---
title: "What’s the Most Catastrophic Mechanical Failure You’ve Ever Seen?"
description: "Nobody likes to think about their own twisted metal, but we're here to swap stories, so why not."
date: "2021-03-16"
modified: "2021-03-16"
authors:
  - name: "Caleb Jacobs"
    job_title: "Senior Editor"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/caleb-jacobs"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/39810/whats-the-most-catastrophic-mechanical-failure-youve-ever-seen"
categories:
  - "Culture"
  - "News"
  - "QOTD"
---

# What’s the Most Catastrophic Mechanical Failure You’ve Ever Seen?

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-td/content/2021/03/Mechanical-Failure-Hero.jpg>)
*\<em\>www.thedrive.com</em>*

Not to piggyback off someone else's bad day, but [that new Jeep Wrangler that went *kaboom*](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/39794/rv-driver-annihilates-their-new-jeep-wrangler-by-flat-towing-it-in-4-low>) after being flat-towed in 4-Low has me curious. What could be worse than that, from a mechanical standpoint? Have you ever seen the like, from grenaded transfer cases to blown-apart engine blocks? Surely someone here has a great story.

I'd also like to see pictures if you've got 'em. If you don't, it's no biggie, but you get extra internet points for showing proof.

![message-editor%2F1615928165600-jeepwranglerblowapart.jpg](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/content-b/message-editor/1615928165600-jeepwranglerblowapart.jpg>)
*That's the Jeep's block, in case you couldn't tell., *VIA TIKTOK | @SBCSDIME210**

Lucky for me, I can't say I've ever had a car do what that Jeep did. The closest I've ever come to a mishap like that was when the dump-bed frame on my '66 Ford [split apart with five tons tilted toward the sky](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/33102/ive-already-been-humbled-by-my-55-year-old-ford-dump-truck>). It could've been a lot worse, seeing as it didn't jolt my truck on its side with me in the cab. Also, I just so happen to know a guy—my brother-in-law—who got me fixed in one afternoon.

I wrote [an entire post](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/33137/how-i-fixed-my-1966-ford-dump-trucks-busted-up-bed-frame>) about how we fixed it, and I'm getting ready to see how long it'll last as we put it to work this spring.

![message-editor%2F1615928279359-truckbed1.jpg](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/content-b/message-editor/1615928279359-truckbed1.jpg>)
**Caleb Jacobs**

![message-editor%2F1615928292168-truckbed2.jpg](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/content-b/message-editor/1615928292168-truckbed2.jpg>)
*Caleb Jacobs*

![message-editor%2F1615928296367-truckbed3.jpg](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/content-b/message-editor/1615928296367-truckbed3.jpg>)
*Caleb Jacobs*

Enough about me and my silly trucks, though. I want to hear your stories, whether they happened [at the drag strip](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/37628/the-aftermath-of-a-3000-hp-dodge-cummins-diesel-that-exploded-on-the-dyno>), going down the highway, or in the backwoods somewhere. They can also be someone else's mechanical failure, like something you'd find on [r/justrolledintotheshop](<https://www.reddit.com/r/Justrolledintotheshop/>), but make sure to include a link if that's the case.

I'll see you in the comments, along with some of my buddies from *The Drive*. I'm sure the *Car Bibles* crew has some tall tales they'd like to share, too.

*Got a question or a tip? Contact the author here: caleb@thedrive.com*

## Author
Caleb Jacobs is The Drive’s senior editor. When he’s not searching for stories or poring over copy, he’s usually driving his dump truck or wishing it was running so he could drive it. He was born and raised in the Missouri Ozarks, and he lives there today with his family.

### Author social links  
[LinkedIn](<https://www.linkedin.com/in/caleb-jacobs-319323119>)  
[Instagram](<https://instagram.com/calebjwords>)  
[Twitter](<https://twitter.com/calebjacobs0611>)