| Author | Message | ||
| grant goold (65.73.182.128)
Rating: N/A |
Anyone have access or a copy of a comprehensive bus inspection checklist. I am looking at purchasing a newer bus (shell) and would like the local truck/bus repair facility to look it over. I would like to compare inspection lists if possible to share with them what I would like reviewed. Thanks in advance. Grant | ||
| John Biundo (Jbiundo) (67.116.242.228)
Rating: N/A |
Grant - great question! I don't have any "official" looking inspection report, but here's a copy of something I got hold of when I was shopping for a bus that gave me some ideas. Wish I could remember who to credit for most of this stuff, but I can't claim it myself. This is definitely not complete, but hopefully it helps, and some others will respond as well. Compiling a comprehensive inspection report in this way would be VERY beneficial to "newbies". John ---------------------------------------- What is the exact year and model #? What is the engine model? Was it original equipment or upgraded later? What is the transmission model? Have the engine and transmission been rebuilt? By who? Is there a warranty on the rebuild? Is it transferrable to the buyer? How many miles on the engine and transmission? Do you have a history of who owned the bus and where it was operated? Is there a verifiable maintenance record with receipts or invoices? Is the coach currently in service (i.e., running routes or tours)? Does the engine run without missing, leaking, or smoking? How much oil does it use? What kind of fuel mileage does it get? Does it start without problems? Are there any known problems with the running gear? Does it have a Jake's brake? Does it have integral power steering? Original equipment or upgraded later? Loose or tight? Do they do scheduled maintenance? How often? Drive routes? RUST INSPECTION =============== Check all rubber seals around marker lights, windshields, side windows. How new is the rubber? Check bottom of windshield divider along the dash. Any corrosion under the vinyl? Any puckering? How much (inches each direction)? Windshield seals -- condition, shrinkage, caulking? Below marker lights and side windows. Rivets show puckering? Other signs of corrosion ("painted over welding spatter")? When were rubber seals last replaced? Rubber seals around windows at bottom of post between windows. Sit in each bay, looking outward toward upraised door. Examine beams for rust. Signs of repair or painting. Look at air beams between tag and drive axles. Any plating/brazing? How long does it stay aired up? Radiator supports in back bulkhead? Are the sides straight? Any rust on the frame? Any rust in spare tire compartment? Any rust in bays? Any rust in radiator area? Any rust in engine compartment? Any rust in wheel wells? Any rust creeping under side windows? Any rust creeping under marker lights? Any known leaks? Do all bay doors open, close, and lock? Are bay doors banged, dented, or dinged? Rear engine door open? Are tires included? Brand, age, and tread depth? Air pressure before starting? At idle? Color smoke when starting cold? How long? | ||
| Johnny (67.241.166.49) Rating: N/A |
One red flag: does it have older drive and/or tag tires, and brand new steers? If so, take a long, hard look at the front suspension, since the old ones may have been unevenly worn from mechanical problems. Also, make sure the steers aren't recaps. | ||
| Mike in GA (66.156.72.80)
Rating: N/A |
I'd like to use a 12 volt relay to switch on and off a few sets of 110 v.a.c. string lights in my interior wire chases over my windows. They make attractive indirect lighting. I would bring the a.c. plug end of the strings forward to my cabinet area above the windshield, where I do have an unused duplex a.c. receptacle. Rather than manually opening the cabinet door and plugging these strings in and out, couldn't I have a small d.c. switch near the entrance stairs that would activate a relay up in the overhead cabinet, that in turn would apply a.c. power to the strings? I'm not an electrician, but have a rudimentary knowledge of wiring. Thanks in advance for any help. Mike in GA | ||
| Jim Ashworth (Jimnh) (172.202.22.233)
Rating: N/A |
This is absolutely do-able. Check your Grainger catalog for a little (1" cube) Tyco relay or Waytek for a similar relay by Bosch. Either of these with a 12v coil and 20amp contacts will work. If your receptacle box is big enough, mount the relay right inside it. Mounting is not to code but it works! Looks like you're coming right along with the conversion. Jim | ||
| Gary McFarland (Gearheadgary) (209.128.99.4)
Rating: N/A |
Why use the relay? You can switch 120V with a toggle. Gary | ||
| Tom Connolly (Tomconnolly) (64.58.196.218)
Rating: N/A |
You can also purchase a wireless switch / outlet combination or remote control lighting system at most any home improvement centers, with a remote system you can control all your 110v lights from a button on the nearest hand unit! Tom C | ||
| FAST FRED (67.75.105.248) Rating: N/A |
Since some fellows know about relays , will I be able to find one that when the terminals are given juice operates a relay , but with reversed polarity would operate a second different relay? Who & where to buy it? FAST FRED | ||
| Tom Connolly (Tomconnolly) (64.58.196.218)
Rating: N/A |
Fred, If your talking low voltage +DC / -DC, A control circuit with a few diodes would be easy to make. If you want this for AC reversed polarity, like when the feed and common leg on a 110vac source are reversed then it may get a little more complicated. Tom C | ||
| Gary McFarland (Gearheadgary) (209.128.99.4)
Rating: N/A |
Yeah, What Tom said-- Is this for 12VDC or AC? Gary | ||
| FAST FRED (67.75.110.22) Rating: N/A |
12V DC at only 3A or so. May have to use a bunch of alternator diodes , crude but it should work OK. FAST FRED | ||
| Gary McFarland (Gearheadgary) (209.128.99.5)
Rating: N/A |
Ripoff Shack used to have a little potted diode bridge for like five bucks. don't know if it would carry 36VA, but it would be worth a try. It was like a 1"X1"X1/4" potted package, with four flag terminals. Easier than cobbing together some old automotive diodes, but that would work too... Gary | ||
| Richard Bowyer (Drivingmisslazy) (24.196.191.70)
Rating: N/A |
Those are really three phase diodes rated at 25 amps with a heat sink. Should work fine. Richard | ||
| Gary McFarland (Gearheadgary) (209.128.99.5)
Rating: N/A |
Yeah, you're talking about the ones already arranged in a bridge, (Chrysler?) I was thinking about individual diodes. I suppose if you have a barn full of old alternators, that might be a way to get the job done. But wait--does this satisfy Fast Fred's original question though? or does he need relays in combination with the diodes? Gary | ||
| Richard Bowyer (Drivingmisslazy) (24.196.191.70)
Rating: N/A |
Gary, I really do not know. I do not understand what FF is trying to do. If he would elaborate on what he wants to accomplish, then I am sure someone on the board can give him some help. Richard | ||
| Tom Caffrey (Pvcces) (65.74.65.3)
Rating: N/A |
Fast Fred, many small DC relays don't care which way you feed power through their coils, so you should be able to make what you want and have it work without to much trouble. You can buy small diodes the size of one watt resistors that will handle 3 amps at low voltage cheaply enough. The coils will only draw less than one amp, I would think, unless you have to switch a lot of current. If you hook one coil in series with one diode and the other coil in series with the other diode hooked up backwards, and connect the two strings in parallel, you will have what you are describing. To keep from popping the diodes, it might be a good idea to add a couple of arc suppression diodes accross the coils. To make this work, hook each diode up backwards to the other one in the same string. How is reversing the polarity going to be easier than using two switches, one for eash relay? If you are trying to make the circuit immune to reversing polarity, perhaps a full-wave bridge would be a little simpler. For what it's worth. Tom Caffrey PD4106-2576 Suncatcher | ||
| Gary McFarland (Gearheadgary) (209.128.99.5)
Rating: N/A |
Tell us FF, what are you up to? Gary | ||
| Tom Connolly (Tomconnolly) (64.58.196.218)
Rating: N/A |
If it's to reverse the polarity on the 12vdc 3a source, like maybe to run a 12v motor forward then backwards, a momentary double poll double throw center off switch can be wired to accomplish this. Just Guessing, come on Fred tell us what your doing? So we can help! Tom C | ||
| FAST FRED (67.75.113.23) Rating: N/A |
I have an autopilot that was made for a different setup than I have. It was made to steer by a DC hyd motor/pump hooked into the unpowered steering system (the wheel is the pump). Hit it with juice one way you go Left , run the motor/ pump backwards you go Right. On my boat the Hyd are full time & the wheel is only a fancy valve. I have the steering system mfg package , 2 solenoids hooked to the hyd supply plumbed in . (Learned "Another " trade this summer installing this baby & a hyd windlass".) So what I need is a method to fire one or the other steering solenoids (3A) when the brain box calls for L or R. The orig setup was for a 30A hyd motor pump , so should have a vacation from now on. The two diodes , sounds simple enough. OPINIONS? FAST FRED | ||
| Gary McFarland (Gearheadgary) (209.128.99.5)
Rating: N/A |
Ah Ha! that's what you're up to. Tell us you're not putting a marine autopilot on your bus. Although, I've thought of it. Did you buy a commercial hydraulic windlass, or did you fabricate one? I'm swinging two danforth hooks from the hawsepipes and one CQR over the stem. Gary | ||
| FAST FRED (67.75.112.27) Rating: N/A |
Got lucky on the Capstan , A buddy found a Lewmar 3000 at Sailor Man in FFL for $400, a local in CT rebuilt it for another $400 , so with about $350 of hyd hose and a controll lever it works like a charm , FROM the steering pump! With finger tip hauling the Bride gets the anchor chores from now on.( Perhaps!) Far better than 3 or 4 grand for new stuff. Any sugestions on the electric AP hookup. Think that the two big diodes will be cheapest simplest answer. FAST FRED | ||
| Gary McFarland (Gearheadgary) (209.128.99.4)
Rating: N/A |
Wow! that was a score. I'm at 30 Tons, I've got a couple of Naval Bronze, 1" shaft Hyd motors that I plan to use, but I nead to get Capstan heads to connect them to. I'm planning to install hydraulic pumps on both of my 8V71s as well as my auxiliary engine, a Waukeshaw 4-cyl (Way cool little noisemaker). A company called FABCO makes Hydraulic-Driven Generators, so I can run my AC from my mains, or the aux while at anchor. I also need a Hydraulic quadrant  Gary | ||
| FAST FRED (67.75.106.190) Rating: N/A |
Were very pleased with the HYDRO _SLAVE from Rockland that was installed when we got her. On the webb. FAST FRED |