| Author |
Message |
captain ron (Captain_ron)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, February 16, 2006 - 7:02 pm: | |
Well I was finaly getting out of here today headed to get my front cap but I ran into a little set back. I slid off my dads drive way and the only thing keeping me from going into a deep gully was a tree about 3 or 4 inches in diameter. The guys that are gonna get me out won't try till morning. then there gonna bring 2 wreckers and put one up top where I took last picture from and one down close to bus and run a cable with a block on it so to pull up hill with the one from below. I'll post those pics tomorow. till then look at these http://community.webshots.com/myphotos?action=showPhoto&albumID=547658838&photoID=26073718 50034725705&security=JOSUPL |
David Hartley (Drdave)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, February 16, 2006 - 7:16 pm: | |
Ice + Bus and curved driveway... Eeeewwwwwwhh! |
Mike S.
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, February 16, 2006 - 7:33 pm: | |
Ron, you do know its your own fault! A GOOD son would have shoveled his dads driveway before leaving, it looks like it only a mile or so long. I do hope you get it out with out too many problems, best of luck and take it slow & steady on the icy roads. Mike |
JR
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, February 16, 2006 - 8:03 pm: | |
Gads! I'd have to clean out my pants! Maybe the warm weather will improve the roads tomorrow.
Are you in the driveway or on a road?
Hope you get wrecker drivers that have "rigging" blood!
Good luck dude! JR |
John MC9
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, February 16, 2006 - 8:24 pm: | |
Make sure they use the pull loops under the front bumper, and nothing else. |
Luke Bonagura (Lukeatuscoach)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, February 16, 2006 - 8:32 pm: | |
Hi Ron and Folks:
Ron, Sorry for your misfortune, but be aware that without experienced tow personnel they could make a bad situation worse, in my opinion!!!!
In looking at the photo it is tough to tell where workers can get to, as far as direction, with lifting capability????
My concern for you is that lifting an "Old" Structure" can produce more damage, while providing the"Cure" to your problem.
I have seen coaches in that situation and if it were mine I would advise the towing company to bring a bunching of cribbing (Wood).
What they want to do is "LIFT" or "Jack" your coach while placing wooden ramps under the right side duals and building a wood road for the Right Rear Wheels!!! And then you just drive it back on to the Driveway.
Best place to lift it is at the Right Rear Duals (if they can get in there with a Sling???) This will not hurt the structural integrity of your coach!!!!!
I believe it was Zack from the GMC Busnuts Board (As I get older, details get fuzzier!!!!) who called me a year or two ago with the exactly same situation as yours, with a 4104. I gave him the same info. as I am typing to you now and he called me back to let me know that the coach was extricated without any damage!!!!
Unfortunately many tow company personnel are used to dealing with a wreck, where equipment is already seriously damaged due to an accident so that their motivation is to just be done with it. No concern has to be given to additional damage that they may cause, because in many cases the vehicle is already totaled for insurance purposes or poses a threat to other vehicles and must be removed.
I Hope this HELPS!!!!
Happy & SAFE!! Bussin' to ALL.
LUKE at US COACH |
Marc Bourget
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, February 16, 2006 - 8:38 pm: | |
GREAT ADVICE LUKE! True to your character! |
Jon W.
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, February 16, 2006 - 8:39 pm: | |
Having lived in snow country and having experienced first hand a similar situation (the bus was sliding into my barn) I want to endorse what Luke said but add one thing. Depending how the RH side is raised there may be danger of the coach continuing to slip to the right. I would urge that before trying to lift or jack the RH side for the "ramp" that it be secured to something strong on the left such as a big tree so it cannot slip sideways to the right.
I had to get mine out in a similar situation myself with jacks and chains to secure it. Not fun, but by being patient it can be safe and will not result in any damage.
Good luck. |
Robert J. Wies (Ncbob)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, February 16, 2006 - 8:48 pm: | |
!
C'mon guys...cut the guy some slack! He was brave enough to show the rest of the results of poor planning. I'd have called the wreckers FIRST!
Just kidding...I'd been up there just a couple of days before and we'd discussed whether or not he was just another p***y or if he'd really do it!
For the record...he's no p***y! Not too bright but definitely my kind of man! |
motorcoach1
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, February 16, 2006 - 9:22 pm: | |
good job there Ron hehehe been there done that,, wish i had some good advise but go slow and things will work out,, if your around columbia sc let me know you can stay in the parking lot it's flat |
captain ron (Captain_ron)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, February 16, 2006 - 9:53 pm: | |
Thanks guys. I'll let you know the out come tomorow and post some more pictures. We are suposed to get some rain in the morning I hope we beat it. wish me luck |
Bill Gerrie
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, February 17, 2006 - 1:03 am: | |
Ron
Good luck and as Luke says "take it easy". Wouldn't want to cause anymore damage. Bill |
Bryce Gaston (Busted_knuckle)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, February 17, 2006 - 1:21 am: | |
Ron as Luke points out "cribbing as you jack that low side up is the best way, and as I told ya on the phone if ya can get the guy with the track hoe up there it would be better than a wrecker (did I say that? after all I own wreckers & grew up around them!) yes I said it! The track hoe operator can adjust the direction of his pull as he goes and he'll have lots of cribbing I guarantee it! Just ask when you call so he knows to bring plenty with him! Also something we didn't discuss is he maybe able to restructure part of the area before pulling and would be a great help on the tough part you said you haven't gotten too yet! Any way you got my # if I can be of help call! Also ask whoever is pulling how, what, when. where and any other questions you can think of and if something doesn't sound right tell him and make him explain until yer comfortable with the plan! best thing to remember is SLOW AND EASY! & don't be afraid to stop and regroup because of time haste makes waste and it could get uglier! Bryce aka Busted Knuckle |
Sojourner (Jjimage)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, February 17, 2006 - 2:02 am: | |
Sorry you’re in a rut…but do read Luke’s points well especially wrecker pulling point…hooks are behind under front bumper 2 foot from both sides and piles of woods.
Notes: Front bumper must be in “open” position while coach is being towing…as per manual. I believe to prevent damage to bumper.
Caution…they are ONLY for TOWING or PULLING purpose as per MCI manual….NOT for LIFTING.
Remember you can release air pressure to tag’s bag (trailing suspension) via turn two air valves to “off” position (lever in horizontal position). This will add more weight to duals for more traction. Valves are right side upper mid-way behind tag’s wheel fender.
Before let air off of tags & while waiting for wrecker, get several (perhaps 6 or more of each) pieces of 2 ½ foot long of 2x6 and 4x4. Dig mud out…away from front of right dual to allow room to insert woods between tire tread & firm ground.
Save these wood for future use.
Now turn tag’s air “off” settle on wood for more traction
Sprinkle dry play sand over woods & ground as well left dual path.
Have wrecker park in front of bus 20 or 30 ft away on non slippery surface, using his winch to pull you out.
Ron…while wrecker is pulling via winch…throttle just enough to avoid right dual from spinning (keep from digging down) but help ease your bus out.
Leave air “off” to tags until you’re out of slippery driveway.
Wish you well!
Sojourn for Christ, Jerry |
sylverstone (Sylverstone_pd4501864)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, February 17, 2006 - 3:53 am: | |
ya know, in looking at this, unless there's something i'm not seeing here, a dozen railroad ties or similar, a portable air compressor, and a couple heavy chains and you should be able to walk this thing out.
if it were mine i'd be chaining my front tow hooks and rear tow bar, tow hooks, whatever i could find, to big trees on the upside. ... then pump the air up in the drive axle bags on the downhill side (or both if you can't disconnect 'em) ...
then crib the tag axle wheels on the downslope, and slowly fill the bags on the tag. repeat this few times and you should be level, unless the ground is really soft, in which case it may be 5-10 times as you bury the ties in the ground.
unless of course you don't have airbags?
i know it would work on my scenicruiser, because i use a pair of railroad ties whenever i need to do work under it (i just drive it up on them, so i can get out from under it with flat bags) but my cruiser is 21k on the rear axles and 8k on the front ones, so for the most part the front has nothing to do with how it sits.
i hope that's a private road, i'd hate to have a logging truck or some kid in a 4x4 hit it or something :/
-dd |
Bryce Gaston (Busted_knuckle)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, February 17, 2006 - 10:23 am: | |
Well Ron there ya go just snap those fingers and all this stuff, will just drop out of the sky, since yer blocking the only way in and out of your dads driveway!Watch out for those falling railroad ties they could hurt! Good Luck! |
sylverstone (Sylverstone_pd4501864)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, February 17, 2006 - 12:37 pm: | |
erm.
i carry 2 short railroad ties and the chains with me, so i can get under the bus if i need to.
-dd |
Bryce Gaston (Busted_knuckle)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, February 17, 2006 - 12:46 pm: | |
-dd I understand and Ron Probably will to once he gets it set up better as he is just getting it & getting started converting it (I have no clue as to how well he's equiped it yet). But in yer earlier post you say "a dozen railroad ties" and I don't know any body who carries that many or would have room for them if they wanted too! 2 is more like it as far as having them on board! And yes at least 2 chains should always be carried if nothing else but to get pulled out of the roadway should a break down occur! But hey thats another thread subject on how to equip a bus! |
sylverstone (Sylverstone_pd4501864)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, February 17, 2006 - 1:17 pm: | |
yeah.
we don't know where he is, what the situation is though. chainsaw handy? blown down tree handy?
not enough info available.
basically i wanted to point out that most airbag equipped buses have the capability of jacking themselves up 8-12 inches at a time...
*shrug*
a good wrecker jockey will be able to get him out without a whole lot of pain.
-dd |
Bryce Gaston (Busted_knuckle)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, February 17, 2006 - 1:39 pm: | |
Well I called Ron on the phone and asked questions as I've been a TOW TRUCK operator for 25 yrs, and still own and operate them. So after reading Ron's post and looking over the pics I called and we discussed options while I looked at each pic and asked more specifics, and after finding out a guy up the road has several track hoes I recommended the use of one of them over a tow truck for more than 1 reason. I own Tow trucks and still think the other is a better option in this instance. By the way A well seasoned tow truck operater prefers to be called just that as a tow truck operator solves problems, and in most cases is needed after the wreck has happened! A wrecker jockey is more inline with someone with little or no experince who causes more damage recovering a vehicle! Just my opinion! Also my last post on the subject as I probably have no clue after being around tow trucks of all sizes for more than 30 of my 40 yrs! FWIW and if I owe ya for my free opinion , well charge it, cause I'd rather owe ya than to beat it out of ya! Bryce aka Busted Knuckle of Busted Knuckle Garage & Towing! (by the way I came by these busted knuckles honestly) |
Ed (Ednj)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, February 17, 2006 - 5:16 pm: | |
At least some of the snow melted.
Good to see you got it out.
I like the hole shot picture, where that big engine can do a wheelie on take off. |
Ian Giffin (Admin)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, February 17, 2006 - 6:12 pm: | |
Well, all I can say is thank goodness you had Hulk Hogan standing there to help. How lucky was THAT?
Ian
www.busnut.com |
DMDave
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, February 17, 2006 - 8:09 pm: | |
Ian is winner of best post 2/17/06 |
John MC9
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, February 17, 2006 - 8:38 pm: | |
Great PIX! And a great job getting it out safely.
Duh story ended well, Ron. |