| Author | Message | ||
| Brian Brown (Blue_velvet)
Rating: N/A |
Well, we took our bus on our first wintertime busventure yesterday to close out the kids’ Christmas Break. We went skiing about an hour from here at a little local resort, Eldora just above Nederland, CO. The road from Boulder to Nederland (State Highway 119) has a LOT of tight curves and something I’ve never experienced before in busdom… 10% grades. On the way up I made the mistake of pulling over to let the rolling parking lot of impatient SUVs behind me proceed up the mountain. I fear that I nearly burned up my clutch getting her rolling again… I had to try a few different ways with the parking brake and throttle application… killing her (and nearly my spirit) a few times… then she finally got rolling. NOT fun. The old girl could only pull it in FIRST gear at the steepest place. 10% grades + 8,000 feet w/ a normally-aspirated 26,000# bus = SLLLOOOWWW going. Anyways, we got there and had a great time. Skiing and RV’ing is so much nicer than hanging out with the throngs of snowboarding, obnoxious teens in the Lodge.     Coming down, I had to keep her in SECOND most of the way. She didn’t want to stay on the governor in the steepest portions, and I had to use the brakes quite a bit to keep from over-revving. The folks behind me were NOT busnuts or fans in any way I’m sure. I pulled over at one point and let them pass. If we do this enough in the future, I can foresee a bus with an automatic tranny, Jakes, and a turbo. Old BlueVelvet was made for the flat superslabs, looks like. Or maybe the driver was! Anyways, I hope you all had a Merry Christmas/ Happy New Year, and I’m jealous for all of you that could make it to Arcadia. Brian Brown PD4106-1175 Longmont, CO USA Website-in-Progress: http://www.brownland.org/bus/index.htm | ||
| ChuckMC9 (Chucks)
Rating: N/A |
Looks like the third bus is a charm for you guys! I wanna do dat! "she didn't want to stay on the governor in the steepest portions" For those of us tachless, (and tackless) how does one know other than the sound of the engine? Not that I'll have to worry about that kind of grade before I get a tach...or is it a matter of no one who knows what they're doing would do this without a tach? | ||
| John MC9 Rating: N/A |
Whatever the speedometer reads in each gear on the straightaway when acceleration has topped out, is what the governor is set to. Going downhill, don't exceed that speed for each gear, or you'll be overrunning the governor.. (you havin' a senior moment, gar?) | ||
| Jerry Liebler (Jerry_liebler)
Rating: N/A |
Chuck, No need for a tach but they are still nice. Going down a steep hill, with a manual tranny, the speedometer will tell when you've gotta use the brakes. Whatever the shift speed (governor) is, that's when you need to slow it down some with the brakes. In my bus that's 20 in first, 30 in second and 50 in third. These represent about 2100 RPM with the 4 1/8 axle, 12r22.5 tires and the stock 4 speed. Regards Jerry 4107 1120 | ||
| Brian Brown (Blue_velvet)
Rating: N/A |
Chuck-ster: We're tach-less, also. I don't really need one at this point, as long as my speedo's working good. It's a linear relationship to RPMs and MPHs, so the speedo (tachograph thangy, in my case) is essentially a tach, too, once I know the speeds in each gear. In second gear, it's 29mph governed on BlueVelvet. According to Daris' calc, with my tires and tranny, that means means I'm governed at about 1950rpm. So I hit 35mph in second at one point last night. Doing the math, I was pulling almost 2400rpm! Probably not piston-bustin', but something to avoid for long stretches, I'm sure. So, it looks like even high compression engines won't hold a heavy bus at grades with compression alone. Must be why thay make them Jakes... that, and being able to fly down straight grades under control. Maybe someday... Take 'er easy! bb | ||
| Jerry Liebler (Jerry_liebler)
Rating: N/A |
Brian, I'm curious how your bus handles winter RV ing with regards to freshwater and waste water anti freezing. Did you do any 'special' things, in the conversion, to make it winter usable. I want mine to be usable in winter and I think I've thought of everything but it's all still untested. Regards Jerry 4107 1120 | ||
| Dale Fleener (Dale_mc8)
Rating: N/A |
"On the way up I made the mistake of pulling over to let the rolling parking lot of impatient SUVs behind me proceed up the mountain." I know its hard to do, but you might want to pull over to let 'em pass AFTER you are over the top. The followers are happy with you and you have a downhill start to get back up to speed. FWIW Dale MC8 | ||
| motorcoach1 Rating: N/A |
sears makes a vacume / blower that they say blows at 150 mph just duct tape it to the intake ...hehehe ...theres your turbo or booster pump | ||
| Brian Brown (Blue_velvet)
Rating: N/A |
Jerry, for this daytrip I still left the water system winterized. It wan't a big deal to use water bottles for fresh water. We used the potty for #1, but I'm not too concerned with a little umm... yellow ice in the black tank, even if I don't get a chance to dump it for a few months until I use her again. I bought this bus converted, and the guy that did it put in some tank heaters... but they're still untested by me for wintertime. All of the tanks and pump are in the bay, so even the tank heaters wouldn't do enough (I'd think) for seriously cold temps. If I were converting it over again, and wanting to wintercamp in frigid weather, I'd probably keep all of the fresh water system in (or at least near) the living area. I'd put the fresh water and pump under the bed, and the water lines along the baseboard in some kind of chase, and make sure that heated air could reach them. Waste water isn't as liable to freeze (beacuse of the buggies) and being a gravity system won't cause as many problems with expansion anyways (except in the traps)... so would probably be OK with tank heaters. The hard-core wintertime enthusiasts will probably try to keep all fluids in the living areas, but that's a pretty big commitment if a bus shell has all of those big empty bays. Just some ideas, bb | ||
| Jerry Liebler (Jerry_liebler)
Rating: N/A |
Brian, I've done it pretty much as you say. My fresh water tanks (190 gallons total) are under the twin beds, my water lines are run on the inside of the insulation, at the base of the walls, and above my Webasto's coolant lines, my water pump and filters are in the cabinet under the bathroom sink. The only trap in unheated area is the bathtub's (yes I have a standard sized jetted bathtub, above it is the truly unique feature of my bus, a closet that rolls back over a bed when the tub is wanted). I plan to generously add water softener salt to my combined waste tank (215 gallon) which is in the back of the rear bay and the tub trap. I've tried to keep the bays available for other toys. The front one is completely clear and only the rear 23" of the rear is occupied by the waste tank (leaves 52" of bay). Regards Jerry 4107 1120 | ||
| John MC9 Rating: N/A |
"Waste water isn't as liable to freeze " Oops. Oh yeah man, it sure does! And when the black tank is frozen, it's the end of the traveling days! I found that flushing with cheap windshield washer anti-freeze, was the easiest and cheapest remedy. It's good to 10 below if used straight, but it's diluted by &$^%^, so it'll freeze before that temp. It becomes a kinda' stink-slush that's difficult to purge from the tank. Thankfully, not solid enough to burst a tank. A simple wrap of roof type heater tape can do wonders around a tank! The tape is generally used to keep ice from forming at the edge of the roofline, but it's use around an exposed tank works quite well! Used in combination with the anti-freeze, you shouldn't have a problem with the waste tanks! We lived in Massachusetts, on the Vermont/New Hampshire borders, on the side of a mountain. I shoveled 4' of snow from the roof on April 4 ( a few years back)... We had snow in a pile from the roof, until June! Believe me when I tell you, that the black tank can freeze! | ||
| ChuckMC9 (Chucks)
Rating: N/A |
OK, *that's* all you meant about the governor. I would think of it terms of 'staying within the safe engine RPM maximum' or somesuch rather than thinking in terms of the governor when under involuntary gravity-fueled engine overclocking. Just shorthand bus-slang I didn't make the association with. Grrr - I've been letting my 'busness' brain-mode slide too much lately! Guess I'm pouting because I didn't go to Arcadia. Good enough for me, Guv'nuh... thanks for the clarification. | ||
| FAST FRED Rating: N/A |
" 10% grades + 8,000 feet w/ a normally-aspirated 26,000# bus = SLLLOOOWWW going" The altitude probably costs about 20% of the flatland power, but have you weighed the bus? Normally a svelt 20,000 lbs I wonder what this engine was dragging up the hill & slowing going down.A 6000 lb conversion interior is quite heavy! 400gal of fresh and waste isnt very performance enhancing , even on the level. Next year you might contemplate the "Spring Cleanout" before ski season , won't get you up like a Porsche , but MIGHT get you into second and 30mph on the way up! a 300% speed increase , FREE! And don't forget the alcohol for the air systen , or it might be an exciting 3000% increase !! FAST FRED | ||
| sylverstone (Sylverstone_pd4501864)
Rating: N/A |
fred: you ain't kiddin'... when i got my scenicruiser, i drove it about 100 miles, and then loaded her up to 55,000 lbs and headed to jersey (i'm near seattle) in pukwana, sd, we cleaned out and reoiled the air cleaners... the rings kinda reseated somewhere in wyoming... my copilot was rather impressed at how much get up and go the cruiser had after we got back and got it unloaded.... heh  -dd | ||
| Brian Brown (Blue_velvet)
Rating: N/A |
FF: I had to weigh the bus to get plates for it, and yep, she tips the scales at 25,800 with a full tank of fuel and NO water (fresh, grey or black) on board. I've seen lighter '05s that have 5 feet of length over mine. I've probably lightened the load just a bit since I've weighed her... I removed a full 50 gal. gasoline tank and replaced the old Ohno genny with a diesel one, cleaned some wood cribbing out of the bays, etc. I haven't re-weighed, BUT, I know she's still a heavy conversion. So I think the converter must have used lead sheeting somewhere *grin*. From what I've seen so far, he skinned the floor with 3/4" plywood on top of the stock floor, and there's a lot of plywood and paneling making up the walls. And I feel it every time I step on the throttle. Keep 'em light, folks! bb | ||
| PAUL COLLYER (Paso_1)
Rating: N/A |
Hi Brian I was wondering where you have been. Maybe the weight is coming from a hidden safe Didn't your old bus have Jakes and a auto trans I've been told to watch out for what I wish for. I believe that old adage has some merit. Paul | ||
| Brian Brown (Blue_velvet)
Rating: N/A |
Aw, Paul, you know how to really hurt a guy with the irony. But me and BlueVelvet have been through too much (and seen too many beautiful places) for me to trade up just yet... or look back with regret. Safe or no safe. Hope you and the old FB are doing good up there in the Great White North, eh! bb |