Is this bus suitable for freeway travel?

[marcuskellum]

Hi guys!

I have been stalking this bus for a while. It is not cheap, but it has been advertised for 6 plus months.

Anyway, I want a bus that is suitable for freeway travel. The bus is a Blue Bird 1996 TC2000 FE.

I am attaching a pic of the build plate. Is this bus suitable for freeway speeds? The bus ticks most of my boxes, but I cannot crawl down the freeway at 55mph.
For some reason, transmissions and gear ratios have always been mysterious to me.

Thanks!

[PatrickBaptist]

Originally Posted by marcuskellum

Hi guys!

I have been stalking this bus for a while. It is not cheap, but it has been advertised for 6 plus months.

Anyway, I want a bus that is suitable for freeway travel. The bus is a Blue Bird 1996 TC2000 FE.

I am attaching a pic of the build plate. Is this bus suitable for freeway speeds? The bus ticks most of my boxes, but I cannot crawl down the freeway at 55mph.
For some reason, transmissions and gear ratios have always been mysterious to me.

Thanks!

Mine is governed at 55 with a 6.18 rear gear. It's not fun but I'm going to remove the speed limiter.
But 6k for a 1996 bus is quite a bit high. I gave 4 for my 2004 with 89k miles on it....

[Kubla]

What size tires are on it, 10R22.5 tires will get you 65 MPH at 2600 rpm if the transmission is an AT545

[Brad_SwiftFur]

I was thinking the same thing. 4.44 gears and a 1:1 top gear (AT545, MT645(?), or most manuals) and 10R22.5 or "Lo-Pro" 22.5 tires (virtually the same height) will net you around 65 at 2600 RPM.


Mine has 5.38 gears, 10R22.5 rubber and manual trans (1:1 top gear) and I get 55 top speed. I do have a gear swap planned.

[Native]

We have 5.57:1 gears in the differential and an AT2000 with a 0.71:1 overdrive and can hold 65 at 2250 pretty easily. Tires are 10R22.5.

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by Kubla

What size tires are on it, 10R22.5 tires will get you 65 MPH at 2600 rpm if the transmission is an AT545

I'll bet its good for 60. My ward with 4.44 rear, 643, and DT466 was only good for 60-62.
A 5.9 and 545 in a fullsize bus is not going to be a highway machine.

[cadillackid]

Originally Posted by Brad_SwiftFur

I was thinking the same thing. 4.44 gears and a 1:1 top gear (AT545, MT645(?), or most manuals) and 10R22.5 or "Lo-Pro" 22.5 tires (virtually the same height) will net you around 65 at 2600 RPM.


Mine has 5.38 gears, 10R22.5 rubber and manual trans (1:1 top gear) and I get 55 top speed. I do have a gear swap planned.

running at top RPM on a 444E in summer time will likely run his temp gauge off the scale unless it is lucky enough to have a full Rad on it.. my shorty always ran hot when it was up near its max RPM.. my fan would just roar constantly.. if it was in the mid 90s outside I had to slow down to 55 to get my RPMs lower and it would drop off.. my fan and coolant conversion helped.. but ultimately the new trans and lower RPMs solved that issue for good.
-Christopher

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by Brad_SwiftFur

I was thinking the same thing. 4.44 gears and a 1:1 top gear (AT545, MT645(?), or most manuals) and 10R22.5 or "Lo-Pro" 22.5 tires (virtually the same height) will net you around 65 at 2600 RPM.


Mine has 5.38 gears, 10R22.5 rubber and manual trans (1:1 top gear) and I get 55 top speed. I do have a gear swap planned.

10r's aren't really a low profile. They're around an inch shorter than 11R's at around 40". 255/70R22.5's are low profile. They're like 36".

[brokedown]

I'm current driving a bus with cummins 5.9 + at545 + 4.78:1 rear axle and cruising speed is around 60. 4.44:1 will be good for a few more mph.