Tag axle - to chain one or both?

[paul102a3]

So, I am driving down the road sometime in the future and kaboom, a steer tire blows. I have the tools, jacks, etc to switch a tag wheel to the front and mount the blown steer onto the tag. I know I have to chain up the tag (which I have practiced in my driveway while I was polishing the wheels) but what about the tag on the opposite side.

Do I leave that one down and the airbag inflated or chain it up as well?

My gut instinct would be to have the good tag down so there is some additional braking and slightly better directional stability but then I wonder if the additional braking on one side could cause the bus to pull to one side. 

Just like to be prepared.

Thanks,

Paul

[Tenor]

Great question Paul!  I have never thought about it, but I suspect leaving the other down would save you another hour or more of work on the side of the road.

Glenn

[Tony LEE]

You will need to drop your speed down a bit because of the extra load on your drivewheels on the chained-up side so the slight imbalance in braking by leaving the good tag down is going to be hardly noticeable. The levelling of the rear will not change because the levelling valves will compensate

[buswarrior]

Great thread, paul123!

I have driven an MC8 close to 100 miles, mix of thruway and two lane highways with a missing tag, other side down and working. If I didn't know, I don't think i would have noticed.

Pretty much a non-event from the driver's seat.

To add an important step to the procedure, once chained up, put the air back into the tag that is raised so that it stays chained up. They are capable of bouncing, stressing the chain points, or risking a chain link to slip/bounce free.

I'd be inclined to pull the curb side tag to use as your steer tire for two reasons:

1) Safety of the curb side shelter while working on it.

2) The missing tag wheel on the curb side is less noticeable to fewer other motorist do-gooders with cell phones...

I might get all my work done, and then wait for dark to make my escape....

happy coaching!
buswarrior

[Tenor]

Great advice about which side BW!  Thanks!

Glenn

[paul102a3]

Buswarrior,

That is great advice on putting air into the chained tag. My thought would have been to leave the bag deflated to reduce pressure on the chain and hooks but your point is well taken. A bouncing tag would probably put a lot more stress on the components than the steady pressure from the airbag.

I too like your idea of using the curbside tag.

Thanks for the tips.

Paul