Wife has been logging her first miles in the new coach. So far she's clocked almost 1500 miles in the seat this past week. She's a trooper. I'm enjoying the view. And yes, that's my coolant temp gauge top of dash front and center. I care more about that one than most others.
(https://busconversionmagazine.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fuploads.tapatalk-cdn.com%2F20161201%2Fc5601c8d1d572ed301055b60760e1767.jpg&hash=505d79670d2ed2212a95e51e25c43d343fa79750)
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How come the steering wheel's 90 degrees from straight ahead? She looks too relaxed to be making emergency evasive manoeuvers!
I also moved my temperature gauge to front and center, between my speedo and tach. It was originally way off to the left, so it was impossible to see the true reading. As far as I'm concerned it's the single most important gauge of my eleven.
John
Steering wheel is dead center in that pic believe it or not. I need to pull it off and center it. It's annoying
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I can't get my wife to drive the bus,which might be a good thing.
--Geoff
My wife drove our ACF Brill for about 100 miles.
I wouldn't be able to get mine to drive across the parking lot. Kudos to her (bet she has a gas doing it too)
My wife drives me crazy!! (It's okay Ed, she doesn't read this stuff) I would suggest that holding on to the wheel with both hands (Ten and two oclock positions) would be a good idea.
Suggest it to her.
(Be gentle, you don't want to eat Tuna Fish sandwiches for the rest of your life, do you?)
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Our coach has the six speed standard so there is no way I could expect her to master double clutching and shifting I can't seem to master it but then she may be better at it if she tried.
Center your wheel by adjusting the drag link.
Jack
this is a tough one for me as Jack has forgot more about busses than I know. But I think you want to take the steering wheel off and re index it. If you move the drag link you will uncenter the steering box and driving will not be fun.
Wayne
Quote from: rusty on December 02, 2016, 06:01:29 AMthis is a tough one for me as Jack has forgot more about busses than I know. But I think you want to take the steering wheel off and re index it. If you move the drag link you will uncenter the steering box and driving will not be fun.
Wayne
I agree with your point here, Wayne, but judging from Scott and Heather's experience with things passed to them from the previous owner, it might be good for them to take the drag link loose, center the steering box and index the wheel to it, then reattach the drag link and set it (wheels/kingpins aligned) so that it's properly adjusted to the correctly-centered steering box and wheel. It wouldn't be the first system on that bus that was FUBARed and in need of a complete going over.
Wayne I would think is the box is out of center now, that is why I said move the link. I guess you shouldn't do either one until you know where it is off.
Jackj
Yep!! Unless the steering wheel has been removed ,I would think a trip to the front end shop would appropriate!!
I've driven every bus we've ever had. I loved the double clutch...
My mirrors are such that I can see nearly all the way behind me, I pay attention 100% of the time...and usually, I look just as relaxed as she does. That wheel position would drive me nuts also.
What I love the most are all the men who gather around whenever I (smoothly as hell) back into spaces most of them can't master. The looks I get when truckers pass and see a little old girl driving that 40' bus!
Tell her for me I said "You go girl!".
As comfortable as Heather is I would bet the box is centered.I had one that was not centered and it was very hard to keep between the lines.
Wayne
How do you feel about the spinner knob?
Is it an asset or a hinderance?
If mama happy! Don't screw with it!! 47 yrs married.
Quote from: daddysgirl on December 02, 2016, 07:00:49 AM
What I love the most are all the men who gather around whenever I (smoothly as hell) back into spaces most of them can't master. The looks I get when truckers pass and see a little old girl driving that 40' bus!
NAME?? -I will be the first to agree that once a woman gets the "feel" of driving a bus, they're much better drivers than the men.
I came to that conclusion after training over 250 city transit drivers during my bus industry career, approximately 40% of which were women. I'm sure that Buswarrior would concur, based on his training experience with Big Transit.
So kudos to you and to Heather!
FWIW & HTH. . .
;)
Generally speaking, the female drivers in the fleet I owned were better drivers. I found them to be more apt to follow the rules, less agressive as drivers, and probably a little safer. Did have some great male drivers too though.
I'll pass on the kudos. She reads this forum a little when I pass my iphone to her. I'll be honest, Jack and Wayne have a good point. This bus has needed some adjustment and fixing of previous issues along the way so getting a real alignment done is on the list. It drives well and straight down the road with very little wander at all but I guarantee something under there needs adjusting. I'll report back when we get that done. For now, it's really nice to have excellent brakes, repacked wheel bearings, and dry oil seals for once. Now if only I could get that pesky coolant hose leaking under control...
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Scott -
Just a quick note: When new, the steering wheel spokes on an MCI are horizontal.
FWIW & HTH. . .
;)
That's the exact wheel I have, except properly horizontal :)
My spinner knob was about 4" below the right spoke. Now there's just a hole in the grip.
Woohoo! Go Heather !
Kelly has logged few hundred on ours, I just get uber bored if I'm not driving...I need to let her drive more, as she is pretty confident on it.
Pics Sami!
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My wife has been driving our buses since the 80's stick,automatic,power steering or non power steering made no difference,lol a 10 speed she had a few problems with.
One time I was trying to buy a parts bus (Eagle) in Texas the school had 2 for sale and I couldn't make a deal so she goes in and buys both for less than I was willing to pay for 1.Long story Sonja comes out and says how are we going to get 3 buses to Idaho.
I told her you bought them now you drive them (4 speed with no power steering) she did drive 1 from Texas to Idaho I felt bad so I flew back and drove the other 1 home.
For 1200 miles I thought to my self how in the hell did she drive one of these things don't under estimate these women if they want to drive let them
Quote from: luvrbus on December 04, 2016, 03:58:05 AM
My wife has been driving our buses since the 80's stick,automatic,power steering or non power steering made no difference,lol a 10 speed she had a few problems with.
One time I was trying to buy a parts bus (Eagle) in Texas the school had 2 for sale and I couldn't make a deal so she goes in and buys both for less than I was willing to pay for 1.Long story Sonja comes out and says how are we going to get 3 buses to Idaho.
I told her you bought them now you drive them (4 speed with no power steering) she did drive 1 from Texas to Idaho I felt bad so I flew back and drove the other 1 home.
For 1200 miles I thought to my self how in the hell did she drive one of these things don't under estimate these women if they want to drive let them
Well, I am jealous now, and impressed. She definitely deserves that claw foot tub! ;)
Quote from: DoubleEagle on December 04, 2016, 09:35:32 AM
Well, I am jealous now, and impressed. She definitely deserves that claw foot tub! ;)
Let's not go that far Walter ;D
Give her the tub cliff. She deserves it
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Clifford I think yer gonna have to get that tub figured out.
Looks like your getting out numbered here!
;D BK ;D
As a wife, I think it is really important to be able to drive the bus. Don did all the driving for years. In fact he doesn't let me drive the car when he's in it. Not that I'm a lousy drive, he's just, well, he's a man.
Then he got sick on one trip and realized, that if he couldn't drive, we weren't going to get home. We think it is important that I can drive. I can at least drive it on the freeway, get in and out of rest stops, and park it in an RV slot. We don't have to be world's best drivers, we can avoid bad roads or mountains, but we do need to be able to relocate if we have to. We can drive 55 and stay in the slow lane. We can drive behind the big slow trucks, no need for a white knuckle passing experience. We just need to be able to get there safely.
Cary
^ well said. Everyone should read that post Cary.
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Far more women would drive the coach...
if it weren't for the man who can't sit down, shut up, and leave her alone to do it.
So, she doesn't.
Nothing wrong with Heather's "down the road" seating position. She'll still be going 10 hours later...
Yes, get that steering gear and steering wheel centred, OCD OCD OCD
Men pretend they can do things, women just do them. I always preferred helping women to learn to drive, lots less BS.
happy coaching!
buswarrior
Up here, the problem is you need a commercial air brake license to drive a bus, and if I have a trailer or car behind the combined weight means I need a commercial weight license as well. I got mine years ago, but with current regulations you need to take a course and pass road and written tests. My wife isn't about to do that so I can take a nap...
For women that don't want to drive it's good is join FMCA or Good Sams for 50 bucks a year they will help her get home.
I am a little pissed about FMCA and their 100 mile rule though a friends wife needed some one to drive her home from 70 miles from here because he was admitted to the hospital and they refused because she wasn't more than a 100 miles from home so I went and drove her home ???
Valerie has driven the bus on occasion, albeit illegally, because she doesn't have an air brakes endorsement. She is a good driver. She has driven lots of big vehicles. But she cannot be bothered to take the air brakes course. (It is done at a community college on a Friday night, Saturday and Sunday). So I do all the driving, which is fine with me, and her. And is more peaceful that way... Easier on the marriage...
JC
Quote from: lostagain on December 06, 2016, 07:46:12 AM
Valerie has driven the bus on occasion, albeit illegally, because she doesn't have an air brakes endorsement. She is a good driver. She has driven lots of big vehicles. But she cannot be bothered to take the air brakes course. (It is done at a community college on a Friday night, Saturday and Sunday). So I do all the driving, which is fine with me, and her. And is more peaceful that way... Easier on the marriage...
JC
Just drive to the US border JC and let her take over from there then you can sit and read a book
I suppose most American cops wouldn't know that a Canadian driver needs air license to drive bus.
JC
JC if you make to Quartzsite bring a gal of Canadian honey if not to much trouble I'll pay you for it and even feed you, that is some good stuff
Our concern is getting the bus home. I could always just take the toad. But if we had to have somebody come and drive the bus, that would be a really expensive mess. If it was in a park the charges would add up quickly and what if they didn't have openings for the time we left it there? What if we were at some over night spot along the route, basically on the road. What if we were out in the middle of nowhere? We do that a lot also. Then there is trying to find somebody to drive it or just leave it there until when we do.
We have found a solution of the back seat driving husband. I go deaf. Like he does when he's driving. LOL
Cary
Yea Clifford for sure, I'll be the honey wagon ;)
That Canadian whipped honey cream is amazing! I have a tub of it that's way expired but I won't get rid of it. Still tastes amazing !
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Scott you can make your own and here is how. Used to keep bee's Dave ;D
Visit your local established beekeeper. He'll have creamed honey on hand. Try it first, paying attention not to the flavor of the honey but to the feel and sensation of the crystals on your tongue. If they're appealing then buy some. They should be smooth edges not sharp.
Use that creamed honey to seed your clear honey by inserting a tablespoon or more into a jar. Then stir the crystals in thoroughly and put the whole thing in the fridge for about two weeks. Presto! You'll have smooth, non drip, spreadable creamed honey. Your own honey gives the flavor but the smooth seed crystals give the texture.
How does this happen? Our favorite golden liquid has a trick or two up its sleeve. If you give clear honey smooth crystals it will replicate them naturally. The term is 'following suit'. The small crystals prevent the formation of larger crystals. It's very similar to how yogurt and cheese are made, although they use cultures as seed.
This is amazing! And I'm drooling, and I'm going to do this!!!
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