I had the beast towed in yesterday , 89 foretravel :) A few PICS

Topic: I had the beast towed in yesterday , 89 foretravel :) A few PICS (Read 1911 times) previous topic - next topic

I had the beast towed in yesterday , 89 foretravel :) A few PICS

May 26, 2015, 12:24:40 am

They towed it from the rear !!!

He ran an air hose to the front of the coach and aired up the bags..

So, I didn't end up needing the hub covers after all.. but I've got them in case I ever need them

I was point man driving down the highway with my flashers.. so I didn't get to get a picture of it being towed, except for the random shot I took of him behind me.

Sunday traffic was so much better than if I had chose a week day.. or even a Saturday

I had to steer the coach as he backed it into the spot... it just made it easier for him..

It took him about 2 hours to prep. and we were on the road..!!

It didn't look as dirty under over head parking... the sunlight made it look really filthy .. We are getting 8 to 10 inches of rain tonight in Houston with gusts of up to 100 miles per hour.. it ought to look a lot better tomorrow. !!!

Picture #2, he is chaining the rear end up to the frame

I should have compacted the limestone !!! 12 yards of limestone, recently dumped and spread...

He kept it at 50 mph most of the way.

Re: I had the beast towed in yesterday , 89 foretravel :) A few PICS

Reply #1 – May 26, 2015, 06:49:51 am

Mark tks for the pictures. Appears you have a project but a great start. That coach should be able to come back to life. Several forum members have undertaken such a job I hope you can get the help you need to save you some coins in getting it back on the road. DAN

Re: I had the beast towed in yesterday , 89 foretravel :) A few PICS

Reply #2 – May 26, 2015, 08:19:19 am

Mark, On the front of your coach are 2 2 inch receivers. Those were put there to tow the coach with. There may be in the coach a tow bar that will fit those receivers which would make towing much easier. Glad you got it home safely. If I was not 900 miles away I would volunteer to help you on site, but guess you will have to get along with all the advice you will receive here. Good luck.
Gary B

Re: I had the beast towed in yesterday , 89 foretravel :) A few PICS

Reply #3 – May 26, 2015, 09:19:59 am

Mark--Congrats! It looks like your planning paid off and you landed safely. Good job. It was fun for us to cheer from the bleachers without having to crawl under the baby! All the best on the rest. I'll stay tuned...Paul

Re: I had the beast towed in yesterday , 89 foretravel :) A few PICS

Reply #4 – May 26, 2015, 09:58:48 am

Mark,

Congrats on getting your rig home! Good photos too. Takes all the pressure

off finding the air problem.

Sorry I missed your call. Graduation weekend for relatives.

Pierce

Re: I had the beast towed in yesterday , 89 foretravel :) A few PICS

Reply #5 – May 26, 2015, 10:26:06 am

I am glad you got it home safely. If it was pulled by the rear axle, your rear bulkhead joint has been under stress because that is where the control arms (trailing arms) attach to the axle. So unless he ran straps all the way to front bulkhead, check your bulkhead bolts. If there is no separation of the bulkhead joint after that stress test, they are probably okay, but it is something to check on.
Don

Re: I had the beast towed in yesterday , 89 foretravel :) A few PICS

Reply #6 – May 26, 2015, 10:49:32 am

Don.
I share your concerns, can't tell from pix if the wrecker used an axle lift (I doubt) or chained the axle or rear frame work, other than the axle lift arm would panic me ?
Most wrecker oprs are only concerned for delivery, unseen damage is no concern.
I would insist on front tow with axle lift and remove both axles with covers.

Re: I had the beast towed in yesterday , 89 foretravel :) A few PICS

Reply #7 – May 26, 2015, 01:28:54 pm

Mark.

You might want to get some thick boards under the tires to spread the load as you did not compact the gravel. Make it a lot easier when you want to move it in the future.

Keith

Re: I had the beast towed in yesterday , 89 foretravel :) A few PICS

Reply #8 – May 26, 2015, 02:47:26 pm

Quote from: acousticart – May 26, 2015, 10:26:06 am

I am glad you got it home safely. If it was pulled by the rear axle, your rear bulkhead joint has been under stress because that is where the control arms (trailing arms) attach to the axle. So unless he ran straps all the way to front bulkhead, check your bulkhead bolts. If there is no separation of the bulkhead joint after that stress test, they are probably okay, but it is something to check on.
Don

No Sir,

It was not pulled by the back axel ..... there's heavy duty frame work that drops low that he put his forks under.. it was a perfect fit..

Hence, the reason he chained the differential to the upper frame so it wouldnt just hang going down the road..

I am going to call it, "The wheelie bar frame" Assuming that's what the steel swival wheel attatched is for... if you were to bottom out leaving a steep driveway ... Not that I'm going to be popping any wheelies going down a drag strip anytime soon ...

I did snap a picture of the where the forks were placed.. i'll share that picture later today when I'm back home.

Re: I had the beast towed in yesterday , 89 foretravel :) A few PICS

Reply #9 – May 26, 2015, 02:48:23 pm

Thanks everyone for all your congrats and support ... !!!

Mark

Re: I had the beast towed in yesterday , 89 foretravel :) A few PICS

Reply #10 – May 26, 2015, 03:12:20 pm

Quote from: Mark of Houston – May 26, 2015, 02:47:26 pm

It was not pulled by the back axel ..... there's heavy duty frame work that drops low that he put his forks under.. it was a perfect fit..

Perhaps a Stinger? Ingram Wrecker Sales, Inc. New Vulcan Wreckers

Re: I had the beast towed in yesterday , 89 foretravel :) A few PICS

Reply #11 – May 26, 2015, 04:05:28 pm

Mark,

As it WAS picked up from well toward the rear of the coach from the bulkhead (the bulkhead is located just in front of the rear wheels), you absolutely DO need to check the rear bulkhead, as there was quite a lot of "unnatural" strain on it.

Re: I had the beast towed in yesterday , 89 foretravel :) A few PICS

Reply #12 – May 26, 2015, 07:04:59 pm

Quote from: wolfe10 – May 26, 2015, 04:05:28 pm

Mark,

As it WAS picked up from well toward the rear of the bulkhead (located just in front of the rear wheels), you absolutely DO need to check the rear bulkhead, as there was quite a lot of "unnatural" strain on it.

No Sir, it was picked up from the very rear.. about 12 inches or so inside of the bumper.... there is a massive heavy duty welded steel frame that comes down each side and across .. it has drag a wheel attatched to it.. It's made to drag the ground first I assume before it tears anything out from underneath my coach. He placed his upward forks under that framework that is well below everything..
This is all part of my coach.. not his equipment.. I didn't look, but I'm pretty sure my receiver hitch is welded to this same heavy duty framework and the Detroit motor is probably mounted to this same framework higher up... I'll post a picture when I get home.

I'll check my bulkhead out just the same, as it sounds like some of you were having problems with it...

Thanks

Mark

Re: I had the beast towed in yesterday , 89 foretravel :) A few PICS

Reply #13 – May 26, 2015, 07:51:20 pm

Mark,

The rear bulkhead is forward of the point which the truck picked from if I understand where you are describing. That frame attaches to the bulkhead. Therefore the stress is placed on the bulkhead and the rolock'so which holds it together. The bulkhead really needs to be checked.

Larry

Re: I had the beast towed in yesterday , 89 foretravel :) A few PICS

Reply #14 – May 26, 2015, 10:27:46 pm

Interesting discussion here (among tow truck drivers) about the "Diesel Pusher Rear Tow". Food for thought...

Diesel Pusher Rear Tow in Motor Coach & Emergency Vehicle Towing Forum

Re: I had the beast towed in yesterday , 89 foretravel :) A few PICS

Reply #15 – May 26, 2015, 11:04:29 pm

Here are his upward forks... resting under my crash bar.... note my solid steel swivel wheel

You can't see my drivers side steel swiveled wheel in this picture or very much of his other fork.

Re: I had the beast towed in yesterday , 89 foretravel :) A few PICS

Reply #16 – May 26, 2015, 11:23:42 pm

Quote from: cajk – May 26, 2015, 10:27:46 pm

Interesting discussion here (among tow truck drivers) about the "Diesel Pusher Rear Tow". Food for thought...

Diesel Pusher Rear Tow in Motor Coach & Emergency Vehicle Towing Forum

Great thread cajk !!! I didn't like the way his forks were sitting in that picture... funny how everybody has a different opnion sometimes.. I felt real good about my tow truck operators choice and placement of forks.. I was only covered for 2 hours of pre tow prepwork.. then it was going to be $350 / hour on me...

... It took him exactly two hours to get it set to go..

I tipped him 50 bucks... I felt like I should have given him more.. He worked his arse off..

Mark

Door opened and closed fine when lifted, ... no windows popping... body appeared to be straight...

Anyone have any idea what those steel swiveled drag wheels I speak of are called ?

Re: I had the beast towed in yesterday , 89 foretravel :) A few PICS

Reply #17 – May 27, 2015, 08:32:13 am

Quote from: ohsonew – May 26, 2015, 07:51:20 pm

The rear bulkhead is forward of the point which the truck picked from if I understand where you are describing. That frame attaches to the bulkhead. Therefore the stress is placed on the bulkhead and the rolock'so which holds it together. The bulkhead really needs to be checked.

Mark,

Here are 2 threads where you can see some photos to better describe what folks are talking about

Has this happened to anyone?

Christi and Ray's frame separation issue (was Calamity Jane strikes again!)

Picking the coach up from the rear axle rearward puts tremendous stress on the bulkhead joint which is forward of the rear axle. As with many things, you may not see immediate catastrophic failure but it can start with a slight opening of that joint or just a couple of the Roloks breaking. The same load is now carried across a smaller area and stresses will be higher eventually leading to more problems. It's a relatively simple fix if caught early (and piece of mind if inspection reveals no issue).

Re: I had the beast towed in yesterday , 89 foretravel :) A few PICS

Reply #18 – May 27, 2015, 08:51:45 am

If you have never seen it, there is a really excellent diagram of the rear frame construction in the 2nd link (page 2)- thanks, Michelle.

Re: I had the beast towed in yesterday , 89 foretravel :) A few PICS

Reply #19 – May 27, 2015, 09:22:25 am

Quote from: Michelle – May 27, 2015, 08:32:13 am

Picking the coach up from the rear axle rearward puts tremendous stress on the bulkhead joint which is forward of the rear axle.

Do you mean picking the coach up from behind the rear axle? Picking the coach up by the rear axle is arguably similar to driving down the road (provided the angle lifted isn't too great . Agree with the "frame" behind the rear axle is designed to hold the engine, not lift the coach

Re: I had the beast towed in yesterday , 89 foretravel :) A few PICS

Reply #20 – May 27, 2015, 09:38:44 am

Quote from: krush – May 27, 2015, 09:22:25 am

Do you mean picking the coach up from behind the rear axle?

Yes. She said "...rear axle rearward...", that is, anywhere behind the rear axle. In Mark's case, they lifted from the very farthest point "rearward". That is why the experienced and knowledgeable members are expressing concern.

Re: I had the beast towed in yesterday , 89 foretravel :) A few PICS

Reply #21 – May 27, 2015, 09:52:11 am

Quote from: cajk – May 27, 2015, 09:38:44 am

Yes. She said "...rear axle rearward...", that is, anywhere behind the rear axle.

Her wording reads to me to include the rear axle. Otherwise, I believe she would've said "anywhere behind the rear axle".

Re: I had the beast towed in yesterday , 89 foretravel :) A few PICS

Reply #22 – May 27, 2015, 10:10:36 am

A strong flashlight and a five second look under each side at the bulkhead will answer many of the questions. If there is even the smallest gap anywhere across the rear bulkhead, it will need to be repaired before driving. Same goes for the front.

Pierce

Re: I had the beast towed in yesterday , 89 foretravel :) A few PICS

Reply #23 – May 27, 2015, 10:31:52 am

Quote from: cajk – May 27, 2015, 08:51:45 am

If you have never seen it, there is a really excellent diagram of the rear frame construction in the 2nd link (page 2)- thanks, Michelle.

Yes... excellent diagram Michelle...

Here's to hoping I didn't screw anything up

Mark

Re: I had the beast towed in yesterday , 89 foretravel :) A few PICS

Reply #24 – May 27, 2015, 10:33:20 am

Quote from: Pierce & Gaylie Stewart – May 27, 2015, 10:10:36 am

A strong flashlight and a five second look under each side at the bulkhead will answer many of the questions. If there is even the smallest gap anywhere across the rear bulkhead, it will need to be repaired before driving. Same goes for the front.

Pierce

Thanks Pierce

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