Lifting rear of coach

[GDeen]

Jon,

Thanks for taking the time to explain the limitations of the chassis and frame. 1000 load limit at the ball location explains it all really. Adding a lever of a few more feet beyond the ball with 1000 lbs is a bad idea.

[Joe Cannarozzi]

Lew

Glad to see I could be of some help.

Concidering I have always been a terrible speller and I still have not figured out how to get the spell checker to work, I think I've been doing pretty good.

I am sure I have had the dictionary in my lap more times since I've joined this group than the entire rest of my life.

I am also sure that it is deffinatly helping me become a better speller. Look, now I have learned the correct spelling for tongue, and I'm sure I will not forget.

God bless you get well soon and feel free to keep those corrections comming.

[garyde]

Regarding what a Vantare rep said, I would be very careful in taking advice from Sales people. In this RV Industry there is a huge degree of opinion based upon supposition not backed by research or 1st hand experience or knowledge. One of the great things about this forum is the fact no one has a vested interested in an outcome.

[grantracy]

agreed,however it was a service rep I consulted with. As is pretty evident we are new at coach ownership and consulted with sources we thought were knowledgable/credible.Lift is coming off when coach returns to Florida,now the task of choosing a trailer.

[Just Plain Jeff]

We wound up with a subsequent coach using a pickup truck as a toad and putting the bike in the bed of the pickup. Not always a pretty picture, but it took the vertical load off the back of the bus and worked out better; as taking off the lift, which is theoretically possible, is a real PITA when you don't want to use it.

[grantracy]

Loading the bikes in the pick up is a real impediment,done it plenty of times and always a little thrilling. Probably gonna go with a trailer we can throw a car in (although I did see a car towing operation that had a bike rack perpindicular across front,but I am not so sure you don't have tongue weight issues) in terms of trailering; is the radius in turns greatly increased?are they reasonable to back up and manuever? Never backed a trailer with a vehicle with such a long wheel base.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Almost everybody that wants to bring their car and a bike uses a trailer that holds both. There are many options and considerations there as well. I don't think it is so widespread that it is a serious consideration, but with a 45 foot coach almost any trailer makes your overall length greater than the 65 feet almost every state allows.

I have spoken to several owners that have been ticketed for exceeding the 65 foot length and the opinion appears to be that the benefits of the trailer are greater than the cost of the tickets.

But there are other options. There are devices that load a bike onto a pickup to avoid the excitement factor of driving up and down a plank. Some folks have gotten an H3 and stored the bike in the first bay (it is tall enough on an H to do that) and then just towed the car.

The Prevost limit is 1000 pounds hitch (tongue) weight and 10,000 pounds for the towed weight. Prevost has engineered a reinforcement modification that I believe allows a 2000 pound tongue weight and a 20,000 pound towed weight. If Kevin is reading the forum maybe he can comment on this.

[MangoMike]

So Jon is saying that there is a benefit in owning a plastic H3.

mm

[merle&louise]

What parts of an H3 are plastic? I know that the front and rear caps are fiberglass (plastic), but are the exterior walls fiberglass or carbon fiber also?

Sorry for the thread creep.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

OK Mike, you got me.....there are distinct advantages to the H. Actually the H3 has a lot of advantages and few disadvantages. But except for the fact that it is glued plastic construction (yes Tuga, the whole outer skin is plastic bonded to a stainless steel frame) it is a Prevost through and through. Just remember, it is the same construction as the Trukster's pride and joy.

For those bike riders the H is very commonly used to carry the bike in a bay (or a golf cart or some other transportation device like a scooter).