Watch the Swale

[Gil_J]

We often aren't required to comply with restrictions designated for trucks. However, sometimes it's important to pay attention to those truck restriction signs. This picture illustrates the unfortunate result of going against the restriction. Although this is a WalMart parking lot entrance, I've seen many state roads where our buses will bottom out, especially where roadways intersect in the middle of a turn.

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[dale farley]

I wonder if raising the air bags to the max would have made a difference? I bottomed out going in a parking lot in Montana but did manage to keep going. Unfortunately, I caused mine by raising my tag while making a 90 degree turn and going through a dip at the same time.

[JIM KELLER]

And the Wrecker Operator backing up to the Bus with his wheel lift extended could be reason for concern.

[travelite]

It looks like an entertainer on a motorhome chassis. You'd expect better from an experienced driver. Having owned a Wanderlodge with an extra long tail overhang, I always check for scrape scars on the road. If someone else scraped it was almost assured that I would scrape.

[Joe Camper]

I'm pretty sure it's a motorhome. The stainless does not go up past the bay doors on a xlII entertainer

[travelite]

I agree Joe, definitely a motohome chassis, but judging from the many rooftop AC's I'm guessing a stagecoach conversion. (or maybe I need new glasses, LOL)! I should have been more clear, sorry.

[Joe Camper]

Dale what also happens is when the axles drop down in relation to the body like in the photo the ride height valves think the bus is too high and begin to dump compounding the problem. The way the axles r in that photo and the ride height valves for the rear have all the air dumped. I assume the owner would have tried level low after the mistake but the travel of suspension is not enough to overcome the big transition from the road.

I myself would certainly been embarrassed but I'd would tried to use a bit of my injinuity before calling a wrecker.

My coveralls a bottle jack level low and some dundage.

That's what a grease monkey would do. With the bus like pictured there is zero weight on the rear axles and the axle could be reasonably lifted quickly enough using the bottle jack to get some wood or gravel or something under the tires and back out. If it was so bad 1 lift wasn't enough I may have to reset the jack 2 or 3 times after placing something under the drive tires each time and eventually it would get its belly up away from the asphalt.

[Joe Camper]

If I were the wrecker opporator knowing what we know about buses (specific the level low feature) before I pulled that's just what I'd do.

I'd get a jack under the drive axle jack it as far up as I could then put wood or something under the tire. Then at that point I'd go to level low manually raise the back up. If it created enough clearence back out if not repeat the process.

The wrecker would half to do something in this fashion anyway or risk doing more damage hooking and pulling.

Ground under the drives is very crooked right at the axle that would be where one would have to be careful IMHO and if u aren't one for bringing and wearing coveralls forget about it although now if this happens to u you'll know how to help and tell the wrecker how to aproach it without tearing stuff up.

[lbriant]

The real bad part about bottoming out is if you happen to hit the black iron pipe coming out of the aqua hot when it makes the 90 deg turn
It will push it right up through your aqua hot system $$$$$$$$(((((!!!!
I hit mine a little coming out of a camp sight but it was farther back and just smashed the pipe as it is the lowest point,
I had the pipe replaced and chalked it up to a lesson learned, I could have raised the bus but it was 5 years ago and I didn't know any better then .)