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Old 02-26-2019, 11:14 AM   #1
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May have found my bus...but it has a rear end vibration

Hi all, I may have found the perfect bus for me, however there's one issue that the owner mentioned which has me a little concerned: rear end vibration at highway speeds. He didn't think that it was too pronounced, but it seems like there are many possible culprits. The bus hasn't really been driven in about 2 years, stored on a flat lot. It's a couple hours away from me so I won't really get a chance to inspect it anytime soon, but I was curious if there are any real common fixes for this type of problem.

FWIW, it's an early 2000s IC bus.

Thanks!

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Old 02-26-2019, 12:58 PM   #2
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sitting in one place on a hard surface can flatten bearings - not a huge expense to fix
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Old 02-26-2019, 01:07 PM   #3
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sitting in one place on a hard surface can flatten bearings - not a huge expense to fix
Flatten which bearings? Wheel bearings?
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Old 02-26-2019, 01:56 PM   #4
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Flatten which bearings? Wheel bearings?
I bought a rear end out of a motor home, almost zero miles on it, that had sat on the manufacturer's lot for several years - ALL the bearings had a flat spot and had to be replaced - I wound up with a brand new rear end for my old truck to replace the one that had seized for a lot less money than I had expected it to cost - it likely cost the motor home owner a lot more to exchange his new rear end at the wreckers than it cost me to buy his and replace the bearings
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Old 02-26-2019, 02:04 PM   #5
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Check the tires for flat spots. Sitting that long they might have made them out of round which is where you'll get your vibration. Also check that the u-joints are free/greased. Those seizing up from sitting will cause a vibration as well.
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Old 02-26-2019, 02:21 PM   #6
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I've never experienced "flattened" bearings ... at least not from sitting. Much more likely is tires or driveshaft/u-joints. Also, if it's an air-ride, a "flat" suspension would do it too. Check the springs/air bags and suspension for ride height, alignment, or uneven ride height (from side to side, such as if it has a broken spring).


I had a road tractor develop a intermittent, and rather severe vibration with a brand new set of tires. *NOT* recaps, either! We never investigated it, but I suspect one tire was either very much out of balance, or out of round.
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Old 02-26-2019, 02:52 PM   #7
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I've never experienced "flattened" bearings ... at least not from sitting. Much more likely is tires or driveshaft/u-joints. Also, if it's an air-ride, a "flat" suspension would do it too. Check the springs/air bags and suspension for ride height, alignment, or uneven ride height (from side to side, such as if it has a broken spring).


I had a road tractor develop a intermittent, and rather severe vibration with a brand new set of tires. *NOT* recaps, either! We never investigated it, but I suspect one tire was either very much out of balance, or out of round.
I've had new tires that caused a vibration and not from balance, ( maybe from being out of round? ) - a new rim that did the same thing, universal joints, steady bearings that would rattle your teeth, and I bought an almost new rear end that had flattened bearings from sitting in one place for a few years
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Old 02-26-2019, 04:08 PM   #8
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Flat bearings, that the most outrageous thing I've heard in awhile. In my 65 years I've never heard of that being an issue and am trying to figure out exactly can go flat. Is it the bearing race in a circle recess, where can it go flat? Is it the ID where a shaft holes it's shape? What exactly went flat. Without documentation, it didn't happen.
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Old 02-26-2019, 04:27 PM   #9
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Flat bearings, that the most outrageous thing I've heard in awhile. In my 65 years I've never heard of that being an issue and am trying to figure out exactly can go flat. Is it the bearing race in a circle recess, where can it go flat? Is it the ID where a shaft holes it's shape? What exactly went flat. Without documentation, it didn't happen.
flat enough that you could feel it catch when you spun the bearings with your finger - the old German guy that sold nothing but bearings in his store in Bend Oregon said it wasn't all that uncommon in motor homes - going into his store was an eye opener itself - he had 2 or 3 young guys running for the bearings as he read the part numbers and said what they were out of - 6 or 8 people in his store watching in awe of this guy - one man came in with a bearing that had no numbers on it - the old guy picked it up, twirled it in his fingers and said, that looks like a, then spieled out a bunch of numbers - sure enough, that's exactly what the bearing was - it was like watching a circus side show to see that man - there are experts, then there was that guy - I'm pretty sure some of his customers just came to watch him perform - I don't know if his shop would still be there - this all took place over 30 years ago - I'm sure many long time Bend Oregon residents would remember him
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Old 02-26-2019, 04:33 PM   #10
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flat enough that you could feel it catch when you spun the bearings with your finger - the old German guy that sold nothing but bearings in his store in Bend Oregon said it wasn't all that uncommon in motor homes - going into his store was an eye opener itself - he had 2 or 3 young guys running for the bearings as he read the part numbers and said what they were out of - 6 or 8 people in his store watching in awe of this guy - one man came in with a bearing that had no numbers on it - the old guy picked it up, twirled it in his fingers and said, that looks like a, then spieled out a bunch of numbers - sure enough, that's exactly what the bearing was - it was like watching a circus side show to see that man - there are experts, then there was that guy - I'm pretty sure some of his customers just came to watch him perform - I don't know if his shop would still be there - this all took place over 30 years ago - I'm sure many long time Bend Oregon residents would remember him
Still not buying it. Was there a bearing issue, possibly. Was it from sitting and bearing goes flat. You'll need more than one story from long ago to prove it to me. The physics is just not there to substantiate that claim.
I once knew a woman who didn't whine, bitch, or moan. But it was just one woman on one day and it was long ago.
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Old 02-26-2019, 04:46 PM   #11
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Never heard of the flat bearing issue either?
Could have been wore out when parked but never heard of a flat bearing?
Probably the tire's air pressure wasnt maintained and the rubber tire has a flat spot thaat can work itself out but safety first says to check the date codes and condition of the tires to see if they are even worth running the most of get to ex flat screen or so to before inspection in a any state. A rear tire blows you can still handle the bus a front tire blows you better have a hold on the steering wheel cause it's either going into the shoulder or the other lane and braking will only slow you down its not gonna help you steer.
This is probably LOST on some?
But I wish every vehicle had split break systems like on tractors and heavy equipment..
Dream list for my bus anyway?
We can dream anyway?
Flat bearings is a mechanics trick for more money or someone that doesn't know what they are talking about?
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Old 02-26-2019, 05:08 PM   #12
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Still not buying it. Was there a bearing issue, possibly. Was it from sitting and bearing goes flat. You'll need more than one story from long ago to prove it to me. The physics is just not there to substantiate that claim.
I once knew a woman who didn't whine, bitch, or moan. But it was just one woman on one day and it was long ago.
the auto wrecker where I bought the rear end from warned me of the bearing issue - the mechanic that did the work for me said the same thing, flattened bearings, then the amazing guy in the bearing shop said he'd seen it happen before, and I felt the catchy spot on the bearings myself - like some experts I've read or talked to on other subjects, just because they haven't seen it happen themself, doesn't mean it doesn't or didn't happen
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Old 02-26-2019, 05:17 PM   #13
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the auto wrecker where I bought the rear end from warned me of the bearing issue - the mechanic that did the work for me said the same thing, flattened bearings, then the amazing guy in the bearing shop said he'd seen it happen before, and I felt the catchy spot on the bearings myself - like some experts I've read or talked to on other subjects, just because they haven't seen it happen themself, doesn't mean it doesn't or didn't happen
True, but if I don't believe it and I don't have direct experience I do a search. I looked today, nothing.
Could the bearing have been bad, gone bad from use? More likely than going bad sitting motionless. The guy saw you coming, wheels and tires were causing the noise and he sold you a big bill not needed.
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Old 02-26-2019, 05:27 PM   #14
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True, but if I don't believe it and I don't have direct experience I do a search. I looked today, nothing.
Could the bearing have been bad, gone bad from use? More likely than going bad sitting motionless. The guy saw you coming, wheels and tires were causing the noise and he sold you a big bill not needed.
ALL the bearings had to be replaced - no one sold me a bill of goods, least of all the wrecking yard - maybe the guy with the new motor home ( 1600 Miles +/- from Chicago to Bend Oregon? ) could have been better served, but maybe he was looking for a quick fix so he could continue his journey and the wrecking yard was able to help him out, I don't know about that - the bearings, I do, been there, done that, learned something new - doesn't hurt any of us to learn something new
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Old 02-26-2019, 05:42 PM   #15
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I've never seen flattened bearings. I've seen brinneling in a bearing which was caused by vibration and lack of movement, but never any damage simply from sitting loaded. I've also seen rust damage on the bottom of a bearing caused by water and sitting. Maybe that's what happened?
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Old 02-26-2019, 05:53 PM   #16
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I've never seen flattened bearings. I've seen brinneling in a bearing which was caused by vibration and lack of movement, but never any damage simply from sitting loaded. I've also seen rust damage on the bottom of a bearing caused by water and sitting. Maybe that's what happened?
possibly
- I saw no sign of rust myself,and no one mentioned rust - my buddy that was with me at the time and he was a well experienced mechanic himself, the old man that took us under his wing, let us use his 5th wheel to stay in while we spent those unplanned days in Bend was a pretty handy guy around vehicles, the mechanic that did the work, and the bearing expert didn't mention rust either - all agreed it was damaged from sitting still for so long - you could be right, but the rear end was out of virtually a brand new motor home and there wasn't enough rust on the bearings for anyone to notice -
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Old 02-26-2019, 06:47 PM   #17
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I've never seen flattened bearings. I've seen brinneling in a bearing which was caused by vibration and lack of movement, but never any damage simply from sitting loaded. I've also seen rust damage on the bottom of a bearing caused by water and sitting. Maybe that's what happened?
Can't say I've heard of flattened bearings. Maybe "flatten" means something other than what it sounds like?
Maybe I've gotten lucky but at least half the vehicles I've owned have sat for a long time at some point and I've never flattened a bearing.
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Old 02-26-2019, 06:50 PM   #18
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Can't say I've heard of flattened bearings. Maybe "flatten" means something other than what it sounds like?
Maybe I've gotten lucky but at least half the vehicles I've owned have sat for a long time at some point and I've never flattened a bearing.
always seems to be something new, doesn't it?
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Old 02-26-2019, 07:00 PM   #19
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always seems to be something new, doesn't it?
truth is I've never had a flattened bearing on one of my elderly rigs either, but then I never had a brand new heavy vehicle sit on possibly less than properly lubricated bearings for 2 years, possibly more, like the motor home had done - perhaps it sat with no or little lubricant and the ball bearings developed a small dent on one spot - all speculation for me, but some of the people that were there at the time knew as much or more about bearings as anyone and I'm familiar enough with bearings - I saw nothing that would disagree with what I was being told - we replaced the bearings and the vibration was gone
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Old 02-26-2019, 07:34 PM   #20
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truth is I've never had a flattened bearing on one of my elderly rigs either, but then I never had a brand new heavy vehicle sit on possibly less than properly lubricated bearings for 2 years, possibly more, like the motor home had done - perhaps it sat with no or little lubricant and the ball bearings developed a small dent on one spot - all speculation for me, but some of the people that were there at the time knew as much or more about bearings as anyone and I'm familiar enough with bearings - I saw nothing that would disagree with what I was being told - we replaced the bearings and the vibration was gone
What does lubrication on a stationary bearing do? I'm not saying you didn't need bearings replaced. I'm just saying the excuse they used of it sitting too long was just ludicrous. Do an internet search and see if you can find any other story to verify this. If you think about and use common sense when picturing it, it just don't make sense.
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