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+--- Thread: Arvin Meritor RIS18 (/showthread.php?tid=10224)
Arvin Meritor RIS18 - davidbrady - 06-23-2014 23:14
So what's the skinny on this new Arvin Meritor RIS18 steer axle? Is it real or is it vaporware? Anyone laid eyes on it? Who makes it? Do the wheel end components off the RIS16 bolt up? Erik Johnson, in his deposition, reported that an upgrade to 18K lb was not likely due to the brake, steering, and chassis work required to support the axle. I thought the original vendor of the RIS16 went belly up? Any possibility of Blue Bird retrofitting the M450 population of buses? What about all the recall work and the weight trimming of the buses. Many of the M450's, as a result of the recall campaign, are well below the 17K lb figure?
RE: Arvin Meritor RIS18 - dentmac - 06-23-2014 23:51
The axle is available : http://www.finditparts.com/products/49335/arvin-meritor-ris18ef00c1000
Some owners were promised by Bluebird that a new 18,000 pound axle would be installed if/when it ever became available. There is a push for this new axle but the facts from Eric and other meetings indicate that it is not a simple bolt in. Anything is doable (read $$$) but that ($$$) is the usual reason for fraud and was one of the reasons that Bluebird did not pursue the fix. The genset move was presented as a stop gap so that owners could use the RV in a restricted mode until the planned new axle was ready. The genset move was never part of the NHTSA recall.
Your last statement reads as a statement, That is NOT correct.
The changes cannot be returned , and on several of the buses, structure and safety is compromised.
Time will tell.
davidbrady dat
eline='1403576084' Wrote: So what's the skinny on this new Arvin Meritor RIS18 steer axle? Is it real or is it vaporware? Anyone laid eyes on it? Who makes it? Do the wheel end components off the RIS16 bolt up? Erik Johnson, in his deposition, reported that an upgrade to 18K lb was not likely due to the brake, steering, and chassis work required to support the axle. I thought the original vendor of the RIS16 went belly up? Any possibility of Blue Bird retrofitting the M450 population of buses? What about all the recall work and the weight trimming of the buses. Many of the M450's, as a result of the recall campaign, are well below the 17K lb figure?
RE: Arvin Meritor RIS18 - davidbrady - 06-24-2014 00:55
I thought there were only 27 out of 58 buses (including 2 prototypes) that required significantly reduced basement bay weight capacity placards to stay under 17,000 lbs on the steer axle? That would leave 31 buses in the well below 17,000 lb camp with relatively unaffected basement bay weight capacity placards, would it not? True, the recall was about under-spec tie-rod ends and steer axle weights in excess of 16,000 lbs. What Blue Bird chose to do as a result in their phase I, II, and III recall campaigns was up to them. Part of this was moving the generator and removing 400 lbs of steel generator supporting structure from the nose of the bus.
RE: Arvin Meritor RIS18 - dentmac - 06-24-2014 19:58
One bus was exempted as it was with a Fire Dept? Bluebird moved the genset on all but one (and rumour has it that there is another owner who refused-- it may be at Parliament now for service/repair). The first crashed RV was a write off so I don't know where the genset is on that one.
With the genset move,BB tried to get the front axle weight to below 16,000. They failed on some of the RV's even after their 3 or for "Phases".
Part of the "Reduction " was done by altering the Drive:Tag ratio to lighten the tag which lightens the steer. Also BB changed the empty weight criteria from full water, fuel and 4 passengers at 153 lbs each to 1/4 water and 2 passengers.This conveniently reduced the front load by 800lbs.
On some, they removed more then the "Generator supporting structure."
Sad.
(06-24-2014 00:55)davidbrady Wrote: I thought there were only 27 out of 58 buses (including 2 prototypes) that required significantly reduced basement bay weight capacity placards to stay under 17,000 lbs on the steer axle? That would leave 31 buses in the well below 17,000 lb camp with relatively unaffected basement bay weight capacity placards, would it not? True, the recall was about under-spec tie-rod ends and steer axle weights in excess of 16,000 lbs. What Blue Bird chose to do as a result in their phase I, II, and III recall campaigns was up to them. Part of this was moving the generator and removing 400 lbs of steel generator supporting structure from the nose of the bus.
RE: Arvin Meritor RIS18 - davidbrady - 06-25-2014 16:26
Thanks Ross, I appreciate the info. I continue to learn about the M450 with your every post. WaGu is very fortunate to have your participation.
RE: Arvin Meritor RIS18 - dentmac - 06-29-2014 23:13
FYI----Month old post:
http://www.arfc.org/complaints/2006/blue_bird/wanderlodge_m450_lxi/10594501.aspx
In a fair and just world--- NHTSA should act.