need help with air windshield wipers...

uemjg · December 08, 2011, 01:57:12 PM

1875 MCI8...passenger side works fine, but driver side doesn't. Manual doesn't give much info to fix.

The driver side will move in one direction once and stop. No noticable leakes. I removed it from the panels from the outside to have it hanging out...is the motor rebuildable or is it cheaper to replace?

Lin · December 08, 2011, 02:15:23 PM

There are only some O-rings to replace, so that is worth trying. Are you sure it is getting a good air supply? Is the exhaust port clear?

uemjg · December 08, 2011, 02:30:09 PM

does the exhuast port have external threads?

rcbeam · December 08, 2011, 03:47:55 PM

I too have an MC8. I bought the rebuild kit from Luke @ US Coach, last summer and rebuilt the driver motor. I should have done them both, but didn't. I got it apart and together again, but wished that I had taken pictures with my phone...I think reassembly would have been a bit easier if I had. In the end though, it works.

The biggest pain was getting it out of the bus and back in. You do it from the outside.

Iceni John · December 08, 2011, 04:17:48 PM

I recently bought two of those cheapo air line fog lubricators from Harbor Fright (less than $10 each, and they seem to be just as well made as an old Norgren lubricator I also have!). I'll put one in each wiper's motor air inlet. This will ensure my wipers work when I need, which is very rarely. It's still a good idea to exercise them occasionally to keep their seals from drying out and sticking. If you have Sprague wiper arms there's a little hole by their main pivot - pull the wiper arm a few inches away from the glass, then you can put a pin in the hole to hold them off the glass. Very useful when testing wiper motors, and to prevent the wiper blades from sticking to the glass during the summer.

John

Dave5Cs · December 08, 2011, 05:09:28 PM

I had to order the air manifolds for mine, from Luke, where all the air lines hook to. When I pulled them out the air line ports broke off or actually fell off. They had deteriorated over the years, other than that just o rings and air oil. sometimes you can take off the air inlet and shoot some air oil in it and they will work. Order new gaskets too. Also pull the off on valves and take apart and clean them good and replace any o rings they may have.

Dave

uemjg · December 08, 2011, 05:46:45 PM

Anybody know the cost of the rebuild kits? I'm still not certain which is the exhuast port...the manual doesn't label an exhuast port.

RJ · December 09, 2011, 01:22:23 AM

Wow! An 1875 MC-8!

You've got the oldest bus around!

There have been a couple references to Luke @ US Coach. Well worth the time/money/effort to just give him a call and get the right parts to do the job correctly. 888-262-2434 M-F 9-5 Eastern. Ships same day via UPS when you use plastic money. Strong supporter of the busnut community, support those who support us!

FWIW & HTH. . .

uemjg · December 09, 2011, 04:37:36 AM

yea pretty old...used to be pulled by horses and then converted to steam and the turn of the 20th century, then diesel...now looking to go green for the future and be all electric.

buswarrior · December 09, 2011, 06:17:46 AM

If adding an airline lubricator, what are you doing with the exhaust from the wiper motors?

Perhaps you'd better add a scent that she enjoys more than air tool oil...

happy coaching!
buswarrior

Iceni John · December 09, 2011, 07:49:09 AM

My Sprague HP-200 wiper motors have exhaust tubes that go down below floor level, so any entrapped oil gets blown out harmlessly below the bus. Yours should also have something equivalent.

Yup, that's an idea - use Glade scented oil instead, then your bus can smell of Autumn Harvest, or Country Fresh, or whatever. What's wrong with the smell of air tool oil? (I guess it's a Guy Thing.)

John

uemjg · December 09, 2011, 07:57:35 AM

well don't to order parts from us coach on friday's...luke doesn't work on friday's and there is no one else there to help with parts or ship.

Bill B /bus · December 09, 2011, 05:03:33 PM

Re: Luke and work hours
Monday through Thursday maybe by 10AM. Leaves by 4PM or after UPS comes by for pickup. Luke is great for finding parts that others don't know where to start looking.

On the wipers get two rebuilt kits. Maybe $50-60. And get two new valves. My $0.02. I got new ones last year for maybe $15 plus each. Not worth the effort to find O rings when you can have brand new. Last time I knew Luke had the kits and valves on the shelf.

Bill

artvonne · December 09, 2011, 08:03:49 PM

Quote from: uemjg on December 09, 2011, 04:37:36 AM
yea pretty old...used to be pulled by horses and then converted to steam and the turn of the 20th century, then diesel...now looking to go green for the future and be all electric.

No, it sounds like it started out green, lol.

Now all ya need to find are the plans for a flux capacitor. Then ya wont need wipers.

uemjg · December 15, 2011, 06:50:40 AM

Well I ordered the rebuild kit from US Coach and received yesterday...disappointed in that it cost $75, but oh well. After rebuilding it and connecting it back I found that it didn't work and leaked air. Took it down and discovered that I missed putting back these 2 very thin washers that mount at the each end of the gear shaft. That made a BIG difference...it works!

Still...I think in the future I will eventually convert to electric wiper motors.

need help with air windshield wipers...

artvonne