Bad news can be good news

belfert · June 26, 2011, 04:29:50 PM

The bad news is I found one of my transmission cooler lines is worn nearly all the way through.

The good news is I'm glad I found it at home and not on the road when it started leaking or the transmission went out. Much better to deal with it at home when there is time to fix it. I need to figure out a way to arrange the hose so it doesn't rub against the frame rail. The last time I had the hose disconnected I placed a piece of plastic pipe over the edge of the frame rail, but it still rubbed the hose and wore it out.

Gary '79 5C · June 26, 2011, 04:43:31 PM

Brian,

Good Catch !! As you said, much better to find a potential problem in the driveway. Good eyes to preventive maintenance the lines, which are much ignored.

belfert · June 26, 2011, 04:48:54 PM

It was pure luck I found the bad hose. I never would have found it had I not been fixing an oil leak around the water pump and another one on the oil cooler. I don't normally pull off the panels on that side of the engine. I have the undercarriage inspected once a year, but it would have a miracle to see this bad hose.

Iceni John · June 26, 2011, 05:21:50 PM

A few days ago, as I was rummaging around my bus's nether regions, I saw that the power steering hose that goes up front was just beginning to touch a protruding bolt head nearby. Yikes! I've already once had to deal with a burst high-pressure hydraulic hose (no fun!), so I don't want any repeats. The fix was simple - a ziptie and a piece of plastic hose protector, but my lesson was learnt. Tomorrow I'll thoroughly check every hose and every cable, and hopefully have at least one less potential problem on the road. An ounce of prevention etc etc.

Didn't someone here recently post that his bus's hydraulic hoses run inside plastic plumbing pipe, where they go along the frame rails? That seems a good idea to me - maybe I'll buy some lengths of Sch.40 PVC pipe for at least my PS hose, if I can figure a way to do it without taking everything apart!

John

belfert · June 26, 2011, 05:37:45 PM

My power steering hoses go through PVC pipe at least through the luggage bays. Dina used a weird metric size of pipe for this. They not only run the hoses through pipe, but everything running through the luggage bays is under a removeable aluminum cover. I guess they really didn't want luggage or cargo punching a hole in something.

Melbo · June 26, 2011, 05:54:54 PM

Slice the pipe open with a saw and lay the hose in the pipe and (abs is easiest) put the pipe back together to tie it into place.

HTH

Melbo

belfert · June 26, 2011, 07:07:48 PM

My transmission hose that needs replacement doesn't go through any pipe. All I have is a little piece of 1/2" or 3/4" conduit I put over the edge of the frame rail to try to protect the hose. It didn't work as the hose still wore through.

robertglines1 · June 26, 2011, 07:16:59 PM

Might try piece of scrap fire hose for cushion . The rubber canvas combo wears well ;I use it allot on wear spots.

luvrbus · June 26, 2011, 07:57:40 PM

Why not just buy the spiral wrap from a hose supplier you can all types of protection covers for hoses,blocks and clamps they don't move to wear

good luck

babell2 · June 27, 2011, 09:56:50 AM

Look at the installation closely. See if a length change in the hose will allow a re routing of the hose so it won't contact the frame. Now the problem is solved for ever.

Brice

David Anderson · June 27, 2011, 10:32:15 AM

Very fortunate find. If you remember my post last July about my tranny hose blowing out just off Raton Pass last July, I was a few quarts from empty when I stopped. I dumped 21 quarts of oil in my toad (pickup). I knew of nothing being wrong. We just happened to stop for supper and saw the oil pouring out the back of the coach. You are very fortunate. There are no warnings for this while driving.

David

pipopak · June 27, 2011, 05:01:34 PM

If the hose develops a rubbing spot is because it moves. Can it be tied tight at the offending spot with some protection at the wear point?.

belfert · July 03, 2011, 01:48:08 PM

The hose is secured every foot or foot and a half. There is a tiedown right before it heads down to the oil cooler. I suspect part of the problem is the cooler is attached to the engine which naturally vibrates and moves around. The hose is secured to the frame rail.

I'm going to see if I can't change the fitting on the cooler so the line can run another direction.