Parking with warm tires on snowpack

John316 · March 23, 2011, 06:19:52 PM

Evening folks. We are in the middle of Alberta tonight. They have gotten a lot more snow then usual, this spring.

On a side not, it is entertaining watching people try to get in here and manoeuvre. I already helped one SS owner out. He pulled across a snowbank, and came very close to wrapping himself around the tree. He then spun, in his excitement, to try to get out. We all know what happened. Poor guy, slid even farther into the tree (we had to cut branches off of the tree, before we got him out). He didn't have chains, so I chained him up, to get him out. Note to self...Self watch out for the snowbanks when you are in a large RV

The RV park is snow packed. Well, when you pull in and park, your tires are warm. They melt just a little bit below your tires, and then you are stuck...LOL

We knew about the problem, and I had an idea. We put our tire chains out, and pulled on top of them. It has worked every time for us.

What about you all? What have you done, and what solutions have you come up with?

God bless,

John

buswarrior · March 23, 2011, 06:37:36 PM

Standard operating practice at the ski slope is to off load the coach, move to a parking position and roll the coach off the spot again 20 minutes later.

Tires have lost enough heat that they won't melt a divot to sit in again, and the divot they did melt hasn't gone hard enough yet to stuck you.

See the blabber about 45 foot coaches getting stuck in their own shadow in that other thread "bus crash 5 miles from my home"
http://www.busconversions.com/bbs/index.php?topic=19484.15

4 pieces of 2' x 2' x 3/4" plywood, one each under steers and drives, would be lighter and easier to move than those #$&%^ chains... and good for parking on the lawn at a rally, using as a foundation for the jack, etc, etc...

happy coaching!
buswarrior

John316 · March 23, 2011, 06:49:20 PM

Thanks, BW. I was fishing for a reply from you.

I thought about the 2x2's. But, we forgot them. So the chains work

That is the one thing that I forgot, but I really wish I didn't. Lowes, here we come.

That makes sense about the 20min. However, we pulled into the park, I went inside to pay, came back out 10min later (about) and we were spinning. Oh well. Just a little rocking it, and no problems. Some of the SS we saw rolling in here, were Utube worthy.

God bless,

John

Stormcloud · March 23, 2011, 07:16:05 PM

Which direction are you heading after Alberta?

If you are headed towards Manitoba along highway #1 , we can offer you a cup of great coffee (free refills too) and a spot to park with 50amps.

Mark

John316 · March 23, 2011, 07:22:35 PM

Quote from: Stormcloud on March 23, 2011, 07:16:05 PM
Which direction are you heading after Alberta?

If you are headed towards Manitoba along highway #1 , we can offer you a cup of great coffee (free refills too) and a spot to park with 50amps.

Mark

Thanks, Mark. I am sending you a PM.

God bless,

John

Lee Bradley · March 23, 2011, 10:01:00 PM

Old trucker told me a tale of getting stuck in front of a Diner in N.D., MT, CO, etc. (where ever it gets cold). The drivers had melted themselves a little home and they weren't leaving. He went back into the Diner to use the phone (its an old story) to call a wrecker to pull his truck a foot. The woman who ran the place told he to hold off on the wrecker and came out with a bottle of beach which she poured over the drivers and 5 or 10 minutes later they pulled right out of the hole. I don't know if this works; I've never had to try it but the story stuck with me.

oldmansax · March 24, 2011, 04:06:43 AM

Quote from: Lee Bradley on March 23, 2011, 10:01:00 PM
The woman who ran the place told he to hold off on the wrecker and came out with a bottle of beach which she poured over the drivers

I ran New England & eastern Canada a lot when I was driving a truck & carried Clorox all the time. When you back in to unload, you can't pull ahead a foot in 20 minutes unless you want to make the forklift driver VERY mad, so, pour bleach on the drivers when you are ready to leave. Make sure to pour it so that the face of the tread gets wet, bleach in the grooves doesn't seem to help any.

TOM

John316 · March 24, 2011, 09:12:37 AM

Thanks for the tip, gents.

So I wonder what the bleach does? How does it work? We have that with us, so that will be a last effort. However, I wonder what it will do to the tires? Bleach usually softens them. I wonder how much it does soften them.

God bless,

John

Busted Knuckle · March 24, 2011, 09:59:51 AM

The bleach ain't gonna soft'n 'm enough to hurt 'm.

When I was trucking I used to carry 4 2' long 2"X6" boards with me and when there was snow pack and my tires were hot I'd get my truck close to where I wanted it and place one those behind each drive and then back up onto them. Pulling off was a cinch!

BK

Haven't worried about it down here in TN bus'n!

buswarrior · March 25, 2011, 08:58:55 PM

Where was the bleach stored....and what temperature was it when applied?

Wouldn't it be funny if water would do the same thing?

But who would try pouring warm water on something that was freezing....?

happy coaching!
buswarrior