DO YOU KNOW YOUR COACH, IF IT HAD TO BE TOWED??

[Jamie Bradford]

Watch This:

http://www.millerind.com/videos/9055..._Low_Rider.mov

[Loc]

I have learned a couple of good lessons from having the unfortunate experience of having to get the bus towed. Over the first five years we owned our old XL we had to have it towed four times.

The first time was 50 miles from Houston when the speed sensor went out. It took two different companies to finally get it figured out. The second company ended up bringing a Landoll flatbed trailer and loaded the coach onto the trailer and hauled it 50 miles to Stewart & Stevenson in Houston. The first tow truck driver had a large enough truck but could not figure out how to get sufficient clearance to get the lift under the front axle (this was a 92 XL with the straight front axle). I had the question about bridge heights and the tow truck driver showed me a book with bridge heights and the route to Houston to avoid a convertible conversion. These guys knew their stuff.

The second time was in New Mexico when we blew the engine at 1:30 am. I was concerned that we would spend the night on the side of I-40 given the first towing experience which took 7 hours to get the bus finally on its way to Houston. This time the driver knew his business. I mentioned the clearance issue that we had the first time. He was familiar with the problem and had two large 8 inch tall wooden blocks that he used. The trick the tow truck driver showed me as the need to lift the front end of the bus and put blocks under the wheels so that there was enough clearance to get the lift mechanism under the front axle (it was a non-IFS bus at the time). We towed it 120 miles to Stewart & Stevenson in Albuquerque for a engine rebuild - the cause was a clogged radiator. This guy new his stuff. Lesson learned - with a straight axle bus the tow truck operator may need to lift the front of the bus and use blocks to properly get the lift under the axle. I would assume with a wheel lift this is not necessary.

The third time we had to tow the bus was for a fire caused when the voltage regulator died and caused the chassis battery equalizer and chassis batteries to catch on fire. No problem this time with the tow as the driver knew the lift the front and use blocks tricks.

The fourth time (I would like to say final, but I don't want to upset the bus gods) we had to tow the bus was when one of the connectors on the ECM failed and the bus would not start. No problem with the hookup but on a sharp turn the passenger mirror hit the back of the tow truck lift mechanism. I unfortunately did not see it until I picked the bus up from Stewart & Stevenson and the tow truck driver denied it even though there was a scratch with paint that matched the tow truck boom. From this I learned to swing the passenger side mirror against the windshield or door if you need to tow.

With the three tows (not the one of the trailer), each operator disconnected the drive shaft from the transmission to the differential. I asked two of them about pulling the axle shaft and they said it was easier and cleaner to remove the drive shaft. They only only removed the drive shaft after the bus was hooked up and hoisted (creates more room to get under the bus).

I hope to avoid the "wee wee all the way home" tow in the future.

[JIM KELLER]

MAN O MAN LOC, I'm thinking you should do a Towing Seminar at our next Rally.

[Reagan Sirmons]

Loc's name is still spoken with reverence at the old age "tow truck retirement home".
They built a new building in his honor in New Mexico from what I understsnd.
Pres

[Jhawkins]

This is a NOTE from the Author of the Article I have been in the towing and recovery business for 35 years. This industry is a dying breed of Americana Seeing that most everything we have gone toward publicly traded companies. As stated in the article tow operators are family business 2nd-3rd-and even 4th generation All successful for still being in business. I just returned for the UK and the EU teaching and educating, and today only China (thought changing quickly) has government based operations. Jamie and I are long time boating friends from Chattanooga. When we ran into each other at this year Tampa show, we where both shocked to see that we had traded our Sea Ray's for Prevost coaches!!! I was pleased when he asked me to post this article. Because, if you know what to do by taking just a few moments to read and store the article and information I outlined, IF and I hope IF, you require assistance it will help. Also, my email address is jhawkins@millereind.com, the I phone is always on 24/7. See you in Indy at the FMCA rally, I will be doing four live seminars on Tuesday and Wednesday. Going to attend please stop by. PS I hope you watched the short video clip Jamie post just above----pictures do a lot to explain how. Also, the drive shafts are the preferred method. Good Luck