Are we converting our buses into a potential desaster?

luvrbus · September 26, 2015, 07:53:51 AM

It shouldn't be a problem after all MCI sent bare shells to Marathon,Custom Coach and others without the luggage racks and seats to be converted back in the 80's,they didn't even have the seat rail in the floor

LuckyChow · September 26, 2015, 09:58:30 AM

If this were a problem, I believe we'd have seen evidence of it long before now.

kyle4501 · September 26, 2015, 12:15:04 PM

Duty cycle matters.

Occasional use is very different 500 to 1000 miles per day.

Sooooo, if it doesn't bend in half when you make the first hard turn out of your driveway, that is a good sign that it will probably last longer than you will use it.

Scott & Heather · September 26, 2015, 07:56:15 PM

I will say this Danny, these coaches flex more than I ever imagined they would and that surprised me. I changed my front passenger steer tire yesterday and had to jack up the coach a little on that side. With it on a bottle jack, I can't get the front door deadbolt to lock and my bathroom door (half way down the coach) rubs when I close it. So there's definitely flex there that may not be as pronounced with the luggage racks and seats in place, but I don't worry about it much. As soon as I drop it off the jack, all returns to normal. The metal must have memory haha

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Jon · September 27, 2015, 04:29:50 AM

I have to disagree with the generalization above about flexing. I have had three Prevost coaches. I could support the chassis at the four chassis support points. Then I could jack any one point and the support point on the opposite side of the coach would come up at the same time with no apparent twisting of the chassis. On all three coaches I could jack up either front support point and it had no impact on how the door opened, closed or latched.

HB of CJ · September 27, 2015, 03:10:49 PM

We have the fun of doing our own Bus Conversions. How long the government will allow the average converter to continue doing this is not clear. Lots of endeavors we have enjoyed as younger people are now no longer doable or in some instances even legal.

Enjoy it will we can? I believe so. Over time our own leaders will see that we are given less and less freedom to do something meaningful in our own way and fashion. Automotive smog laws come to mind. Some state vehicle inspections also apply.

We are responsible for what we do. This also includes Bus Conversions. Every time we mess with OEM stuff things may slightly change. Sometimes we are not even aware of this. I know I spent lots of time pondering low probability repercussions of my actions.

luvrbus · September 27, 2015, 04:09:57 PM

Good ole EPA not long ago they were checking trucks here for the DEF seems like some truckers are just running R/O water in the system,lol truckers you would think one would be smart enough to pee in the water

HB of CJ · September 27, 2015, 04:26:06 PM

Urea or diesel fluid?

LuckyChow · September 27, 2015, 04:27:30 PM

Didn't know that was even possible. Our local bus dealer recently had a new bus being brought in. The steering wheel holder filled the DEF tank with water by accident. It coded and derated. Had to be hauled in on flatbed.

luvrbus · September 27, 2015, 04:39:19 PM

DEF is 70% water some a little less

Scott & Heather · September 27, 2015, 07:49:58 PM

Quote from: Jon on September 27, 2015, 04:29:50 AM
I have to disagree with the generalization above about flexing. I have had three Prevost coaches. I could support the chassis at the four chassis support points. Then I could jack any one point and the support point on the opposite side of the coach would come up at the same time with no apparent twisting of the chassis. On all three coaches I could jack up either front support point and it had no impact on how the door opened, closed or latched.

Jon your prevosts sound like they don't flex much. But both MCI's I currently own flex enough when you jack them kittywampous that the door can be hard to lock or rubs different when you close it. Can't speak for prevosts but both my MCI's exhibit this.

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dbldragon · September 27, 2015, 11:31:29 PM

I have a MCI that twists when it airs down in my driveway,cant open wheelchair door and entry door is hard to bolt if not aired up or blocked before air drops.

Chuck

luvrbus · September 28, 2015, 06:05:18 AM

I don't know about Jon Prevosts but my 1997 Prevost with 4 the point HWH hydraulic levelers would twist and flex till the door would not open or close it was one of the few that had the HWH.

Last I heard they won't install the HWH hydraulic levelers on a Prevost now if one has slides

I was warned by Prevost to be careful and make sure all 4 were down before leveling.

I think they all flex I have seen a lot broken granite stair ways on the H-45 Prevost caused from flexing

Jon · September 28, 2015, 10:25:02 AM

Clifford, the fact you mention HWH suggests a conversion that may not have had levelers located at chassis support points. I haven't seen any flex on my three coaches, including the current one with Prevost slides.

That is supported by this report http://altoonabustest.psu.edu/buses/reports/429.pdf?1376405644 which does not show any flexing that impacts the operation of any windows and doors.

But a bigger question is why use HWH levelers when the Prevost chassis has the level low system on motor home shells?

luvrbus · September 28, 2015, 10:35:23 AM

I didn't the like airs bags when parked in high winds.I know Dick has a 2002 XLL with a slide the 1st from Prevost his bus will flex enough the slide will give him problems some times

My HWH levelers when installed had a Prevost rep there for 3 days if they were wrong he told the people in Iowa wrong but it would flex

I have read that test before the thing that impresses me the most was the fuel mileage on the D-13 engine @ 435 hp it's hard to believe a 2012 engine overall average was 3.77mpg ? you know of any test on the other models beside the X3 I don't seem to be able to find one