| Author |
Message |
Mike Eades (Mike4905) (206.148.164.150)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, November 04, 2002 - 9:47 am: | |
I would like to share a very trying time and a great time with all you people with the desease. I start by telling you I have a 1975 4905 with a problem. I drive down the road and it will rock and roll like Fast Fred's boat. I stop and talk to Luke at US Coach. Bill goes into the pit and was not sure if he was comming out. When he does the word was dog bone. I thought me puppy had left somehting in the back of the bus. No such luck. We had to remove the bedroom floor and tranny. Well there went eating out for a year. I left the coach with Luke and the crew for three weeks and I got back a new bus. It runs at 70 mph and I was unable do that before because I could not hold it straight on the road. I also found that work I had done earlier was not done right and it was now correct.I have driven approx. 35k this year and it is perfect.Now I can tell the real part of the story. We left the coach with Luke for the weeks. I called to see if it was done and they told me it would be done on Friday evening of the Memorail Day Weekend. When I arrived it wasn't done, but Luke asked all his guys if they would stay to finish our coach. At nine oclock it was miller time and I went away real happy. I reccommend there shop 100%. Mike4905 |
Geoff (64.1.0.49)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, November 04, 2002 - 10:06 am: | |
Nice story and I am glad everything worked out for you, BUT some of us that are more mechanically inclined than clairvoyant are wondering exactly what Luke did for you. It had to be more than radius arm bushings, if that is what you meant by "dog bones". |
Mike Eades (Mike4905) (206.148.164.28)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, November 04, 2002 - 9:52 pm: | |
Fair enough. Luke rebuilt the bulkhead and put in new air leveling valves. Put a new set of dog bones. rewired the hot and ground sides of the dd. Put on a new right side rear wheel flair and some body panels on the right rear. They also put in anew recored radiator and changed the fan blades. They also found a cracked and wrong size driveshaft. Replaced with a good used one and all new u joints. all this was done within a three week period. price was fair and the work was very good. Mike4905 |
Luke Bonagura (Lukeatuscoach) (12.90.2.118)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, November 04, 2002 - 10:18 pm: | |
Hi Mike & Geoff:
Mike, if I may I must add to the info. you provided.
When Mikes bus came into our shop, he had a condition that caused his 4905 to Rock N' Roll to the point that he could not run at full speed for fear that it was going to roll over.
He had a series structural failures on the rear of the coach.
The verticle legs ahead of and behind the rear axle that support the upper bellow supports were fractured. The floor support structure had failed.
The engine bulkhead was fractured.
As a result of all of these problems, the engine was rocking back & forth to where it was hitting the engine bulkhead.
Also the engine mounts on the engine bulkhead were worn out from the above.
What caused it???
A combination of things.
Before Mike bought the bus, some one had changed over the brake chambers and had whittled down the front bulkhead support legs to accomdate the chambers that were installed.
Someone had replaced the flooring at the rear of the coach which must have either deteriorated previously or was replaced as a result of an accident????
Whoever reinstalled the new flooring did not use enough of or the proper fasteners to secure the wood floor to the limited framing on a GM.
As a result, the fasteners that they did use had pulled through the wood flooring so that the entire back end of the coach was floating (structurally)!!!!
Since it was floating, it just began to fracture the rest of the aluminum angles as well as the engine bulkhead.
This was a classic example of probably some normal metal fatique, which was accentuated by some very poor workmanship before he bought the coach.
The transmission had been converted from stick to automatic and the engine bulkhead had been plated.
At the time it was plated, the engine bulkhead was already cracked.
The FIX by the inexperienced shop was to put a small patch over the crack which was not tied into the coach structure. The cracked went beyond the patch as a result!!!
Mike's coach was, for us, a classic example of "Shoe-Makers" trying to do Bus Repair.
Unfortunatly there is a lot of it going out here!!!
It was a lot of work.
We did it at the contracted price, although much damage was concealed.
But most importantly, Mike & Sue are Happy Campers and that is what is important to US.
I Hope this HELPS!!! those reading.
LUKE at US COACH |
Geoff (64.1.4.114)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, November 04, 2002 - 10:44 pm: | |
Thks Mike and Luke for the full story. Luke is certainly a pro on buses spotting the damage and making the necessary repairs. I found his description of repairs very enlightening. But while Mike got a good deal, it sounds like Luke needed a little clairvoyance on the estimate!
--Geoff |
FAST FRED (65.58.186.162)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, November 05, 2002 - 6:16 am: | |
The saddest part is that while visiting "Camp Luke" there are usually other folks that totally got screwed , finally having the coach fixed properly.
A recent visitor has a 4905 clutch "rebuilt" at *** (comes before DEF)for the sum of over $4000!!
Only problem is *** had no idea on how to do the job , so a "mechanic" redesigned the linkage .
GM has a few acres of engineers ,
this clown had a drill.
The many "real bus " shops see the RV traveler as a FOOL targeted to help the shops bottom line , one time .Then who cares?
Lukes shop is one of the few ( there probably is competition , just I dont know where) that is small enough to actually CARE about the customer.
Unfortunatly this is a rarety today.
I'm sure glad LUKE is only 250 miles one way,for me.
FAST FRED |
Dennis (205.188.209.11)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, November 05, 2002 - 2:53 pm: | |
Is there a list of good shops in different states, and/or one in MN?
Last but not least, please exercise your right to vote today. |
don (Bottomacher) (216.130.156.53)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, November 05, 2002 - 6:57 pm: | |
Fred, when you speak of the "mechanic" with a drill, are you talking about drilling the clutch bellcrank? |
Luke Bonagura (Lukeatuscoach) (12.90.12.25)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, November 05, 2002 - 9:21 pm: | |
Hi Folks:
Tonight before I leave I would like to answer 2 posts.
First for Dennis who asked for a list of GOOD SHOPS or at least in Minn., I would offer the following:
I don't know of a list of the GOOD SHOPS, but I strongly encourage the converted coach community to develop one as there are GOOD SHOPS all over North America!!! Just find them and publicize them!!!
You folks have the network going and it is a matter of one guy or couple to develop the list and spread the word!!!
With regard to Minn., call J.D. Dickenson at C & J Bus Repair: 1-952-881-1778.
J.D. at C & J Bus is the BEST that I know of in the upper midwest. I did business with J.D.'s father many years ago when J.D. was a kid and it has just gotten better from there!!!!!
We refer service and parts customers to each other often when a customer is in the other guys respective area or we do not have the part they need!!!! I don't know of a customer from either of us (referred to one by the other) that has not been happy at the end of their purchase experience from C & J or US COACH!!!!!
Now to Don's (Bottomacher) question to Fast Fred regarding his post regarding a customer FRED saw in our shop, I will jump in, as it occurred here.
The customer & his wife are about (and I am guessing) at least in their upper 70's and had a terrible experience replacing their wet clutch in a 4905. They stayed 2 weeks in a motel while their coach was having the clutch replaced???? We do it in a day.
Apparently, the shop that did the work had some sort of a problem and DON, no they did not drill out a bellcrank.
They went into the compartment under the driver, drilled a new hole in the clutch linkage (for what reason I do not know).!!!!!! The net effect that this poor soul had all he could do to press down his clutch pedal and the clutch could not operate properly.
Fortunately, in our shop, we have mechanics who know and understand these older coaches and we undid the "SHOEMAKER" work and they left, as happy "CAMPERS", enroute to the warm FLORIDA country for the winter. The wife is so upset that she wants to sell the bus when they get to Florida, but I gave them my toll free number and told them if they have any problem on the way to Fla. to call me and I will do all I can to help them. They are gone 2 days and so far so good for them and that makes me HAPPY!!!!
Unfortunately there are a lot of folks who have these converted coaches who are hard working souls just looking for a FAIR deal when they have to spend their "HARD EARNED DOLLARS" to keep their coach running. They don't understand the mechanicals in all too many cases!!!
That isn't a sin, they need Honest Suppliers to depend upon.
And once again, you folks in the Converted coach community are in a position to provide direction for these folks. As the NET develops, and hopefully for this community there will some day be a list of preferred shops, where folks can expect to get
100 pennies worth for their dollar spent!!!!!!
You folks spend a lot of money on your projects and there is STRENGTH in your spending power!!!
Make it work for you and the Converted Coach Community!!!!
Thanks for listening,
LUKE at US COACH |
Mike Eades (Mike4905) (206.148.164.248)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, November 06, 2002 - 8:02 am: | |
I need to add another time in the life of my buffalo. I was in southern IL when my coach died as I was gonig into a rest area for break. I called Bill at US Coach. We ran my cell minutes up. I had a hot dashboard and a major charging problem. With tha book and Bill doing the reading I was ableto learn I ahd a dead short in my tale light circuit and I was able to disconnect the circuit until I could get were I could work on it. Now I was impressed with idea that over the phone with my eyes and his brains we could get me up and running. I think that is what they get paid for and I likefifty years between them. Mike |
Scott Cavanaugh (66.169.172.144)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, November 06, 2002 - 9:32 am: | |
There has to be something said for a business that practices what they preach and is activly involved on the BB's. Luke I don't know you and I don't own a coach YET, but from what I have seen from lurking on the board the last few months by far you have gone above and beyond the call of duty in your support for the community as a whole.
Thanks for setting the example as a business owner. If only your competitors would step up to the plate and quit gouging the customer.
If you all want to send ME your list(s) of good places to have your coach fixed I will compile and post to a board somewhere.
scott@cavanaugh.net, feel free to send me what you have and I'll get it online somewhere. |
Dennis (64.12.96.235)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, November 06, 2002 - 9:46 am: | |
Thanks for that referral Luke, I have bought parts from CJ's in the past and have been very happy with their customer service, and would now be comfortable going to them if I ever need work done. |