Newbie question. Ride quality, drive-ability among the buses. I really like the RTS conversions I see. Is that bus going to ride significantly worse then an MCI, or Eagle?
Rank in order of best ride, Eagle, MCI, Provost, RTS, Gillig. And can you tell the difference blindfolded???
Thanks
Goodguy
I have an RTS that weighs around 32,000 lbs., independent front suspension, and it rides smooth but doesn't like really rough roads. It is very nice to drive with it's low center of gravity and takes corners without hardly leaning. I have driven Eagles, MCIs and school buses and the RTS is somewhere in the middle in ride quality, and at the top in handling.
Crown Supercoach school buses with spring suspensions have a reputation of riding a bit firm, especially empty, but it's a trade off necessary for the excellent handling. Mine did. No passenger barfing on tight, twisty mountain roads.
The air ride option does ride much smoother, but again with slightly reduced road manners. When fully loaded, (heavier than most RV conversions) the ride is not that bad with no swaying. Again a trade off. HB of CJ (old coot) :) :)
My experience is limited to MCIs.
Given the same bus, ride quality is affected by tire pressure: don't put too much in, look up the proper press. according to axle weight indicated on an inflation table available on the tire manufacturer's web site.
Have the air bags set up at the proper height by the manual.
Some people will tell you that plated off air beams give a harsher ride. I never could tell the difference. If the air beams are plated, the convoluted bags could be replaced with the newer style rolling lobes for a better ride.
When MCI went to 40' buses with the MC7, the extra lenght and the tag axle smoothed out the ride quite noticeably.
Another big improvement came with the 102" width.
And again more recently with air bags mounted outside the wheels.
So, the more money you have to spend, the more recent bus you can by, the nicer ride you'll get, LOL.
JC
I have never had a bad ride in a Prevost, top of the line and costs more bucks.
When looking at ride quality in a bus, don't
just look at manufacturer of the vehicle.
Many years ago I supervised a fleet of over 200 Gillig transit buses. Our city buses were
smoother than a Gillig school bus. But our
commuter buses had the smoothest ride.
Higher gearing for freeway driving and a very smmoth ride/drive.
Drive a city bus on the I-10 busway to L.A. bumpy compared to the commuter which
was as smooth as a MCI.
I'm no expert, but I'll toss in my two cents worth... I might even get some change back :)
I remember back when I drove tour coach. We had both MCI-9s and Eagles ??
The MCI always had this wild lean around corners, but sure rides nice and handles excellent.
The only thing I remember about the Eagles is they look really cool, but sometimes the passengers would get sick of the rocking forward/back motion like a boat. However, they took the corners better than the leaning MCIs. I remember a few trips moving some more sensitive passengers from one bus to another because they couldn't handle the rocking motion.
Back then I didn't understand the difference between the torsion suspension and the air system. I'm not sure I do yet. But, I run an MCI today because of my memories of those days.
Not knocking the Eagle, but it just seemed the MCI was a better ride and handling.
Dave
An Eagle with good shocks and the suspension set up properly gives the best ride of all the older buses.
That said there have been many improvements over the years.
Prevosts ride nice too but nothing beats a SETRA!
;D BK ;D
Each coach has it's plus and minus. The cost of getting maximum performance ride out of each is expensive. The Eagles probably the most at present time because of scarce parts. I have had Mci 78 then a 89 prevost XL . the Prevost rode better than the Mci(78) 8. Looking foward to the ride of the 45XLE I'm working on now. I have been told it is much better than the 89 Xl Prevost. BK's Setra 's ride great. I'm hoping that the 98 will ride that good or better. I would say air bags and long wheel base are key to ride. To each his own. Get the bus that speaks to your inner self. The torsulistic(sp) suspension is great on Eagles but is pricey to replace if you can find it. Bob
I have an AMGeneral transit that uses 4 double convoluting air bags per axle with an aluminum "can" at the top of each bag for extra air volume. I've ridden in the older new look GMC's, and mine has a "heavier" feel to it-meaning it reacts to bumps with a slower bounce. While it does rock a bit side to side, both axles have anti sway bars that really keep the bus from leaning on corners.
The best riding bus is the Eagle with its Torsilastic rubber torsion suspension. The worst-is the older MCI's that do not have sway bars and lean unbelievably on curves. Good Luck, TomC
I have an Eagle. I have driven MCI, Vanhool, Prevost, Eagle, and Setra. If the Eagle has newer d.a. shocks the ride is hard to beat. Without them hold on!! If I were rich I probably would own a Setra 417. The ride is outstanding, and with the rear steer it is a breeze to drive. The Eagle torsion will last forever, but is about 2k per to replace. Air bagk on the other hand are $ 250.00. As said the older MCI coaches don't like hwy. speed turns and will sway in a turn. Just my 2 cents, and like belly buttons and other things we all have one!! Which ever you decide on it will be the reid of a lifetime!!!
Older MCIs leaning.
The Courier 96 came out in '57 and was the first MCI with air bags, replacing leaf spring suspension in previous Courier models, a big deal at that time. If ever in Nelson, BC, go to the Greyhound depot and see old MCI posters on the wall advertising the new air ride in the '57 Couriers, neat.
Those Courier 96s did not lean in corners.
The MC5s don't lean in the corners either.
The MC7s and 8s leaned in the corners lots. My fading memory remembers the 8s as the worst. But I haven't driven one in 30 years, so don't hold me to that.
The 9s were better.
And the 102D3 of the hockey team's that I drove for several years was very nicely planted and a nice ride. No lean.
JC
While the torselastic Eagle suspension rides well, there isn't anyway to level it except with either hydraulic levelers built in (hard to do without a chassis) or with blocks under the tires. With air suspension you can set up a manual leveling system with solenoid valves. I have that on my bus-one set in front, two in the back and it takes less then a minute to level. Good Luck, TomC
Glad you posted that JC, i was sitting here thinking that in 9 years of having the bus, i don't remember thinking that my 5A leaned in corners. Thought maybe i was just used to it. ;D
Any inboard air bag setup will lean, my MCI7, I installed the block off plates on the drive axle air bags (4), reduced the leaning to a not noticeable state in my opinion.
Tire pressure, ride height and air pressure in the tag air bags all affect ride quality.
Another biggie is proper wheel balance on all wheels, it took me a few years to locate the proper tire shop that had the equipment AND clue how to do Most shope want to throw powder, golf balls, metal rings w/weight, I prefer the take each wheel assy to the balancer, check for run out, and then balance it correctly,you do all the wheels and your done, otherwise you most likely will never be happy
Everyone had a choice, I chose to do it right the first time.
Dave