Sad Safety Reminder

[Dorn Hetzel]

Well, I guess I could pour the rails level extending over a downhill slope, so the pit was open at the "downhill" end. The bird could be pulled in but would have to be backed out. But, really, since it's just for me privately most of that wouldn't apply...

On Tue, Jun 10, 2008 at 10:27 AM, Stephen Birtles <"cape0001@hotmail.com"> wrote:

the other problem with a pit it is considered a confined space for

industrial purposes

look that little beauty up along with confined space entry gas testing

and a whole myriad of other regulations



Stephen 77fc35

dupreeproducts.com



--- In "WanderlodgeForum%40yahoogroups.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>

> > > > >

> > > >

> > >

> >

> >

> >

>