| Author |
Message |
John Lawson (216.93.228.174)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, April 25, 2004 - 10:48 pm: | |
Are they worth it? |
Bob Belter (67.121.2.36)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, April 26, 2004 - 1:40 am: | |
Ho, John,
An air throttle is OK on an automatic transmission
I've never driven one on a manual transmission.
An air clutch actuator was a DRAMATIC failure on my -01 Eagle with an M-11 Cummins and a 14" double disc clutch. After I almost busted my differential, I ran some tests, and the air pressure ( on the air cyl which I was using) for first significant motion was ~~ 60 psi, and the pressure for full travel was ~~ 65 psi. Absolutly NO feel to it.
(I did drive an air clutch on an older Twin Coach with a single disc clutch, and it worked, but not real good.)
I installed a hydraulic (red fluid) clutch actuator and it does need a fairly large line so that the pedal is not "slow". I ended up with a 1/2" OD ridgid hydraulic tube and it works just fine. A -8 hydraulic hose was another unsucessful try. Too much flexibility --expansion -- for the small fluid displacement. Anybody want to buy $175.00 worth of hose??
I had NOT planned to learn this much about clutch actuation, or spend this much $$$.
Enjoy/s/Bob |
DonTX/KS (66.82.9.69)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, April 26, 2004 - 8:33 am: | |
I have driven two buses with the air clutch, an Eagle and a 4104. Both were delightful to drive, not having to "fight" a clutch pedal.
As for the old story of air throttles not working on a manual transmission, I think it is circulated mostly be people that never drove or owned one, I have never seen someone selling an air throttle cheap because they went back to cable or manual linkage. GMC 4905's came with manual transmission and air throttle for many years, I had one with it on, and could see no problems. A friend put one on his 4104 and it made all the difference in the world for making it pleasant to drive. |
ron rice (66.13.100.158)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, April 26, 2004 - 3:01 pm: | |
I have used both and feel that you just have to have enough time to get the "feel" for them. The air throttle feels much like the electronic ones in the newer coaches except there is a little lag time in the response. I never cared much for the air clutch but that is probably because I drove the only bus in our fleet with an air clutch about three times a year when my bus was in for service. |
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