Broken 6x6 fork fixed in the field

[dokatd]

First day of wheeling at the las cruces chilli challenge, my pinz lost it's 6x6. It would only work going up hill. We left it and continued the trail in my mog. This morning, I decided to tear it apart for the remaining 2 days of trails so my little brother could have a truck to drive. At the camp grounds, it took exactly 2 hrs for me by myself with super basic tools to roll back the two rear axles. Once in, I tore down the witches hat to find a destroyed bushing and a broken shift fork. Luckly I found a nice machine shop that welded the shift fork in 1 hr. I had to leave the bushing out since I didn't have one. But the bushing is only critical at high speed in 6x6. Reassembly of the intire truck was about 3 more hrs minus a brake line issue and bleeding all the hydralics. Truck is back up and running and ready to hit the trails tomorrow.

Still not sure what happened, it looked like I had destroyed the bushing a long time ago. But the broken for is a real mystery. Ther shouldn't be any major forces on this fork, as the mech are all spring loaded. I do suspect that my torque tube is bent, and likely loading the front half of th drive train. The torque tube has two half inch deep dents in the bottom of it. Looks like I will have some further tear down to clean it all up.

Any one else have a shift fork fail?

Sorry totally forgot to take pics ofthe repairs. However, I can say it is very easy and doesn't require much in the way of tools. And of course the body can stay on.

[undysworld]

I did that in my garage when I resealed the rear axles. I'm impressed. I can't say that I would care to remove the rear axles in the field. But then again, you do what it takes, when you have to.

Either way, nice job.

No, I never had a fork break, although I've also got a dent in my tube. No pain, no gain I figured.

[Erik712m]

Never broke the fork. I have had the rear and front axles apart in the drive. Took a couple of days to get it back to gather.

[dokatd]

Link to some pics from the event once the pinz was back up and running.

http://real4x4forums.com/PinzgauerBBS/v ... php?t=5233