| Author |
Message |
Jason (24.107.39.46)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, February 20, 2003 - 10:05 pm: | |
Ok, I have a problem. I know how the MCI 9 handles and rides from my previous experience, but I don't know about the Prevost LeMirage. We are considering getting one for a conversion! Any ideas or experience on it? I was specifically interested in the ride and handling of the Prevost, any comments on it? Is the Prevost any harder to maintain than the MCI? I think the Prevost has a sort of classy look to it that makes it different than the MCI coaches. |
RJ Long (Rjlong) (24.127.74.29)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, February 20, 2003 - 10:16 pm: | |
Major difference between the Prevost LeMirage and MCI is where they locate the airbags for the suspension.
MCI mounts them inboard, Prevost outboard. Creates a little less "rock 'n roll". Prevost's also have a retractable tag axle - you can actually raise it off the ground using a switch on the dash. Makes for a real bouncy ride w/ it up, tho. . . best for slow speed stuff or getting out of the muck. Some folk claim it tightens the turning radius, but that hasn't BME.
Maintenance is about the same, major difference is one big radiator vs two smaller ones. Rare to hear of cooling problems w/ Prevost. . .
HTH,
RJ
PD4106-2784
Fresno CA |
Stephen Fessenden (Sffess) (65.130.16.92)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, February 20, 2003 - 11:19 pm: | |
Some Prevost LeMirages have 2 airbags per axle, some have four for the front and drive axle. Ian said factory conversion shells have four bags per axle. I did see a 2 bag per axle ex charter coach at bussin' 2003. 4 bags gives a nice ride. |
Jason (24.107.39.46)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, February 20, 2003 - 11:28 pm: | |
Ok, if the MCI has 6 airbags, are you saying that the Prevost has a possible 10? 4 on the front and drive and 2 on the tag? That sounds nice. Can you modify a Prevost or Mci for that matter to have 10 airbags if it didn't allready? |
RJ Long (Rjlong) (24.127.74.29)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, February 21, 2003 - 2:34 am: | |
Jason -
The MC-9 that you speak of has four air bellows on the front axle, four air bellows on the drive axle, and one bellow on each side for each independent tag axle. That's 10 air bags. Don't know where you came up with only six on an MCI.
The earlier model LeMirages that I've looked under also had four airbags on the front, four on the drivers, and one for each tag, again equalling ten - with the major difference being where the drive axle bellows were mounted, as I mentioned previously.
I haven't looked underneath one, but I understand that the later-model LeMirages, specifically the LeMirage IIs, have an independent front suspension, which incorporates only one large air bellow per side up front. They're still using four on the drivers and one each per tag, TTBOMK. The IFS really improves the ride. . .
Clear as mud??
RJ |
Don Ripley (65.57.36.118)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, February 21, 2003 - 8:12 am: | |
Jason:I have an 85 Prevost and it has 8 air bags.I really like the ride,however I never drove an MCI so I can't compare.The cooling system is great.I had an auto installed with a 8v92 and runnig up a 6% grade in 105 temp. outside it ran great. |
Geoff (Geoff) (66.238.120.2)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, February 21, 2003 - 8:21 am: | |
So the Prevosts don't use an air beam like the MCI's and still give a soft ride? |
Jason (24.107.39.46)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, February 21, 2003 - 4:39 pm: | |
You are right. I don't know what I was thinking. I went out today and checked it out. The sequence is 4 on the steer axle, 4 on the drive, and 2 on my tag. It is a good thing I looked around there because I found a screw in one of them! |
Stephen Fessenden (Sffess) (65.130.17.23)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, February 21, 2003 - 11:03 pm: | |
Prevosts could apparently come either way, 4 bags per axle or the economy 2 bags per axle version. Conversion shells should have had 4 bags per axle but if you are buing ex charter bus, ask them to verify which it has. I don't think you can easily change one to 4 bags per axle and there was a post earlier in the year in which Ian explained someones less comfortable ride in a Prevost as probably due to the 2 bag per axle version. I have seen both versions personally, so check to know what you are getting. If the salesman happens to say they only come one way, you know more than he does now.
Prevosts use rolling lobe bags and don't need an airbeam to give a smooth ride. |
Jason (24.107.39.46)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, February 22, 2003 - 12:12 am: | |
That was my ride on a new Prevost that we took on a charter. I think it is time I visit a dealer and check all this out for myself. I can get an 81 in average shape for $11,000. Do you think that is a fair price? If so then I think I will go with the Prevost for my next conversion, but what I am thinking about now is those curved windows. I think they add to the appearance of the coach itself but they may be difficult to maintain. How do you go about blanking out these windows? I was at first thinking of possibly wraping the windows I want blanked with aluminum for an easy project, but don't know how this would turn out. This board is a life saver. Without it I don't know how I would ever learn the things I have. Thanks for all of you who have created this board and have added to it. |