| Author | Message | ||
| jj-mc9 Rating: N/A |
After reading about and trying to learn about buses for several years, I'm finally getting my own bus. Supposed to pick it up next week. It's an MC9, already converted and usable now. The bunk area will probably be changed this spring. Now all I have to do is drive it home and not scare other drivers off the road. Hoping this is the start of a long and enjoyable relationship. | ||
| Craig Smith (Craigs)
Rating: N/A |
Hi JJ, Good luck with your new purchase. I see your ID already is jj-mc9. That's dedication. You'll have a blast. It's fun working on them, driving them and also the camping aspect is OK too. Craig S | ||
| Marc Bourget Rating: N/A |
A "conversion" of another sort. From a "Wannabe" now you're a "Do-Bee!" Onward and Upward! Marc Bourget | ||
| Henry R. Bergman, Jr. (Henryofcj)
Rating: N/A |
Congradulatons and welcome to the BUSNUT. Now all you need to do is make yourself a big big promise that you will ALWAYS act goofy and smile and have fun, which is the intent of all this stuff.  | ||
| Doug Potter (Doug86newell)
Rating: N/A |
Driving will make you nervous at first. I just got my coach last year. I still get a little nervous when I start out, but settle down quickly. The narrow roads may make you extract cotton from the seats without using your hands, but thats part of it. Doug | ||
| vern rainville
Rating: N/A |
JJ, Welcome aboard. Do not forget to post your ride home. OPPPPS! Remember, "It's not a ride, It's an adventure"! Safe travels my friend!!!! Vern (in RI) | ||
| Cliff (Floridacracker)
Rating: N/A |
JJ, The Great adventure is just beginning. One of the most interesting things I found after picking up my bus was that either people think your crazy or incredibly smart. Of course around here we know your crazy. Good luck and have fun. Cliff | ||
| TWO DOGS Rating: N/A |
get pictures of you picking up the bus...you will always remember that day | ||
| John Rigbyj
Rating: N/A |
jj, welcome abord. Whatch the temperature gauge. The first thing I did when I got my 4104 was to pull out that old geyhound drivers seat and put in something plush and comfertable. Boy was that a mistake. I didnt feel in control. So I recoverd the greyhound seat and put it back. It alows me to sit high and feel very much more in control. I still have the stick shift which handles better with the Well engineered GM seat. John | ||
| MCI Larry (Eurof3)
Rating: N/A |
Congrats jj On my ride home from the dealer. I was so scared from the fire I had on the way home with the last bus I tried to buy. I took 2 extra fire extinguishers with me. AND I NEVER SHUT IT OFF 880 Miles all the way home. The dealer said don`t worry, your confidence will be back up the closer you get to home. He was right. Hope your unit turns out to be as good or better than mine. WHICH I LOVE AND HAVE FAITH IN. Like we all agree. TAKE PHOTOS Its a day that changes your life. Happy Holidays Looks like a Merry Christmas present.... So what did you have to buy the wife to get her to agree to a bus ?? Larry | ||
| Lin Rating: N/A |
As far as driving skill, I still tell my wife that it is a good thing the others on the road don't know how dangerous I am. | ||
| jj-mc9 Rating: N/A |
Thanks for the posts and replies, guys. And the suggestion to take along a camera was a good idea. Appreciate it. Hoping to get an hour or two of instruction on how all the systems work on the coach from the seller before I head down the road next Monday. | ||
| mel4104 Rating: N/A |
Welcome to the bus nut world JJ just rember it is your bus so get all the infromation you can then do it your way as it after all your bus. enjoy and have fun | ||
| ChuckMC9 (Chucks)
Rating: N/A |
My very first solo maiden trip I had to negotiate those concrete construction barriers *on each side* about 9' apart around a fast off-ramp. I made it not a scratch, amazingly. And crashing the gearbox at the same time trying to downshift. Yikes! One thing I learned about normal, not swervy chino-wetting turns, is to remember to decide where the rear wheels should end up and start the turn based on that. You picked a good model, JJ, and I wish you the best on your voyage. Post the photos of the pickup and drive home when you get back! -Chuck | ||
| Jayrjay Rating: N/A |
Driving your bus is similar to piloting a plane: if you aren't a bit nervous, then you should let someone else sit in the left seat. ...JJ | ||
| RJ Long (Rjlong)
Rating: N/A |
JJ-MC9 wrote: Hoping to get an hour or two of instruction on how all the systems work on the coach from the seller before I head down the road next Monday. Take a video camera, and film the owner instructing you on the coach's systems! That way you'll have it for reference after you get home, and you're brain's mush. . . Prior to picking up your dream, prepare a list of questions for the seller regarding all the systems, so you can go over them together before you head out on your adventure home. In addition to the video camera, take along a little "dictaphone-type" tape recorder, to record your thoughts, feelings and observations to help document your journey. Extra tapes, too! Have you ever driven a bus before? If yes, ignore the following. . . If no, pay attention: **EVERYTHING is behind you, sitting in the driver's seat - you're four feet ahead of the front axle. Turn your new bus at a corner like you turn your car, and you'll run the rear tires up over the curb. ** Try to maintain about 4' between the right side of your coach and the curb/parked cars, etc. This may mean keeping the LH side of your coach right next to the lane stripes, or about a hand's width away. ** On RH turns, especially on city streets, set your coach up parallel to the curb, 18 - 36" away from it. This will prevent someone sneaking up your right side. . . Pull straight ahead until the intersecting street's curb line passes the centerline of the front axle, then immediately start turning quickly, watching both the traffic AND your RH mirror, thereby keeping an eye on the rear axle's placement. The goal is to walk the duals around the corner right on the gutter/pavement seam. Watch your local transit system's drivers do it to see what I mean. ** If the traffic's such that you cannot clear the corner, STOP! Let them figure out how to get around you, then proceed when it's clear. So what if you impede traffic for a minute or so - better than filling out a police report or insurance claim form. ** On LH turns in the city, if there's a double left-turn pocket, always stay in the right lane of the pocket. This gives you more room. Again, watch your mirror (this time the LH one) for the rear axle's placement, and also watch the RF corner of your coach - it is possible to hit something! ** Speaking of mirrors, adjustment is critical. For the left side, you should be able to just barely see the LH side of the coach in the RH edge of the mirror when sitting in the driver'seat and just turning your head w/o leaning over. The RH mirror is just the opposite (RH edge of bus just barely visible in LH edge of mirror), with two other factors: The lower RH corner of the mirror should match the lower RH corner of the windshield, when viewed from the driver's seat. This may mean moving the arm of the mirror over somewhat, not just adjusting the mirror on the arm. Additionaly, as a "newbie", you should tilt the mirror down slightly, so that you can just see where the duals touch the pavement in the lower LH corner of the mirror. VERY important when new to these beasts!! (Oh, and if there are no convex or "spot" mirrors, pick up some 3" stick-on ones at an auto supply store or Wal-Mart. These are well worth the $$ you'll spend, IMHO. My preference with stick-ons is for lower LH corner on the driver's side, upper RH corner on the passenger side. **When driving, don't look at the vehicle directly in front of you. Keep scanning the road 12-15 seconds ahead, so you can anticipate what's going on. Your peripheral vision will pick up on any brake or turn signal lights from the vehicle you're behind. Include your mirrors in the scanning process, so you also know what's around you. Obviously, don't tailgate. You need nearly twice the stopping distance from 60 mph as that four-wheeler in front of you does!! ** If you haven't already, read my little blurb on shifting, located in the "Articles of Interest" link off the BNO home page. There are comments about driving automatics near the end. Print out the article and take it with you as a reminder, as well as it's companion on pre-trip inspections. ** DON'T trust the fuel gauge, if equipped, at least on your first few trips. MC-9s came with either a 144 or 179 gallon fuel supply. There may or may not be a plaque on the dash by the LH switch panel, or inside the fuel filler door, giving you the fuel capacity. Before leaving the seller, have him take you to the nearest reasonably-priced diesel fuel station, letting him drive. Fill the tank completly - but be aware that diesel foams when coming out of the big truck stop nozzles, so often when the the pump clicks off, you're still maybe 10 gallons or so from a full tank. (Make sure you've got a pair of somewhat-waterproof work gloves to wear when fueling - diesel's a PITA to get the smell off your hands!!) Side Note about truck stop fuel islands: Trucks often fuel from both sides, so check out which side is the "master" and which is the "slave" - the slave will not have a meter on it - before pulling all the way in. That way you can pull up with the "master" on the RH side of the coach, where the fuel filler's located. ** After topping off the tank (and recording the odometer reading!!), use this guideline to avoid running out of fuel: 500 miles at 5 mpg, 600 miles at 6 mpg. Or, more simply, and until you know your coach better, just start looking for fuel when you've gone 500 miles since your last fill-up. Do not pass GO, do not collect $200, but do follow this guideline to avoid the PITA-process of trying to reprime your engine after embarrassingly running out of fuel. ALWAYS fill the tank full at each fuel stop - keeps out the bugs and other nasties, especially if it's going to be awhile before you use the coach again. ** Check the oil in the morning before starting the engine for the first time. If you can't at that time, then wait at least 20 minutes after shutting it off - there's lots of nooks & crannies inside that take awhile to drain down. ** Two-stroke Detroit Diesels require straight 40wt, API classified CF-2, 1% or less sulfated ash content oil. DO NOT USE MULTI-WEIGHT OIL IN THESE ENGINES!! Sorry to write a training manual, but I, like many others here on the BBS, want you to have a successful first journey in your new toy! HTH, RJ PD4106-2784 Fresno CA | ||
| Brian (Bigbusguy)
Rating: N/A |
Very good post RJ, One thing I always do is to always try to make Left turns when you can , If you noticed most coach drivers have used the right side bay doors as curb feelers. It is much easer to see out your left side of your bus when making left turns Like in walmart parking lots. Or you missed a turn ,Its much easer to make left turns around the block to turn around then right turns . Just my 1 cents Brian 4905 Klamath Falls Oregon | ||
| John that newguy Rating: N/A |
Another penny's worth? On both sides, setting the mirrors in a way that puts the side of the bus in 1/4 of the mirror's viewing area; having the bottom edge of the mirror giving you with a view of the top of the rear axle, enables you to see at a glance, all that should matter while driving normally. In city traffic or a busy highway, you'll find that your peripheral vision and mirrors set to use that marvelous vision, will provide you with a cushion of comfort of quicker and safer response. Poor visibility is your worst enemy. | ||
| RJ Long (Rjlong)
Rating: N/A |
Jtng- I'm not a fan of having 1/4 of the mirror's viewable surface showing the side of the bus. I prefer it to be just along the inside edge of the mirror, thereby allowing a greater viewing of the area around my coach. Blind spts are bad enough as it is. . . (Where'd that "o" go??) FWIW, RJ PD4106-2784 Fresno CA | ||
| jj-mc9 Rating: N/A |
I do appreciate the advice from RJ and others on driving the coach for the first time. (Most I've handled before was a 26' trailer behind an F250 Supercab.) Have printed out the info to read and reread before the (gulp) drive home. | ||
| Robert Wood (Bobwoodsocal)
Rating: N/A |
You will be Ok, JJ. Try not to stress out too much at first, you will get it. Congrats on the new bus! Bob | ||
| John that newguy Rating: N/A |
Forget the bus, take pictures of your wallet. |