| Author |
Message |
esther (65.58.143.182)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, March 31, 2003 - 11:19 pm: | |
Hi,
Thanks to all of you who have been answering my questions so far! Here is the next one. We have not decided if we want to level the ramp area of the MC-9 we will be getting in a few weeks, but if we do decide to, what is the best approach? I know there are some vents on the sides, what are they for? If they are important, can I leave the ramp hollow, and put a vent in the front of the step I will be building? Thanks again for all your help. |
Peter Broadribb (Madbrit) (65.37.91.204)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, April 01, 2003 - 4:50 am: | |
They are the return air ducts for the factory a/c system. You need them if you are keeping the original bus system.
Peter. |
DaveD (216.18.113.69)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, April 01, 2003 - 9:46 am: | |
I levelled the ramp to about 1 foot from the front (just about where the the back of the fibreglas enclosure behind the driver's seat is). I framed the supports for the piece of flooring I inserted to level the ramp so as to minimize restriction of air flow. I used a cut off saw to cut the stainless steel frames and grillework, that was installed originally with the ramp, to the length required for the small area between the end of the levelled portion of the floor and the original front of the ramp and resinstalled them. A shortened piece of the ramp was reinstalled in this area and the front of the step that was formed by levelling the ramp was left open with a grille installed to finish it off. This seems to provide enough area for adequate air flow using the original HVAC system.
Dave Dulmage
(MC-8) |
Buswarrior (Buswarrior) (64.229.211.223)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, April 01, 2003 - 11:17 pm: | |
In accordance with Dave's adjustment of his later model MC8, the earlier MC8's had a short step from the factory, and not a ramp. By short, I mean both in height and in length. It was pretty close to the back of the driver's compartment.
The step made it easier for a taller person to whack their head on the inside of the hump when walking out of the coach, with a stock roof height in an MC8. Those of us a little taller liked the ramps, when they came in.
You should be fine putting in a step with the headroom under the front cap in an MC9.
happy coaching!
buswarrior |
Esther (64.158.106.143)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, April 02, 2003 - 1:10 am: | |
I am planning on removing the bus A/C, but I am leaving in the bus heat. So if I understand it correctly, those ducts in the ramp are not needed after I remove the A/C, but are they needed for the heat? Thanks for your help. |
RJ Long (Rjlong) (24.127.74.29)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, April 02, 2003 - 3:56 am: | |
Esther -
The ducting you're talking about is for the factory HVAC system - Heating, Ventilating, Air Conditioning.
They, along with the colander-like holes about eye-level on the exterior of the coach just behind the front wheels, are the air supply for the HVAC system.
If you totally remove the factory HVAC, you can plug the ducting. If you only remove the A/C and plug the ducting, then how's the heater going to get it's air supply?
HTH,
RJ
PD4106-2784
Fresno CA |
Esther (65.56.152.27)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, April 02, 2003 - 12:23 pm: | |
That's what I thought, just wanted to make sure. So, do you think it will get enough air flow if I leave the front of the step open (if I level the floor), with a grill of course, or should I leave the ramp in? I want to do what is best for the bus. Thanks |
Stan (65.57.39.12)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, April 03, 2003 - 10:08 am: | |
One further suggestion: If you are running single wheels on the tag axle you should have about a 70% to 30% weight ratio on drive/tag axle. If you are adding an air dump valve it is little more work to add a pressure reducing valve so that you can adjust the tag air pressure. When your conversion is completed and your bus is ready for the road go to a scale that can weigh the axles separately and adjust the tag pressure to get the proper weight distribution. |