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Topic: Blocking or not when working under coach (split from another topic) (Read 905 times) previous topic - next topic - Topic derived from 1997 U320 in Daytona ...

Blocking or not when working under coach (split from another topic)

Quote from: John Haygarth –
My feelings exactly Bob, you aint gonna find another even if it needs a bit of work.
If you have to borrow money from Bank on line of credit as the interest will be minor compared to the savings on price.
But check bulkheads too.
The Canadian $ is bad right now so a $25k sale is $31500 then taxes and fuel to get it home, slowly climbing up there.
JohnH

Thanks John.  Raise the air suspension  to full up.  Then turn the motor and HWH panel off.

Borrow a blanket and crawl around under the entire coach.  If no one touches anything it will not drop. 
"Riding and rejoicing"
Bob
1997 U320 40' Mid entry, build 5132,  wtbi ce27, 4th owner
2007 Solara convertible
2 prodeco tech outlaw ss electric bikes

1095 watts solar
08 Ls 460 and a sc430
2000 Ford F-250 superduty 4x4

Re: Blocking or not when working under coach (split from another topic)

Reply #1 –
Quote from: Caflashbob –
Thanks John.  Raise the air suspension  to full up.  Then turn the motor and HWH panel off.

Borrow a blanket and crawl around under the entire coach.  If no one touches anything it will not drop. 

That is not true.  I was in the bay at MOT and my HWH failed it was off and the engine was off and it lowered to ride height.  Block it up before you ever go under. 
2025 Wanderbox Outpost 32 on F600 Expedition Motorhome
2015 Born Free Royal Splendor on Ford 550 nonslide version  for sale
Former Coaches  covering. 360,000 miles
1999 34 U270
2000 36 U320
2001 42' double slide U320
2018 Jeep Rubicon

Re: Blocking or not when working under coach (split from another topic)

Reply #2 –
Quote from: Caflashbob  -  4 days ago
Thanks John.  Raise the air suspension  to full up.  Then turn the motor and HWH panel off.

Borrow a blanket and crawl around under the entire coach.  If no one touches anything it will not drop. 

This has got to be some of the the worse and deadliest information ever. Never ever crawl under any coach without blocking it up.
"When I die, I want to die like my grandfather who died peacefully in his sleep. Not screaming like all the passengers in his car."

Re: Blocking or not when working under coach (split from another topic)

Reply #3 –
I generally don't get under the coach without blocks in place, but I do find it interesting that of all of the professional shops that I have had work done at (FOT, Xtreme, Colton Truck Terminal, Bernd Ramspeck's), work under the coach without safety stands. I assume that they do when replacing air springs etc., but at FOT, there was a kiosk of sorts with safety stands in it and none of the techs availed themselves of them. When Rance at Xtreme was getting under the coach, I even offered to get out my stands while he was hooking up the steps. I think the almighty dollar and the need to be fast has suppressed good judgement in this industry. I sometimes have the impulse to just crawl under and "git-er-dun", but although I might like to be buried in our coach, I don't want to be buried by it...  :o
Don
Quote from: Mike Brez –
Quote from: Caflashbob  -  4 days ago
Thanks John.  Raise the air suspension  to full up.  Then turn the motor and HWH panel off.

Borrow a blanket and crawl around under the entire coach.  If no one touches anything it will not drop. 

This has got to be some of the the worse and deadliest information ever. Never ever crawl under any coach without blocking it up.
The selected media item is not currently available.
Don & Tys
1999 U270 3602 WTFE #5402
Xtreme Stage 1 w/Headlight, Step Conversion, etc.
2009 Honda Fit Sport with Navi
Freedom is NOT "just another word for nothing left to lose"... with apologies to Kris Kristofferson

Re: Blocking or not when working under coach (split from another topic)

Reply #4 –
Quote from: Mike Brez –
This has got to be some of the the worse and deadliest information ever. Never ever crawl under any coach without blocking it up.

Agreed.  You don't get a do-over if something happens.  That's why the Forum has a sticky topic on this Working Safely around your Foretravel
Learn every day, but especially from the experiences of others. It's cheaper!  - John C. Bogle

2000 U320 36' non-slide / WildEBeest Rescue
2003 U320

Re: Blocking or not when working under coach (split from another topic)

Reply #5 –
This was a internet friend of mine from another site. Had a Prevost bus and was just getting ready to leave with his wife when he crawled under the bus real quick to check something out and the bus came down on him. iRV2 member "Jim Scoggins" - iRV2 Forums
"When I die, I want to die like my grandfather who died peacefully in his sleep. Not screaming like all the passengers in his car."

Re: Blocking or not when working under coach (split from another topic)

Reply #6 –
He was a good man. I still think of him often.
The selected media item is not currently available. Dave Head & Megan Westbrook
Titusville, FL - The Great Outdoors
'98 270 buying this month
Toad is a 2018 F150 XLT

Re: Blocking or not when working under coach (split from another topic)

Reply #7 –
Not to belittle the excellent safety advice given here, but there is one way you can safely work under the coach without stands in place.  And I'm not talking about using a "Pit", which few of us are lucky enough to own.  Dump air and lower the coach all the way down to the stops!  Then, IF you can still get underneath and reach the area of interest, you can proceed without worry.  I know this won't work for everyone, or in every case, but I have done a lot of work this way in the engine compartment and under the front of the coach.  On the GVs at least, there is a lot of room in those areas, and many potential service and/or repair items are quite accessible.
1993 U280 SE 40' WTBI, Build: 4359
C8.3 300hp, 6-Speed, Exhaust Brake
960 watts on the roof (6 x 160)
Sorento (or BOLT) on a Kar Kaddy SS
"Nature abhors a vacuum"

Re: Blocking or not when working under coach (split from another topic)

Reply #8 –
Quote from: cajk –
Not to belittle the excellent safety advice given here, but there is one way you can safely work under the coach without stands in place.  Dump air and lower the coach all the way down to the stops!  Then, IF you can still get underneath and reach the area of interest, you can proceed without worry.
I have done this often when working in the front and in the engine compartment. Lots of room in those areas, I am usually sitting on the ground while working under there. When I worked on the front bulkhead however I used the safety stands.

Roland
1993 U280 4341
2010 Jeep Liberty
The Pied Pipers

Re: Blocking or not when working under coach (split from another topic)

Reply #9 –
Quote from: cajk –
Not to belittle the excellent safety advice given here, but there is one way you can safely work under the coach without stands in place.  And I'm not talking about using a "Pit", which few of us are lucky enough to own.  Dump air and lower the coach all the way down to the stops!  Then, IF you can still get underneath and reach the area of interest, you can proceed without worry.  I know this won't work for everyone, or in every case, but I have done a lot of work this way in the engine compartment and under the front of the coach.  On the GVs at least, there is a lot of room in those areas, and many potential service and/or repair items are quite accessible.
Also be aware that if you are under the front of the coach and a front tire blows (I have seen it happen while vehicle was just sitting there) out you have a good chance of getting squashed. Less likely in the rear. If you are down on the frame and in the front you should also block the axle. The tires add 8-9 inches of height when inflated.
Good luck,
Rick

Re: Blocking or not when working under coach (split from another topic)

Reply #10 –
Good point, Rick.  When I use my "down on the stops" method, I am still very careful where I position my fragile body parts.  Like, I would never place anything of value directly under the front axle.  Blocking the axle sounds like a good idea!
1993 U280 SE 40' WTBI, Build: 4359
C8.3 300hp, 6-Speed, Exhaust Brake
960 watts on the roof (6 x 160)
Sorento (or BOLT) on a Kar Kaddy SS
"Nature abhors a vacuum"

Re: Blocking or not when working under coach (split from another topic)

Reply #11 –
I knew Jim and he was a good man and it was sad when he passed. 

I guess, I have seen murphy to many times so I block up the chassis. I have not really blocked up the axles in the rear as I have a tag and four drive tires. I might do that on the front though next time. I need all the inches there are.  Oh when I do crawl under the back, I do try to do it with a hill and I chock the tires and then even if it drops, it is not that far and I have a lot more room to work.  I have a great hill with an overhang but when I move, I will lose that.
2025 Wanderbox Outpost 32 on F600 Expedition Motorhome
2015 Born Free Royal Splendor on Ford 550 nonslide version  for sale
Former Coaches  covering. 360,000 miles
1999 34 U270
2000 36 U320
2001 42' double slide U320
2018 Jeep Rubicon

Re: Blocking or not when working under coach (split from another topic)

Reply #12 –
It sure is easy to stick a couple of blocks between the rails. I would no more skip that step than I would skip putting my .45 on "safe" before holstering it.
Jay
1989 U280 SE, 36', 3208T Cat, build 3292

Re: Blocking or not when working under coach (split from another topic)

Reply #13 –
In all my years in charge of fleet and equipment maintenance the absolute rule is NEVER get under something that is not blocked.  Air and hydraulics can fail.  It's rare, I have seen it happen but injury was prevented by blocking the item.  In one case a brand new semi-dump body came down during per-acceptance inspection because the supplier fitted the wrong hose, that ruptured, in the hoist system.  A split rim (good riddance to them) blew off in the shop, the tire explosively decompressed and the truck settled down.  An air suspension bag blew on a trailer, and in one instance a mechanic, who thought he knew what he was doing, disconnected an air line supplying air to a raised assembly.

I could go on.  It's just not worth the risk.

Keith
Keith, Joyce & Smokey the Australian Cattle Dog
1995 U320 SE Extreme 40' WTBI Build # 4780, with a Honda CR-V hopefully still following behind.
Motorcade # 17030
FMCA # F422159

Re: Blocking or not when working under coach (split from another topic)

Reply #14 –
John S adds another key part to working under your coach.  Put wheel chocks on to prevent your coach from moving either way. A couple minutes of prudent behavior could save your life.

Roger
Roger Engdahl and Susan Green
2001 U320 3610 #5879 (Home2) - 2014 Jeep Cherokee or 2018 F150
Hastings, MN

Re: Blocking or not when working under coach (split from another topic)

Reply #15 –
Always block, you never know what might fail.
Peter and Frieda Morin
1999 36ft. U320 Foretravel
Build # 5436
1998 Suzuki Sidekick Sport

Re: Blocking or not when working under coach (split from another topic)

Reply #16 –
I have seen my HWH go "loopy" too many times to ever get under the coach without block up.  It's cheap and easy to make blocks from square tube, so why not?  I also made some drive up ramps from 2X12 lumber stacked together and screwed together with 6" length difference on each layer.  Makes a strong excellent drive on ramp.  The coach will climb it for both front axle or drive axle work.  Always chock the wheels!
Current coach 1996 U320 40'
Previous coach, 1990 36' U280