| Author |
Message |
Jason (24.107.39.46)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, January 19, 2003 - 6:56 pm: | |
We are contemplating taking our MC9 to the beach house this summer, but the problem is the driveway. You turn off the main drag onto a rather steep driveway and I am worried that the bus may get hung up somewhere as we transition from high to low. I don't think it would get hung up too long, just over a little bit of the ridge. They have gotten fully loaded tractor trailers down this driveway, but they have had good ground clearance. What kind of damage would occur if the bus bottomed out? |
buslady (198.81.26.174)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, January 20, 2003 - 1:08 am: | |
you can dent up whatever's under the bus. You don't want to get stuck! You'd have to get a wrecker out and have it pick up the bus and move it. Take it at an angle |
Jason (24.107.39.46)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, January 20, 2003 - 10:26 am: | |
I think if I go slow enough and take it at the best angle possible, then I will clear everything. We will see. Maybe I can do something to raise the bus before I begin this trip. |
Earl-8-Ky (199.174.3.167)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, January 20, 2003 - 10:58 am: | |
You say you are going to the beach so I assume you are going to be on sand. Get someone local who has a tractor and a grader blade to knock the top off the ridge. It will cost a little but a lot less than a wrecker. Something to think about. |
Buswarrior (Buswarrior) (64.229.211.178)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, January 20, 2003 - 11:10 am: | |
Just for fun....
The new MCI's, Rennaissance EL3 model, have a feature that allows you to over-inflate the entire suspension to raise ground clearance by close to 4 inches. The older model DL3's had the ability to over-inflate the rear to hike up the old girl's skirts for clearing those humps and slopes getting in and out of sloped areas, usually hotel parking lots.
If one was thinking about installing a levelling system using the air suspension, this ability is a nice side benefit, or in your case, a straight out justification, with the levelling being the side benefit.
It does take a fair bit of abrupt elevation change to get a 40 foot MC9 coach with stock ride height hung up.
happy coaching!
buswarrior |
Jason (24.107.39.46)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, January 20, 2003 - 11:22 am: | |
The driveway is concrete, the bus will be parked on hard packed sand though, I won't be able to cut off the tip of the ridge, since it is concrete. Any more suggestions? Thanks |
Geoff (Geoff) (64.1.0.174)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, January 20, 2003 - 11:32 am: | |
Jason, if you install a manual air leveling system you can raise your bus to clear humps-- I installed a manual over auto leveling system in my RTS using 9 electric solenoids (i.e. Skinner valves). Under normal driving conditions I have the automatic leveling system working, and I can activate the kneeling system to drop the front end down for getting on and off the bus. I can shut off the auto system and raise the front and/or back of the bus to clear humps, or when parked I can level the bus manually and leave it that way. It was not a simple task to install this system, but it gives you the best of both worlds-- the auto level and a manual system. And no, I don't have a schematic or cad drawing to share (sorry).
--Geoff
'82 RTS CA |
FAST FRED (209.26.115.225)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, January 20, 2003 - 3:39 pm: | |
I have seen these complex "improved" air leveling systems that have dozens of extra failure points installed and am personally very leary of such a high parts count.
George Meyers posted one in his paper that was a doozy!!
With superb workmanship they do work, but the extra number of parts , circuits and all those electric wires, added air lines & electric thingies stuck traveling in slush ,is fine for those with time & cash & temperment fix such items on vacation.
And those that will accept the consequences of a failure from those many added parts,along with any engineering difficultes from departing from stock.
The leveling valves "know " the relationship between the coach body & chasis by a simple rod , about coat hanger robustness.
I am planning on using a good set of push pull cables to operate the almost stock system.
With short cables it would seem easy to replace the coat hanger with the push pull (PP) and have the best of all worlds.
In the lowest position the coach could ride a bit lower on the slab for extra fuel ecomomy.
In the back roads a few extra inches of center clearence , could keep the coach from hi centering.
In the normal centered position everything will operate as stock , correcting for extra loads ect automatically.
Aircraft push pull cables have friction locks and would seem ideal for this app.
Parked the controlls would level the coach, but you would have to leave the seat to operate the rear L/R set.
Just another idea to solve the common camping problems , but with loads less to buy & fix.
If I ever finish building dock space , I'll post how it works, here.
FAST FRED |
TonyW (12.228.69.26)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, January 21, 2003 - 2:02 am: | |
Hey Jason,
How about making up some railroad tie type ramps and just leave them at the beach digs? Ease up over the hump and just before you figure to bottom out put the ramps in front of the rear wheels and up you go! But don't wait to bottom out cause then you won't have any traction to go forward or backwards.
Another way to do it is to back over the hump and simply drag bottom till the front wheels touch again. To get back out again just floor the thottle!
Did I mention prayer? We have an RTS w/ about 10 inches clearance and I plan on lots of prayer.
TonyW |