Backroad Bus

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Backroad Driving:
(Tips and Techniques for the Backroad Bus Driver)


- As submitted by Gene Cornelius


So, it's off into the wilds in your bus, and you might be wondering: "What are all these pedals and knobs and switches and levers for?" Hmm...might need to step back a moment and rethink your excursion, or perhaps it's time to go wake up your parents and let them know that you're ready to go on your adventure trip in the ol' camper bus, and that they should drive.....

I'm assuming a few years have passed, and now you know what all those fancy controls are for, and how to legally and safely pilot a bus down the road. This section is for those of you who have not yet taken your bus off the asphalt and into the unknown. Experienced drivers may find something of use here as well, and should not hesitate to contribute corrections or suggestions, as we all will benefit from such sharing.

**IMPORTANT!**I make no claims that any information I pass on here is to be adhered to as fact, nor do I intend this to be the all-inclusive manual for off-road driving. I am merely expressing those techniques and methods that have worked for me so far, and I cannot promise that they will work for you. Please be safe.... check all bits of information that may involve your safety and that of others against other sources so that you can ascertain the best safest way of getting through or over each obstacle when the time comes!

Practice!

That little mud puddle might offer you a novel opportunity to feel what it is like to have your driving wheel suddenly lose traction and sink sideways in an innocent-looking blob of mud that you underestimated.....this might be a good time to experiment, as you've just pulled off the road to adjust your throttle cable, and, having done that, are ready to get back on the road, but notice the puddle....go for it, if it's safe! If you get stuck, you'll get practice using the techniques in my article on "Getting Unstuck", or learn just how helpful the locals are (or not), or how important the turf is to the people who own the golf course you've just driven across in chains.....

See a little hillclimb opportunity that is ridiculously easy but still might be fun? Check it out....might be a good time to experiment with the effectiveness of your emergency brake, what the limitations of your bus's swing-axle suspension with an open differential are, or to see how difficult it can be to back a bus down a steep incline....this information can be highly useful when you're out there in the sticks alone, and you need to make decisions...decisions that can only be based on whatever data you've managed to collect and retain with regard to your own skill, the abilities and limitations of your bus, and how good you are at creatively taking advantage of the unique opportunities present in every situation.

Basically, you need to practice to improve, and gradually develop the skills necessary to be safe and have fun on backroads outings, whether it be the rutted driveway of a friend in the country or the back road to Bodie in the spring... luckily for us all, it's really not that difficult. Most of us, if we have an interest in something, also have the determination and native reflexes, if not instincts, to get right into it. Our vehicles, in this case, are well-adapted to many of the situations into which we put them, and can overcome many an obstacle with the application of skill, knowledge, and perseverance. Please note, however: While extreme manuevers can be accomplished in an unmodified bus, I would advise against it if at all possible; unless and until you have ascertained exactly what the gains would be, whether it is worth it to stress the systems of your bus, and whether the danger is acceptable given the aforementioned factors. By extreme I mean anything that could involve serious damage to the bus or to the occupants thereof in the event of something going wrong. You, not I, are liable for what you do, so be responsible! Be considerate of others' property as well as their safety---and you are equally responsible for damages to the delicate natural environment through which you travel; don't make a mess of it, and if you can, leave it better than you found it. Pick up the trash you find that was left by less considerate types, and be mindful of watercourses, meadows, nests, burrows, and other aspects of someone elses' home, such as fire danger.....you are the visitor now....you wouldn't like it if someone came unbidden into your home, partied all night, trashed the place, and then burned it down, would you? Just a thought.

Steep Stuff: Rocky climbs, angles, limitations,use of clutch

Don't attempt stuff that you can't make it all the way up! Know that driving over pointy hard things can cause extreme flabbiness of the tire and a bad mood.....your sidewalls are generally weaker than your tread.

I use my clutch as "poor man's granny low" in that I "slip" or "feather" the clutch when going up steep rocky hills, over extreme bumps, or when reversing uphill. Revving the engine up to a nice healthy roar, I let the clutch pedal act as throttle in a way....it's actually a balancing act....get enough power to the wheels to get up and over that hump, but maintain a cushion between road shock and your drivetrain. Remember the phenomenon that occurs with a length of string: You can pull slowly and steadily on a string attached to a doorknob or a weight, and you'll generally move the object that the string is tied to. If you jerk it sharply, however, it is likely to snap, with no work actually getting done. Your bus's drivetrain is the same way. If you pop the clutch in reverse, you can break your reverse gear or its carrier. If you are going up a steep incline, and your bus hops, and you have the clutch all the way out, then the shock of the drive wheel accellerating and then grabbing again can break your differential. It's better to replace a clutch disc and have your flywheel machined than be stranded in the outback with broken important things. I also believe that clutch feathering is better for the engine: Less jolts to the crank and bearings.

Cold Slippery Stuff Snow/ice

Slow down. A lot. Countless accidents occur every year because people mistake their vehicle and their driving skill for something superior....listen to the radio after an unseasonal storm of precipitous nature, and make sure you don't join the statistics.

Smooth actions and reactions are key. Sharp, hard steering, braking, or accelleration can cause you to lose control. If you're going slowly enough for the conditions, you'll have no problem attaining smoothness. It feels good, too, and is a neat experience.....

It's better to chain up before you need them. Laziness and carelessness can make it unpleasant. It's also difficult to chain up when you're stuck if you are using standard chains. Les Schwab is one place to get those nifty chains that you can put on without rolling the vehicle, but know that those things are a real pain if you have old-style wheel wells!

Clutch feathering works fairly well in snow and mud if there are traction issues. Always try that before breaking out the winches and cables....but don't dig yourself in!

Sticky Slippery Stuff Mud (what else?)

I got into an "almost" situaton today up on Road 54 while hunting firewood. I thought I saw a pretty cool spot wherein might be hiding some morels...so I let the doublecab roll backwards into the logging road intersection so I could get a better look from the cab. Upon getting out, I noticed that I was pretty deep in some rather sticky muck, which had disguised itself as dry. I resolved to roll backwards to get myself out, and I was just starting to experience the dreaded spinning tire of doom, and had a tailpipe full of mud, but good ol' Bart spit out that mud and dragged himself out of the slimey goo. In this case, I knew better than to stop, so kept going until I was sure I was on solid ground again. I then accellerated hard forward, and blasted through the other side of it. It worked that time. Basically, if you notice yourself losing drive traction, try not to lose momentum! If you do stop, and are stuck, good luck...it's hard work. But remember just this, otherwise: Churning slowly through deep mud is not good....not without four-wheel drive, anyway... you've gotta keep your momentum up, unless it is too deep and/or mucky...then you're in for a battle. Good luck!

Wet Stuff Water Crossings

Little rivulets crossing the road can offer more challenge than you might suspect....they can carve steep little gullies and mini-chasms in the road, and deserve respect. As the water across your path gets deeper, wider or faster, respect is still a good word to mull over....you don't want to be mucking about too much in creeks, for instance, since additional turbidity is generally detrimental to the health of those who reside within, and erosion can be excacerbated by the scars left by inconsiderate vehicle operators. But the immediate problem, in general, is whether to cross, and how to do it.

If the water is over a foot deep, it will slow your rushing bus faster than you can say kersplash. Water gets more dense the harder you hit it. If you're faced with a few inches of water running over a gravel bar, see below, and keep up good momentum, and if you chose the crossing spot correctly, you're across. However, you can easily get into trouble if you hit a pocket of sand or soft gravel accumulation. It's up to you to find out what the bottom is like beforeyour bus does. Ya, right Gene....see www.shastasnowtrip.com year#5 for pics of what happens when you don't take your own advice.....

Back to the deep water: Really really KNOW how deep it is, if you can. If it is over a foot, and flowing strongly, find a way around. Should you get stuck out there in the middle, the currents can push you downstream and turn you over and many other bad things. If water gets into your carb, you're dead in the water, so to speak. Not what you want. If you do decide to cross, try to have the current help you...angle slightly downstream if possible. Enter the water smoothly and slowly, but with enough speed to maintain the upper (powerband) area of whatever gear you're in. Don't stop...no fishing!

Tricksy Stuff Riverbottoms/sand, etc

Simply understand that those nice round rocks are like the funnel-edges of an ant-lion's trap. They roll away underneath your tires, and just rocking the bus can have you sinking. Make sure that you have eliminated berms and ridges from the direction you want to go in....your tires can't make it up over soft round rocks...that's why they went and invented limited slip and four-wheel drive, but you have neither, so you have to rely on a bit of skill. First: Don't drive on sandy, soft round-rocked riverbeds. Sand dunes will swallow your tires really quickly too. Second: You didn't know what you were getting into.....don't stop! Try to make it to a nice packed-down area if you can, and for god's sake, don't go downhill unless you can see hard stuff just beyond. If you keep your momentum up, and don't fall into the trap of falling downhill because it feels like progress, you might not even have to dig.....

Clearance Issues Steering box, transmission transverse member, bumpers, rockers, exhaust

I banged up my bumper again today going over a series of steep rolling dips. Pressed-bumpers give you more clearance in front, but are pretty much useless (from what I've heard) if you hit something, and the later bumpers just stick out too much. But the damage to bumpers and front valance is nothing compared to what can happen if you smack your steeing box on a rock (you'd have to hit it really really hard). Hitting the front beam is not too common....you've likely already scraped something else....why are you still going forward? Be aware of your rockers as you crest sharp rolling dips or bumps, and don't break your engine case open on a rock! It's all a matter of learning to identify what will wreak havoc with the important things underneath there before driving over them.

Concerns with Speed Opposite Lock, braking before bumps, downhill curves, prudence, usefulness

Speed? Volkswagen Transporter? In the same sentence? Ya, it's an issue. I don't like to push a bus down the freeway at 75pmh....just not my style. I'm more of the backcountry guy who poodles around taking his time, using his energy for hill climbs and hauling and wannabe-rockcrawler stuff. I do get a bit scared at times, like some of those long, sweeping downhill curves....I don't know what it is, but it has been mentioned with some derision that I drive my bus faster uphill than down. Cool. That's my prerogative, my choice, my fear, and I deal with it as I can. So I say to you, if you really want to hear it: NEVER let anyone heckle you into driving faster than you are comfortable. At least not without experimenting a little here, a little there. Know thy bus, its condition, and all other factors. Play a little as you go around that clear gravel curve. Try out some opposite lock (countersteering---keep the front wheels pointing in the direction you want to go. But don't go beyond your experience just to look cool. Slowing down a caravan might be uncomfortable, but really, no-one wants to deal with your corpse or see pictures of your mangled bus.

Slow down for questionable bumps, and if you know you ARE going to hit something, brake before the bump, not on it, as braking compresses the suspension, leaving you with less travel in the shock absorbers, and more of a perceived impact. Speed can help you get through muddy spots, over a steep rise, or through a shallow creek (but NOT a deep one!!!) Just be careful. Caution doesn't usually cause harm, but hesitation can kill! Just something to think about....

last modified 11-Jun-06)

Comments? Additions? Complaints? Donations? Email Gene at mizamookatgmail.com



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