Boon docking and off pavement with a 45' coach.

[luvrbus]

A Coach pivots on the heaviest axle, the tag gets dragged up or down. It pivots easier with less resistance if the tag is up, but the point of pivoting is the drive axle. 

Yes the wheel base is measured from the center line of the steer axle to to the center line of drive axle on buses tag axles are just like they are named they tag along carrying a little weight 

[richard5933]

I think they made a big deal out of nothing. A good driver could have maneuvered out of there without the chit-chat. There was a camera at the fifth-wheel, she was not needed. I doubt the driver had tractor-trailer experience.

I would agree that it appears experience is lacking. One thing that I don't see them do before going into some of these places is have the driver G.O.A.L. (get out and look).

The first thing that I was taught when I got my CDL class A training was the importance of getting out of the truck and looking at the situation from all sides of the vehicle. If pulling into a shipper or consignee where I'd never been before, I was required to get out and walk to the dock first if there were any doubts about the access. Having a spotter is great, but the driver needs to get out and look, sometimes multiple times.

Also doesn't look like the driver is squaring the corners as much as possible or using all available space to swing the trailer. True, his setup is less than ideal for tight quarters, but I'm not sure that every driver would have the same problems.

All that said, I'll take my 35-foot bus any day in situations like they've been stuck.

[DoubleEagle]

No doubt about it, get out and look. If you have someone "assisting" you and a mistake is made, it will be on the driver, not the assistant. The driver is totally responsible for the truck or bus. I have been in cheapskate storage yards where the trailers were so close together you can't fit your head between the trailers, and you have to squat-crawl to crank the landing gear. You have to slide the tandems all the way back to get in.

Campgrounds can be challenging, but not usually if you are aware of all hazards. Above all, don't let a stranger give you guidance, they'll disappear when you snag a branch. Wives sometimes fail to grasp the concepts of space and relative distances, but at least they don't disappear when the worst happens (even though they should). Get out and look.

[Fred Mc]

"Wives sometimes fail to grasp the concepts of space and relative distances,"

Yup, every time Ive backed into something its been her fault.

[someguy]

Here is another unwieldy rig.  This time the tractor is a tandem.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TlV1lR0Suc

[lostagain]

It is small for an experienced trucker. It is really big for a newby wantabe closet trucker, lol.

[usbusin]

These people with the Heavy Duty Trucks (HDT) are mostly full-timers.  There is an extremely active site on the Escapees RV group.  Here is the link if you are interested:   https://www.rvnetwork.com/forum/32-hdt/

I have followed their site and group for years as I had a truck conversion after my bus conversion.  They are a knowledgeable group and really help each other like this group does.

[harpold700 3]

Logging roads are no problem, I'm talking main haul roads, not right of way roads. I haul logs and my MC7 goes up and down bush roads with no problem.  I wish my log truck handled that nice ,... read... smooooth. Know your limit! Right?

[someguy]

I have followed their site and group for years as I had a truck conversion after my bus conversion. 

Tell us more about HDT+ 5er versus a coach ?

[someguy]

Logging roads are no problem, I'm talking main haul roads, not right of way roads. I haul logs and my MC7 goes up and down bush roads with no problem.  I wish my log truck handled that nice ,... read... smooooth. Know your limit! Right?

What is a "right of way" road ?   What is a bush road ?  Width, surface, grade of each ?

Have you ever spun out on a logging road ?  Any trouble on the switchbacks ?

[lvmci]

I can't imagine there are that many RV parks that would allow, have room for, or  could stand for that much noise, without complaints...

[luvrbus]

I can't imagine there are that many RV parks that would allow, have room for, or  could stand for that much noise, without complaints...

My long time friend in Idaho build trucks conversions longer that rig and you see his rigs in the higher end RV parks 53ft long coach + a 30 ft stacker trailer behind some of his
www.powerhousecoach.com check those out

[usbusin]

Tell us more about HDT+ 5er versus a coach ?

My truck conversion was a truck conversion motorhome, not a 5er hauler.

[richard5933]

It all depends on where  you go...

Some campgrounds, especially newer ones, will easily be able to handle longer rigs, even with long trailers. State and National parks will be different, and many will have length limits, tighter road, etc.

Go out east, around the Great Lakes, or to any older campgrounds and you'll likely find it more difficult with a longer coach and/or trailer. We been to some older campgrounds that have added "big rig" spots, but not all are really conducive to getting in/out easily. Sometimes it's nothing more than a few spots added to an old empty field, sometimes you have to access the longer spots through very tight/narrow campground roads.

Long story short, you need to do your homework if you have a longer rig and want to go to a park or campground.

[luvrbus]

I notice Wally World has stopped overnight camping at stores now that it was always allowed,the first time I ever saw that on company owed stores on leased stores it was a toss up,a little side note if you lose your senior pass to federal parks that card cost $80.00 now