Sad Safety Reminder

[Dorn Hetzel]

I haven't had to spend a lot of time under my 77FC35 yet, but I'm already plotting to build a service pit I can park it over.

I've actually considered using my little backhoe to dig a pair of 18 inch wide trenches parallel and the right distance apart for the wheels and about 5 feet deep, then filling them with rebar and concrete. After it all sets up I would use the excavator to dig the dirt out from in between and then pour a concrete floor in the bottom of that. Fence around it for safety and instant service pit


It's probably crazy but it seems doable ...

-Dorn
Hogansville, GA

On Mon, Jun 9, 2008 at 3:14 PM, Gregory OConnor <"Gregoryoc@aol.com"> wrote:

The HWH jacks are dependent on valves and lines. when you get under

a bus it is most often chasing a failure of some system.



I use 8inch X 10inch X 30inch long wood stacked like lincoln logs

under a section of frame as a landing point for the bus. I dont use

jack stands because if they are strong enough they are too heavy to

posture and too expensive. Jack stands also rely on the bus staying

still in its tracks and not rolling. The wood I use is Gluelam

remnaments. GlueLam is more or less 8 inch if stack plywood. the

plywood is glued in thin sheets of wood and the grains are crossed

NorthSouth to EastWest. The crossed grain keeps the manufactured

gluelam beam from splitting down a natural grain found in a thick

milled tree trunk style beam. I found the glueLam at a greenwaste

recyclincing junkyard near my house.



I am glad Mike notated COD. It is out of respect for JimS that I

plan on taking extra care when I raise my bus, Trucks, tractors and

cars for repair and service.



GregoryO'Connor

94ptRomolandCa

--- In "WanderlodgeForum%40yahoogroups.com", "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?

>

> -Ryan

> '86 PT-40 8V92

>