My Wife's Foot Hurts!

Beatenbo · February 27, 2007, 07:09:37 PM

My C3 has a real stiff throttle and my wife complains about her foot hurting. With an auto trans you have a throttle cable that controls you shift timing and it puts extra tension on cable. My last bus was a 96A3 with a stick and it was easy on the throttle. My question is.. I read in a post about an electronic device that takes the place of that trans cable when you change to air throttle. Could you use that and disconnect cable from trans. My wife said she would drive more if it didn't hurt her foot and leg.

JackConrad · February 28, 2007, 05:07:33 AM

If you are referring to an air throttle set-up like we have on our MC-8, the modulator on the transmission is air operated and receives it's air from the air throttle. I would disconnet the modulator cable at the govenor, then have your wife push the throttle pedal. This will tell you whether the problem is in the throttle cable or the transmission modulator cable. Jack

Len Silva · February 28, 2007, 05:42:16 AM

The problem I have heard about with air throttles is the slight delay can make for dificulty shifting a stick. Maybe just a learnig process.I think that if properly adjusted and lubricated, your mechanical linkage should work just fine.
I don't know if you have cable or rods. In my 4104 cable setup, cleaning and lube made a lot of difference.
Len

jjrbus · February 28, 2007, 06:31:50 AM

I had foot and leg pain when I first got my bus. What I found the problem to be is that no matter how hard I push on the pedal once it reaches the floor. The bus will go no faster. I guess I was trying to force the pedal through the floor to gain speed.

HTH

Len Silva · February 28, 2007, 07:24:41 AM

Quote from: jjrbus on February 28, 2007, 06:31:50 AM
I had foot and leg pain when I first got my bus. What I found the problem to be is that no matter how hard I push on the pedal once it reaches the floor. The bus will go no faster. I guess I was trying to force the pedal through the floor to gain speed. HTH

Wow! Old memories of road trips in my '61 Volkswagen. My right foot would throb from trying to put the pedal through the metal!

Len

Nick Badame Refrig/ACC · February 28, 2007, 07:33:45 AM

Hi Charlie,

I also had a stiff throttle until Bill at Lukes [US Coach] lubracated the cable by disconnecting it

under the pilot compartment and lubeing it. Also the peddle itself was very stiff and he freed it up

by taking it apart and replacing the hinge pin. You may want to try this first since we have the same coach.

Nick-

TomC · February 28, 2007, 07:43:30 AM

Highly recommend the air throttle. I does have a slight delay, which is no big deal since we are not driving sports cars. You can either change the throttle modulator on the transmission to the air, or just keep what you have with the cable. I suspect that the cable to the transmission is not the reason for the stiff pedal.
Just a note-practically all commercial boats have air throttles. They are very reliable. Good Luck, TomC

Len Silva · February 28, 2007, 09:24:12 AM

Tom, the problem with throttle delay comes when driving a stick, especially down shifting when you need a quick shot of RPM in the middle of the shift. No problem at all with an automatic (or a boat).

Len

Brian Diehl · February 28, 2007, 09:38:07 AM

On my 96A3 they used two springs. Both springs were setup for MAXIMUM tension and it made driving a true pain in the leg. I have since modified my setup to use one spring and have adjusted the attachment point to set it up with minimum tension (moved the attachment point). This has made the driving experience for me much better.

H3Jim · February 28, 2007, 10:54:37 AM

My throttle is a little stiffer than I like, although I think its all electronic.

It only is noticeable on long trips, but then i just use the cruise control and its much easier.

John Z · March 02, 2007, 09:02:59 AM

MAN!!! This is something i need to address on my coach. A week ago i was making my way back to northern Minnesota from my first long trip in my coach which took me within 150 feet of the Gulf of Mexico. I was on schedule and just taking my time. I was supposed to work at one of the antique malls i am in on Suday.

As we were driving north in Illinois i started hearing about the blizzard that hit the Cities Friday evening. We got on the phone and called friends in the Cities and stayed in touch all afternoon. They were predicting from 16" - over 2 feet of snow. As we usually get hit worse up north with the weather than the Cities, i had hopes of beating the storm system home.

We had started driving that morning at 11:00 from somewhere in southern Illinois after another lazy lounging breakfast. I wound up driving until 3:30 the following morning. The 4104 was far more than admirable in the snow as far as traction (i am very impressed, but have no plans ever to try that again). Had to pull off a few times on exits to clear the wipers and headlights, and then get right back on the freeway. After driving over 16 hours my right calf and thigh were killing me!!! I hobbled and limped around here for 4 or 5 days. I took a quick peek in the tool bay under the driver and see that apparently someone decided to just add more springs rather than lube the cable. There are 3 springs hooked up there and i cannot believe i have never been bothered by them before.

Any good advice for pulling that cable? I imagine i should pull a chase wire through when i remove the cable for cleaning and lubing. Is a lithium grease good for this?

Lee Bradley · March 02, 2007, 09:41:04 AM

Lithium grease is good for everything!

However I would check at your local motorcycle shop for their cable lube. Just a thought.

Len Silva · March 02, 2007, 09:45:29 AM

I serviced mine a few years ago, not difficult at all. Disconnect it at both ends and pull it out from the rear. I coiled it up in a large round tub I happened to have just to keep it from getting any dirtier.
I cobbled up a length of tubing at the front of the tube to keep the flushing out of the compartment and then flushed out the tube from the rear. I used one of those air guns with the syphon tube and just flushed it out with diesel and blew it dry with air.
Clean and lube the cable as you push it back in. I used white lithium grease that comes in a spray can.
Probably a two hour job but you will get dirty.

Len

John Z · March 02, 2007, 10:57:19 AM

Thanks Lee and Len,,, this will be one of the first tasks i tackle when it warms up some. It has grown to be quite a list of tasks to get done before we go on our next trip this June. I was reading up on the adjusment procedure too since my pedal seems to move a couple inches at least before it has any effect on the rpm's.

Busted Knuckle · March 02, 2007, 12:52:06 PM

Quote from: John Z on March 02, 2007, 10:57:19 AM
I was reading up on the adjusment procedure too since my pedal seems to move a couple inches at least before it has any effect on the rpm's.

Hey John it might not need adjusting once you remove all those extra springs the floor should quit flexing several inches befoer the cable moves! LOL ! BK