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(Moderator:
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Starting out on steep incline - Found the limit
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Topic: Starting out on steep incline - Found the limit (Read 1911 times)
richard5933
Hero Member
Posts: 3963
Starting out on steep incline - Found the limit
«
on:
July 16, 2018, 07:08:13 PM »
Just when I thought I had the hang of starting on an incline, we decided to visit Falls Park in Sioux Falls, SD on our way to the FMCA rally in Gillette WY.
I should have known better, having commented on the way in how steep the road was. Stupidly I followed the Garmin as it lead me back out the same way. Things would have possibly been okay if it weren't for the stop sign at the end of the last (and steepest) road.
I had to stop for traffic and there was no way to get moving again. Stalled twice, tried one more time with more throttle. No go.
Decided rather than burn out the clutch to suck it up and call for help. Police came soon after and blocked the road behind. Had to back down what seemed like a mile to the next turn off so I could leave via a different route.
Lesson learned. Managed to get back on our way with clutch and brakes intact and without overheating while we backed down in the heat.
Let the public flogging begin.
Logged
Richard
1974 GMC P8M4108a-125 Custom Coach "Land Cruiser" (Sold)
1964 GM PD4106-2412 (Former Bus)
1994 Airstream Excella 25-ft w/ 1999 Suburban 2500
Located in beautiful Wisconsin
windtrader
Hero Member
Posts: 2446
Re: Starting out on steep incline - Found the limit
«
Reply #1 on:
July 16, 2018, 07:41:38 PM »
Richard,
which lesson? Don't go on any roads with a stop at the bottom of a hill? Or driving a manual bus is more than trivial for most, thus the aversion to them.
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Don F
1976 MCI/TMC MC-8 #1286
Fully converted
Bought 2017
TomC
Hero Member
Posts: 9255
Re: Starting out on steep incline - Found the limit
«
Reply #2 on:
July 16, 2018, 10:12:33 PM »
Ah the advantages of a torque converter!
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Tom & Donna Christman. 1985 Kenworth 40ft Super C with garage. '77 AMGeneral 10240B; 8V-71TATAIC V730.
dtcerrato
Hero Member
Posts: 2242
Re: Starting out on steep incline - Found the limit
«
Reply #3 on:
July 16, 2018, 11:14:43 PM »
Over the years we have done that quite often but with the back up of the toad in mind. On many occasion, usually navigating into the back country to hide away in a quaint quiet campsite - we found ourselves needing to use the auxiliary horsepower of the toad which has always bailed us out - although it was pretty marginal when pulling the 4 cyl. VW. Some of AK's & CN's grades made believers out of us - probably had something to do with having the 5.7 L Hemi in our present Jeep toad. a good lesson learned - which is why we prefer four down flat towing...
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Dan & Sandy
North Central Florida
PD4104-129 since 1979
Toads: 2009 Jeep GC Limited 4X4 5.7L Hemi
2008 GMC Envoy SLT 4x4 4.2L IL Vortec
chessie4905
Hero Member
Posts: 7101
Re: Starting out on steep incline - Found the limit
«
Reply #4 on:
July 17, 2018, 03:54:13 AM »
This is why my 4905 is an automatic. Btdt in the 4104.
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GMC h8h 649#028 (4905)
Pennsylvania-central
richard5933
Hero Member
Posts: 3963
Re: Starting out on steep incline - Found the limit
«
Reply #5 on:
July 17, 2018, 12:23:00 PM »
Quote from: chessie4905 on July 17, 2018, 03:54:13 AM
This is why my 4905 is an automatic. Btdt in the 4104.
Is there a limit to the ability of the auto?
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Richard
1974 GMC P8M4108a-125 Custom Coach "Land Cruiser" (Sold)
1964 GM PD4106-2412 (Former Bus)
1994 Airstream Excella 25-ft w/ 1999 Suburban 2500
Located in beautiful Wisconsin
luvrbus
Hero Member
Posts: 26068
Re: Starting out on steep incline - Found the limit
«
Reply #6 on:
July 17, 2018, 12:47:57 PM »
Not really if you can stall one out at 2100 rpms you are in a real bad spot
Logged
Life is short drink the good wine first
Gary Hatt - Publisher BCM
Publisher - BCM
Administrator
Hero Member
Posts: 1985
Re: Starting out on steep incline - Found the limit
«
Reply #7 on:
July 17, 2018, 03:30:19 PM »
I think all of us over 60 have been there done that. Builds character.
Sometimes I wish there was a really low Granny Gear like the Skidder I used to operate to get us out of a bind like that then no mountain would be too high to go over.
I have been known to run stop signs and stop lights to prevent that from happening but don't tell anyone.
Logged
1967 Eagle with Series 60 Power Plant
Gary@BusConversionMagazine.com
Lin
Hero Member
Posts: 5531
1965 MC-5a
Re: Starting out on steep incline - Found the limit
«
Reply #8 on:
July 17, 2018, 05:26:27 PM »
My first bus had a granny gear. If you used it to start you would need to shift to 2nd by the middle of the intersection. It seemed like it could pull up a vertical wall (though I never did try that). This MCI came with a 4 speed Spicer, which I thought was a terrible transmission due its ridiculously high 1st gear. The Allison 647 solve most of the problem although, depending on engine, altitude, and combined weight it is possible to get stuck also.
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You don't have to believe everything you think.
lostagain
Hero Member
Posts: 3031
Re: Starting out on steep incline - Found the limit
«
Reply #9 on:
July 17, 2018, 06:45:55 PM »
The 7 speed manual Eaton-Fuller has the low gear really low. You can start up any incline without revving up the engine. Real nice to have.
JC
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JC
Blackie AB
1977 MC5C, 6V92/HT740 (sold)
2007 Country Coach Magna, Cummins ISX
lostagain
Hero Member
Posts: 3031
Re: Starting out on steep incline - Found the limit
«
Reply #10 on:
July 17, 2018, 06:46:17 PM »
The 7 speed manual Eaton-Fuller has the low gear really low. You can start up any incline without revving up the engine. Real nice to have.
JC
Logged
JC
Blackie AB
1977 MC5C, 6V92/HT740 (sold)
2007 Country Coach Magna, Cummins ISX
lostagain
Hero Member
Posts: 3031
Re: Starting out on steep incline - Found the limit
«
Reply #11 on:
July 17, 2018, 06:56:04 PM »
I learned to drive buses with the 4 speed manual in the '70s in MC5s and 7s. I don't remember having trouble starting up hill. Although we just drove them, we didn't fix them... But I do remember, after having to stop on a steep incline, often backing down to a flat spot to be able to start up again. We just put on the 4 way flashers and backed down, traffic behind us be damned. Off course nowadays, the public isn't as patient with a motor home blocking their way, as they would be with a commercial bus. But hey, if necessary, I do it anyway.
JC
Logged
JC
Blackie AB
1977 MC5C, 6V92/HT740 (sold)
2007 Country Coach Magna, Cummins ISX
buswarrior
Hero Member
Posts: 6569
the old one: '75 MC8 with an 8V71 HT740
Re: Starting out on steep incline - Found the limit
«
Reply #12 on:
July 18, 2018, 04:41:04 PM »
Just sell me the stick shift coach, and go fetch yerself a nice slushbox?
happy coaching!
buswarrior
Logged
Frozen North, Greater Toronto Area
new project: 1995 MCI 102D3, Cat 3176b, Eaton Autoshift
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Starting out on steep incline - Found the limit
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