Bus Trip

[DavidInWilmNC]

We took the bus on a 700 mile (round-trip) trip over the weekend and got back fairly late last night.  It was uneventful, except for one little incident.  I learned a lot from the experience - some good, some not so good.  First, the good.

The bus was 100% reliable, except for some difficulty in shifting (manual 4-speed), but that may just be an issue with the driver.  It never ran hot and the oil level doesn't appear to have changed from the time we left 'til we got back.  The old 8V71 has good power, always starts easily, and I only saw it smoke once on a hill.  Driving in rain is so much easier in a bus than in a car.  We went through a small monsoon Friday night near Columbia, SC.  Cars were pulling off the interstate or driving about 20 mph.  I only had to use the wipers every few minutes  - we had used Rain-X on the windshield prior to leaving Wilmington.  That, plus the fact that we were up above the water that's stirred up by vehicles made for an easy drive.  The steering is much better since tightening up the gearbox.  It's no sedan, but most of the slop is gone.  The OTR A/C is very effective.  I have an issue with the water valve or control for it (I had to keep the water valve closed), but it's summer and I like driving with cool A/C'ed air.  My smallish (1000 watt 24 volt) inverter took care of the two refrigerators.

Around I-20 and I-95, we saw two really nice looking Eagle conversions.  Those and one other MCI were the only conversions we came across.  We stopped for fuel near Florence, SC last night at a Pilot station.  We parked in the truck area for a bit to check on tires, fluids, etc.  A truck pulled up next to us and the driver came over to us.  He asked if that was an old Carolina Coach bus.  He drove for Trailways years back and was very familiar with their entire fleet of MC-8's.  It's likely that he drove my bus years ago; he could list almost all the cities on the destination sign.  He was impressed with how well this bus has been taken care of (with the exception listed below) and spoke highly of Carolina Coach's maintenance.  Evidently, he was the driver in a program on Trailways history.  It was really nice meeting somebody who really knew and liked buses.

Now, for the bad.  I'm not sure if it's operator error or if something needs adjusting, but I'm having a hell of a time shifting without grinding gears.  I'll post a question as to the particulars on shifting, as it's really disconcerting and bad for the transmission.

I also learned that highway buses don't really like tree roots.  After arriving LATE Friday night, I was turning into where we were going to be staying.  I cleared a big oak tree by a few feet and then heard a bang.  I looked out the window and the tree was several feet away, but I thought maybe a low-hanging branch had hit the roof.  We had the bus A/C on, which is fairly noisy at this point, and the bang wasn't all that loud.  I pulled farther away from the tree (in case it was a branch) and then heard the same bang.  I really couldn't see much wrong.  The next day, the damage was obvious.  I now have three dented bay doors, one severely dented bay floor frame, a crumpled generator tailpipe and broken strap, a dented engine muffler with dislodged and twisted strap, a damaged left engine access door (that wouldn't open), and a mangled frame under it.  I know I'll be able to straighten out one of the bay doors.  One might be repairable, but the one with the dented floor frame will have to be replaced.  The same goes for the engine access door.  What makes this all so bothersome is that one reason I selected this bus is that all the stainless was in amazing shape.   I'd love to hear how others have replaced the frame at the outside edge of the bay floor.

I really don't want to deal with tree roots like that again or with grinding gears.  Other than those two issues, I can't wait to drive the bus again.  Thanks for all the pointers posted prior to this trip.

David

[DavidInWilmNC]

and the rest...

[TomC]

I'll bet you'll have a spotter outside when coming into an unfamiliar campsite with a flashlight or anywhere questionable where it is dark.

As to shifting-hopefully you're using the clutch for every shift and double clutching.  Up and beyond that, it is just practice and learning the timing of your shifts.  Good Luck, TomC

[Brian Diehl]

Man, that sucks David!  I'm really sorry you ended up with this problem.  I know that IBP down in FL makes the stainless side rails that you can buy.  You then cut out your old and weld in the new.  Of course, you have to use stainless wire and take your time.  So, if you can weld and cut, then the repair job is not that bad.  The guys at IBP should have everything you need.  Alternatively, you could call Caylor supply and see if they have any good take offs that they could ship you.  Caylor only deals with used MCI stuff.  Good guys ...

Best of luck with the repairs.  Take your time and do a good job.  When you're done no one but you know.

[DavidInWilmNC]

Tom, I always have a spotter when in tight spots.  I didn't think I'd need one pulling into a driveway (I was a few feet from the tree itself).  Brian, I'll contact IBP and Caylor to see what's available - thanks for the suggestions.  I can see where one spot like this has been repaired prior to my owning it.  I guess the bus has to be supported differently for cutting into the bottom rails, unless they're not 'structural'.  I can weld, but I might try getting a weldor to do this, as I don't have the gas for stainless.  And yes, I double-clutch.  I guess I need to drive the bus more often.  Hopefully, since it's in a somewhat usable state now, it will get used more. 

David

[Busted Knuckle]

1st off) David CONGRATULATIONS on your trip!
2nd) even though you've learned a valuable lesson ( & must make the repairs to prove it!), don't let the small stuff get ya down! Look at the positive side, you made it there and back home safely. Metal can be repaired/replaced injuries are harder to deal with! (I proud of your skill at driving thru the "monsoon" without panicking like the 4 wheelers you spoke of!(but always remember these are the same ones who'll try to follow you, then get over confident and try to pass you {trying to get ahead of your spray} and many times they'll lose control either beside you or right after they get back in front of you! SO WATCH OUT FOR THE IDIOTS!)
3rd) always turn the road A/C off when entering a campground(same noise you spoke of is louder outside, remember the neighbors) it makes it easier to concentrate and communicate.
4th) anytime you are pulling into an unfamiliar site/area you should get out and look around with a flashlight and if necessary leave a spotter to direct you away from danger.
5th) go to WallyWorld Radio Shack or just about any place and pick up a set of the little walkie talkies so you and the spotter can hear each other, it's hard to hear the other person over engine and other noises, and when ones inside - ones outside and up to 40-50' away!
6th) when ever you hear any noise such as you did STOP IMMEDIATELY and get out and look, it'll save you from doing more damage, and if it is no danger it's still better to look sorry than to be sorry!

Now again CONGRATS on your experience! Sorry to hear about the damage, but it can be repaired!

Lastly I highly recommend that call to Sam Caylor for the replacement parts, if he has them he'll be much cheaper! FWIW BK

Oops I see David an I were both posting at the same time!

I corrected a couple of misspelled words.  Moderator
That's funny I used the spell checker and let it correct the ones I WANTED CORRECTED & IGNORED THOSE I DIDN'T, now I'll just learn to ignore moderators who chose to over correct others. 

by the way I let spell checker correct your misspelled mis-spelled also! FWIW!    BK 

[Dallas]

David,
I'm glad you had such a great trip!

Every time you get behind the wheel you'll have a learning experience, some simple lessons, some really expensive.

You may just want to consider heading toward Union City, Tennessee sometime in September or October and having the experts at a rally going on there fix the 'dings' 

Also, along the way, you'll find yourself becoming more and more familiar with the idiosyncrasies of your bus.

By, the way, RJ Long has a really good article on driving and shifting if you should want to read it.

http://www.busnut.com/bbs/messages/12262/16204.html?1167073154

Good Luck and Happy Trails!

Dallas

[uncle ned]

dallas

Guess i will have to go west instead of east this fall.

Try to find me a offroad riding area close to bk's. Will probaly be better then the area north of charleston. Will wait till the cold weather for that.

Stop by on your way west.

Believe i would come by my way then up 221 then 19e  and 321 to johnson city tenn. then over to i40.
Black Mountain is a long pull for our old buses.

Uncle Ned
"Huggy Bear"

[Darrell]

David call Cardinal Coach in Warsaw - just up the road from you.  They should have what you need.  They have several 8 parts buses, and are very reasonable people to deal with. 

[Busted Knuckle]

Try to find me a offroad riding area close to bk's.
Uncle Ned
"Huggy Bear"

Off road riding area huh? Such as ATVs? OK I found about 10 so far and ain't started looking yet! LOL! Seriously we have some awesome places within 1 hr to 3 hrs away! Also since I'm not sure what you ride, or what kinda riding you do, I'll ask? OK we have TURKEY BAY over in LBL (Land Between the Lakes beautiful place itself TVA managed).  Also we got Loretta Lynn's Ranch down near Waverly (they put on several races annually). And I'll ask my uncle who sells used 4 wheelers and dirt bikes, and races Hare & Hound style Enduro races, where the good places are these days .(I haven't been in 4 or 5 yrs and he goes all the time to stay in practice!)

Will probaly be better then the area north of charleston. Uncle Ned
"Huggy Bear"

I honestly can't say better as I've never been to that one but Turkey Bay has just about any kind of riding you'd want, for any type vehicle you want! And there are places to dry camp/boondock (literally as you'll be in the boondocks! LOL!) Personally my favorite place to go off roading!

Believe i would come by my way then up 221 then 19e  and 321 to johnson city tenn. then over to i40.
Black Mountain is a long pull for our old buses.

Uncle Ned
"Huggy Bear"

Sounds like a good plan to me! Then when you get to Nashville you have 2 choices either I-24 West up through KY or straight on I-40 and up HWY 22 @ exit 108 (Parkers Cross Roads) only about 12 miles difference! I usually go up I-24! But if you go I-40 you'll go right past (exit # 143) Loretta Lynn's place.

[uncle ned]

busted knuckle

look forward to coming. will be bringing a husaberg and an old 750/4 hond street bike. been to loreta lyns several times. just to watch. also ride enduros if they have a class for old farts. 65 and older.

will be there if the rally hapens this fall

uncle ned
"huggy bear"

[Busted Knuckle]

busted knuckle

look forward to coming. will be bringing a husaberg and an old 750/4 hond street bike. been to loreta lyns several times. just to watch. also ride enduros if they have a class for old farts. 65 and older.

uncle ned
"huggy bear"

My Uncle Robert just moved up into the "seniors class" not long ago! We rib him about it some, but not quite as much as being beaten by a man with 1 leg! LOL! FWIW!

will be there if the rally hapens this fall

uncle ned
"huggy bear"

We'll see you here WHEN it happens this fall! Looking forward to it also! Will be fun to see Robert get smoked by someone truely his senior! LOL!
Oopps I just realized y'all wouldn't be in the same class Robert is in the 500cc + Open Class with training wheels LOL! (4 wheelers).

[bobofthenorth]

David: re gears

I still "grind 'em when I can't find 'em" but I am getting better.  A couple of things have helped me over the last 3 years - yup - its taken 3 years & I still grind them occasionally. 

The best piece of advice I ever got was to run the engine right to the governor before shifting.  With a 4-stroke I was used to using lower RPMs and never revving out in the lower gears but my mechanic told me to run my 8-92 right to the wall before I shifted it.  That really helped, probably because I was always going back to the same RPM after the shift that way. 

The 2nd thing that helped me was I got one of the kids to write down the top speed in each gear on one of our trips & posted that information on my dash.  Now when I miss a shift and I'm aimlessly stirring that big box of gears I can glance at my speedo and at the chart on the dash and then maybe figure out which hole to aim for.

[FloridaCliff]

David,

Congrats on the 1st big trip.

Actually we should be calling them "Shakedown Cruises".

To find out what we didn't know was wrong or didn't think could break...LOL....

Now on to the shifting: I thought I was the master of all things to be shifted until I drove this Spicer thing.

It has a real learning curve.  But you have already received some great advice.

Read RJ's shifting tips, master the upshift first(its easier)

Run it to the governer, its against your common sense to do this, but do it anyway.

I don't even double clutch on the upshifts anymore by doing this.

Now if I miss the sweet spot(perfect time/rpm to shift) I can hear in the background(from a 6 yr old)

"If you can't find em! Grind em!" (be careful what sayings you teach kids)

When I first bought my bus, I would get on the interstate and get on and off at every exit and rest area, practicing the upshift and downshift.  (do this by yourself, trust me)


Best of luck,

Cliff
 

[Cary and Don]

Our first trip met a big rock that ripped down one bay door to the wheel well.  Someone should do a poll.  I'll bet 50% of the first trips had the same experience.

Don and Cary
GMC4107