Starting out on steep incline - Found the limit

[richard5933]

Just when I thought I had the hang of starting on an incline, we decided to visit Falls Park in Sioux Falls, SD on our way to the FMCA rally in Gillette WY.

I should have known better, having commented on the way in how steep the road was. Stupidly I followed the Garmin as it lead me back out the same way. Things would have possibly been okay if it weren't for the stop sign at the end of the last (and steepest) road.

I had to stop for traffic and there was no way to get moving again. Stalled twice, tried one more time with more throttle. No go.

Decided rather than burn out the clutch to suck it up and call for help. Police came soon after and blocked the road behind. Had to back down what seemed like a mile to the next turn off so I could leave via a different route.

Lesson learned. Managed to get back on our way with clutch and brakes intact and without overheating while we backed down in the heat.

Let the public flogging begin.

[windtrader]

Richard,


which lesson? Don't go on any roads with a stop at the bottom of a hill? Or driving a manual bus is more than trivial for most, thus the aversion to them. 

[TomC]

Ah the advantages of a torque converter!

[dtcerrato]

Over the years we have done that quite often but with the back up of the toad in mind. On many occasion, usually navigating into the back country to hide away in a quaint quiet campsite - we found ourselves needing to use the auxiliary horsepower of the toad which has always bailed us out - although it was pretty marginal when pulling the 4 cyl. VW. Some of AK's & CN's grades made believers out of us - probably had something to do with having the 5.7 L Hemi in our present Jeep toad. a good lesson learned - which is why we prefer four down flat towing...

[chessie4905]

This is why my 4905 is an automatic. Btdt in the 4104.

[richard5933]

This is why my 4905 is an automatic. Btdt in the 4104.

Is there a limit to the ability of the auto?

[luvrbus]

Not really if you can stall one out at 2100 rpms you are in a real bad spot

[Gary Hatt - Publisher BCM]

I think all of us over 60 have been there done that. Builds character.   

Sometimes I wish there was a really low Granny Gear like the Skidder I used to operate to get us out of a bind like that then no mountain would be too high to go over. 

I have been known to run stop signs and stop lights to prevent that from happening but don't tell anyone. 

[Lin]

My first bus had a granny gear.  If you used it to start you would need to shift to 2nd by the middle of the intersection.  It seemed like it could pull up a vertical wall (though I never did try that).  This MCI came with a 4 speed Spicer, which I thought was a terrible transmission due its ridiculously high 1st gear.  The Allison 647 solve most of the problem although, depending on engine, altitude, and combined weight it is possible to get stuck also.

[lostagain]

The 7 speed manual Eaton-Fuller has the low gear really low. You can start up any incline without revving up the engine. Real nice to have.

JC

[lostagain]

The 7 speed manual Eaton-Fuller has the low gear really low. You can start up any incline without revving up the engine. Real nice to have.

JC

[lostagain]

I learned to drive buses with the 4 speed manual in the '70s in MC5s and 7s. I don't remember having trouble starting up hill. Although we just drove them, we didn't fix them... But I do remember, after having to stop on a steep incline, often backing down to a flat spot to be able to start up again. We just put on the 4 way flashers and backed down, traffic behind us be damned. Off course nowadays, the public isn't as patient with a motor home blocking their way, as they would be with a commercial bus. But hey, if necessary, I do it anyway.

JC

[buswarrior]

Just sell me the stick shift coach, and go fetch yerself a nice slushbox?

happy coaching!
buswarrior