Sad Safety Reminder

[bumpersbird]

Pete,

I've seen some shops use the technique of using blocks under the
jacks to get the wheels off the ground and to get the coach in the
air. I may be wrong but I think their is an issue of the air bags
being strained beyond thier extension limits.

Don't get me wrong I've had the wheels off the ground via the jacks
several times, but I don't like to do it and I think it could easily
damage the coach.

I would suggest a pit or a lift for the safest way for working under
anything.

Sometimes we take safty for granted, we think we know what what were
doing, most of us have spent a lot of time working on our coaches and
we know them intimatly. She can and will bite, if you don't mind her.
You just can't be too careful.

Kurt Horvath
95 PT-42
Fayetteville TN






--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, Pete Masterson
wrote:
>
> Ryan,
>
> That is the precise recipe for a disaster. You need to add:
> 5. Wheels chocked front and back (with adequate chocks!) Two axles
> preferred.
> 6. Jack stands, of suitable weight rating, set under the frame
> members to hold the bus should it come down.
>
> I note that on later models, lowering the jacks causes the
suspension
> to dump automatically. The leveling jacks (on my coach) state
right
> on the control panel, "Not to be used for working under the coach."
>
> The only true safety from being crushed is for something that can
not
> collapse should be placed between the frame and the ground. The
air
> bags can collapse without warning if (for example) you open an air-
> line on purpose or by accident. The leveling jacks may have a
failure
> (or you may damage a hydraulic line) while you're working under
the
> coach.
>
> I note during my recent visit to CCW that the technicians were
clever
> in their use of the leveling jacks to raise the coach for working
> under it (at one point, putting blocks under the jacks to raise
the
> coach higher then normal). However, they also used very heavy duty
> jack stands (looked like they could hold 50 tons) to keep the
coach
> from unexpectedly coming down.
>
> Pete Masterson
> '95 Blue Bird Wanderlodge WBDA 42
> El Sobrante CA
> aeonix1@...
>
>
>
> On Jun 9, 2008, at 11:12 AM, Ryan Wright wrote:
>
> > On Sun, Jun 8, 2008 at 4:36 PM, mbulriss <mbulriss@...> wrote:
> >> Our understanding is that Jim's passing was due to his bus
falling
> >> on him.
> >
> > Does anyone know how it happened? What was he doing, what went
wrong?
> >
> > I crawl under my bus all the time under these circumstances:
> >
> > 1. Parked on a flat, level surface.
> > 2. Parking brake set.
> > 3. Air bags inflated.
> > 4. Leveling jacks down as a safety against airbag failure.
> >
> > I've never had cause to jack the bus up beyond normal airbag
operating
> > height. I'm small enough I can work around it without lifting it.
I
> > can't see the airbags and the jacks failing at the same time. I'd
> > imagine most of the danger here is when you've actually lifted
one or
> > more tires off the ground, yes?
> >
>