Lifting rear of coach

[grantracy]

For better or worse I have an hydraulic bike lift on the back of our coach. Between the weight of the lift and the bikes ( plus the cantilever effect) we were occasionally dragging when negotiating some curves thogh the NC mountains. I attempted to raise the rear of the coach using chassis air adjustment but coach would settle back to previous position. Vantare advised that while in drive mode suspension height is preset. Any suggestions.

[dalej]

You may not like my advice





Get rid of the lift, just don't like to see a body strssed like that! Besides your bike will love to travel in a trailer

[grantracy]

I hear you,however because of schedule issues occasionally the boss drives the coach and I meet up with her later,she doesnt want to deal with trailer.

[dalej]

I would just try and modify the lift and not the bus then. But in a pinch you can turn off the auto level and raise the back to get through the draging, but wouldn't run that way to long, since your bags only travel so far.

[GDeen]

Not trying to hijack the thread, but does a bike lift seriously stress the structure of the shell on a Prevost. Obviously I understand hanging 1/2 a ton at the fartherest point outward on the chassis is significant but I guess I had assumed if the fiberglass units could handle it certainly a Prevost could??

We have and electra glide and I seriously considered this as a good way to transport on a future coach while pulling the toad.

[dalej]

Although I have never had one, I have wanted one. But just looking at the way the bike hangs on for dear life, I keep mine in a trailer.

I do think that it works....but just don't like that much weight bouncing back there on the rear, A lot of the roads we travel on just are not that smooth, so it seems to just add to much stress on the bracket.

I think that if they can come up with one that has an assist wheel that spins 360 degrees, then it will be worth putting on. Somthing like cement trucks have for there tag, they can lift it when they want to. The air bag on it could handle 1000 pounds and travel enough to go thru dips and humps.

[garylstevens]

Dale here is one example I found for carrying that single heavy bike on the back, with out adding all of the extra weight to the back of the bus. Check out their website. http://www.motorcycle-carriers.net/m..._carriers.html

You would not be able to pull a toad too, but this might solve some of the problem of all that extra weight on the back of the bus.

[dalej]

EXACTLY.. that's what I'm talking about. Never seen that before, but would like to see it in person.

Thanks Gary

[ken&ellen]

Dale, I am with you....put it in the trailer. The lift, as discussed in earlier posts, can stress the chassis of a Prevost. Remember that rear of the back wheels is already a very heavy engine! The trailer protects the bike and allows for some storage. Ellen & I have a single axle motorcycle trailer, but are currently looking to move to a tandem axle unit to improve stability in the event of a blowout. The unit in the picture, while interesting, is relying on a very small tire rotating at very high RPM!!!! Ellen drives the Liberty with the trailer...no problem. We both practised with the trailer at the school yard prior to departure. Ken & Ellen

[merle&louise]

Not trying to hijack the thread, but does a bike lift seriously stress the structure of the shell on a Prevost. Obviously I understand hanging 1/2 a ton at the fartherest point outward on the chassis is significant but I guess I had assumed if the fiberglass units could handle it certainly a Prevost could??

We have and electra glide and I seriously considered this as a good way to transport on a future coach while pulling the toad.

Gordon,

I remember a few months back a discussion on motorcycle lifts. I think that it was under Vehicles Other - Motorcycle lifts. Anyway, JPJ said that a lift should not be put on any Prevost except an XL. XLV and XL II's will not handle the load; rivets will pop etc. Maybe Jeff can elaborate further.