quote:

Originally posted by bill h:

quote:

Originally posted by Danny Z:
I have 2 questions.
1: How did this thing ever get out of design and into production?
2: Where on earth could you live that you don't see a potential clearance problem?

3. Where on earth would you use the thing? Certainly not boondocking.

Truck Stops?

Would be good as a toyhauler... You could just back into a couple small holes and you wouldnt need a ramp...

That’s the kind of motorhome you buy and park in your driveway just to piss off your neighbors!

You used to get the same result by having a rusty Monte Carlo up on cinder blocks in the front yard...but now they are considered 'classics' so it doesn’t have the same effect...

quote:

Originally posted by chrisW:
That’s the kind of motorhome you buy and park in your driveway just to piss off your neighbors!

This is the kind of motor home I would move in and out of my driveway just to entertain my neighbors.

Heck, the Barth is almost more entertainment than they could stand, anyway.

When I first bought my tag Barth, there was a tail dragging issue. This was before I added the drive axle air bags and training wheels on the hitch. As I entered my sloping driveway with the obligatory gutter dip, the hitch began to cut gouges in the asphalt of the street. So I backed up, inflated the tag axle bags to a higher pressure for more rear clearance(pretty smart, huh?) and tried again. Well, with the tag bags fully inflated, my drive wheels dropped in to the dip where the driveway starts and lost traction due to much more weight being carried by the tag, and unfortunately, the hitch. Oh, the blue burnt rubber cloud was something to see (and smell).

So, there I was, hung up with the rear hitch dug into its own furrow in the blacktop, blocking traffic, unable to go forward or backward, and no traction. All I needed was Eyewitness News.

This was a Saturday afternoon, and all the neighbors had come out to see what caused the smell. One thing I learned, was just how witty my neighbors could be. I am the neighborhood wiseass, but I was the butt of everyone else's humor that day. One lady showed up with a tray of snacks, and another ran a cord to a blender and made margaritas. Since I had blocked most traffic in the street, it was a block party and I was the entertainment.

My driveway (and the street) was blocked by the coach, and the 4WD as in the street, so I had to unbolt the winch from the 4WD, drill a hole in the concrete driveway to anchor it, and rig up a battery connection to pull the MH forward out of the dip. Fortunately, as per my usual overkill, the 4WD was equipped with a winch that would lift twice the vehicle's weight straight up. I used a snatch block anyway, just to add to the complexity and drama of the event.

I now have air bags on the drive axle and training wheels on the frame. And I lay a plank in the dip, and deflate the tag bags when entering my *&%$@#^ driveway. Even so, I need a bit of momentum and perfect alignment to accomplish the maneuver.

As I enter the driveway under power, the drive axle unloads a little, and the right pair of tires will lay rubber. This maneuver is further complicated by the mandatory turning required whenever a car is parked across the street, so the neighbors are still entertained and traffic is still blocked, although only momentarily.

Some time later, I forgot all I learned and got hung up on a neighbor’s driveway just turning around, but with considerably less drama. Took less than half an hour that time.

I had a similar event at a particular intersection in Blythe, involving a rented dolly dragging a hors de combat 4WD home from the Arizona desert. It had a killer dip, and the rented dolly required that I invert my hitch slide-in, compromising my ground clearance abaft. The police were directing traffic and the city workers were there to watch me use my folding Army entrenching tool to dig up their blacktop to free the too-low hitch. As soon as I was done, they applied the cold patch material they had brought with them, and drove away. Neighbors contributed advice and opinions, offered tools, but no Margaritas. However, I almost expected some enterprising youngster to set up a lemonade stand.

Everyone was very blasé about it happening again. It was a common occurrence at that intersection, and everybody dealt with it well, showing much previous experience. The ruts and patches in the road, and the debris in the gutter kept me from feeling like the Lone Ranger. I later spoke with a councilman who is a good friend, and he told they were very aware of that intersection, and very concerned, and told me how much it would cost to redo that intersection. Millions. Also had to rebuild my step (again) after that one.

quote:

Originally posted by Danny Z:
How did this thing ever get out of design and into production?

The folks at Forest City have never been afraid of overhang.

To Bill H
Now I know I'm old, I remember you posting your driveway episode in another century or did you do it again?(Ican't remember).......Love ya Billy

quote:

Originally posted by carlflack:
To Bill H
did you do it again?(I can't remember)......

Every time I go in and out of the driveway, it is an adventure. But, I am less klutzy than the first few times. Learning curve, ya know.

The city just re-blacktopped the street again, but not the gutter, so the dip is worse than ever.

Use more boards.

quote:

Well, with the tag bags fully inflated, my drive wheels dropped in to the dip where the driveway starts and lost traction due to much more weight being carried by the tag, and unfortunately, the hitch

How would it be to back in?

quote:

To Bill H
Now I know I'm old, I remember you posting your driveway episode in another century or did you do it again?(Ican't remember).......Love ya Billy

That story did sound familiar but I thought this is a common problem with these elongated liners.

Very funny Bill, almost as good as your Glassnose story . You are the one that wrote that one??. Funny how life mirrors fiction or is it the other way around?

OK, Danny, I'll bite. Question: Why do we have government regulations?

I've was reading and enjoying your postings on the overhang issue.....I pulled into my driveway and looked at my 1984 Regal 35ft (454 gas, P32 chassis) and realized I could be laughing at myself!! Ha! Ha! Kive

The simple fix is to have carbides, like on a snowmobile skeg, welded on the your rear bumper bottom. This along with sufficient momentum, will continually scarify all offending sections of pavement into submission.

Perhaps, carrying this thought a bit further, you could tow a small paver. In this way you will be able to restore the area for the enjoyment of the next guy that wanders into the trap!!

quote:

Originally posted by noble97monarch:
The simple fix is to have carbides, like on a snowmobile skeg, welded on the your rear bumper bottom. This along with sufficient momentum, will continually scarify all offending sections of pavement into submission.

I suspect the skeg idea would work on blacktop, but not sure on concrete.

The momentum idea can only (dare I say it?) carry you so far. When speed is added into my driveway approach, the turn and the dip combine to make things a little too exciting. The neighbors have never gotten used to a big, swaying, bouncing motor home laying rubber, if even for a moment. These days, it is even more of an event since I did the turbo mufflers and side dumps.

The aforementioned Blythe incident was on asphalt, with quite a bit of forward momentum, but the upslope lasted longer than my momentum did, resulting in the ball mount being buried in its own trench. Any more momentum would have combined with the dip to launch us into orbit...... Or at least disturb the cat.

So far, the skid wheels are doing a good job. Or were, until Susan ripped the bumper off.

Your carbide skeg idea is generating all manner of productive (or not) thought, however............Our boat could use a carbide skeg, however, as it does a little too much sandbar surfing, and the fiberglass is reverting to its natural color and texture.