| Author | Message | ||
| Dan Clishe (Cody)
Registered Member Username: Cody Post Number: 306 Registered: 1-2008 Posted From: 206.51.117.126 Rating: N/A |
How do you 'old' guys deal with waking up in the morning and counting body parts to see which ones are no longer working? I'm getting pretty crippled up now and am wondering about the bus and reasons to keep it or go into a smaller class C or something along that line. My kids say keep the bus and just use it for the longer runs where the extra room would come in handy. Years ago I had a small class C that was about 20 ft total, built with a chevy S10 setup and V6, greatly underpowered but would go anywhere a full sized pickup would go. I liked the large windows in the back and but the bathroom was a challenge on the best of days, I'm seriously concidering looking at one of them again, I just hate to give up on seeing whats around the corner or over the next hill but reality is that getting into and out of my bus is getting harder for me without major modifications to the bus that are beyond my ability I don't understand metal and couldn't weld my way out of a phone booth. I guess we'll all go thru this at some point and some already have, just rambling here I guess. Maybe we can discuss some of the modifications that you had to do or are thinking about, I'm sure I'm not the only one that is crippled up to a degree, this combination of parkinsons and MS isn't for wimps. lol | ||
| Brian Evans (Bevans6)
Registered Member Username: Bevans6 Post Number: 101 Registered: 5-2009 Posted From: 65.92.54.58 Rating: N/A |
I feel for you, my dad has a Parkinsons type disease (Lewy Body) and it's not fun to watch. But it does make you think "what if"... I would go for a full tilt handicapped equipped vehicle, wheel chair enabled, so that you are putting some support systems in place now that you might not need today, for use down the road. I am thinking mostly lift to get in and out, drivers position, bathroom, kitchen enabled for you now or in the future, in a Class C package that can be maintained by any corner garage. Good luck with everything. Brian | ||
| Luvrbus (Luvrbus)
Registered Member Username: Luvrbus Post Number: 1305 Registered: 8-2006 Posted From: 184.12.172.6 Rating: N/A |
Cody,we down sized to a Trek 26 ft all metal and love it has the bed in ceiling that comes down 102 wide 16 mpg of fuel has as much room as a 40 ft bus because of no bedroom the bathroom (big) is in the back plenty of storage underneath out side good luck | ||
| Don McCart (Don_and_cary)
Registered Member Username: Don_and_cary Post Number: 1 Registered: 10-2011 Posted From: 204.195.96.66 Rating: N/A |
A few years ago there was a bus conversion on the E Place that was handicaped. There was a kind of hoist arm attached to the ceiling that extended out the door with a seat on it. The owner would sit on the seat and it would take him up to floor level and slide in. Really neat. | ||
| L James Jones Jr (Jamo)
Registered Member Username: Jamo Post Number: 228 Registered: 11-2007 Posted From: 74.67.218.12  Rating: |
Dan, I have a Ricon handicap wheelchair lift I removed from my Ford E-Superduty/Goshen shuttlebus. I use it for my work truck and for the last three, I removed & sold the W/C lifts for $500 each. This one I have not been able to sell, but I haven't pushed it either. If it's something you can use, you can have it. It's heavy as hell, so getting it there wouldn't be cheap...unless we found a traveller with space?? Anyway, it's fully self contained hydraulics with a 12v pump & hand crank option. 800# capacity. Just sitting in my garage...it's yours if it will help you and your situation. Best of luck to you... | ||
| Dan Clishe (Cody)
Registered Member Username: Cody Post Number: 309 Registered: 1-2008 Posted From: 206.51.117.126 Rating: N/A |
I probably shouldn't have started this thread, I was just over at the other board reading the posts and apparently we have a disgruntled person here, it's either a 'comedy club' or a 'woe is me' group, I appreciate the offer tho, I've got a lift for my chair, I'm just not sure what all modifications I should or need to make at this time, I'll let this quasi-bus topic drop now. | ||
| Buswarrior (Buswarrior)
Registered Member Username: Buswarrior Post Number: 2144 Registered: 12-2000 Posted From: 174.91.145.52  Rating: N/A |
If planning for a less able bodied future, one of those MCI 102 AW3 coaches is the way to go. The lift is inside, in a bay, like an elevator, no stuck out the side like an off-centered flying bridge. Until you have ridden one of those exterior lifts while seated on a personal mobility device, you might not know what the difference is... The AW3 was an extreme design, that compromised too heavily towards accessibility, that wasn't a winner for the commercial crowd, and the designs were dropped in favour of exterior lifts, but one of these coaches is a big winner for the busnut crowd looking for accessibility done right. Met a couple, IIRC, from Ottawa ON, down in Arcadia back some years ago that had one. Are they still lurking on the board? happy coaching! buswarrior (Message edited by buswarrior on November 07, 2011) | ||
| Gus Causbie (Gusc)
Registered Member Username: Gusc Post Number: 1398 Registered: 11-2005 Posted From: 173.202.27.82  Rating: N/A |
I'm probably older than any of you but keep on going, the buses keep me so busy I don't have time to notice the weak knees, aching back, stiff hands and wrists and etc!! Actually I do notice but I think the challenge of a daily new bus problem keeps my mind active enough even if the bod is not willing!!! | ||
| joe padberg (Joemc7ab)
Registered Member Username: Joemc7ab Post Number: 577 Registered: 6-2004 Posted From: 66.38.159.33 Rating: N/A |
Gus Give us the number on the timeline, so we can agree or dispute. | ||
| Dan Clishe (Cody)
Registered Member Username: Cody Post Number: 311 Registered: 1-2008 Posted From: 206.51.117.126 Rating: N/A |
My bus is an eagle and does a good job but there are challenges to overcome with any unit I find, I've got to find that happy medium that will make things easier, for the last several years I've kept my chair in the front bay but this past year my mobility has diminished greatly, this is not a "woe is me" thread, I cannot believe I'm the only one that is experiencing limited or reduced mobility, I probably won't be able to use my chair inside the bus but I've found a few mobility products that have been helpful like a fold up seat for the shower that I thought might be an idea that should be shared, I'm sure there are others that have had to modify or change things to make life easier or better and thought this might be a good way to exchange ideas. I've got a lift but it kinda requires a new door opening and extensive modifications of the side to make it work and replacing the bus isn't in the budget, one guy at a point in the past suggested a catapult and while that might be a lot of fun, getting the range and angle might be a challenge the first few times lol. Most people don't realize what is required to comfortably use an RV of any sort if the body isn't working quite right, very few of them leave room to swing a crutch or wheel a chair down the isle so we have to create those convienences ourselves. | ||
| Ralph Peters (Ralph7)
Registered Member Username: Ralph7 Post Number: 205 Registered: 3-2004 Posted From: 75.226.29.168 Rating: N/A |
My wife had mutiple issues and I built the bus so she could use a walker, or crutchers to get around. Also the shower has 2 grab rails and is 36x36. Another major mod on the bus, the entrence steps were removed and replaced with 7 inch steps(thanks to Jack Conrads design). So center isle is 26 inchs wide, and the stool area is narrow so easy to use walls/ door way to get up or down. Also added 3 assist bars for entering and leaving the bus. and I know I forgot some. | ||
| Dan Clishe (Cody)
Registered Member Username: Cody Post Number: 312 Registered: 1-2008 Posted From: 206.51.117.126 Rating: N/A |
One of the things I need to look into is the steps issue, I've admired jacks steps, and I've climbed them, that single thing would be a big help, I've got to see what all would need to be done to do that on my iggle I've also positioned things like the booth seating and counters to give grab areas and am adding grab rails in various areas. Another thing I'm looking into is my driver seat, I've got an air ride seat but it doesn't swivel, I've got to check into seeing what it would take to change it to a swivel seat and still keep the air mechanism, not sure what all would need to be done there, hopefully, a swivel seat would just bolt onto the air platform without loosing the air setup. | ||
| Dan Clishe (Cody)
Registered Member Username: Cody Post Number: 313 Registered: 1-2008 Posted From: 206.51.117.126 Rating: N/A |
Brian, thats another thing I've been giving some thought too, I've got a couple of nice revcons that I use where I can't take the iggle cause of low hanging branches and stuff like that, they are only about 10 ft tall, if that. One in particular has a wider isle setup but the gas mileage is horrible, the benefit is any garage can work on it, it's got an olds 403 engine, if I could find a replacement engine that would bolt up to the front wheel drive configuration with fuel injection I think the MPG would improve a lot, right now 5 to 6 MPG is about all with the set up it's got, it's already got dual exhaust and headers so it has great flow but still drinks a lot of gas, a lack of bay storage is a drawback but not a deal breaker cause for the most part it's just me now on the road. The furnace and water heater in the revcon need to be replaced tho, I think they are original equipment, that would be 1978 vintage, one thing I like about the water heater is that it has a coil that hooks into the engine heater lines so it will have hot water ready when you hit the campground, I see atwood has a simular version that is gas and electric and the suburban furnace is in need of replacement, I think it's a 30K and I'm thinking I'd replace it with a 40 just to have the additional reserve capacity for the extra 40 bucks on the sticker. Lots of projects but lots of winter heading in to putter with. (Message edited by cody on November 08, 2011) | ||
| RJ Long (Rjlong)
Registered Member Username: Rjlong Post Number: 1857 Registered: 12-2000 Posted From: 71.195.124.20  Rating: N/A |
Dan - ". . . cause for the most part it's just me now on the road." I'm thinking that I maybe have missed something? Mama's not involved anymore? Help clear up the fog, PM me if you don't want to share publically. RJ | ||
| Dan Clishe (Cody)
Registered Member Username: Cody Post Number: 314 Registered: 1-2008 Posted From: 206.51.117.126 Rating: N/A |
RJ, libby's gone thru renal failure and has difficulties on the road, she has had corrective surgury but still has a long road ahead of her, to find dialysis for her when she needs it in strange cities has proven to be difficult so she has opted out of most of the longer term runs. We still enjoy short runs together but her medical needs have resulted in some changes to our lifestyle. For the most part I haven't been traveling either, it's difficult to leave her for a month or so without constantly worrying about her even tho she has good care during the short runs I've made. She alternates between a home and being with me as her condition has it's ups and downs, after 40 years together changes like this are not easy. | ||
| Bruce Henderson (Oonrahnjay)
Registered Member Username: Oonrahnjay Post Number: 686 Registered: 8-2004 Posted From: 76.4.16.189  Rating: N/A |
Cody said "I see atwood has a simular version that is gas and electric " Hey, Cody. I have a unit like this. Mine is 10 gallon and has a coil off the engine coolant, a propane burner, and an electric element (about 1100 watts so it pulls about 10 AMPs off the gennie or when plugged in -- this is a pretty heavy power use but if necessary I can power everything else down and power the water heater up. I haven't had the chance to use it much yet but I'm hoping that I'll be able to use the "free" hot water from the coil at the end of a day's travel mostly and won't have to use the propane or electric much but I'll have it if I need it. Of course, if I can get plugged into 30Amp or 50Amp, using the electric won't be a big problem.) If memory serves, it was about $400 and a 6-gallon version was a little cheaper. HTH, BH NC USA | ||
| Dan Clishe (Cody)
Registered Member Username: Cody Post Number: 316 Registered: 1-2008 Posted From: 206.51.117.126 Rating: N/A |
That sounds very much like the one I'm looking at, gas and electric with a coil for the engine and 10 gallons, the one thats in it now has the coil and is 6 gallons and only gas, the original coil has corroded somewhat since 1978 and is pretty thin so it's time for a replacement, I have an 6.5K onan generator and we're pretty much used to power management in the revcon but for the most part the generator takes care of stuff nicely, there is a switch for the roof A/C and microwave so to use the microwave it requires the roof air to be shut down and those are the heaviest drawing units, the fridge is gas/electric, a 2 door dometic unit that is also dated but I have found an electric unit that will slide directly into the install hole and is fairly low draw for 300, I just can't see the 1700 to replace the existing fridge with another gas/electric one, we rarely used it on gas over the many years we had it, it still works just fine but could stand some cosmetic work, the shelves inside are scary and some interior paint would be a plus but it is still a working fridge so replacement isn't critical at this point. |
