Best Home Yet - Page 9

Accordion · 08-07-2011, 04:00 PM

Moving to the rear, we see two air tanks. There is a third one, but it is further back and mounted perpendicular to these two.

The tank on your left has a straightforward petcock, but the one on your right has a strange device. I presume it can be drained as well, but why is it different from the left one? Oh! Now that I look at it, I think it may be a pressure relief valve. Yes.

Let's go back to the front again.Here's a view of the passenger front wheel.

OK, from the left, it looks like the rear of the tranny, exhaust pipe, springs, shock, and air brake cannister. That steering arm that connects the two wheels is called, what? At the end of that arm is the tie rod end. It is connected to that little arm that I don't know the name of. Could it be that that long arm in called the tierod? (because of the tierod ends).

Accordion · 08-07-2011, 04:15 PM

This is a message from the present time. As you know, this thread is from over a year and a half ago. I am posting it now. I went to a music party last night here in Missouri. I got to play with some fine musicians. There were guitars, dobro, harmonicas, and singing. I played the accordion and the mandolin. A good time was had by all.

Needless to say, I arrived back home very late (early in the morning). I am going to rest now as I have been posting for several hours.

here are many more photos of the bus. Quite a lot of them are of the mechanical side. I hope that people will gain some insight to the workings of the bus. They are indeed big beasties.

Fortunately, I had addressed many items before my 500 mile trip from Tennessee. The bus performed flawlessly. I will post details of the trip in future postings.

I must go in search of gainful employment again tomorrow. Perhaps I can do some more posting in the evening.

Rudy, August 7, 2011

GreyEagle · 08-07-2011, 04:17 PM

Looks like you've really been busy posting here, nice bus, nice conversion..........
really like the woodwork.

Accordion · 08-07-2011, 04:26 PM

Grey Eagle,

The whole town must come to a stand still during Bonnaroo.
When I mentioned that I had moved to the boonies of Tenn., it was when I had moved to Lebanon, Tn.
I am now located in South Central Missouri.

Thanks for the compliments on my bus.

My brother had a Born Free motorhome. He really liked it, and said they were quality built.

I sure would have liked a visit from you. People who like dogs, cats, and motorhomes are OK in my book.

GreyEagle · 08-07-2011, 04:32 PM

People who like dogs, cats,buses and motorhomes are OK in my book.

Mine too, might need to slide buses in there too.......

Last trip to Missouri was in 2009 I think, Ft Leonard wood to visit our son while he and family was stationed there....
Grey

dirtygoat · 08-08-2011, 07:54 PM

Great build... Lots of useful info...

Just an FYI, the draglink is the one that connects to the steering box... The one that connects the wheels from side to side is the tierod...

Otherwise, keep up the great work and pics...

lornaschinske · 08-08-2011, 08:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Accordion

... When I mentioned that I had moved to the boonies of Tenn., it was when I had moved to Lebanon, Tn...

Lebanon is not the boonies in TN. We used to live in "the pocket" on top of Whitwell Mtn, outside of Whitwell, TN. That was the boonies. Now we don't quite live in the middle of nowhere.. but we can see it from here!

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=4829+p...sqi=2&t=h&z=14

roach711 · 08-09-2011, 11:31 AM

VERY enjoyable read. Take a break, your fingers must be worn out from typing.

JoeScro · 08-09-2011, 03:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Accordion

Quote:

Originally Posted by Accordion

just wondering did you lose all the hair during the process of building? or was it that ghost ? lol j/king

Accordion · 08-09-2011, 09:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pipingkid

This is really impressive. I was sitting here slapping my forehead a few times going "CARDBOARD! to see if the size works DUHHHH" and the low tech way you used to not only increase your inside space but prevent the doors from opening while inside the bus.

Pipingkid, I would have rather played music that night with Stanley, but he was excited about the cardboard mockups of the upper cabinets. It was a good idea. If I had to do another bus, I might also make cardboard mockups of all the appliances and couches, bed etc. that were to go in the bus. That way I could move them around to find the best ergonomics.

The platform by the front door works very well. As mentioned in my post, it serves three purposes. I store it under my desk area when not in use. I now have access through the rear door, so the platform is being used all the time presently.

Accordion · 08-09-2011, 09:43 PM

Dirtygoat, Thanks for the info on the draglink. I have so many more pics to post. I hope the mechanical ones will be of use to some members here. I am presuming that you have knowledge about those things, therefore, may I ask you a question?

On my drive to Missouri, I drove "pedal to the metal". On flat land, the bus went 67 MPH. That was the reading on my GPS unit. The speedometer jumps back and forth. I think the speedo cable might be bent.

My question is: How many RPMs do you think I was turning? I have a CAT 1160 motor (V8 diesel), an automatic 4 speed transmission ( I think it is an Allison ) although I don't know how to tell. The rear end gearing is 6.8. While I was driving, the water temp. never got over 190. It usually ran at 170 to 180 on flat land.

I sure would like to have a tachometer, but I have no clue how to hook it up.

Thanks for your input.

Accordion · 08-09-2011, 09:54 PM

Lornashinske, I know that Lebanon, Tn is not really way out in the boonies. It was only 10 miles to town. It's just that I had been living in an industrial part of town, and where I had moved to was a place that had no streetlights, and was very quiet.

Now, I am even more in the boonies on a dirt road with the closest town 12 miles away. I have to plan my trips to town and get enough supplies for a couple weeks as I can only get there by borrowing a friend's car. My cell phone doesn't work here, but my neighbor has a dish for internet, and I can wifi off of that.

Accordion · 08-09-2011, 10:00 PM

Roach, I'm glad you like my thread. I was busy with a project the past two days. I have a little time to post tonight. As you will see, I am a bus fanatic. This is actually my second bus. I lived in a 1964 International for five years a long time ago. I wish I had pics of it. That was before digital cameras, cell phones, and modern computers.

Accordion · 08-09-2011, 10:10 PM

OK, this is me, in the present, posting more from my thread from almost two years ago. More of that mechanical stuff. If I misname items under the bus, please correct me or I will continue to sound like a dummy. Thanks

Leaving the front.

You can see the steering cross bar (which I now know as the tierod). Is that the speedometer gearbox on the side of the transmission? I bet it is. Wow, look at the size of those springs. I will get under the bus again and inspect all of the springs for cracks. I would think that if there were cracks, they would be able to be seen.

Accordion · 08-09-2011, 10:12 PM

Here's a view of that third air tank.

On the right side of that tank, as you're looking at it is, what I think might be another pressure relief valve. There must be a way to drain that tank, but I forgot to look.

Accordion · 08-09-2011, 10:14 PM

Passenger side rear wheel. It looks pretty clean. I bet those shocks are original.

Accordion · 08-09-2011, 10:18 PM

The rear end. I did tighten up those bolts after taking this photo.

A close up of the rear end with numbers on the top. I wonder if those numbers are just a part number or if they have some other significance.

A view of the back of the rear end. WHAT, no drain plug? There is a small plug on top. I guess I have to suck out the rear end fluid and then pump some new rear end fluid back in. How do I know how much to put in? What kind (weight) should I use ?
After looking closely, I discovered a fill hole on the front of the rear end. Yes that is a mud dauber nest on the back. I cleaned it off.

Accordion · 08-09-2011, 10:24 PM

Rear passenger side brake cannisters. The rubber hoses to all the brake cannisters look like they have been replaced not too long ago.

It doesn't look like there is anything I can adjust on those things. I am certainly NOT going to take them apart. I later learned how to adjust the brakes.

These are connected to the rear brake cannisters. Are they pressure relief valves, or are the pressure relief valves connected to the air tanks?

Accordion · 08-09-2011, 10:27 PM

Driver's side rear brake cannisters.

Accordion · 08-09-2011, 10:32 PM

One side of the holding tank. It is 75 gallons. I only have one holding tank. It is under the rear of the bus. In the winter, I put heat tape around the tank and insulate it so that I don't end up with turdsicles. It was held up by that plumbing strap. A friend fabricated some straps out of thick aluminum, and bolted them to the frame.

Here's the other side of the holding tank. It is cool how my friend bent this strap to fit.

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