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vanhawxby
New Member
United States
1 Posts |
 Posted - 11/12/2008 : 05:53:17 AM
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I just took possession of a couple of CE Series IC school buses. As I was going through the service manual I found a line (in bold letters) that said that the bumper is not a lifting point for servicing the bus. This leads me to two questions.
Are other bus manufacturers also suggesting that the bumper is not longer an appropriate lift point?
What is the new suggested lift point for servicing buses? We have used bumper lifts for as long as I can remember. |
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Mechan1c
Top Member
USA
853 Posts |
Posted - 11/12/2008 : 1:24:27 PM
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| Bumpers have never been the ideal place to lift a bus. We lift under the axles. We use jack stands under the frame rails. |
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Wolf0r
Top Member
USA
2181 Posts |
Posted - 11/12/2008 : 2:16:45 PM
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| Bus lift? Tell my boss what one of those is. 20 ton jack and stands is all I have. |
“The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it.”
Neil deGrasse Tyson |
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origcharger
Top Member
United States
619 Posts |
Posted - 11/12/2008 : 4:15:13 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by vanhawxby
I just took possession of a couple of CE Series IC school buses. As I was going through the service manual I found a line (in bold letters) that said that the bumper is not a lifting point for servicing the bus. This leads me to two questions.
Are other bus manufacturers also suggesting that the bumper is not longer an appropriate lift point?
What is the new suggested lift point for servicing buses? We have used bumper lifts for as long as I can remember.
The bus manufacturers have discouraged the practice of bumper lifts for some time. I am sure part of it is product liability driven.
A neighboring school had a rear bumper break off while on a bumper lift, the results were not pretty. Besides the bus going down and the bumper flying one way the suddenly unloaded air bumper jack recoiled and ended up landing on and doing severe damage to the mechanics foot.
We have a bumper lift and use it with common sense.
We don't use it on the back of long wheelbase buses with rear fuel tanks.
Some of the newer sweptback front bumpers bend easily.
Also note that because of the larger radiator on the 2007 emission IC buses the right hand frame rail no longer goes all the way to the bumper. |
Operating; Seven T444Es, One MaxxForce 7, One VT365, Four DT466s, One E-450 6.0 and one Mercedes in a C2. |
Edited by - origcharger on 11/12/2008 4:16:42 PM |
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L.J.D
Senior Member
United States
173 Posts |
Posted - 11/13/2008 : 05:30:47 AM
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| i use the air bumper jack on all of my buses. my newest is an 09 vision, my oldest a 98 GMC BB. i have never had any problems, and from time to time i put a jack on each end and lift the whole bus. even with the lift i always use stands. the newer visions just try to get the arms of the jack close to the frame rails not just on any part of the bumper |
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ModMech
Top Member
USA
948 Posts |
Posted - 11/13/2008 : 08:30:56 AM
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Lots of shops use bumper lifts but because the safety of the lift assumes that the BOLTS that hold the bumper and bracketing on cannot fail, they are not considered "safe" methods of lifting or more specifically SUPPORTING the vehicle.
It's nearly impossible to lift a bus or truck so there is no weight on the AXLES or SPRINGS (which you need to have off to properly GREASE them) w/o the use of a bumper jack. |
If you want customer service, you NEED an International! |
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jeepcjron
Advanced Member
USA
262 Posts |
Posted - 11/14/2008 : 3:13:10 PM
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| if possible on your type of jacks turn the brackets sideways and slide them behind the bumper grabing the frame rail instead. as mod stated thats a lot of wieght on 4) 1/2" bolts. on the fe/re it drives the front bumper into the headlight panel and cracks them if lifted by the bumper also. |
its like a slinky! useless but fun to watch. |
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Doug
Active Member
USA
45 Posts |
Posted - 11/20/2008 : 1:21:03 PM
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| I know the state patrol did a safety inspection using a bumper jack . after they lifted the bus the bolts broke and raked up the front of the bus doing a lot of damage |
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NWCROWN
Advanced Member
USA
461 Posts |
Posted - 11/20/2008 : 8:41:59 PM
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| I would not lift a car with a bumper jack, let alone a School Bus. |
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Topic |
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Bumper End Lifts
