steering box

[Pete Masterson]

John,

Well, about all I can say is that I can drive my coach for 6, 8, or
even 10 hours and not feel significantly more tired that if I'd
driven my car that long. Frankly, I prefer to keep driving days to
about 6 hours -- but that's true in the car as well. It's just a
personal preference.

It's been a very long time since I've driven a non-air suspension
heavy vehicle -- and I was much younger then...! I guess you ought to
drive a newer coach just to get a feel for the difference. You might
watch the ads and see if there's a for-sale (newer unit) somewhere
near you. A test drive of an air-suspended coach might just give you
the additional data you need.

Pete Masterson
'95 Blue Bird Wanderlodge WBDA 42
aeonix1@...
On the road at Idaho Springs, CO



On Aug 28, 2008, at 5:31 PM, bubblerboy64 wrote:

> Pete, Shane and I got air pedestal seats about six weeks ago and that
> helped so much I gotten greedy wanting more. I need to drive a
> couple newer buses and have guys who are in the know drive mine.
> Until I do that I really can't set long term goals. My goal is to be
> able to drive all day if needed and be reasonably comfortable. My bus
> is greatly improved but not there yet. If I can get to that point
> then I don't have a problem spending the money. If my goal is
> unrealistic then I would be better off trading up. So experience is
> needed and of course opinions considered. In the end I will have to
> decide what is right for me, I know that. Too bad I can't go to a
> used BB lot and drive two or three like you can a car. Maybe at a
> Rally?
>
> John Heckman
> central Pa
> 1973 FC
>>
>> Your idea of having others, with similar old coaches, give it a
> drive
>> and give you an opinion is probably a good one. When I was first
>> considering a coach, I was looking at bus conversions (not just
> BBs)
>> and I recall reading a web site that suggested that the Blue Birds
>> with air suspension were "much preferred" over the metal spring
>> suspension coaches -- so I'd expect that a somewhat hard ride
> might
>> be normal. (Years ago, I drove a few heavy trucks with spring
>> suspension in the Army -- they rode hard, but we didn't go very
> fast,
>> either.) I think one member got an "air ride seat" in his bird...
> it
>> might be a more cost effective choice to improve ride comfort.
> About
>> all I can say about my coach is that "it rides like a bus...."
>>
>> You might call the factory and see if you can get some opinions
>> there... if there's anyone around who remembers the spring-
> suspension
>> models. (I suppose that the school busses have the air suspension
>> these days, so knowledge about spring suspension may be lost by
> now...)
>>
>> Over $3000 is quite a price to pay for potentially only a small
>> incremental improvement....
>>
>> Pete Masterson
>> '95 Blue Bird Wanderlodge WBDA 42
>> aeonix1@...
>> On the road at Idaho Springs, CO
>>
>>
>>
>> On Aug 28, 2008, at 12:44 PM, bubblerboy64 wrote:
>>
>>> Hi Pete, The springs are pretty flat especially the back ones.
> One
>>> poster commented about wheel clearance. I have plenty of that.
> The
>>> shop thinks that when the engine was switched over to the 3208 the
>>> springs were modified by adding additional springs leaves which
> would
>>> make sense. The bus doesn't porpoise at all, the opposite it
> bangs
>>> pretty hard over bumps. The shop feels that the springs would
>>> function better if they were graduated from top to bottom and
> matched
>>> to the weight that the bus is being ask to carry now. So there is
>>> some reason to speculate that the bus would ride better with new
>>> springs under it. The question remains HOW MUCH. I can spend the
>>> money to find out. I might gain a lot I might gain just a little.
>>> The fellows at the shop didn't think the bus rode too badly. They
>>> objected to the loose steering more then the ride. I of course
> became
>>> some what used to the steering. But it is much better now I will
>>> grant you that. The shop obviously knews their stuff.
>>>
>>> There are other issues as well. Currently the they can buy the
>>> springs off the shelf. If they become unavailable then they are
> have
>>> to be custom made at about twice the cost. I have to factor all
> that
>>> in with considerations as to how long I will keep the coach. I
> think
>>> I will let a couple of the fellows drive the bus when we get
> together
>>> at Hershey and see if there is a consensus of opinion.
>>> John Heckman
>>> central Pa
>>> 1973 FC
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>
>>>> I would suspect that the shocks, if they show signs of being,
> worn
>>>> might offer a modest but cost-effective improvement in handling.
>>>> (Does the coach bounce excessively or porpoise?) Unless the
>>> springs
>>>> and shackles, etc. are clearly displaying out-of-spec sag or
> other
>>>> bent components, that you'll get much less benefit from making
> any
>>>> changes to them.
>>>>
>>>> Pete Masterson
>>>> '95 Blue Bird Wanderlodge WBDA 42
>>>> aeonix1@
>>>> On the road at Idaho Springs, CO
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Aug 28, 2008, at 9:16 AM, bubblerboy64 wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> <snip>
>>>>> There still remains the issue of the springs,shackles and shocks
>>> with
>>>>> respect to ride quality. To replace all of that stuff will set
> me
>>>>> back pretty big bucks. Likely about $3500. Now the question is
>>> how
>>>>> much improvement, or how much bang for my buck will I get. At
>>> this
>>>>> point I am going to hold tight until I get to a rally so that
>>> some of
>>>>> you other fellows can drive my bus and see how it compares to
>>>>> others. I would not mind spending the money if I was going to
> get
>>>>> real value. I have nothing to compare to. So plan to head to
>>>>> Hershey in Oct lets see if some of you guys can take'r out for a
>>> spin
>>>>> to see where I am at and where I should be going.
>>>>> John Heckman
>>>>> central Pa
>>>>> 1973 FC
>>>>> <snip>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
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