Near disaster averted

[hawgguy]

Originally Posted by seeg

Yet he came through like I couldn't believe.

I vote pizza for Derek.

[Gary.Jones]

Someone posted several years ago about finding some large plastic clips that hold bags together that were sold at a department store. I could not find them at the store mentioned, but wandered through Bed Bath and Beyond and there in front of me on a wall was a cardboard blister pack with 3 or 4 large multicolored plastic clips made by some company named something like: X-0-X or sometime equally enigmatic. They were maybe $4 for 3 or 4.

Anyhow, they exactly fit the space between the air brake release knob and the dash.... exactly with virtually no wiggle room. When inserted on the air brake shaft, it prevents the air brake push knob from being pushed in by a big dog or a clumsy DH or DW. Also, mine rides nicely in the small console drawer or one of the coffee cup holders, AND that clip is the first thing that I insert when I pull the air brake knob when parking..... pull the knob, and grab the clip, and insert on shaft.

I gave one of the spares to DebbieMH and she uses it every time she stops and I think that I gave the other one to LVUS101 for use on his coach.

Simple thing, but great fail safe.

Gary

[bevandtomH]

I'm with hawgguy, young man earned his favorite pizza tonight!

[waterboy10]

I use the clip when driving to loosen the seat belt just a bit and when we park it goes in the parking break shaft. Fits perfectly. 757 driver's wife gave them to the folks in our Spartan class.

[Hygge]

The clip on AndyE's Amazon list for Microwave and parking brake works well...just the right size. Use it any time I put the brake on and leave the coach, even if just to gas up. My German Shepard likes to sit in the drivers seat and keep an eye on me...what could go wrong?

[coachmanrvr]

If you bleed down the air system the brakes can't be released. At the spartan academy class they had the coach with the parking brake off and started pumping the brakes. When the air pressure drops too low, the yellow parking brake popped out. (on)

If you are on jacks you don't need air in the system. The clip method could still be defeated by a crafty pet. No air can not.

[V3600]

Another method is to bleed the air pressure down by repeatedly pressing the brake pedal with the engine off. Around 20-40 psi your parking brake knob should should pop out and your brakes should set. At that point nothing will release the brakes until the engine is restarted and the air pressure built back up. It's also a good test of your brake system to do this.

(Oops, I guess Coachman beat me to it by a few minutes)

[jeffnjay]

Could someone post a picture of the clip you're using? Thanks everyone!

[Gary.Jones]

Here is the clip that I use:

Again, I think that I bought them in blister pack at Bed, Bath, and Beyond, and I now remember that someone was passing out some extras at the Kerrville Rally 2 years ago, which is where I first saw them..... didnt managed to wrangle one of those passed out, but then found them on my own. The most distinctive thing beyond the shape is that the manufacturer is something like X-O-X or X-X-O-O or something strange like that.

Gary

[brobox]

Pumping the brakes every time you stop is not always practical. There are many times you cannot wait for the system to air up again before moving. A safety clip takes one second.

[coachmanrvr]

I agree, but on jacks is a situation where depleting the air would not be a problem.

[twinboat]

Wheel chocks ? To simple ?

[Matt D]

We have chocks, they aren't practical on gravel or soft terrain.

We use the clip and will be using the no air method when parked from now on.

I'm very happy to hear things turned out OK.

Why do your jacks retract when you turn the key on?

I can turn my key on and even start the engine with the jacks down. The only thing that happens is the Equalizer system turns itself on and begins wailing.

Are the different model lines programmed differently, or does one of us have a problem?

-Matt

[kladner]

I have an older coach but turning the key on with the brake released is what triggers my jacks to come up.