DANGER!!! sliding under coach.

[Larry Geese]

We all crawl under out coach for inspection. What if an air bag suddenly lost air or a hydraulic line failure to the jacks. I change my own oil etc by sliding under the coach....Just how dangerous is this? I don't have a pit to work in. Do we need safety jacks?
Larry

[nodine]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Larry Geese We all crawl under out coach for inspection. What if an air bag suddenly lost air or a hydraulic line failure to the jacks. I change my own oil etc by sliding under the coach....Just how dangerous is this? I don't have a pit to work in. Do we need safety jacks? Larry

Larry,

Guess that depends on the condition of the air bags and the jacks when you crawl under. I always dump all the air except for a few pounds when I park. That keeps the parking brake locked and also the coach will not drop anymore. If the jacks are put down to level then the coach could drop if a hydraulic line failed. I can crawl under my coach with the bags down and the jacks up. If I had the coach raised with the jacks then I would use a safety stand in the area that I crawl under.

Bob

[Larry Geese]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nodine Larry, Guess that depends on the condition of the air bags and the jacks when you crawl under. I always dump all the air except for a few pounds when I park. That keeps the parking brake locked and also the coach will not drop anymore. If the jacks are put down to level then the coach could drop if a hydraulic line failed. I can crawl under my coach with the bags down and the jacks up. If I had the coach raised with the jacks then I would use a safety stand in the area that I crawl under. Bob

Thanks Bob. I need to think more about safety when sliding on a creeper under the coach thinking (hoping) the air bags or jacks will not fail while I am under the monster.
Larry

[Jim-in-Hope]

You should use saftey stands, one's that are rated for the size of your MH or trailer.
When you crawl under your MH make sure someone else knows you are under there so they can call 911 if something bad happens.

[bluepill]

I am planning to buy 2 jack posts for my DP. Lighter and easier to store than jack stands.

http://www.google.com/aclk?sa=l&ai=C...=1&q=jack+post

[Mike Canter]

What are the odds? Pretty slim I would say. I used to worry about it when I first started sliding under the Mh but have grown used to it now. How many times has an air bag failed and even if it did it would have to explode to drop real fast and even if it did only one corner would drop because they are isolated. When you say hydraulic line I am aauming you are talking about jacks. Same thing there.....how many times does that really happen. Not saying that you should totally ignore safety but it is a little claustraphobic (did I spell that right) under which brings on fears. Yes a couple of big jack stands is a great idea. I raise my air suspension all the way up and hit "emergency off" put two jack stands under the frame and I roll under the MH I am always in an area which will not drop and hit me.

[George Z]

Sometimes a couple old fashioned homemade wooden ramps are all that are needed to give you safe clearance......but if the tires blow out while underneath then that is a different story.

[Batman_777]

I've been under it a dozen times for inspection and etc.. Never worried about it...

I guess it all depends upon why you're under and what you're doing... I know a crew that does MH oil and lubes, and they just crawl under without any thought.

Then of course, if you don't trust your MH for some reason, it's best to take precautions.

[Larry Geese]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Canter What are the odds? Pretty slim I would say. I used to worry about it when I first started sliding under the Mh but have grown used to it now. How many times has an air bag failed and even if it did it would have to explode to drop real fast and even if it did only one corner would drop because they are isolated. When you say hydraulic line I am aauming you are talking about jacks. Same thing there.....how many times does that really happen. Not saying that you should totally ignore safety but it is a little claustraphobic (did I spell that right) under which brings on fears. Yes a couple of big jack stands is a great idea. I raise my air suspension all the way up and hit "emergency off" put two jack stands under the frame and I roll under the MH I am always in an area which will not drop and hit me.

Hey Mike. I agree with the chances being small for a (catasstrophic-however you spell it) happening. Me, like you in engineering I can always worry about something that won't happen...can't help it. I just wanted to know what others thought.
Thanks
Larry
Larry

[Route 66]

We lost one of our members several years ago when his coach fell on him.

Jim Scoggins iRV2 memorial.

[bucks2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by George Z Sometimes a couple old fashioned homemade wooden ramps are all that are needed to give you safe clearance......but if the tires blow out while underneath then that is a different story.

Or an earthquake or flash flood. Tornado, hurricane, a freak snowstorm could trap you underneath with no shovel.

Yours Truly, Tongue in Cheek
Ken

[Route 66]

The HWH techs were working on Bob Gregory's coach when a hydraulic line burst and the techs said "It dropped like a rock". Fortunately no one was underneath.

That's the second coach that I know dropped.

That's two too many.

[powerboatr]

i scoot around under mine all the time. bags dumped and jacks down.
even if the jacks catastrophically failed, the coach still wouldn't crush me\\
unless i was up on top of the axle, and even then it would be close but not deadly.
the front tires if i was in the wheel well would hurt bad, but i can get to everything from behind the wheel vice slithering in between it and the fender

might cause a mishap in my shorts...


having a line suddenly blow/depart while sitting static is almost never going to happen

now getting under it while its leveling might be bad odds

[moisheh]

That Home depot jack post is certainly strong enough but what keeps it from tipping if the MH moves?