new topic - critical spares list

[bevans6]

OK so it's probably not really new but...

What are the bus specific spare parts that people carry, besides things like spare tires and such?  I have been carrying a starter motor since I got the bus (it came with it) and I used in on my last trip.  I carry every conceivable light bulb, all the belts, wipers, filters, and a pressure regulator - and a coachnet card...     What do you carry?

Thanks, Brian

[belfert]

I carry:

15W-40 Oil 1 gallon
Coolant 2 Gallons (water would also work)
Alternator and fan belts
Hose clamps
Chunks of silicone hose
Fuses (way too many of them)
Bulbs
Headlight
Fuel filters
Crimp tool and heat shrink terminals/butt connectors
Weatherpack connectors and crimp tool (Bus uses many of these.)
Wire
Wiring diagrams and maintenance manual
Coachnet card
Air filter (Not always as it takes up room)

Probably a few other things in my box of stuff

[luvrbus]

Fuel filters,Coachnet,Texaco,cash and a few small hand tools with a box of wire terminals and a roll of wire all the years I own my Eagle I used Coachnet 1 time in Texas when I stuck in the sand,pre trip inspection is the key fwiw I never had a spare tire in any bus over the years and never had to change the fuels filters on the side of the road


good luck

[belfert]

The only thing I have had to use on the road was the coolant when I had a hose come loose.  The hose clamp wasn't positioned properly when replacing the water pump.

[robertglines1]

haven't been so lucky on spares. had two front tire blow outs in last three years  both 2006 dated goodyears (no more for me).A 30 ton air jack and 3/4 inch impact. back on road in 20 minutes. Oil trans fluid . 40 W oil for 2 stroke.   antifreeze manuals elect fuel pump    manuals  diagnostic equipment.

[gmbusguy1]

Call me crazy but I always carry a spare drive gear for the air compressor along with a governor. and a multi meter comes in very handy in a pinch

And for you MCI guys I would carry a extra air regulator the 9's seem to have these little buggers in every door you open LOL

Chris

[bevans6]

I gotta ask- why a spare drive gear for the air compressor?  that I would not have considered...

yeah, btw I carry all of the wire, terminals, tools, jacks, blocks, fluids, etc.  But I am trying to decide if I should carry "bus" spares, unique specific, not at your local NAPA stuff like a 75 degree laid over air compressor or a 24 volt starter motor, or who knows what else. 

Brian

[luvrbus]

Brian, years ago DD used a fiber gear for the compressor drive that would brake if the compressor failed now the gears are steel and the compressors have a safety key Chris can throw the gear away now his Eagle has a steel gear lol 



good luck

[gmbusguy1]

Geez Clifford you are right AGAIN Damit !

The spare I used to carry LOL is Fiber and of course if the steel ones goes south we will have a really messed up gear train or just a bad compressor

Thanks for the info on the 92's

also if you run DD3's it might be wise to carry one each of the diaphragms sice they are harder to get on the shelf these days

Oh Clifford, Chevron call me and said they are looking for a new owner for a little boat in California seems they want to get that boat into the hands of someone that will run some fuel thru it

hahahahah

Chris

[TomC]

I understand carrying extra fuel filters with a gallon of fuel, but stuff like an extra starter-extra air compressor, massive amounts of tools etc-remember-you have to pay for the extra fuel to haul around a few hundred pounds of extra stuff.  It's not like we're in the Sahara Desert.  Most any small town will have a NAPA parts store.  Personally-I do carry 12 gallons of 40wt oil since that is something that is generally not available.  Good Luck, TomC

[bobofthenorth]

No spare tire - that's what the tag lift is for.

Spare starter, electric fuel pump, oil, DD coolant, DD coolant additive, primary & secondary fuel filters, oil filter and an engine fuel pump. Good Sam roadside assist and plastic in my wallet for the rest.

[JackConrad]

I guess I am superstitious, but I feel that as long as I carry the spare starter that I had, I won't need it. If I leave it home, guess what?  Murphy's law.  I also carry a spare fuel filter and 6-8 gallons of oils, a gallon of Transmission/power steering fluid, some wire and assorted connectors, and some pipe plugs & caps to block off a leaking airline. In over 50,000 miles we have only broke down on the road one time. A solenoid failed which shut down the power to the ignition switch causing the engine to die. I removed one of the screws from the engine stop piston on top of the governor and twisted it to the side so it could not engage the fuel shut-off lever. I jumped the terminal on the starter and we were back on the road.  I do keep most of my tools in the tool box in the bus.  When we are home the bus is parked inside my shop and it is just as easy to grab a tool from the tool box in the as as it would be to grab it from the tool box sitting in my shop.  Jack

[jbnewman]

I drove an MC9 for a charter company a number of years ago.  On my first overnight trip, I dropped the passengers (a soccer team) off at the hotel and headed out for fuel.  My sudden loss of power on the highway was the result of a broken crank shaft.  A spare bus would have been handy. 

Because the passengers got bulk of the luggage space, about all I carried were a couple gallons of oil, a couple gallons of coolant, and a light bulb or two.  They were of little use in the face of disaster. :-)

While there were definitely times I brought buses back with a list of items for the mechanic to check into, I don't recall ever being stranded again, or having to procure service on the road.  I have always believed that very careful pre-trip inspections helped keep the bus moving down the road without incident.  On the other hand, it's plausible that after my first trip, I'd had my "big failure" and the lottery that is mechanical failure didn't draw my number again

-jbn

[FloridaCliff]

I guess I am superstitious, but I feel that as long as I carry the spare starter that I had, I won't need it. If I leave it home, guess what?  Murphy's law.  I also carry a spare fuel filter and 6-8 gallons of oils, a gallon of Transmission/power steering fluid, some wire and assorted connectors, and some pipe plugs & caps to block off a leaking airline. In over 50,000 miles we have only broke down on the road one time. A solenoid failed which shut down the power to the ignition switch causing the engine to die. I removed one of the screws from the engine stop piston on top of the governor and twisted it to the side so it could not engage the fuel shut-off lever. I jumped the terminal on the starter and we were back on the road.  I do keep most of my tools in the tool box in the bus.  When we are home the bus is parked inside my shop and it is just as easy to grab a tool from the tool box in the as as it would be to grab it from the tool box sitting in my shop.  Jack

Jack,

I am with you on this one.

I carry a fairly full set of tools and have only really needed them once,  but I made a quick repair and limped to where I could deal with it at my leisure.

My critical spares are repair items, air fittings and spare hose, oil, ps fluid, hose clamps, bailing wire, duct tape.

I add to it as needed (my own or someone else's) reminds me of something that could get me on the road in a pinch.

I don't worry about a starter as my coach has is manual shift.  Had a truck pull start me in less than half revolution of the wheels once. 

Cliff

[Busted Knuckle]

Cliff,
I remember back when I was in High School I went on a trip to FL with a group of kids in Campus Life and the bus company we charted with had old GM's (I couldn't even try to remember or guess which models know) and the one I actually rode had a bad starter and us kids had to get out and push start it every time the driver shut it off! (which was every time he stopped because he would put it in gear to park it!)
I didn't know any better back then but now days I'd insist that bus be placed out of service! Because if the parking brakes wouldn't hold it, and it didn't need air pressure to release the brakes so about 8-10 teenagers could push start it that bus had some serious issues!
I do remember that we had about a 2 hr delay leaving s my father and several other fathers refused to let the buses leave until on of the steer tires got replaced because they "thought they could see the air inside of it!"
  BK 

So just take more of yer kids friends to help push and you won't need a truck!