Oh my gawd....what have I gotten myself into? HELP!

ccbmster · March 18, 2011, 11:52:59 PM

Coaching track here in SoCal and drove my MC9 to the invitational that is to be held today (3-19) at Patrick Henry High School in San Diego.

I had NOT IDEA that the school is on top of a freakin mountain and that only a goat should try to get up here!

I am seriously concerned about trying to get back down without having my slack adjusters worked on.

Anyone out there happen to be in the area and eager to help out? Sheesh, am I embarrassed.

5B Steve · March 19, 2011, 06:22:39 AM

I wouldn't take the risk, especially with a load of kids on board. If all ready there swallow the embarrassment

and call for another bus. Better safe then sorry!

Steve 5B.......

ccbmster · March 19, 2011, 06:31:44 AM

Good advice, but no kids on board. This is my personal bus conversion and I drove down alone. Well not really all alone as my wife is with me. She says she is walking down and will see me at the bottom LOL.

The team will be meeting me here later.

zubzub · March 19, 2011, 06:57:05 AM

2X on the better safe than sorry. Also if you don't know how to adjust your slacks and no one here volunteers...get a truck road side service to come by and do your slacks. Make sure you block the bus, or ramp it with chocks etc...then get under there with the mecanic and learn how it is done. It ain't hard but it's important! BTW even decent experienced mechs have been known to do the slack adjustments backwards....make sure it gets done right. You might piss of the mech (but he's doing road calls so he's probably pissed off already). Once you know how to do it, you will have the piece of mind that it was done right.
Also important...If you have auto slacks they are not usually adjusted and adjusting them can damage them...once again it is important that the mech knows what he is doing doing.

rv_safetyman · March 19, 2011, 07:30:35 AM

I would guess that an MC9 would have automatic slack adjusters. Post your year and the MCI folks will know.

If that is the case, you only need to block/chock the wheel and have someone apply to the brakes and watch each chamber/arm travel. It should be about 1 inch (can be more depending on size of chamber). Once the brake is applied, the push rod and arm should be at about 90* and not over center.

For the DD3 or spring brakes, you will need to release them to properly test them, so be sure that the bus can't roll.

You can adjust an automatic slack adjuster, but you need to back a pin off. The issue is that you should not have to adjust them. If you do, something is wrong.

If you don't have jakes, put it in a low gear and use your brakes sparingly. I would stop at least one time coming down the hill and let the brakes cool (assuming no jakes).

You are way ahead of the game to think about being safe BEFORE you get into trouble.

Jim

ccbmster · March 19, 2011, 07:39:57 AM

It is a 1982 MCI. My regular mechanic has adjusted them before and I I dont think they are automatic adjusting.

bevans6 · March 19, 2011, 07:42:23 AM

Not to be a piss-ant (well maybe a little) why are you driving a bus with suspect or known badly adjusted slacks? You should be inspecting your push-rod travel regularly. Or do you think you wore your brakes that badly on the trip up the hill?

1982 was in the auto-clacks optional era, I do believe. Of course it may have anything on it, they are maintenance items and do get changed every once in a while.

Brian

ccbmster · March 19, 2011, 07:47:19 AM

Brian....I have only been driving short hops for several months in a very limited area. On the way into where I am now there were some down hill stretches and that is the first I had felt a problem with them.

rv_safetyman · March 19, 2011, 08:00:23 AM

If I understand what you just said, you went down some hills on your way to the top. In doing so, it sounds like you did not feel comfortable with the brakes. We need a better understanding of what you felt. Many buses are not know for great braking, and if you got the brakes hot, all bets are off. If you think you really have marginal brakes and they were not hot, then you have brakes out of adjustment, bad linings, or oil on the brakes.

Do not start of this trip back until you check the brake settings. You only have to block the bus at the location where you are working and then move the blocking to the next location. By doing the check I listed above, you will be checking all aspects of the brakes (except the lining which you should be able to see in terms of thickness). When the brake is applied by the person in the driver seat, you will see a very distinct application of the brake. It will be kind of loud and is very pronounced in terms of application of the brake. There will be little question that they are applied. When you check each location, also look for fluid on the tires and wheels (leaking seal). If you see an obvious leak, then you should not attempt the trip down. By checking the end of each axle, you will also be checking that each system is working (your bus should have a split system where the front system is separate from the back system).

Please keep us posted.

Jim

Hi yo silver · March 19, 2011, 07:00:35 PM

Well, one thing about it, at least you have done the smart thing by admitting your situation and not being shamed to ask for help. Most of us have made decisions that weren't the best, from time to time. The smart ones of us are still here to ask more dumb questions! Hee! Hee!
Dennis

happycamperbrat · March 19, 2011, 08:55:57 PM

I want a quarter for every bad decision I ever made

Who's gonna pay?

fe2_o3 · March 19, 2011, 09:04:54 PM

I can't..Too many bad decisions...Cable

Melbo · March 20, 2011, 09:37:23 AM

I have had my share of "situations" so I am wanting to know --- did you get the bus home safe --- and how did you do it???

Melbo

ccbmster · March 20, 2011, 01:43:52 PM

I had not been having any problems with the brakes at all but the gradients that my GPS lady took me up and down to get the last mile to the school were the most extreme I have ever been on with my bus.....and I have been driving it for about six years now.

I have felt the brakes act like this once before in the past and it was simply a matter of having the slack adjusters attended to. I am very confident that there are no other problems with the brakes.

The brakes work but are soft and on the steep grades I encountered there were times I questioned if there were going to actually stop me, or allow me to keep moving at a snails pace (ok a fast snail but a snail none the less) until the grade leveled out at some point. My biggest worry was that the gradient were a bit worse on up slopes than the down slopes that were causing problems. I therefor didnt really want to go back down those grades with the brakes acting as they were. I was pretty sure I could actually make it down ok but given the fact that there were at least two stop signs at the bottoms of the grades I would have to take to go back down I did not want to take the chance.

I made the post starting this thread late late at night when I first arrived at the school and all my other posts prior to this one were prior to stepping out of the bus at the school. In the end, I was able to get directions from a school employ that took me a longer route than GPS lady brought me in on but significantly decreased any down grades I had to travel. I therefor was able to get out and back on the hwy with no problems at all and will have my slack adjusters tended to by my regular mechanic tomorrow.

fe2_o3 · March 20, 2011, 03:00:56 PM

Glad to hear it worked out for you. Good job recognizing the problem and finding a safe solution...Cable