| Author | Message | ||
| John G (64.215.145.30)
Rating: |
The springs on my '70 Bluebird have relaxed so much that there is only about 3-4" of travel in the suspension; As I see it, there are 3 alternatives: 1. Replace the springs 2. Add some sort of helper springs (air or metal) 3. Have the springs "re-arced" (never heard of this, does it work and does it last?) I guess I could do nothing but I am not comfortable with this option Any advice will be greatly appreciated Thanks | ||
| Johnny (63.159.193.78)
Rating: N/A |
Re-arching will work--for a while. They'll sag back down in a few years. My advice is that this is an opportunity: you now have an excuse to have new springs custom-made, with the rate matched to your bus. Airbags are an option, but sagging springs should realy be replaced. Is it a pusher, BTW? If not, what chassis? | ||
| Peter Broadribb (Madbrit) (170.215.37.235)
Rating: N/A |
Another option is to install a replacement suspension system. Hopefully someone will remember the company as I can't. They make a replacement link and air system designed to replace regular springs. Failing that, go to a spring manufacturer with the finished weights of your bus and have them build you a spring to match your use. Peter. | ||
| Henry R. Bergman, Jr. (Henryofcj) (63.224.197.10)
Rating: N/A |
Yea, if your springs are old enough that they are sagging, then it may just be the time to spend the $money$ for new springs taylored exactly for your chassis weight. Maybe even an air upgrade? I am looking at the same kind of problem, only from the other direction. My Crown 10-wheeler conversion will be so lightly loaded that the spring rates will have to be reduced. An example. Got 34,000 rear leafs on the 8 drivers, but will only have about 22,000 to 24,000 on them at full load curb weight. Will ride very hard, thus the problem. Good luck. | ||
| Richard Bowyer (Drivingmisslazy) (66.190.119.82)
Rating: N/A |
I have had springs re-arched by a spring shop and was very satisfied with the results. This service should be available in any major metropolis area. I had mine done in the greater Los Angeles ares. They can adjust the amount of arch to the amount of lift you desire. If they lasted thirty years on the original go around they should last at least twenty on the re-arch and would be lots less expensive than having new springs re-engineered. Helper springs are typically overload springs and are really not the answer to sagging springs. They are too stiff to provide a comfortable ride if they are always carrying all the weight. They are only for when you are overloaded and the regular springs cannot carry the weight. Richard | ||
| Johnny (63.159.192.47)
Rating: N/A |
Henry Bergman: 34K GAWR on the drives?! What's the GVWR on that Crown?! | ||
| Henry R. Bergman, Jr. (Henryofcj) (63.164.175.169)
Rating: N/A |
47,160 pounds with the 16,000 front axle and the aformentioned 34,000 tandem. Yea, imagine a logging truck chassis with a bus body and that is my 1974 Crown Super Coach 40 foot 3 axle 10 wheeler. Even with the now abandoned maximum plan at one time of 400 gallons of fuel along with 400 gallons of water and holding, the total estimated curb weight was still tons and tons below the GVWR of the chassis. Thus my problem. Stripped, the shell goes right at 24,000 pounds which means she rides kinda rough. Looks like I will have to have the springs reduced or replaced with something more gentle. Thanks. | ||
| Johnny (63.159.192.47)
Rating: N/A |
47K?!?!?!?! Holy crap! I wish mine was that strong--the GVWR on my Ford is 25,500. I'd even be willing to deal with air brakes for that much capacity! I can see not carrying 400 gallons of fuel, but why not carry 400 gallons of water? Was this a school bus or an intercity coach? It's a front-engine flat-nose, right? | ||
| Henry R. Bergman, Jr. (Henryofcj) (63.224.197.10)
Rating: N/A |
Yea, it was a schoolie 92 passenger bus now motorhome project. Has the big cam Cummins pancake 855 motor admidships and the Fuller RTO 910 10 speed roadranger tranny. Has six 16 inch air brakes and a 100 gallon fuel tank. Holds 48 quarts of oil and 102 quarts of water. Has a total of 6 different filtures and... Gets around 10 mpg at 60 to 65 miles per hour. Top speed about 85. Aluminum body. Flat nose. Engine on left side at 85 degrees. 12R x 22.5 tires. Crown has been broke since about 1992. Still hundreds in service as schoolies primarily in CA, but some also in WA. Well made indeed and very $inexpensive$ right now. Thanks. | ||
| Tom Caffrey (Pvcces) (64.114.233.88)
Rating: N/A |
John G., If you thought going to air springs was a possibility, one thing you would get out of it is almost no change in ride no matter how you are loaded. Light load, low pressure in bags; heavy load, high pressure in bags. The shocks would have a little more effect on light loads. If you were to consider air suspension, be sure to look at how leveling is accomplished. The GMs use three point leveling. They only average the level in the front. The rears control the lean for the whole coach. In the past, I have just added a leaf under the main leaf and gotten away with it. Our coach's height spec is 3 1/2 inches. Are you sure you need to do anything about your ride height? If the bottoming rubbers are in good shape, they will let you know before it hurts anything if your ride height is insufficient. HTH Tom Caffrey PD4106-2576 | ||
| FAST FRED (63.208.84.226) Rating: N/A |
Springs are a consumable , they wear out just like a shock absorber , muffler or front window glass. Replace them , just as you would a bad starter. FAST FRED | ||
| John G (64.215.145.30) Rating: N/A |
Its a flat front front engine; Any recommendations on air conversions? JG | ||
| Jeff M (205.217.70.111)
Rating: N/A |
John: The rear springs on my '77 'Bird are also riding a bit low, I've been looking around for options. What I've found is that I can have the original springs re-arced for around $250/spring, or buy new for around $500/spring (only one shop I've found in W. Michigan). Another option is to go to RideWell, the people who made the air-ride system for the '80-up Wanderlodges, there is a kit and I understand it is around $4k installed, I'm sure you could do better. Next option is to add air-helper springs. This is typically not a great option since you actually make your ride more harsh, and in my case the relaxed spring arch in the rear springs has moved my axle rearward noticably in the wheel openings. Last of all is a hybrid which I'm trying to engineer: I'd like to remove about half of my leaf springs, re-arc the remaining springs to properly position my axle, and add air-springs to carry half of the load. This keeps the leaf springs as the axle control element for positioning it and controlling braking/driving torque, but greatly reduces its spring rate so that the addition of air-bags should give me a ride as good or slightly better than the original. It also allows me to drop the coach to the snubbers by dumping air, for limited leveling capacity. I've talked with some engineers at Firestone at their booth in the SAE show, it sounds do-able. The difficult part is finding/fabricating brackets for the air-bags, I'm still looking. If you find anything before I do, let me know please. - Jeff | ||
| Johnny (63.159.126.161)
Rating: N/A |
One possibility nobody has mentioned: junkyards. Many of these buses are on heavy-truck frames. A little digging could get you good springs. I have a cracked leaf in the right-rear of my Ford/Thomas, all the springs are sagging a bit, & I'm considering scavenging the springs out of a totalled (T-boned just behind the cab), low-mile (about 70K) 1988 F-700 I found. | ||
| Henry R. Bergman, Jr. (Henryofcj) (63.224.197.10)
Rating: N/A |
Johnny, if you want some background on the Crown Super Coach school bus and other special Crown stuff try; www.crownbus.com This site will give you a pretty good briefing on the history and demise of one of the LA, CA speciality builders. |
