Boon docking and off pavement with a 45' coach.

[someguy]

"Standard truck axle" means something different to you than it does to someone looking to swap one... they are upside down, and not every axle can be rolled over.

You don't need to swap the axle.  You just swap the "differential carrier", which is the pinion, ring and diff spiders in an assembly.   Like a 9" Ford axle where the "carrier" is a group that can be pulled from the axle housing.  The axle housing, ie the differential housing with the brakes, spindles, spring mounts, etc. stays in place.  That is the bus specific part of an axle, versus a truck axle.

I think some Prevosts use RC 23 160/165 axles.    As far as I know the differential centers in those diffs are interchangeable with those from a highway truck using the same series of axle, the RS 23 with a 16 carrier type. 

RC = coach
RS = single rear axle
RD = forward axle in a tandem

NC = USA, Driver controlled diff lock.

Who is going to crawl under their coach and get an axle model number for us ?

[Jim Blackwood]

Doesn't the ring gear have to be on the other side of the pinion to get the correct rotation? That means a different carrier housing (hogs head) to get the right pinion height and reverse cut gears doesn't it? So then the only thing interchangeable in the hogs head would be the differential carrier.

Jim

[someguy]

Doesn't the ring gear have to be on the other side of the pinion to get the correct rotation? That means a different carrier housing (hogs head) to get the right pinion height and reverse cut gears doesn't it? So then the only thing interchangeable in the hogs head would be the differential carrier.

You'd think the ring would have to be moved to the other side, yes.  I'm not sure what is interchangeable if that is the case.

[DoubleEagle]

What are the limits of a 45 foot coach as far as going off pavement ? 

The practical limit is within the reach of the winch cable of the tow truck that is willing to come after you. 

[someguy]

It's not a matter of if, but when I would get a coach stuck.   I'll be carrying a kinetic rope and a long tow strap.  And maybe a winch of some sort.  I'll attempt to make use of local resources before calling in a tow truck.

[richard5933]

Make sure you have a good plan for connecting that rope/tow strap when your front end is sunk in soft ground and there is no ground clearance at all.

[Nova Eona]

Carry a stack of 8 2x10s or such - if you've got no choice but to cross some treacherous terrain, you can build yourself a road by driving on the boards like a very slow moving tank tread.  Slow, but probably quicker than waiting for a Class 8 Tow to show up.

[dtcerrato]

All wheel drive bus!?
We just go in so far then get in the 4X4 toad & do the rest (also in style...)

[windtrader]

It's not a matter of if, but when I would get a coach stuck.   I'll be carrying a kinetic rope and a long tow strap.  And maybe a winch of some sort.  I'll attempt to make use of local resources before calling in a tow truck.

Sounds like you may be underestimating what it takes to get a bus unstuck. There is so much weight involved and clearance issues, the need for a landoll class rig becomes pretty clear.  For that matter, think and plan a lot before taking the bus off tarmac to minimize serious headaches.

[Brian Diehl]

Last May our local power utility, Idaho Power, wanted to replace a power pole on my property.  I live in the high desert region of southern Idaho.  In the summer the ground is as hard as rock.  In the spring time it is a different matter.  Last May Idaho Power and I walked out along the route the truck would need to take across my field.  We found the ground hard and it appeared there would be no problem driving their dual axle trucks out to where the power pole was.

After scouting and agreeing the ground was solid they headed down the hill out to the pole in my field.  The first single axle boom truck made it half way to the pole when the rear axle suddenly sank down and immediately was bogged in the mud.  Thinking it was just an odd soft spot they sent their dual axle boom truck down to the first truck and keeping about 50' of distance between came to a stop.  The idea was to tow out the single axle truck with the dual axle truck.  The dual axle truck sank into the ground down to the frame on both the front and rear axles.

They then drove their back hoe down to try and help pull/push the big truck out of the way.  The back hoe could hardly keep itself from getting stuck.  Then next called a D6 dozer in from their depot.  Using the dozer, lots of jacking and cribbing and several hours later they had all trucks unstuck.

What we saw and discovered was the top 12" of ground was pretty solid, but under this top pan was a layer that liquefied when any load or shock was applied to it.  When solid this layer appeared like it would not be a problem, but under load or shock it was just liquid mud.  In fact, the hard top pan would move like a wave if the load applied was heavy enough or had enough shock.

Idaho Power was totally shocked with what happened and apologized profusely.  They came back out later and fully restored and repaired all the damage done.  You can imagine the ruts they left behind once they finally extracted all the trucks, the back hoe, and the dozer. 

I learned from this experience there was absolutely no way a heavy vehicle could extract itself.  Heavy cribbing by itself was not enough.  It just sank into the ground.  Only the dozer with its much lower ground loading and higher traction was able to extract those trucks.  A bus would have been hopelessly stuck until the ground dried up more since there are no good points to pull with as much load as they did anywhere on a coach.

So - even though the ground looked and acted perfectly acceptable for driving heavy equipment on it, it was in fact not anywhere close to dry enough.  Given the time of year Idaho Power should have done a few ground boreings to confirm the sub-surface was as dry as the surface.

[Brian Diehl]

Another picture

[Brian Diehl]

more pictures

[Brian Diehl]

Should also mention that even with the dozer they had to yank on the connecting cable.  The dozer would back up and put a good amount of slack in the pull cable.  Then the dozer would "sprint" forward and using momentum yank the truck.  You can imagine the shock load this put on the trucks frame!  It took several good runs to begin to get the big truck unstuck.

[Jim Blackwood]

Sounds just as bad as permafrost does. Around here the surface contains a lot of humus and even if it is very dry it will just squish out when the bus rolls over it. Very easy to leave 4" deep ruts rolling very carefully over dry ground with the bus. Those excursions have to be planned out along with an extraction plan and you stop at the very first sign of any trouble and begin figuring out how you are going to get back out. Under no circumstances do you continue onward if the tires sink 2"

Jim

[neoneddy]

I'm late to the party here, but I'll try and get this back on topic.

I have 2 tires with traction tread, I didn't plan it that way, it was just what my local shop could find me in a pinch.  I'd like to split them so I have 1 traction tire on each side, vs two on one site. 

I should carry a tow strap with me for where I like to go.

For overnights, I like a rest stops, but I try and find some little off the beaten path places.  I'll look at freecampsites.net and even browse Google Maps for a spot that might work.

Closest I've ever parked to water?  Wanted to go on the beach on Padre, but I thought better of it and stayed in the campground there.  There are a few places here in MN I can camp within a stone's throw of water that we enjoy.

Most remote place?  I've got a tie. Lake Harriet Rustic Campground in northern MN https://goo.gl/maps/UD5xiopBtyywz7FC6 ended up being pretty darn remote.  I also managed to stuff our bus in a tiny spot down seemingly endless dirt roads in Moose Lake, WI https://goo.gl/maps/grvtM5YyvzGkWiBk6   

We also went to the Tetons and boondocked at a popular but somewhat remote place https://www.campendium.com/upper-teton-view   I'm sure nothing like the remote deserts Belfert goes to.

I wanted to get towed out of the sand at Mears State park in MI, ended up self extracting with a bottle jack and the entire campground watching, and eventually cheering as we made it out.

I found out how bad icy roads can be this spring on our way back from Texas to MN.  Under a few bridges it would ice up in the shade I felt the back end want to slip out a few times.  So I started letting off under the bridges. 

I love boondocking, I'm this driving contradiction of having a 40 ft 34,000 coach and wanting to park it in remote places it has no business being.   Maybe someday I'll et a giant overlander, but for now we need the room with the kids and I love love love putting miles on it.  Maybe I was supposed to be a trucker.