| Author |
Message |
Emery Leraand (209.89.214.94)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, January 30, 2003 - 9:32 am: | |
Know lots of people who have plated off their leaky air beams, but trying to find out about attempts to rebuild the originals. We are looking at cutting the tops out of the rear beams and fitting a steel plate liner to the interiors (hiring a real pressure welder) and then capping the beams. Bus is still a skeleton, so no access issues. Front beams were in great shape, right rear is really iffy.
Suggestions really appreciated.
Emery
1958 MCI 96 |
Steve Gibbs (12.148.43.7)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, January 30, 2003 - 1:01 pm: | |
Emery,
I had leaking airbeam in the rear and replaced all of the bags with the new rolling lobe style for about $750.00 with the kit from MCI.
Ride seems fine but it's hard to really compare from the driver's seat.
I also replaced the front which were plated. Ride is softer, although somewhat more rolling than the plated. They had been plated from the begining so I'm not able to compare to airbeam.
I have heard that working on the beams is a serious business since they are structural.
Just curious, what is an 1958 model 96? Is it older than an MC 1 or MC 2?
FWIW
Steve G.
MC9
Pontiac |
Emery Leraand (205.206.198.0)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, January 30, 2003 - 6:16 pm: | |
Steve,
We are from the land of the "Snow Peso" and your $750 kit would cost about $1,200 of ours! Also sitting with 4 brand new original type replacement bags. The beam structure should be improved if the inner tank is tight against and welded to the interior of the beams. The amount of deep pitting on the side of the right one makes the structure of it suspect. We have replaced a great deal of the rest of the framing steel.
The 96 is the first MCI to have standard air suspension. It was an option on the model 95. Our coach carries MCI serial number 525. Looks a bit more like an old Flix.
Thanks for your input.
Emery
Calgary, Canada |
Stephen Fessenden (Sffess) (65.130.11.97)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, January 31, 2003 - 10:50 pm: | |
Anybody ever consider leaving the beams alone and providing a separate reservoir for the additional volume piped to the plate that seals the airbeams? |
Emery Leraand (142.59.137.29)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, February 01, 2003 - 11:34 am: | |
The beams are a bit questionable from a structural point of view, so the repair purpose is twofold. An owner of a MCI 7 has e-mailed to say he welded plates on the exterior of his beams for the same reasons. Remote tanks have been suggested by a couple of people here. Room to place the tanks and the size of line that would run from them to the bellows might be an issue.
Could be wrong, sure would not be the first time, but the size of passage between the bellows and the extra storage in the beams should contribute to the ride characterics.
By the way Mr. Fessenden, your name comes to mind often during this project. You e-mailed me a suggestion that it might be worth buying something that did not have to be reconstructed from the ground up as a first coach. Even though I have greatly enjoyed my project, this was excellent advice for any about to be bus owner. |
Stephen Fessenden (Sffess) (65.130.10.52)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, February 02, 2003 - 3:46 am: | |
I think if you used a large, say 1 inch, line to the air reservoir tank, the resistance would be negligable. But there are engineers on this board that could give more accurate advice. I don't know the shape of the air beams since I don't have them, but could a beam insert be welded up and tested and then slid into the beam and welded only at the base near the airbag plate or solidly at the base and tacked at the top to provide strength. Remember, I have no idea what I am talking about here, though. |