Bendix Brake School (Who would be interested? Or should I say how many?)

[Busted Knuckle]

Hello ya'll,
My dad surprised me this morning by asking me "how'd you like to go to a Bendix Brake School?"
 
http://www.bendix.com/en-us/service/Pages/BrakeSchool.aspx 

Wow I was floored, I have always thought it'd be a great learning experience. I have many great things about it, here on the board and other places too. But just never really pictured dad (or the company) paying my expenses to go.
So I immediately said "sure, when we going?". His reply is that one of us needs to stay here and run the show. He had found out about it while web surfing last night, and printed out a schedule of this years classes.
At first it looked like our best option was going to be August 18th thru 21st in Huntington, IN. But when I went online to see about registering for it, it say's it is closed. (limited size classes)
So our next chance will be Either September 9th thru 11th in either Atlanta or Houston.
Or October 6th thru 9th again in Huntington, IN.
Or November 11th thru 13th again in Atlanta.

Since I have to put it off a month, I thought I would toss it out here and see if any busnuts would be interested in it also. It would be a couple of day where we could learn something useful, as well as getting to know each other. 
So if interested let me know which one is more suitable to your liking and we might just attend together. (You'll have to pay yer own way, dad's not feeling that generous! LOL!)
Cost for the class is $250

FWIW   BK 

link to schedule;
http://productschoolregistration.cmiregistration.com/Programs.aspx/BrakeTrainingSchool

[white-eagle]

lookin at the topics and schedule comments about class size, wonder what it would take to get a class set up that could include just busnuts and make sure they cover bus air brakes such as are on Eagles, MCI, GMC and Prevost.  I think there may be enough of us that we could get 15 of us at $300 each instead of the usual $ 250.  i don't know how big the classes are or what they would require, but it might be worth a try. 

I'm obviously not a mechanic of any sort, but i would be interested in learning more about my brakes and how to keep them at top performance so i don't get stuck like i did last december.  i'm also concerned that they may not want non-mechanics in the class or is anyone with money ok?


maybe combine it wiht a bus rally in IN, Oh, ky, or TN?  Class from Wed thru Friday, then party all weekend.

the phone number is in cleveland area, but i was looking for something more central like cinci, louisville, or even nashville.  now that diesel is so cheap at $4.22/gal, i can travel almost anywhere (NOT).

[luvrbus]

I went to one last year and there was very little on on the old drum type brakes only the disk and ABS systems wasn't worth much to me but if I was converting over to the new systems well worth the money

[Busted Knuckle]

I went to one last year and there was very little on on the old drum type brakes only the disk and ABS systems wasn't worth much to me but if I was converting over to the new systems well worth the money

Clifford,
Thanks for the heads up! If it don't cover much on old junk, not much sense in my going either!

lookin at the topics and schedule comments about class size, wonder what it would take to get a class set up that could include just busnuts and make sure they cover bus air brakes such as are on Eagles, MCI, GMC and Prevost.  I think there may be enough of us that we could get 15 of us at $300 each instead of the usual $ 250.  i don't know how big the classes are or what they would require, but it might be worth a try. 

I'm obviously not a mechanic of any sort, but i would be interested in learning more about my brakes and how to keep them at top performance so i don't get stuck like i did last december.  i'm also concerned that they may not want non-mechanics in the class or is anyone with money ok?


maybe combine it wiht a bus rally in IN, Oh, ky, or TN?  Class from Wed thru Friday, then party all weekend.

the phone number is in cleveland area, but i was looking for something more central like cinci, louisville, or even nashville.  now that diesel is so cheap at $4.22/gal, i can travel almost anywhere (NOT).

Tom excellent idea! I was fishing for interest from others this week end. If I hadn't gotten any others wanting to go I was gonna call Monday and see if I could maybe still squeeze into the one in IN on the 18th.
I think I'll call Monday anyway and ask about setting up one like you are asking about, and also mention what Clifford said about the main curriculum of the course he took.

Thanks guys for the info & ideas.   BK 

[rusty]

  Jim Shepherd and I went to the Bendix school a couple of years ago. I will let Jim Speak for himself, but I thought it was well worth the money. The written material is worth the price of admission. With what I learned I found out the brakes on my 05 were out of adjustment. I adjusted them per what I learned -made a big difference. I also am confident enough to disign the ABS disk brakes on my 15.  WELL WORTH THE MONEY
                                                             
                                                                                             Thank You Wayne

[Dreamscape]

So Wayne,

Why not come to TBR 2008 and give us a demonstration?

I'm not kidding, come before you head to Branson.

Paul

[makemineatwostroke]

Before you guys go to classes you need to make sure you have the Bendix systems not just by looking at the air compressor there are other systems out there like Haldex(midland) and Meritor Wabco the ABS disk market is about 70% Meritor Wabco. have a great day guys just food for thought

[white-eagle]

hey bk, keep me posted.  obviously, i need a class in something, might as well start with brakes.  and if we can get it tailored to us busnuts, so much the better.

[rusty]

 Paul I will not be able to make it to Texas. To much time between the rallies. I will bring the manuals to Branson and go over them with you. I need to talk to Clifford and see what class he took. The one we took covered standard brakes.
                      Thank You Wayne

[Busted Knuckle]

OK I have spoke with two folks at Bendix this AM. One was well more or less , less than helpful. Other than she gave me a phone # for a guy in Indianapolis, IN by the name of Bob Pawluk (that's how she spelled, not me!).
Anyway I called and spoke with Bob, and had a nice conversation. He said it is possible to set up a class tailored for us. But before doing so he'd to know how many we could expect to take it. I told him that if it was at the right time I could most certainly guarantee 3 (Dad, Robert & myself), and could probably round up 15-17 others depending on location and dates.
He said that it's a fact that they haven't had a request for the old systems we use with DD3's in quite some time. He also stated he didn't understand why people still use the DD3's. When I said #1 is the risk of liability from a change over. He sorta ho-humed a minute and then said it could be possible to include a change over lesson in the class. He is definitely not a fan of DD3's I can tell from talking to him.

OK he said we'd need to know how many we could have sign up for it and he'd go to the powers that be, and propose it. He mentioned they would probably not even discuss it for 5 of us, but if there was 20 he'd almost be certain we could do it!
He said the # of attendees would definitely set the price. But let's just say $250 to $300 per person.

This could be a great & fun experience to learn about an important safety aspect of our coaches, while getting to know one another. Also if we set it up right. we could make it into a mini-rally. I can bring a seated coach for doing some sort of sight seeing tour, our transportation back and forth from the campground to class.

So chime in and lets see a show of how many would go if we put it together.   BK 

[luvrbus]

Wayne, I went to the school with Cole at a Volvo dealer in Phoenix it was a 2 1/2 days and the drum brakes he covered was mostly ABS.I even sit in on the Prevost class for 2 days this dealer is a Prevost service center

[Busted Knuckle]

Hey moderators can we make this a sticky for a little while? I'd like to get an actual count on this so we can procede on it, if there is enough interest. Thanks and have a great day!    BK 

[JackConrad]

Done!  Jack

[white-eagle]

get the class somewhere between us, bk, and i'll sign up.  for the rally as well as the class.  i'd like a:fundamentals of air brakes, b:why mine suck and the new ones are better (according to the guy you talked to), followed by c:conversion, troubleshooting, and maintenance.

and if i'm the only one that understands how air brakes fundamentally work (push down on a pedal, the bus farts out the front and reverses the forward motion so that it comes to a stop?), then i'll read up on fundamentals b4 class so i can at least have some clue in class.

[Busted Knuckle]

Done!  Jack

Thanks Jack,
Maybe we can learn a bunch and do a seminar at the ralley this winter!