4 Wheel Drive/SUVs: Jeep trouble, drive train components, jeep wrangler

Question
Hey Carl,
I went off roading today in stock Jeep Wrangler and got bogged down in a sinkhole pretty bad. I was stuck up to the bumpers while I was winching out.
The problem I am having is that since I went into that sinkhole, the clutch has stopped working. The vehicle will start, but if I try to put it in gear, the gears just grind. It will start in gear (with the clutch pedal pressed) but when I release it, the vehicle doesn't move at all.
The Jeep has been towed since, on hardball for about 12 miles.
Ever hear/see something like that? Any suggestions are appreciated.
4 Low and Go, baby,
Saif

Answer
Saif,

Yep, seen this more than once.  Depending on how deep you were, and what the composition of the stuff you were stuck in can take it's toll on many of the drive-train components.

Some times the mud, (I'm assuming that the sink hole was mud) contains a high concentration of clay.  If this is the case, and it got into the clutch and dried, it can dry as hard as rock.  The muck may have ruined your throw out bearing also.  You can try to hose out everything with a pressure washer, but it this doesn't work then it sounds like it's time to pull the tranny, and check out the clutch, pressure plate, and throw out bearing.

If there was a lot of water in the mix, you should check the fluids in your transmission, transfer case and both differentials also.  It is real common for water to get into these components, and if not changed soon, it can ruin the bearings.

Carl