Stranded again

Dave5Cs · January 04, 2019, 04:51:56 PM

Wasn't it the starter relay.
I remember i helped him get the new long belt on and adjusted.
And anyone that has seen Ed's Bus you have to remember if you are working on a Freightliner or an MCI, LOL
Sorry Ed could not resist...

dtcerrato · January 05, 2019, 05:04:16 PM

There are so many times when a bus & its owner gets bailed out when tapping on the accumulated knowledge of the board - I got to say Scott & Heather has done this sort of stuff several times and really take the prize in my book - kudos to Scott for reaching out, kudos to the board for spilling the beans & kudos to Scott again for the success. I just had to say that...

Scott & Heather · January 05, 2019, 07:26:52 PM

Lol. Thanks guys. We are rolling up soon on 9 years of fulltiming...over two different buses. It's an absolutely nuts lifestyle we are living with our two little girls, but it sure pays the bills nicely. And I love what I do...and my wife loves fulltiming...now if only I could learn to love my bus. It's not a love hate anymore...it's pretty much descended into a hate hate. I'm ready for a truck conversion.

Geoff · January 06, 2019, 07:12:50 AM

A truck conversion isn't going to be trouble free either. You have to accept the fact that your bus has a lot of miles on it. I spent 10 years converting my bus, five of which were spent rebuilding everything mechanical before I did the interior. 10 years part time, as I was working to pay for everything.

edvanland · January 06, 2019, 08:46:42 AM

Cliff it was the safety fuel shut off that was bad back at the engine. If I remember it you said it was so idiot bus drivers did not try to start the engine while it was running. You cut the wire to it and it has run fine ever since.

edvanland · January 06, 2019, 08:48:59 AM

Hay Dave I did that so every body would get to know us and it worked. Thanks to you for helping me get that long belt on and to Cliff for finding out what was wrong with it.
We will hopefully see you in Quartzsite some where.

TomC · January 06, 2019, 10:02:16 AM

Geoff is correct in saying a truck conversion is not going to be trouble free-mainly because both a bus and big truck use the same drive train. What a truck will have is a far simpler electrical system, much easier to service, ANY big rig truck repair shop can work on it. The only really big negative is, no matter what you do to a truck, it won't ride as smoothly as a bus. But at this point, I'm ready for my truck to be done (hopefully by next summer).
On my cabover, I can tilt the cab and my radiator, engine and transmission are fully exposed. AND I only have to tilt the cab when major work has to be done on the engine (Allison transmission can be worked on from underneath). I can check my radiator, check engine and transmission oil, change my fuel filters, change my oil filter and water filter, change my oil, add engine oil and transmission oil without tilting the cab. I'm so looking forward to getting my truck done-unfortunately life has a way of getting in the way. Good Luck, TomC

blue_goose · January 06, 2019, 11:49:08 AM

Scott the next time it puts you on the side of the road, try pushing it with your tow car. I have had to do this twice over the years. One time about two blocks and another about 5 miles. If the ground is level it doesn't take much to move the bus.
Jack

Geoff · January 06, 2019, 12:00:46 PM

It's been a while, now I remember the shut down was acting up from the safety system and talking to Ed on the phone how it worked and how to bypass it. Also the fuel filter valves. Anyway, everyone chipped in and saved me a trip to Quartzite. I'm not going to make it this year either.

dtcerrato · January 06, 2019, 06:13:25 PM

Scott I don't know you well but I must say you expect a whole lot of your wonderful bus. Full timing for 9 years with your family & having wifey loving it too sounds like heaven from this end. If you've always tapped on the board for all your bus woes it hasn't or at least doesn't seem to have been that bad from my (our?) perspective. Unless you have a brand new rig under full warranty & even then murphy's law prevails. At any rate kudos for doing it yourself a keeping on keeping on. Ditto on using the toad to move the bus to safer ground we've done that on many occasion in almost 4 decades of bussin, From a 4 cyl VW to our 4x4 Sierra PU. Uphill, downhill, level, 1 block to 38 miles down I-10 out of fuel. Your tow was the clincher & IMHO you could have avoided that. I'm done (for now).

DoubleEagle · January 06, 2019, 07:00:34 PM

Scott did the right thing by having it towed professionally. I have pushed vehicles with a four wheel drive, but it is only practical for short distances on quiet roads. He was stuck on the very edge of I75 in Georgia with traffic whizzing by, it would not have been safe to creep along the shoulder without (or even with) emergency lights.

Scott & Heather · January 09, 2019, 08:23:22 AM

Thanks guys...you're right, a truck will have problems too...but I can open the hood and deal with them. You know how far I had to crawl into the bowels of my hot engine bay to get to that sensor? Jacking up a truck to get to its underparts is way less drama too.

I honestly have loved full-timing...and we have averaged 15,000 miles a year in our coach which is more than a good chunk of people on this forum so I know I'm slated to have more issues than some of you guys. You are ALWAYS on hand ready to help us and we are forever grateful. As for moving the coach with our toad...I also have done this before and I know it can be done. My toad is a 2015 Extended Length Ford Expedition 4x4 with the 365hp ecoboost It could do it, but as others have said, I-75 was nuts that day...the cop that closed a lane of traffic so we could get into the lane was nearly T-boned right there in front of me...the shoulder was not wide enough to stay off the hwy lanes especially where there was a guardrail...I just couldn't risk putting my wife back there while I navigated the bus and she wouldn't have wanted to drive the bus with me pushing. I have tow insurance and the tow cost me $0. It arrived and had me hooked within 1 hour and another 10 minutes later, we were safely parked in a nice little campground near the hwy. It honestly was the best stranding we've had to date. No complaints.

bobofthenorth · January 09, 2019, 10:51:47 AM

I absolutely agree that the truck will be easier to service - flop the hood open and 3/4 of the noisy things are right there in front of you. The other big advantage is that truck shops are everywhere along the highway. You pull into a Freightliner shop and they'll recognize most of the rotating bits, even if the badge on the grill doesn't say Freightliner. Similarly if you pull into an International shop they'll understand your Freightliner or Pete. That is simply not true when you pull your bus into any truck shop.

DKO · January 10, 2019, 08:43:45 AM

Scott, it is true that more miles each year brings more maintenance costs, but exercising our buses each week instead of 4-6 times a year may save us some of the heartaches that others experience because of lack of use. I usually move every Saturday and occasionally I will be in one location for two weeks. Although I do have bus problems and I do pull my hair out over them, most trips are completely trouble free and smooth.🙌🏼 🙏🏼

Davy