MCI Toll Window Enhancement For Low End Bus Nuts

[Lin]

First, let me say that I did take pictures, but since the adaption is in plexiglass, you can not see it.  I wanted to share this anyway since it is quick and useful.   The idea is that the toll window is not of much use.  Opening it while traveling may give a little air, but it is more likely to create a negative pressure.  Therefore the enhancement is to take a small piece of plexiglass, attach a piece of piano hinge to one side, and mount the other side of the hinge to the leading edge of the sliding toll window.  One can then open the toll window and rotate the plexiglass flap outside for it to scoop air in as you travel.  When closing the window, the flap folds back flush with the glass. 

Not quite as good as putting in a good slider window, but some  improvement is better than none.  I should admit that I have only assembled it with hot glue to try it out.  I have not run it on the road yet.

[gumpy]

If I read this correctly, you are thinking your scoop will scoop air into the bus?

Don't get your hopes up when you try it out. You may find that it doesn't work. The reason is that as air breaks around the front corner of the bus,
it creates a vacuum at the driver's window, and so actually pulls air OUT of the bus, rather than blow it in.

I like the thinking outside the box, though.

Good luck, and let us know the results.

[Lin]

I don't think it will be too dramatic but my thought was if I can scoop wind with my hand, it will do something.  I had thought that the air sucking out that window, what I referred to as negative pressure, was due to a venturi type effect.  Of course, another obstacle is that the mirrors are not too far in front of it.  Anyway, I will give it a try within a week and let you know.

[RickB]

Lin,

I just bought a Motion/Peninsula dual pane slider toll window 10 minutes ago on Craigslist. Hope that thing is easy to put in. Thought it was kind of ironic that you posted this after I just bought it. You gonna post some pics?

RB

[RJ]

Lin -

Craig's right - the toll window is in the vacuum area created by the bow wave air flow off the front of the coach.

That's also why the curb side mirror stays relatively dry, yet the driver's mirror gets all crudded up when it's raining - one's actually in the bow wave air flow, the other's in the vacuum (the water actually comes from spray off the LF wheel.)  If you were to stick your hand out the toll window palm forward when rolling in the rain at speed, you'd find that the back of your hand gets wet! (BTDT!)

Even the Peninsula replacement driver's window w/ the full size slider sucks air out of the coach on the highway.

The only one that ever worked was GM's original split window design on the 4104s and 4106s.  Even then, it was only the front half that created flow into the coach, as it opened right into the bow wave.  One reason Fast Fred searched high & low till he found complete windows in good shape, spent the $$ to reproduce the rubber gasket, and installed them in his 4106.

That bow wave at freeway speeds, btw, rolls back against the bus creating a high pressure area right where GM/MCI put the A/C condenser.  Whodathunkit, eh?

MCIs have a "gasper" under the dash on the LH side that vents fresh air from the front of the coach, and many 4106 and later GMs had one at eye level in the "A" pillar between the windshield and driver's window.

I also agree with Craig's pat on the back for your thinking outside the box, so be sure to let us know the results of your experiment!

FWIW & HTH. . .

[Lin]

I took the bus out today and tested my window flap.  It is an absolute failure as Craig and RJ suggested it would be.  Another million down the drain!

[bigjohnkub]

When my road a/c went out on my 4905, I stopped at a lowes store and bought a section of 4" pvc drain and an elbow. I taped the pipe ,With duck tape, between mirror and side of windshield. The pipe stuck out even with the front of center windshield divider,  Put elbow in toll window and drove 150 miles semi-cool. Caught the occasional bug, but did not sweat. Outside temp middle seventies. When I got home, Jethro wanted me to patent design.

Big John

[seaton@mta]

As to Gumpy's point.  Driving my old look down the NJ Turnpike at 65, you can't open the front (jackknife folding) door.

-- Seaton

[Iceni John]

One trick known to Crown drivers of old, which I tried two weeks ago when I drove out to Buses Gone Wild IV, is to open the door when doing 55 MPH.   If you also have some rear windows or the rear roof hatch open, it miraculously cleans all dust and loose debris out of the bus in about five seconds!   I tried it, and it works!   However, don't try this if you don't have an inward-opening door (like all Crowns have), otherwise Bad Things may happen.

This proves where the high- and low-pressure areas are.

John

[belfert]

I had a toll window in my Dina.  (Driver's window has since been replaced.)  I opened it once at highway speeds and a wide based cup holder sitting on a ledge there went right out the window.  My friend wasn't entirely happy as he had no idea where to get another one as he had only seen them for sale at one truck stop.