Disapointed.....

[Templarrrr]

Hello to all of you guy's.
I am new here because i am looking for a skool bus to convert.
Yesterday i went to a bluebird garage near my place to try a nice town bus.
This bus is not a skooll bus. It is a city bus. Very small in length , rear engine flat nose.
We went to a ride and the bus ran perfectely. Wow ! Nice retarder also on the tranny. This bus is a 2009 with a cummins . But what a desappointment whent we go n the hiway.......the bus was valsing from left to right at speed. The seller told me that this a normal situation with a small bus empty of charge. We went to 65 mph and i can tell you that i was not reassured. Is it normal? Is there someting i can install ...like a cylinder on the stering rod that will correct the problem ? Or the bus will always be like that beacause of it conception and length.
The seller ask 10,000$ for this bus .very clean and sweet bus.
Thanks to read
Alain

 

[Docsgsxr]

But what a desappointment whent we go n the hiway.......the bus was valsing from left to right at speed.

What is valsing? I am not sure I understand this "motion".


Is there someting i can install ...like a cylinder on the stering rod that will correct the problem?

Need to know what is specifically wrong before we can advise on how to fix or improve your situation.

Welcome to the gang!
-Doc

 

[Templarrrr]

I mean by valsing that the bus is not going strait steady on the road. I had to correct all the time. It is a 10 windows long bus. I dont know what kind of length it is. Of course the bus is short but i dont know if it is normal .
Thanks

 

[Docsgsxr]

There could be multiple things affecting the ability for a smooth driving experience with the bus;

1 - Wind direction and speed.
2 - Physical road condition and wear on it.
3 - Worn tires.
4 - Worn steering components.
5 - Tires out of balance.
6 - Driver experience.

(The last one is not an insult, many people don't realize the difference between big and small vehicle operation.)

If you don't trust the vehicle, I say don't buy it in the condition it's in. Make them repair it or pass on it.....

 

[Templarrrr]

The win was calm....nice pavement ...65 mph..tires nice...i work as a diesel mechanic for 32 years for the Montreal city busses. No experiences at all on smaller than 40 feets busses. I was so surprice...i was amase how the bus was not stable . I would like to have a bus that i can run at 70 mph at least ! Dont want to fight with the stering all the time. I just wish to know if thoses busses are like that even whent they were new.
Thanks

 

[jake_blue-SKO]

Sounds like misalignment or just plain worn out front end components. In my experience, if it felt tight enough in the steering wheel but randomly wanted to change direction and you had to steer away to correct it then probably misalignment. If it just felt like there's a lot of slop in the steering wheel and you had to turn more than 30 degrees before the tires changed direction then probably worn out steering joints.

You city it's a short city bus, is it a cutaway, look like a transit bus body but on a Ford or Dodge truck/van frame?

 

[aaronsb]

worn kingpins
worn draglink/pitman arm
front toe in wrong (too much, too little)
excessive steering box lash


those are all things that could contribute to a vehicle that must constantly be corrected on highway driving. It's possible that the vehicle is set up for city driving and is more maneuverable with toe-in nearly straight instead of inwards.

The win was calm....nice pavement ...65 mph..tires nice...i work as a diesel mechanic for 32 years for the Montreal city busses. No experiences at all on smaller than 40 feets busses. I was so surprice...i was amase how the bus was not stable . I would like to have a bus that i can run at 70 mph at least ! Dont want to fight with the stering all the time. I just wish to know if thoses busses are like that even whent they were new.
Thanks

 

[CaptSquid]

I think what the OP meant when he said "valsing was waltzing. I agree with aaronsb about the steering problems. It could also mean faulty shocks or steering damper. Remember, city buses are NOT meant for highway use.

Alan, you can find a better buy if you contact midwesttransit.com. These people deal in school buses in the Midwest. We have no idea what's available near you until you tell us where you ARE.

 

[jake_blue-SKO]

Aaronsb knows what he is talking about! I just lump it all together as the steering system

 

[cadillackid]

its definitely not normal for a short bus.. I just drove a short school bus 400 miles and it was steady as could be at 65 MPH..

one thing I will say is that you may be over-driving it.. sitting in front of the steer wheels is a very different feeling and its ver yeasy to get the bus swaying because you are steering in reaction to your perception of where your BODY is and not where the BUS is.. trey correcting a little less and a little less often wit hthe steering wheel and you may find you steady that bus right up.. also the steering on most busses is recirculating ball.. its not rack and pinion like your modern car is.. so you often have to FEEL the wheel against the steering components as opposed to assuming its as quick and tight as your car..
and it may be that things are just worn.. you can test steering system play by hopping in with the bus turned off anbd turning the wheel back and forth until you feel some resiastance each way.. this is your play.. if its huge it will be harder to drive the bus..

-Christopher

 

[Templarrrr]

I think i will return to try the bus again on the road. The bus is very nice and not to expensive. I am planning to full time rving on this bus in the near future. I dont want to fight the stering all the way . I also think that i will try to find a buss driver who ran this bus beafore. Should be easy to find. A driver will tell me if the buss get worse and worse with time.

 

[Robin97396]

The driver is probably going to tell you how much they like driving their new bus.

 

[cadillackid]

The driver is probably going to tell you how much they like driving their new bus.

true that.. mist school bus drivers hate the old busses.. but they dont have to deal with any of the maintenance issues of the new busses.. iftheir new bus dies they just radio fleet and get it fixed...

but the new bus probably has 6 speed allison 2500, air suspanesion ,air seat.. maybe even air-conditioning.. that driver will say their new bus is 1000X better

-Christopher

 

[Templarrrr]

Yes,specialy with theirs brand new hybrid nova 40 feets.
Noting to compare.

 

[tincaneasybakeoven]

air ride suspension at all 4 corners gives the impression of riding the stay puffed marshmallow man to someone not experienced in the endevour.