Air Dyer, Metal in Differential, Slack Adjuster

[RJ]

Bill -

FYI, 3.73:1 is the stock ratio for the 8V71 and 6V92 powered MC-9s.  The 8V92s had a 3.36:1 ratio available as an option.  Wouldn't recommend that for your 9, even if you bumped your 6V to 350hp w/ larger injectors.

Sometimes it's hard to second-guess the factory. . .

FWIW & HTH. . .

[Busted Knuckle]

Welllll, I ain't wanting to get nothing started here, buttttt we had an '85 102A3/6v92TA 5spd manual that had 3:36's in it, we also had a '85 96A3 6V92TA/740 AT that had 3:36's, and we still run an '86 102A3 6V92TA/740 AT with 3:36's and although a little sluggish/slow on the take off they roll on pretty good! Dad just came home from Wilmington, NC across I-40 and fully loaded with the "CIA"* & their music equipment he pulled Black Mountain just a little over 30 mph @ 190 degrees ! I think a 6V92 can pull them fine, especially in a conversion that I hear are usually lighter than a loaded to the MAX charter bus! JMHO FWIW! (* CIA = Christians In Action a group of performers who travel with us every summer going to churches, nursing homes, assisted living communities, children's home {orphanages} and perform in exchange for a meal or a place to stay for the night! KINDA KOOL I THINK)

Now Bill, it's been quite a while since I checked (about 5 yrs). But a new center section completely set up with new bearings & gears and 2 yrs warranty was around $3,000.00 - $3,500.00 from Drivetrain Specialist in Memphis, and they kept them in stock! I've also bought used take outs for $750.00 - $1,500.00. Of course that's not including labor! And after doing 8 rear ends in about 4 months (different coaches, 6 were other customers!) It got to where we could pull one and put one back in and have it on the road in an 8 hr shift max! (1st 2-3 took a little longer). Of course our low labor rate and 1 day out of service is why we kept getting so many to do! No more thank you! LOL! FWIW HTH !
  BK 

[RJ]

BK -

Did you buy these coaches new, or did they provide revenue service for another company prior to joining your fleet?

TTBOMK, the 3.73:1 was the stock ratio, and the 3.36:1 was optional (no cost, IIRC)

FWIW & HTH. . .

[Busted Knuckle]

BK -

Did you buy these coaches new, or did they provide revenue service for another company prior to joining your fleet?

TTBOMK, the 3.73:1 was the stock ratio, and the 3.36:1 was optional (no cost, IIRC)

FWIW & HTH. . .

                                                     

New? Did you say did we buy these new? Ah well I'll tell ya Russ, we ain't never bought a coach new! And IF we buy out a friend's/competitor's company with 2 '05 Setra S417's  that'll probably as close to owning a NEW coach as I'll ever get! (or ever wanna get for that matter! Let someone else take that huge depreciation loss! LOL!)
So yes Russ they were pretested in revenue service before we bought them! The '85 102A3 came from an Indian charter company on a MN reservation, an the 96A3 came from florida, and the current 102A3 came from Hotard in New Orleans! (I might add that they all originally had been hounds!) FWIW
  BK 

[Kwajdiver]

Thanks for the info.  Just for the record, I'm running an automatic.

Hope to talk to them today, and get the bus back to the shop in a couple days.

Bill

[Brian Diehl]

Bill, I also have the 3.36:1 gears in my bus.  The 6v92 pulled that just fine *most* of the time.  I had the HT754 and 1st gear was very low.  I know if I didn't have that 1st gear (maxed out at about 18mph) 2nd would have been too high in the Colorado mountains and I would have been in situations where I wouldn't have been able to get it rolling.  There was also one climb out of Denver that would have been impossible without 1st as I couldn't pull it in 2nd while towing my Jeep.  So, in short, depending upon how low 1st is in the 740 the 3.36 gears are just fine on most highway hills if you can keep rolling.

[chris4905]

NIMCO has MCI has rear end takeouts listed on their website for $2,000.00.

Might be the option if they had the exact ratio you wanted.

Chris

[Brian Diehl]

Hey Bill, what did you find out today?  Any progress?

[Kwajdiver]

Hey Guys,

Haven't been to the shop yet. No word, should talk to them tomorrow.


Thanks Guys,

Bill

[Kwajdiver]

Guys,

Still waiting on the shop to call me back.  I've put two calls in and no reply.  Very funny, being I have not paid them for the day and half worth of work they have already performed.

How many times should you have to call someone inorder to pay THEM.....?

Bill
Phoenix

[maria-n-skip]

Bill
   none though I'm sure they will have an invoice when you show up.

Please go down there in person and find out surprises are not fun!

Skip

[maria-n-skip]

Bill,

   So where you at with the shop and your Differential?

Skip

[Kwajdiver]

Spoke with the shop this morning.  They haven't got to my invoice yet.....
They say they have one rear end from a huge inventor of MCI-9 parts they bought. He will make me a good deal on it....(See if his good deal, is the same as my good deal)   Nothing is going to happen for a week or so.   I'm going in to have a little hernia repaired Tuesday.  Guessing I won't be doing any bus stuff for a week or so.

Bill
Should be leaving Phoenix the first week of August.

[edroelle]

I replaced the ring and pinion in my MCI.  It was a rebuild from a truck shop and cost about $1400, 10 years ago.  I did the labor.  A friend had it done and it cost him about $2000.

I changed it because it was making noise and had been low on lubricant.

Ed Roelle
Flint, MI

[maria-n-skip]

Bill,
Maybe you can upgrade from the chincy mesh to S.S. then you could be one with your bus.......

  Honestly please listen to the doc's when they say no heavy lifting that includes the bay doors and
you packing to leave in about a week and a half!

  I hope shipping off the condenser didn't lead to your situation!

  Skip