Baby got new shoes

[Ednj]

 
Baby got new shoes
What a couple busy days, first I took my MCI-9 to Snorky to polish all the stainless steel.
Then today I took it for "new" tires (ouch). Wow what a difference.
If I had known what difference tires make, I wouldn't have had the kingpins , tierods and wheel bearings replaced.
There is a big big difference in the ride (now I can walk in the back while under way, Bruce).
The whole bus was washed today with Zep Citrus, dried and polished, what a great feeling driving down the road with people passing in cars doing the "air guitar".
My MCI-9 is so clean right now that I need to find a garage to put it in.  I can't even take a picture of it because it's so shiny that all the pictures come out as the camera (lol).
The roof is polished, the sides are polished the stainless is polished the new tires are smelling like rubber the diesel tank is full, just waiting for Arcadia now.
Ed-9-Nj
//

Ed, I believe the flash function has been disabled. Richard

[Nick Badame Refrig/ACC]

All right ED!

I know what you mean with the tires, I just put on new steer sneakers and boy it drives nice now...

Too bad I'm at camp lukes now with a leaking fuel tank

See ya in Arcadia.

Nick-

[Ednj]

Ed, I believe the flash function has been disabled. Richard
>
>
Richard ,
Thats ok, Right now my 9 is so Flashy it don't need no more.
I cant stop looking at it.

[Dreamscape]

Shucks,

I was looking forward to seeing your baby all dressed up....

Seeing is believing, ya know.

Congrats on you NEW SHOES.

Happy Trails Now Huh,

Paul

Dreamscape

[TomC]

Ednj- Great to hear of your new tires. Question- what kind and model tire did you get?  Did you have ALL tires spun balanced before reinstalling? Have you axle weighed your bus in travelling mode so you can find out the best tire inflation to keep it at?  Really hate to not see you get the most out of that $3,000 or so purchase.  Let us know.  Good Luck, TomC

[Ednj]

Tom said= Ednj- Great to hear of your new tires. Question- what kind and model tire did you get? Did you have ALL tires spun balanced before reinstalling? Have you axle weighed your bus in travelling mode so you can find out the best tire inflation to keep it at? Really hate to not see you get the most out of that $3,000 or so purchase. Let us know. Good Luck, TomC

>
>
Tom,
I got Firestone FS560, 12R22.5.
No balancing.
It was really cool to see this guy's reinstalling the lug nuts with a big Rambow style air gun, and not stopping between nuts.
They just ran the lug nuts down as tight as the gun would go then pulled it off rounding the nuts (most likely stretching the threads) and slamming the socket on to the next lug nut also rounding them off.
They only hit the center caps a few times denting and scratching them but they assured me this is normal procedure and that I would have to call a road service truck anyhow to get them off if I got a flat underway.
As for proper tire pressure they gave them all the shop compressor had.
After all who am I to argue with MCI engineers, they say 12r 22.5 pumped to the max to handle the load in the MC9,
I'll never have that many people in it.
I see no reason to weigh my bus because I don't have to stop at weigh stations, and like I said before 12R22.5's are what MCI calls for and I'll never be that heavy.
The tire shop even paid me for the old tires, can you believe that? I think they called them casings.
Ed-9-Nj

[Nick Badame Refrig/ACC]

Ed,

I got the Firestone's too.   But the F-4000 285-80R-22.5 Regruvable  Load J  18 ply steel belt, spin ballanced, I keep 110 psi in them.

Not sure what the difference is between yours and mine...

Nick-

[tekebird]

Nick, you running 100psi becasue that what it calls for or for mileage?

Seems high........my 8 calls for 90psi

I have not done mpg tests but my dad has......he used to have stter tire wear issues when running higher PSI.......then went to recommenddded psi from the chart.........wear went away.......but lost almost 1/2 mpg.....on the bright side.....noticable difference in ride comfort

[Nick Badame Refrig/ACC]

Hi Teke,

I used to run 95psi up until I baught the steer tires. The tire shop recommended 110psi. 

Hummm, a little more bumpier ride, maybe thats why my fuel tank ruptured......lol

Nick-

[JackConrad]

Nick,
    Was the 110 PSI based on your actual axle weight?  Jack

Hi Teke,

I used to run 95psi up until I baught the steer tires. The tire shop recommended 110psi.

Hummm, a little more bumpier ride, maybe thats why my fuel tank ruptured......lol

Nick-

[tekebird]

Yeah I would say that your tire guy is udes to putting on truck tires.....sounds like a answer to a trucker asking what PSI should I run........thats prob max for the tires......

I would get your coach weighed by axxle and inflate to the spec of the manufacturer.........there is prob a reason they go to the trouble of making those inflation charts.

[Nick Badame Refrig/ACC]

Sounds like a good idea Teke and Jack

Nick-

[gr8njt]

Baby got new shoes................Wow what a difference.
If I had known what difference tires make,
I wouldn't have had the kingpins , tierods and wheel bearings replaced.
There is a big big difference in the ride (now I can walk in the back while under way, Bruce).
Ed-9-Nj

Ed,
Was there an improvement of the handling with the repair of the kingpins, tierods and bearings before the installation of the new tires?
I may be headed this route in the near future.
BTW, congratulations with the new shoes.
Thanks

[Dreamscape]

I would think that your ride has improved because of everything you replaced. It just does not work if you do one without the other, except if your tie rods and king pins were in good shape to begin with.

New tires without front end work, if worn, is throwing money away.

Glad you like the result.

Paul

Dreamscape

[Ednj]

Ed,
Was there an improvement of the handling with the repair of the kingpins, tierods and bearings before the installation of the new tires?
I may be headed this route in the near future.
BTW, congratulations with the new shoes.
Thanks
>
>
Yes there was an improvement with the replacement of the kingpins, not so much with the tie rods, and I just had the front wheel bearings redone and brake drums replaced at Diamond state coach.
Last year when the kingpins were done I got new steer tires and a front-end only alignment.
With this note I replaced the drive tires. So 6 new tires and my old steers on the tags.
With in the last 4 years the shocks, brakes, radius rod bushings, air bags, tie rods, kingpins, front drums, have been replaced.
There is a noticeable difference between then and now, The bus was more fun and drove straight then, it had so much toe-in that it was wearing the outer edges of the steer tires in 200 miles (I knew it needed work). And it did not wander.
After I started replacing parts, I had to keep replacing parts until it felt comfortable again.
Everything I have done made a difference except adjusting the steering box (trying to make it just a little better).
It took me sometime to adjust it back to where it was.
I tried to inject some humor in my last post on this subject, but really my bus is riding nice right now.
Thanks to all that helped on my bus, Luke, Bruce, Nick, Ross, Bill, Howard, Eric, Walt and Skip.
Thanks everyone else for all the invaluable information and friend ship on these boards.
Merry Christmas and happy New Year see you in Arcadia.
Ednj