Brush guard and a winch

[Biscuitsjam]

We've been going some pretty ridiculuous places. What's the craziest place you've taken your bus?



Camping in a canyon at Rainbow Ridge

Pulled out of a ditch by two ATVs

Driving down a creek bed towards Gulkana Glacier in the Hoodoo Mountains
https://youtu.be/WeNG4F6HcKk
Trying to find a place to go boondocking.

[REDD]

Originally Posted by Biscuitsjam

We've been going some pretty ridiculuous places. What's the craziest place you've taken your bus?


Attachment 24972
Camping in a canyon at Rainbow Ridge
Attachment 24973
Pulled out of a ditch by two ATVs
Attachment 24974
Driving down a creek bed towards Gulkana Glacier in the Hoodoo Mountains
https://youtu.be/WeNG4F6HcKk
Trying to find a place to go boondocking.

Been in the bush with mine, not that deep though... You might need a dog nose bus for the ground clearance. Pics look great.



UTV's not ATV's ...same but different, lol.

[Biscuitsjam]

https://youtube.com/watch?v=WeNG4F6HcKk

https://youtube.com/watch?v=ortRmzPuPdE

[Biscuitsjam]

I was hoping for some other pictures or stories. Anyone have a good one?

We have a few days here in Alaska before the first snow - no camping until next spring... Maybe I'll have enough insulation and heat to do some next winter...

[o1marc]

Originally Posted by Biscuitsjam

I was hoping for some other pictures or stories. Anyone have a good one?

We have a few days here in Alaska before the first snow - no camping until next spring... Maybe I'll have enough insulation and heat to do some next winter...

A few days before snow, I wish. It was 91° here again today. 19 days last month over 90 and everyday this month so far.

[Biscuitsjam]

We can trade winters... Winter days are between 0 and -20 usually, which is too cold to snow. Warm days (+10) usually bring some snow with them. It gets pretty brutal when the temperature drops to -40 or -50 though. We also only have about 3 hours of twilight a day.

Summers are amazing though - 70 degrees with 24 hours of sunlight.

[o1marc]

Originally Posted by Biscuitsjam

We can trade winters... Winter days are between 0 and -20 usually, which is too cold to snow. Warm days (+10) usually bring some snow with them. It gets pretty brutal when the temperature drops to -40 or -50 though. We also only have about 3 hours of twilight a day.

Summers are amazing though - 70 degrees with 24 hours of sunlight.

No thanks, I moved from New England because of the winters. But your summers sound tempting.
It's snowing in North Dakota right now.

[johnforrest]

I've been thinking about one. Actually something to give the driver a chance in a head on. Kind of a reverse cow catcher. When you look up from underneath there isn't much there.

[o1marc]

Originally Posted by johnforrest

I've been thinking about one. Actually something to give the driver a chance in a head on. Kind of a reverse cow catcher. When you look up from underneath there isn't much there.

We usually sit much higher than most vehicles, in a frontal collision most likely the other vehicle will go under the driver of the bus. And BTW, brush guards are just that, not crash protection.

[Alan N]

We took our bus to Deadhorse.
Lots of interesting back roads between here and there, haven't gotten to all of them yet.
Be careful of that oil pan.
Perhaps a skid plate before the brush guard?
When you make the brush guard please post pictures.

[Biscuitsjam]

How was the road to Deadhorse? I've been nervous about it. Of course, i took the road to Mcarthy/Kennecott in Wrangel St. Elias, and it wasn't too bad if you kept your speed down to about 20.

[Tango]

Been thinking about fabbing a skid plate for my shorty to cover both the engine & tranny. I like back roads too.

[leadsled01]

I installed a reese style 2" receiver hitch, mainly to hold my spare tire on the front of my shuttle bus. I installed 2 tow hooks which came in handy last weekend when I got stuck in a yard.
Front hitch offers a lot of protection with a spare tire on the front.

[BlackJohn]

Originally Posted by o1marc

We usually sit much higher than most vehicles, in a frontal collision most likely the other vehicle will go under the driver of the bus. And BTW, brush guards are just that, not crash protection.

Not so sure about your being up higher theory, check this,


John

[davidm2232]

I take mine to the off-road truck events. Often have to get towed up hills by borderline monster trucks. About a month ago I was at a park called Mountain Madness. They had a big campfire down by the mud pits that all the guys were heading down to in ATVs and Jeeps. I walked the borderline trail down there and decided my bus could make it down and back up no issues. As I was about 90% to the bottom of the trail, security comes running up to me telling me that I was going to get stuck and be stranded down there for the rest of the night. A little late for that warning! We enjoyed the fire and then headed back up the mountain to camp. I had to get a running start at the hill but all in all int crawled up with no issues. Amazing where these things will go. Next on the list is 4wd or at least a set of tire chains and a large winch!

[Alan N]

Originally Posted by Biscuitsjam

How was the road to Deadhorse? I've been nervous about it. Of course, i took the road to Mcarthy/Kennecott in Wrangel St. Elias, and it wasn't too bad if you kept your speed down to about 20.

I don't know what it's like today, we went 10 years ago.
A truly wonderful drive. When we went the first 60 miles or so was really soft, hard pulling. After that it got much better.
From the pictures you posted it doesn't appear that you are afraid to push it a little, I am sure you would not have problems with the Dalton highway.
Go!!

[tugboater]

The heck with sanding prior to paint, just run it down a dirt bike trail! Is that the Chena? Love it!

[Biscuitsjam]

Just spent the last month destroying a bunch of Army vehicles driving through trees. We ripped a lot of sensors off the bottom of our vehicles, dented the armor plate on the sides, tore off exhaust vents, and sprung leaks on our exhaust, engines, transfer cases, and turbos. Each vehicle got stuck in the muskeg two or three times and had to get pulled back out.

Each of our vehicles has a winch, snatch block, and snatch cable, as well as a pioneer tool kit (shovel, ax, pickax). They also have armor shielding most of the critical components on the bottom and run-flat tires.

Obviously, I would never take a skoolie the same kind of places. BUT, driving down dirt roads and such, what would you take with you?

[Tango]

Start with good bash guards!

[matthews2001]

I am taking my (newly acquired) 2001 Thomas shorty across Canada (live in Vermont) this summer to Alaska and plan to do a bunch of boondocking.

I am thinking of buying 2 13,000 winchs. They look cheap (300-500 each) and would only be used a few times if at all(so I am not as concerned about quality/longevity) . Little mental insurance...

Anybody know how well this might work out, say muddy dirt road on the flat, tires just spinning. Would 2 winches be super effective and a TIME saver? I will bring 200 feet of cable too... I wont be TOO daring/offroad but I could see a couple mud holes.