Where NOT to park your bus

plyonsMC9 · December 07, 2006, 08:18:30 PM

Ha Ha, I've done it again!

Where NOT to park the bus. I had our MC9 over at my buddy's house as he was doing some major work to put in a bay heating system. Trying to keep our pipes and tanks from freezing up here in northern Illinois during winter travels. Well, the bus was in his front yard, and we had beautiful weather for the 3 weeks it was there. NO PROBLEMO!

Then the forecast came in for some 6 - 12 inches of snow. Time to move the bus. The night I was going to move the bus, which was the day before the snowstorom, a rainstorm hit the area. The bus sunk 8 inches into his front yard. OK. That is where not to park a bus. Someone's front lawn. In retrospect, it was a bad idea. I should have had some planks out or something. But no. I had nothing.

I was able to make a bit of a channel deep in the lawn, but not back it up the hill in the grass. I didn't want to hurt the trans so I didn't move the bus very much once the wheels started spinning. The next morning, I tried letting the air out of the tags. Boy, did those drive wheels go DEEP in the lawn after that.

With the snowstorm approaching, I got a little creative. First I tried filling the trenches with lava rocks and pebbles. Glad no one could see me doing that. Of course, now I'm telling everyone what I did.

All that did was embed lava rocks and small rocks deep beneath his lawn surface.

We had a few bags of the orange interlocking leveling blocks. Like the kind you can get from Camping World. I ran the bus to the front of my 24 inch trench which the wheels had traversed in his lawn. Then applied the air brakes. The drive wheels were on the front of the trench. I then made tracks with the orange leveling jacks from his lawn part way to his driveway for the drive wheels to travel - only did it for one tire on each side of the drive axle.

I then got in the bus, and let the brake off, which let the bus drop back onto the orange leveling blocks. Then I hit the accelerator ( in reverse ) The bus gripped just enough on the blocks to pick up some speed before getting to the lawn. Momentum carried me the rest of the way onto his driveway - with some slippage. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous at this point. Up the hill. carefully into the street. Uhm. A bit past the street apparently. I couldn't get traction going up the hill. Drive wheel spinning. Too much mud on the tires? Nope. Drive wheel on other side of the street, in neighbor's yard. Hmmm.

Coasted down the hill. All 8 tires on the street. Now, we have traction! Got it out right before the snow hit.

So, never park on friend's front lawn without an escape plan - e.g., large plywood sheets under drive wheels.

Also I learned that if you are on a very slippery surface, you only have 2 wheel drive, and those two wheels are are on ONE side of your drive axle!! I know - if I had a Crown, I'd probably have had 8 wheel drive and never been stuck in the first place!

Well, hopefully that will save someone from doing the same thing. And I'd always wondered about what would happen if the bus was on a slippery surface. Now I know. You get stuck.

Best Regards to all.

Phil

kyle4501 · December 07, 2006, 08:42:22 PM

If you didn't call a tow truck, you were not stuck, you were just taking the scenic route

While compacting some unstable soil.

Glad you made it out.

Foolsgold · December 07, 2006, 08:54:14 PM

Sounds to me it would have been a perfect time to try out one of those 1 inch diameter tow ropes discussed earlier in the threads!

Glad you got it out after all that!

Ace

Buffalo SpaceShip · December 07, 2006, 11:26:23 PM

Aw, Phil... no pictures??! Drat.

Glad you made it out of there before you became a lawn ornament for the winter. "Look, Daddy. Is Santa driving a bus this year?!"

Thanks for the story... er, cautionary tale.

Brian B.

FloridaCliff · December 08, 2006, 04:19:28 AM

Phil,

Your preaching to the choir with me.

It rained at our house for about a week two summers ago and I decided to move the Bus, as it looked like it was getting a little swampy near the rears.

Decided to get four 2X12X12's to use as runners as the ground looked saturated.

Long story short, got out, but the 2X12s almost went down a foot in the first 5' of takeoff.

Needless to say it sits on a 6" concrete runners now, and my lesson learned about the bus and soft ground.

That ground seemed solid until a little H2O and a Big Bus got on it.

Cliff

zimtok · December 08, 2006, 05:56:01 AM

My bus parking spot is just at the end of my driveway.
I pull the front end off the concrete into the back yard and leave the rear wheels on the concrete.

Although I have never been "mobily chalanged" with my bus I have been with my GTO. In my yard (mostly clay) you don't sink, you just spin on the slimy stuff.

.

Brian Diehl · December 08, 2006, 06:58:41 AM

I am much less surprised now at how easy it is to get a 30000lb vehicle stuck after experiencing a "sticky" situation myself.

Here is my story.

http://home.earthlink.net/~diehls0792/BusSection5.html

H3Jim · December 08, 2006, 07:05:44 AM

Brian, great story and nice pics too.

In the future if you ever are towed, espeicaly with a chain, make sure you put something on the chain, in the middle. Best is a tire (off the rim, the chain running through the middle) but at least you can drape a heavy coat on it. If it does let go, it will save you.

Brian Diehl · December 08, 2006, 07:28:58 AM

Quote from: H3Jim on December 08, 2006, 07:05:44 AM
In the future if you ever are towed, espeicaly with a chain, make sure you put something on the chain, in the middle. Best is a tire (off the rim, the chain running through the middle) but at least you can drape a heavy coat on it. If it does let go, it will save you.

Great idea about using a heavy coat. I even had one with at the time that I could have used.

plyonsMC9 · December 08, 2006, 09:43:40 AM

Brian - Nice photos!!

Wish I'd thought to do that. It really adds a lot to have a few more precious memories stored away to remember for all time.

In the heat of the moment though, I was hoping that it wouldn't be a story to be remembered for all time. E.g., my buddies new "lawn ornament" or sinkhole story or Tow-truck tom-foolery or bus buffoonery, etc..

I've got enough of those kinds of stories - and I've yet to post how I got the bus wedged between our house and some large landscaping trees. Haha!

Kind Regards, Phil

bobofthenorth · December 08, 2006, 09:58:06 AM

Great stories Phil and Brian. Takes guts to admit our goofs.

I buried mine in my own yard (on grass that normally is solid) this spring when the frost was still going out. I didn't want to call for help. Fortunately I had access to a 645 Fiat loader (about a 2 year end loader) It took a good solid pull with the Fiat with the forks under the rear frame but I managed to get the drivers back on solid ground. Then I went around to the front which by then was resting on the frame and did the same thing only couldn't put the forks under anything there.

No damage done - didn't even have to get help from my bride so it doesn't count as a stuck - right? It was all dead pull too so no possibility of clutch damage.

brojcol · December 08, 2006, 10:28:40 AM

I buried mine up to the axle in my own front yard. Had to call a tow truck. The first one they brought didn't budge it. The second one (Big Bertha) pulled it right out, no problem. However the bus made ruts, and the tow truck made ruts. For the next week, I worked on filling ruts in. So, I feel your pain.

Jimmy

herarmwashisleg · January 21, 2007, 10:54:38 PM

I have this problem right now, parked mine last night and came out today to find it stuck and about 8" in the mud..

@#$@##$@!

tow truck coming out tomorrrowz

cheerz

herarmwashisleg

plyons · January 22, 2007, 06:39:01 AM

One thing I forgot to do during this time when I last got my bus stuck was to snap a couple of PICTURES!

After all, I like looking back on all my happy memories.

And then sharing them with the group. My running chronology of what NOT to do.

IF you are up for that & have the opportunity, - maybe post a pic up on the board.

I still have a few more "adventures" that I have yet to post, but will do so as soon as I get a few spare minutes!!

Kind Regards, Phil

Jerry32 · January 22, 2007, 07:34:30 AM

I tried to take a shortcut at my house and got buried in the sand. (live in the desert) I have a 34000 pound loader so fired it up and dragged the bus out as I didn't have any help.