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02-15-2020, 12:44 PM
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#1
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: Way Out West
Posts: 41
Year: 1990
Coachwork: Century
Chassis: C5500, Bus not a School Bus
Engine: 3116 9YN, CAT, 250HP
Rated Cap: 30k
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3116 Telma Retarder Install
i picked up a Telma AC51 retarder unit to install in the C5500 CAT 3116/AT545 (hope to be MT643 soon) chassis bus I have. With the hydraulic brakes and the model year of the 3116 that does not have the valve springs which can hold up to an exhaust brake I needed more on hills.
The unit I bought is a AC51 which has the spicer yokes and this one came out of a 2005 C6500 DOD surplus truck. On the max setting it is rated for 900 ft/lbs of brake force which should be enough to slow down when I am hauling a big trailer on the hills.
I have the documents from Telma as they were nice enough to send them over but what I am missing is 1st hand experience from a DIY on installing one. Is there anything to really look out for? I have a great driveline shop in Portland who can get the rear shaft shortened up.
Thanks
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03-17-2020, 02:00 PM
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#2
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: Way Out West
Posts: 41
Year: 1990
Coachwork: Century
Chassis: C5500, Bus not a School Bus
Engine: 3116 9YN, CAT, 250HP
Rated Cap: 30k
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With the MT643 trans swap almost completed I will get going on this install since no one appears to have done one.
The unit I have came out of the newer chassis C5500/C6500 bit it looks like most of the drivetrain basics are the same.
Telma was awesome and gave me the installation sheet for the unit which I have dropped in my shareable google drive for anyone to download.
I was supposed to head to the races but with everything being cancelled I will have time to get this installed in the next few weeks.
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03-17-2020, 07:00 PM
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#3
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Virginia
Posts: 2,393
Year: 1971
Coachwork: Wayne
Chassis: International Loadstar 1600
Engine: 6v-53n detroit
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A Telma is on my wish list for my bus, so will be interested your installation.
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03-19-2020, 02:38 AM
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#4
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 3,860
Year: 2002
Coachwork: Thomas Built Bus
Chassis: Freightliner FS65
Engine: Caterpillar 3126E Diesel
Rated Cap: 71 Passenger- 30,000 lbs.
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Are you going to post your retarder install here, or in your transmission swap thread?
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03-19-2020, 05:07 PM
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#5
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: Way Out West
Posts: 41
Year: 1990
Coachwork: Century
Chassis: C5500, Bus not a School Bus
Engine: 3116 9YN, CAT, 250HP
Rated Cap: 30k
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I will be posting it in this thread.
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03-26-2020, 06:37 PM
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#6
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: Way Out West
Posts: 41
Year: 1990
Coachwork: Century
Chassis: C5500, Bus not a School Bus
Engine: 3116 9YN, CAT, 250HP
Rated Cap: 30k
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Here is the Telma unit and all of the parts I recieved. Based on what I have and the manuals it is everything.
The fun part will be what to do with the ABS connections as my GMC is a 1991 model which has all of none of the ABS.
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04-12-2020, 11:46 PM
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#7
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Whidbey Island, WA.
Posts: 1,109
Year: 1984
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: All American
Engine: 3208 na boat anchor
Rated Cap: 2
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I thought Telma's needed an external resistor. Looking at the video I see they do the braking conversion to heat in the unit's rotor. That's cool (or hot -- muy calor!)
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06-18-2020, 02:47 PM
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#8
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: Way Out West
Posts: 41
Year: 1990
Coachwork: Century
Chassis: C5500, Bus not a School Bus
Engine: 3116 9YN, CAT, 250HP
Rated Cap: 30k
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I hit a bit of a snag with the pre-installation work. The model of truck I got the Telma from had ABS and the installation truck a 1991 which does not. I am waiting for an email back from Telma on what I do with the extra wiring.
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08-31-2020, 11:53 PM
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#9
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Apr 2020
Location: Northern California (Sacramento)
Posts: 1,553
Year: 1999
Coachwork: El Dorado Fiberglass
Chassis: Ford E450
Engine: V10 Gas
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DtotheAmbrose
i picked up a Telma AC51 retarder unit to install in the C5500 CAT 3116/AT545 (hope to be MT643 soon) chassis bus I have. With the hydraulic brakes and the model year of the 3116 that does not have the valve springs which can hold up to an exhaust brake I needed more on hills.
The unit I bought is a AC51 which has the spicer yokes and this one came out of a 2005 C6500 DOD surplus truck. On the max setting it is rated for 900 ft/lbs of brake force which should be enough to slow down when I am hauling a big trailer on the hills.
I have the documents from Telma as they were nice enough to send them over but what I am missing is 1st hand experience from a DIY on installing one. Is there anything to really look out for? I have a great driveline shop in Portland who can get the rear shaft shortened up.
Thanks
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You are wicked brave to take this on, my friend! I agree with the benefits of a Telma and am lucky one came with my rig.
If it will help you, I can take pictures of the setup underneath my bus. Really, really intimidating, big, massive components of unknown purpose. Wires, big wires, running all around.
I'd like to hijack this thread just a bit. I got the bus this spring and still have not used the retarder-don't actually know how. I have all the online manuals but there doesn't seem to be much to using it-just a switch for it on the dash, I think a high-low with four LED lights.
I'm guessing they light up depending on how hard you hit the brakes on a downhill?
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10-14-2020, 08:53 PM
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#10
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: Way Out West
Posts: 41
Year: 1990
Coachwork: Century
Chassis: C5500, Bus not a School Bus
Engine: 3116 9YN, CAT, 250HP
Rated Cap: 30k
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rucker
You are wicked brave to take this on, my friend! I agree with the benefits of a Telma and am lucky one came with my rig.
If it will help you, I can take pictures of the setup underneath my bus. Really, really intimidating, big, massive components of unknown purpose. Wires, big wires, running all around.
I'd like to hijack this thread just a bit. I got the bus this spring and still have not used the retarder-don't actually know how. I have all the online manuals but there doesn't seem to be much to using it-just a switch for it on the dash, I think a high-low with four LED lights.
I'm guessing they light up depending on how hard you hit the brakes on a downhill?
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Pictures would be cool if you have time.
The 4 lights are the level of brake force being applied to the driveline. I want to say the maximum is something 920ft/lbs. It it based on the brake pedal position if I remember the manual correctly.
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08-29-2023, 01:32 PM
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#11
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Apr 2020
Location: Northern California (Sacramento)
Posts: 1,553
Year: 1999
Coachwork: El Dorado Fiberglass
Chassis: Ford E450
Engine: V10 Gas
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Would pictures still be of value? I realize I missed replying to your post.
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08-29-2023, 08:31 PM
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#12
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: Way Out West
Posts: 41
Year: 1990
Coachwork: Century
Chassis: C5500, Bus not a School Bus
Engine: 3116 9YN, CAT, 250HP
Rated Cap: 30k
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All good now
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