Crazy Towing???

[belfert]

Sure, we've all hauled lumber longer than our vehicle, but it isn't going to hurt the lumber. 

If this was steel beams instead of a bus I don't think anybody would care that they stuck out longer than the trailer.  A bus is a different story, especially if all of the wheels are not on the trailer.

[DrivingMissLazy]

I guess I do not see what the problem was, if all the wheels were on the trailer. Why would it even need cribbing?
Richard

[kyle4501]

I guess none of you ever hauled 12 foot 2x4's in a 8 foot bed? Just put a red flag on it and go.

Not me, they were 16 footers in a nissan short bed - My foolish youth

[captain ron]

I hauled 20 ft 1x4's on a Harley a couple years ago. what was I thinking?

[kyle4501]

I hauled 20 ft 1x4's on a Harley a couple years ago. what was I thinking?

Hey y'all, watch this!

It's a short trip, I'll just go slow.

Damn, didn't look that long in the store.

Or, my favorite -
I should have brought the bus.

[Slow Rider]

Being new to buses I need some more info.  Could someone address Richards question please?  I understand the hesitation of having your bus be longer than the tow truck ( fear of being hit from the rear).  But other than collision, what is the danger to the bus if it is properly secured to the tow vehicle?    Please school me as one day I might be in the same situation and I want to be able to intelligently explain myself.

Thanks,

Frank

[maria-n-skip]

Frank.

     1. From other research I have done, one item I found out is a bus can structurally be damaged if towed improperly.
     2. A 38' trailer with 7 to 8 feet hanging over the end would leave the shoring up on the bottom of the
         bus with at best the front wheels not carrying significant load. Though an over exageration it
          would be like jacking your bus up behind any structural support. (I do believe there would be some buckling)
         Buses are by designed to have specific load points and to do elsewhere can cause structural damage.

  Just not worth the risk

  JMO

Skip

[kyle4501]

If the rear wheels of the bus aren't on the trailer - well duhhhhh! 

Even if the rear wheels are on the trailer but are behind the trailer wheels, you would probably grossly overload the trailer tires - never a good idea. Trailer tires are usually treated with contempt, especially with all the curb crawling activity they get.

If the CG of the bus is to far back on the trailer, it will escallate small problems to HUGE problems when it comes to handling.

[DrivingMissLazy]

I think you guys need to read the original post again, or maybe I mis-interpreted it. Here is what he said:

This person shows up at midnight, instead of 6pm, to pickup the bus, with a landall with a 38 foot lower deck, which would have left the front 7-8 feet of the bus hanging off the back of the trailer.

Therefore there was no plan to have the engine in the rear as some have suggested.
The 7 or 8 feet (a guess) of the front hanging over the rear of the trailer would have caused no problem as long as all the wheels were on the trailer as I indicated in my first post:

guess I do not see what the problem was, if all the wheels were on the trailer. Why would it even need cribbing?

I think he owes this first company the money.

Richard

[kyle4501]

Richard, My front axle is less than 6 feet (5' - 9 3/4") from the front bumper. That would mean the front wheels had nuthing but air under them. do you think this cowboy would have bothered to chain up the axle?

You can do what ever you like with your stuff, that is the benefit of owning it - you get to decide, in theory. . .

While re-reading the first post, the biggest issue I saw was the tow company's refusal to accept any & all responsibility for further damages they may cause by cribbing it up.

The piss poor attitude of the driver is what would have had me concerned. If the tow driver doesn't care enough to take the time to calm my fears & concerns, do you think he will give a damn about my treasure that he sees as junk?

When my buses were towed, Bruce treated them as though they were multi million dollar rv's. Made a huge difference to me!

So, I don't think that towing company deserves anything, 'cept no business.

[coachconverter]

Guys, the bus was to be loaded @$# first, leaving the front 7 or 8 feet hanging off the back of the trailer, meaning the wheels would be no where near sitting on any part of the trailer.  It would have looked like it was teetering off of a cliff.  The hauler said "we'll crib it where the bulkhead is, but in my head scratching, that bulkhead he referred to, would have still be in the air behind the trailer.

Is was a monkey-fest from square one.  He said right from the start "they sent the wrong trailer" and then tried to make it work due to the investment of time and fuel they had in it.  In my summation, they finally realized how f-d up their plan was that they decided to blame me, on the fact that I wanted them to be responsible for thier actions.

I spoke to the owner of the towing company and he said the driver told him that I wanted a complete liability statement "for scratches, dings or cracked windows" which of course I never mentioned or asked for.  I've had over a dozen buses towed, I always expect some damage, eventhough it's rarely happened.

Bottom line, they saw the err in their ways and looked for an excuse to head home.

Thanks for all the opinions though,

Todd

[DrivingMissLazy]

Kyle, re-read my post. It was based on the assumption that all wheels would be on the trailer. Otherwise, coach converter did the proper thing in refusing the tow, as I would have done also. Nowhere, except in the last post, did he indicate that the front wheels would be off the trailer.
Richard

[Slow Rider]

Thank you for my continuing education......

Frank

[kyle4501]

Hey Richard, I don't need to re-read your post, I got it the first time.

I was trying to point out why I understood from the start that wheels would be in air. Ain't many highway buses with more than 8 feet of front overhang. 
- unless the operator loaded it nose first, then maybe not, some Eagles had the tag in front of the drive. . .

It seemed to me that you assumed the wheels were on the trailer & I understood that they weren't, & that was my attempt at pointing that out. that's all.

I may be in the minority, but I believe the paid expert is responsible for asking the right questions to KNOW what tools to bring AND is also responsible for whatever it is he may damage from his actions. UNLESS exceptions are pointed out by the hauler up front.

Scratches & dings are one thing, but there is no excuse for blowing smoke to hide a screw-up!

[DrivingMissLazy]

I could not agree with you more. I would guess that my eagle was 6 feet from the front wheel to the bumper, but I never really measured it. What really confused me was he never indicated in any way that the wheels would have been hanging over the back.
Richard