Sad Safety Reminder

[Gregory OConnor]

One concern about a pit is venting heavy flamable vapors.
$quanderBus/YukonBill warned me of the danger and we add an exhaust
vent to a stack with a fan to move air. An electric fan should be
used to pressurize the vapor out but it is less effective to push
than draw the air with a big open pit I have probably dug 10 pits
in the last 5 years. I just set up a shotcreat pit hole for a gunite
contractor. aproximations Excavation -$1,200, #3Steel -$400.,
Shotcrete-1,300.00. In place of a fence you could use a swimming
pool trampoline cover. My neighbor uses an air rifle to protect the
other neighbors kids from getting hurt falling in the uncovered pit.
Rock salt may be more effective

GregoryO'Connor
94ptRomolandCa

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Dorn Hetzel"
wrote:
>
> Well, I was going to put a fence around it and size it to fit the
bird with
> entrance steps at one end. Probably only make it 4 or 5 feet deep
and run a
> drain to a downhill location so it won't hold water. Thinking
about
> building a "bird house" over the pit later and just having the pit
> underneath the birds normal parking spot
>
> On Tue, Jun 10, 2008 at 9:01 AM, bubblerboy64 wrote:
>
> > I think you are entirely correct about the pits. I use a quick
> > change oil place to have the oil in my cars changed. They have a
pit
> > which you drive over. It's situated in a garage with a garage
door in
> > front of and in back of the pit (drive thru). I noticed it was
their
> > practice to have the customer drive into (and therefore over)
the pit
> > and then exit the car to wait in the waiting room while the oil
was
> > changed. The problem being that with an average length or short
car
> > the customer if he walked around the back of his car as would be
your
> > typical path to get to the waiting room he was exposed to the
very
> > real chance of falling into the pit. I saw this situation and
told
> > the owner he was absolutely NUTS to operate this way. I don't
know
> > if it was my effort or not but I noticed the next time I was thru
> > there they had covered the back part of the pit so that a person
> > would have to go under the car in order to hit the pit. It would
> > worry me a lot to have a pit on my property. If it wasn't
covered it
> > would fill with water and what ever. I guess for some it's a good
> > option but for the average guy I think you are better off
farming out
> > the work that requires a pit to do the work. Lets face the
reality
> > of this stuff. If you can afford to own and fuel one of these
things
> > cash can't be that tight to risk your life. I think some of our
> > problems are (well I know they are) that we don't want to admit
to
> > our limitations and especially as we age. Age can bring
experience
> > and good judgment but it also can bring a stubborn attitude
that "I
> > can still do this".
> > John Heckman
> > central Pa
> > 1973 FC
> >
> >
> > >
> > > PIts are wonderful to work in. They are also a huge liability
as
> > falling into one can be lethal. Building codes in many areas do
not
> > allow them.
> > >
> > > Pete
> > >
> > >
> > > -------------- Original message ----------------------
> > > From: Pete Masterson
> > > > I believe the shocks where stopping the droop of the axles,
so
> > the
> > > > stress wasn't on the air bags -- From what I could see, they
were
> > not
> > > > over-extended. This may not be true on older coaches -- but
it
> > > > appeared to be the case on my '95. Indeed, on some modestly
> > sloping
> > > > camp sites, the leveling jacks will bring the wheels
completely
> > off
> > > > the ground, so BB must have engineered the suspension to
allow
> > for that.
> > > >
> > > > CCW in Riverside does not have pits -- I'm told they're
looking
> > for a
> > > > new location (for the complete facility) as they've outgrown
the
> > area
> > > > they have, so they're not investing anything extra in the
> > facilities
> > > > they have beyond basic necesities.
> > > >
> > > > When the wanted to do a full examination of the underside
(and
> > wash
> > > > the bottom of the engine, etc.) they used 6 "wheel jacks" --
> > huge
> > > > hydraulic jacks that cradle each tire and raise up the coach
> > > > (controlled by a computer that keeps them all moving
together).
> > It
> > > > was an amazing thing to see. (I saw several busses raised up
with
> > the
> > > > things while I was there.)
> > > >
> > > > However, for some aspects of the service, the work was done
next
> > to
> > > > the "Blue Bird" section of the CCW facility. For example, the
> > air
> > > > dryer was removed (to be rebuilt) with the coach slightly
raised
> > to
> > > > let the technicians roll under the coach on creepers. I think
> > the
> > > > technicians would be very happy to have a service pit -- and
> > perhaps
> > > > one will be made available in the future when CCW finds,
builds,
> > and
> > > > moves to a new facility.
> > > >
> > > > When I was at Henderson's Line-Up in Grants Pass Oregon --
seeing
> > how
> > > > they worked on the coach from their pit made it very clear
what
> > an
> > > > advantage it was. To tell the truth, I wish I had room for a
pit
> > for
> > > > the maintenance items I handle (but that's far from likely to
> > ever
> > > > happen).
> > > >
> > > > Pete Masterson
> > > > '95 Blue Bird Wanderlodge WBDA 42
> > > > El Sobrante CA
> > > > aeonix1@
> >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > On Jun 9, 2008, at 5:28 PM, David Brady wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > This may not be true for all Wanderlodges, (I think it
is), but
> > > > > on my LXi the shocks will stop the drooping axles before
the
> > > > > air bags, thereby eliminating load on the air bags. I
called
> > Koni
> > > > > and Justin assured me that each shock can handle 8500 lb of
> > > > > dead load (tension) in this static configuration;
consequently,
> > > > > there's no risk of damaging a shock.
> > > > >
> > > > > David Brady
> > > > > '02 LXi, NC
> > > > >
> > > > > bumpersbird wrote:
> > > > >>
> > > > >> 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
> > > > >>
> > > > > <snip>
> > > > >
> > > >
> > >
> >
> >
> >
>