station wagon with a big block V8 in it and a load of books in the back. If the hit was imminent, he gassed it to get the front bumper over the center of gravity on the deer. Did 0 damage to the car.

The last bambi that jumped out in front of my pickup and bass boat at 4 am dealt with the bumper, both axles, the trailer hitch, trailer axle, and judging from the blood the LU. Folded up like Beetle Bailey in the road behind me.

 

[boltonranger]

Re: Look what I just did earlier today!

You train your brain not to react to animals on the road.

Ease off, break lightly, hit the horn, don't swerve till you are down below 20 mph.

Or... slam the brakes and swerve - hit another vehicle or say hello to the ditch and a tree.

More vehicles are destroyed by ditches and trees than by deer.

Sounds like jumbofordman did the best he could with the rig and conditions.

I agree.
Having hit more than my share of deer - one thing I've learned
has served me very well....

Hit the horn repeatedly; if you can.
I have chased more "roadkill" off the road this way without incident.
Enough to say it wasn't coincidence.

Glad your ok. Sorry 'bout that nice lookin' Ford.
-br