Bronco Accident

[DirtDonk]

I would like to know for sure if the cage was tied to the frame. If it is, that is going to be my next thing to do on my bronco,my family cage is tied to the body.

I couldn't tell from that pic since it's hard to see any of the key spots, but I would expect not. Not by any clues given, but more based on the fact that most people never do that last detail on cage installs.
I would not expect from the description of the accident that even a sheet-metal bolted cage would have pulled out of the body. It's not as robust as mounting to the frame of course, but it's pretty strong given the footprint and likely near 22 bolts or more holding it down.
Better still if it has at least reinforcing plates bolted to the backside of the sheet metal, or really large washers under each bolt. But yeah, frame mounting is the stronger still. Just harder to accomplish.

Paul

 

[AFLtCol]

Not trying to take away from the benefit of a cage/roll bar. But back in the 80s my dad rolled his 69 Bronco down the side of a levy while playing in the snow and drinking Wild Turkey. Bronco rolled twice landing back upright on all 4. No roll bar, just the hardtop, and bronco drove away with minimal damage. Dad did get a cut from a muzzle loader that was flopping around with him at the time.

 

[No Hay]

Lot's of scenarios, but in general there's not too many if, any pluses about our broncos in regards to MVAs. It does seem like they almost always end up on their top though.

Yep. That's why I finally extended my basic 4 point to a 6 point and tied it to the frame. On the highway, it could be on it's top quite a few times before it comes to rest.

Just crashing a dirt bike and quad is violent and painful with pads and helmet. I hope to never experience this.

Best wishes to all involved.

 

[Broncobowsher]

Back to looking at the damage. Devils advocate here...
What did the 6-point get over what a 4-point in this case? Nothing really. Passengers just had further to fall when they released the seatbelts. You do that when you are hanging upside down. Everyone I know who has rolled something doesn't think about being on there lid and goes crashing to the roof. When I rolled my ranger the only injury was a scrap to the knee as it smacked the dash when I released the seatbelt.
Adding weight up high can increase the roll over potential.

Few other things to look at. The door opening. It's jacked. The wrinkle on the quarter panel, that wasn't from impact. That was from the floor buckling under the cages foot. The front looks like it took a harder hit and further punched into the floor. My thinking is to question how solid was the body? Is this one of those semi-crusty bodies that was buried in bedliner and given a shiny paint job to look good? Until someone actually looks at the body, or personally knows the truck this will never be known.

As far as adding airbags, you have no idea how an airbag works. It supports the body as the crumple zone crumples. Broncos don't have crumple zones. You are a victim of new car marketing where more airbags means a safer car where often the extra ones are either a marketing item or a way around an engineering issue. The number of Broncos that would have to be destroyed sending them into a wall to validate them. And doing a lift, changing anything with a steering shaft or an aftermarket bumper will alter the calibration and need more trips into the wall. Even then you still are not addressing the issue of the lack of a crumple zone, nor things like the steering shaft spearing you as a solid rod goes into your chest. You should probably go buy a Volvo.

 

[Attac]

from looking at the pic it looks as the lap belt was cut close to the driver opening. The lap belt is hanging long near the tunnel but no buckle can be seen on driver door opening.
The biggest problem people have with the harnesses is that they do not adjust them properly to fit each new person who gets in the seat. you should damn near not be able to move if it is adjusted correctly. Now this makes it a pain to look back to check blind spots etc. but that is the way a harness is supposed to work. If you do get in a wreck you will have bruises from the harness and maybe neck injuries, and arms flailing around can get crushed, so you really never come out unscathed.
Hope the occupants come through ok.
Chuck

 

[Rustytruck]

This cage like it or not did the job it was asked to do. It did nothing to save the truck but it gave the passengers a chance they would not likly have had. Lack of headrest for the back seat is the biggest problem especially for children where their neck muscles are not fully developed. I wish the best for all involved.

 

[TheGanzman]

Myself, I just consider my Bronco a "motorcycle with 4 wheels". If I crash it, I am HOPEFULLY gonna die - hence the Stroppe roll bar and regular seat belts. I'd rather be DEAD than a vegetable that my wife needs to spoon-feed for the rest of my miserable life - at 60 years old, I've cheated death a PILE of times...

Old vehicles are pretty much "unsafe at ANY speed" - a lifted, short wheelbase, large-tired vehicle pretty much "pegs the UNSAFETY needle". Roll bars, roll cages, 3-point belts - you're prolly better off with a plastic Jesus on the dash and a St. Christopher medal on the sun visor; things that were likely NOT in place on the Bronco under discussion...

 

[markw]

Ganzman, consider the more likely event of a hard fender bender. Without a shoulder restraint the body pivots over the lap belt as the head gains speed until contacting the dash, steering wheel or windshield. Not likely to kill or incapacitate you but it will sure ruin your day. Lacerations, jaw fracture, missing teeth, nose fracture, cheek bones. Time consuming to treat and reconstruct. Not to mention expensive. Ow do I know? I was a resident in Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery during the times before seatbelt and helmet laws and before airbags were common. Many people still using only lap belts who had non fatal but life altering injuries. The face is a crush zone designed to protect the eyes and the brain and it does a pretty good job of it but doesn't look so great afterward. Give that shoulder harness some consideration my friend.

 

[BluebroncoNC]

I wish someone made an aftermarket airbag steering wheel or even passenger one that could be installed in sheet metal. Make these old beautiful rigs a little more safe.

Until it deploys when I roll over a dime at 60mph.;D

Edit: There is a reason I went to high back bucket seats, a roll bar tied into the frame and full 3 point belt system. Now you guys have got me looking into padding a roll bar. I did not see any blood staining on the pavement. That was at least a good sign. Usually head trauma bleed something fierce.

 

[rmk57]

Roll bars or cages are meant to used as part of a system, helmets, 5-point harness. The NHRA wont let you race ANY car without a helmet if you have a rollbar installed. That rule is there for drivers safety.

In the rollover accident it probably saved their lives or a least the rear passengers lives. With the roof on in the same rollover, side impact I'd rather not have one.

 

[coachbarnes]

Give that shoulder harness some consideration my friend.

It's the first mod I've done to practically every EB I've owned. I've got a Stroppe that is about 99% original and I put in a shoulder harness even though it required modification to the original roll bar. I'm way less worried about a roll than I am some knucklehead rear ending me!

 

[norm02]

Not trying to take away from the benefit of a cage/roll bar. But back in the 80s my dad rolled his 69 Bronco down the side of a levy while playing in the snow and drinking Wild Turkey. Bronco rolled twice landing back upright on all 4. No roll bar, just the hardtop, and bronco drove away with minimal damage. Dad did get a cut from a muzzle loader that was flopping around with him at the time.

That theory works great so long as you don't take the hard top off. The other thing to consider was that you're father's roll over was likely a low speed incident.

What concerns me is having a rollover at highway speeds which could cause enough force to crush the hard top. If you have a Bronco and you're never going to pull the hard top off it, then you "get away with" a roll bar I suppose.

 

[rydog1130]

That theory works great so long as you don't take the hard top off. The other thing to consider was that you're father's roll over was likely a low speed incident.

What concerns me is having a rollover at highway speeds which could cause enough force to crush the hard top. If you have a Bronco and you're never going to pull the hard top off it, then you "get away with" a roll bar I suppose.

The wild turkey probably helped a lot too....

 

[AFLtCol]

The wild turkey probably helped a lot too....

Yes the roll-over(s) was at low speed, all down hill in a bed of snow. And the Wild Turkey did help, dad didn't feel a thing.

But back to the accident, I pray that all are doing well.

 

[ntsqd]

Anyone dug up the details on that wreck? It does not look good. Thoughts & prayers for those involved.

MISF was stopped once for something else (any number of likely reasons) and told that his 5 point harness was not KA legal because it did not cross his chest!

 

[LilMixedUp]

not an engineer, but having a 17 year old wreck one of my Broncos for me back in Feb... I for one am thankful I installed shoulder harness and roll bar!!! I'd hate to think of "what-ifs" had we not been buckled!

Ditto on the thoughts and prayers for those involved.

 

[blubuckaroo]

Roll bar, of coarse!
Roll cage? That's the debate.
In this case, the car had a cage as topless.
My problem happens when you have a cage and a top too.
You've created a hazard by adding too much leverage on the chassis.
Handling is certainly impaired.

 

[rydog1130]

I tried looking for updates on this ....driver took the brunt and went to a trauma center, couldn't find anything else out even trie finding them on Facebook ...no luck

 

[norm02]

Roll bar, of coarse!
Roll cage? That's the debate.
In this case, the car had a cage as topless.
My problem happens when you have a cage and a top too.
You've created a hazard by adding too much leverage on the chassis.
Handling is certainly impaired.

As previously mentioned, I think you would be perfectly fine with just a standard roll bar if you're keeping a hard top on it. The front portion of a cage is what appeals to me and that is only because I know good and well that the windshield frame won't begin to support any weight.

 

[JefeAZ]

http://www.carrollcountytimes.com/n...nt-airy-injured-collision-20160822-story.html

A Mount Airy man was flown to Shock Trauma at the University of Maryland Medical Center on Saturday after a car collision in Monrovia.

Thomas Simons, was driving a Ford Bronco westbound on Fingerboard Road in Frederick County when he hit an Infiniti QX60 that failed to yield the right away to Simons' vehicle at approximately 3:30 p.m. Saturday, according to a news release from Maryland State Police.

The Infiniti, driven by Abhilash Rao, of Ellicott City, was attempting to cross Fingerboard Road at Ed McClain Road when it was hit, according to police.

Simons and two juvenile passengers riding in the Infiniti were flown to University of Maryland Medical Center's Shock Trauma. Rao and two other juveniles from the Infiniti were taken to Frederick Memorial Hospital, as well as Lori Osteen, who was a passenger in the Ford, according to the release.

Troopers with the Frederick Barrack are investigating the collision and charges are pending, according to the release.

heather.mongilio@carrollcountytimes.com

410-857-7898

http://www.wusa9.com/news/local/frederick-county/2-juveniles-injured-in-md-car-accident/303679279

FREDERICK COUNTY, MD (WUSA9) - Two juveniles were air-lifted to the hospital after a serious car accident on Fingerboard Road, Maryland State Police said.

An Infiniti that did not yield to the right of way hit a Ford Bronco near Ed McClain Road, causing it to T-bone the car, police said.

The Infinite, carrying Abhilash Rao, Srinivasa Rao and four juveniles, was traveling westbound when the accident occurred.

The occupants of the Bronco were identified as Thomas Simons, of Mount Airy, and Lori Osteen. They were seriously injured in the crash after the Bronco rolled off the road, a family member told WUSA9.

Abhilash, the driver of the Infiniti, and two juveniles inside were transported to R. Adams Cowley Shock Trauma. The other passengers were taken to Frederick Memorial Hospital.

Charges are pending on further investigation.

This story has been updated.