| Author |
Message |
mfh (66.81.148.177)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, May 11, 2002 - 1:05 am: | |
Hello all. Thank all of you who have written posts to the questions that are on this board...they have been really beneficial to increasing my knowledge on conversions...I have decided on getting a conversion as an RV for all the right reasons - strength, safety, price. I have located what I think is a good deal, but it is hard to tell since each rig out there is different. Is there a resource that could help me with this?
The unit I am looking at is an MCI-5A (1966 frame), converted in late 1990’s. Interior is spotless - done in home quality flooring (marble) and cabinets (solid wood) and fixtures. Engine is 8V71 paired with an Allison 4spd automatic. Oil analysis was done a few years ago and numbers come out right – has ~75k original. Jake serviced during conversion - no problems. Trans has ~10k since rebuild. Brakes, airbags and steering all new at conversion. Hoses, belts radiator services / replaced as needed two years ago.
One concern is that they have two 30amp services for site plug in...should that be a concern? I thought the standard was 50amp? Also, he had them install a bank of 8 deep cycle 6v batteries to power everything on the coach (less the a/c’s) and claims he can get a week without plugging in or hitting the generator (Onan 7.5 diesel). Everything is tied to a 3k inverter. The fridge is a straight 120v house fridge – I have not seen a conversion with a house fridge, reason he had that put in was because he did not like the smaller RV models which are 120/12/LP...am I heading for trouble running all the gear off this battery bank?
Also, what is the weight of the MCI-5A? I was told that in my state, over 26klbs would bump me to a new license class...he thought the rig hit the scales fully laded at 23klbs...does that sound right?
Any thoughts would be great...thanks again,
Matt |
Peter Broadribb (Madbrit) (170.215.36.46)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, May 11, 2002 - 2:16 am: | |
Matt,
I suggest that you go through the archives of this and other bus-nut websites and research all your questions there as they have been well covered.
Peter. |
jack (12.91.0.89)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, May 11, 2002 - 8:08 am: | |
sounds like he has the right setup pertaining to the batteries,invertor and house refer. ask him why 30 amp service is split. you can make 50 amp out of that pretty easy. |
Ross Carlisle (Ross) (216.107.195.14)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, May 11, 2002 - 8:52 am: | |
By boat had 2 30's instead of 1 50. Not every marina had 50 amp sevice, but they all had 30.
Ross |
Jim Ashworth (Jimnh) (172.143.56.123)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, May 11, 2002 - 8:57 am: | |
The only thing that sounds too good to be true is 1 week on 8 golf car batteries. More like one day with the electric fridge and other stuff running. But that's not so bad.
Jim |
HondoJoe MC5 (64.24.196.192)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, May 11, 2002 - 9:36 am: | |
Sounds like a nice rig. I have one of same.
Go for it! Where are you at? How much is he asking? Joe |
Blake (64.26.163.170)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, May 11, 2002 - 12:03 pm: | |
As you may or not know the MC5A didn't come from the factory with an automatic transmission. Someone changed it. Some of the later MC5B's and MC5C's had automatics (HD740), but they were mated to 6 cylinder motors (6V71). The problem is drive shaft length. If you put a HD740 behind the 8 cylinder (and I have seen this done), the drive shaft will be so short that the movement of the rear end will eventually break the tail shaft housing of the transmission. People have been successful in installing the 600 series Allison transmission behind the 8 cylinder (this transmission is shorter, thus allowing room for the drive shaft), but these transmissions are not rated for the output torque, HP from an 8V71 (if you drive them easy they will live). I have a 6V92 and a HD740 in a MC5A, and the drive shaft is about 19" long. The second thing to check is the position of the rear engine motor mounts, they should be on the transmission and not on the bell housing. The automatic is much heavier that the standard and should not be supported by the bell housing only. |
Horseman (216.166.161.196)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, May 11, 2002 - 3:49 pm: | |
Braking Problem
I have an MCI 5C and live in the mountains in WY.
The bus has no Jake Brake an although it is turtle
slow climbing it is a little fast going down. I
wonder if I could put a Stainless stack with a
muffler on the outside back of the bus like the
big rigs have and then install one of those exhaust brakes with a butterfly valve ahead of the
muffler for braking. Has anyone any thoughts about
this? |
FAST FRED (65.58.188.189)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, May 12, 2002 - 5:50 am: | |
There are home cures for almost everything ,
but the Jakes really work , and are out there USED !
Get one & have it installed.
Once in a while reinventing the wheel is just too much effort for the results.
FAST FRED |
Stephen Fessenden (Sffess) (67.226.254.189)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, May 12, 2002 - 5:30 pm: | |
I'd take the two 30 amp services and make an adapter to allow you to plug in to 50 amp service and plug the two thirty amp cords into the adapter when 50 amps is available. You will be 40 amps short of a true 50 amp 220 volt service but you will not need that unless you have an electric stove and 6 electric heaters.
At a park with only 30 amp services you can plug into two different posts and make the rest of us jealous. |
RJ Long (Rjlong) (24.127.8.58)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, May 13, 2002 - 2:52 am: | |
Horseman -
As Fast Fred says, get a Jake.
Much more effective on a Detroit than a Pac Brake in the exhaust plumbing.
BTW, you anywhere near Jackson Hole?
RJ
PD4106-2784
Fresno CA |
Horseman (216.166.165.242)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, May 13, 2002 - 3:05 pm: | |
RJ No, I'm in the bighorns. The reason I am considering a Pac Brake is I intend to use a chrome
stack like the big boys to keep the diesel oil and exhaust off my toad. |