| Author | Message | ||
| Tim McWhorter (Theredwriter)
Rating: N/A |
We left New Jersey Saturday night and arrived in Waveland, MS safely Monday morning. We are here for a week to do some Katrina cleanup and a day camp for some local children. Our bus ran great! The only hiccup we had was that my reverse solenoid took a dive after we arrived. Fortunately I discovered this after we were parked safely out of the way for the week. I called US Coach, spoke with one of their mechanics (Bill was his name, very patient talking me through the system), then spoke with Luke to order the part which will arrive Friday. Not too shabby... | ||
| motorcoach1 Rating: N/A |
Good luck .. i lived there years ago and say hello to tommy longo we went to school there. great to see you helping out.  lol waths a little reverse problem | ||
| Casper4104 Rating: N/A |
Hey Tim, Sorry about your luck, but I'm glad to hear that I'm not the only guy that ever had trouble with a reversing solenoid. It's an easy fix once you have the part, but in the meantime - you do know the "Mama with a broom handle" method of getting her in reverse, don't you? (Just have her lean on the handle that the solenoid pulls as you make the 1-2 shift and it should fall right in. Timing is an issue, but my partner picked it right up.) Just in case - tryin' to help. Casper4104 | ||
| Tim McWhorter (Theredwriter)
Rating: N/A |
Hey, thanks for the tip. I did find out from Luke at US Coach how to get it into reverse using my trusty helper (my wife). So, if I need to...I can back up. However, we're in a comfy spot for the week. We don't have to leave until Saturday. My new solenoid should arrive Friday. I'm not upset about the problem. I'm thankful it didn't happen in a precarious position. We are fortunate that it happened here. Take care! | ||
| Jim Bob Rating: N/A |
Mine failed the day we got the bus when we had it right across the street trying to back into the yard. Didn't figure the handle thing out 'till after we dragged the bus into the yard with a 4 x 4. Embarrasing but no damage. | ||
| Charles Seaton Rating: N/A |
Glad to hear you had a safe trip. Was it a wiring issue with the solenoid? Had the same problem. Just have to wonder if it comes from lack of regular use. | ||
| Tim McWhorter (Theredwriter)
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It wasn't a wiring issue as far as I could determine. I have power from the switch, through the breakers all the way to the solenoid. When my wife engaged the switch, the arm simply didn't move. In my strictly unprofessional opinion, it had some sort of internal meltdown. According to the kind men at US Coach, this didn't seem out of the ordinary. So...we wait for the new one to arrive! | ||
| Kevin Rating: N/A |
How do you get in reverse if the solenoid fails. That is good info for all of us to know. | ||
| Casper4104 Rating: N/A |
Like I said above Kev: The "Mama with a broom handle" method of getting her in reverse. Just have her push the handle/lever that the solenoid pulls on toward the solenoid as you make the 1-2 shift and it should fall right in. Timing is an issue, but my partner picked it right up. Be very careful, do not run over your better half. We did it with a piece of broom handle so she could be safely away from the bus a little. | ||
| RJ Long (Rjlong)
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Tim - After you get the new solenoid installed, take the old one apart and let us know what you find inside. Might be able to do a "roadside fix" based on your findings. Kevin - You have to have a helper (Momma?) push on the lever the solenoid arm attatches to as the driver shifts from 1st to 2nd. As a safety precaution, folk usually use a broom handle or something similar, rather than reaching in by hand. HTH. . . | ||
| Tim McWhorter (Theredwriter)
Rating: N/A |
RJ, That's a good idea, I'll see if I can disassemble it to find the problem. I have to warn you though, I'm not a technical or mechanical wizard. My description might read something like: "the long round thingy wouldn't push through the rubber whatchamacallit correctly" However, I'll give it the ol' college try!!! Take care |