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2004 Marathon H3-45 #0835
Well, we got it home. We spent about two days doing a “:walk through” before heading for home. I have had a lot of motorhome experience, which proved to be of little advantage as we learned about all of the bus systems.
So, here are my observations thus far:
My last coach (Newmar Mountain Aire) rolled down the road exceptionally well, but there is just no comparison to the bus. In fact, during my bus search, I drove a Millenium H and two Liberty XLII’s, and this coach rides much better than any of them. Maybe it is the 365’s on the front?
The fuel stop in Wildwood was quite eventful. Prior to that, I was “born again” as I went through the toll booth on the Florida turnpike. I know the bus is no wider than my Newmar, but knowing that did not seem to help. The sign at the booth said “DO NOT STOP.” Technically, I was still moving thru the booth.
At the fuel stop, I learned that the fuel fill door is WAY further down the coach than I anticipated, requiring a restart and repositioning. And, the little switch on the dash that looks like a gas pump with a padlock has nothing to do with opening the fuel door. And, of the numerous keys that I had on the key ring, one of them actually fit the fuel door. The fuel door is under A LOT of spring tension, and had I been any closer to it while trying to fit the key, it probably would have knocked me down. I guess my reaction and language could have been funny to some people. Unfortunately, Melissa was in the driver’s seat watching me in the side mirror, so I had to listen to her laugh uncontrollably and constantly while I pumped $543 worth of diesel.
I spent so much time trying to get ready to pump fuel that the fuel desk lady left her post to come check on me! I assured her that everything was under control….that was embarassing!
The coach has an exhaust brake, which was identified and discussed during the walk through, but I couldn’t find the switch on the way home. The coach, along with my Toyota Tacoma, really picks up downhill speed. The service brakes work well. I need to find that switch.
Then, there was the barn fitment issue. We measured at least 50 times, and the lowest point was 13’4″. “Plenty of room” according to the seller. Somewhat of an embellishment, since the coach had to go up an angled apron to get into the barn. We had developed our procedure for the test fitment. Originally, we planned to do our test fitment during the daytime, but it was dark when we got home. Anyway, the plan was that I would line the coach up for the back in, and then I would stand on an extension ladder with a flashlight to observe clearance as Melissa backed in. I will not bore you with the elaborate flashlight signalling system we developed to avoid disaster. The rear wind sensors were real close during the back in…the front wind sensors cleared as well, but by less than 1/4 inch. Clearance might have been improved without the “bounce” caused by Melissa’s “running start” to get the front wheels on the apron. The running start and bounce prompted a lot of flashlight signalling. Further fitment testing will be required.
It was quite an adventure! Thanks to all on the forum for insight and advice. I am sure that I will be having a lot of questions…does anybody know how to turn on the exhaust brake?
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19 Replies
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Sounds like you are going through all the same moments of sheer terror all of us went through as newbies. Welcome to the club. And trust me, we are laughing with you because every one of us has stories.
Post your questions because the Marathon owners can walk you through just about any issues. You may actually get good advice but we never promise that.
But here is some great insight from another coach owner that has a height and driveway slope issue with fractions of an inch to spare. I think I understand your driveway slopes down away from the garage door. If that is the case you can maximize the clearance by following the procedure I use.
First, back up to the door and simultaneously raise the front of the coach and lower the rear using the level low suspension feature. Practice that in the driveway so you are absolutely certain you can do it right every time. Then with the back down and the front up, back into the garage until you are about half the length of the coach into the garage. Then lower the front.
If you have slides and want them out in the garage go back to the driving height. When you pull out of the garage, reverse the procedure.
My driveway is so steep when the bumper in the rear is about to enter the garage it is as high up as my hip, and the mirrors are so low I am just beginning to be able to see the garage floor. Until that point the mirrors are below the surface of the floor.
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Colt, look to the lower left on your dash, there should be a switch with M and a 1 & 2 on it. 1 is mild 2 is more. Then make sure its turned on with switch on console under drivers window (should be near cruise control switch). Geo. If you bought the bus you were talking about, give me a call.
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Colt,
Congratulations, another happy Marathon H owner. I did almost the same thing fueling the first time, the fuel door almost knocked my glasses off. I really like how they did the fuel fill on the H’s, any spilled fuel goes down the drain and doesn’t end up on the outside of the bus like my XLII did.
For your garage problem, dump air to get you the few inches of clearance you need.
Here’s your Jake location as George pointed out with the “M” on the switch. 1 is high, 2 is low and off is the down position. When the Jake is activated, you’ll see a small red light in the switch come on, similiar to the high idle right next to it.
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In case a previous owner has not done this, your coach, with a Jake or retarder engaged also lights the brake lights. The intent is to alert vehicles following you that you are slowing down. The reality is that feature generally serves to really irritate those behind you. Here are a couple of examples……..lets assume you pass a slower vehicle, accelerating to complete the pass. Then you let off the accelerator to get back to your cruise speed. As soon as you let off the accelerator to allow the coach to slow down to either the cruise control set speed or your desired speed it appears you have just stepped on the brake. I am sure you get upset when someone passes you and then hits the brake after they pull back in front.
Another example is on slightly rolling roads. The accelerator is applied either by you or cruise control while traveling up a slight grade, but as soon as the road levels and starts slightly downhill you or cruise control lets off the accelerator and at that point the jake or retarder engages to retain the desired speed. Of course the brake lights come on. People behind you go crazy thinking you drive with one foot on the brake and one on the gas.
The solution if you desire is to remove the relay that engages those brake lights when the retarder or jake engages. Find relay 76, confirm it is for the retarder or jake brake lights and remove it. Everything else will function normally.
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Hey Jon, is that on all Prevost or just certain models.
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I believe the brake light relay that engages on application of the jake or retarder is on all later model coaches. I don’t remember it on my 87, but it is (was) on my 97 and current coach.
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JON: I MAY have avoided an accident recently had the emergency flashers been activated immediately (automatically) upon selecting position 6 (maximum) on the trans retarder. Haven’t checked a wiring diagram yet, but do you know if a separate wire exists for position 6 for me to install a relay to operate hazards or is the retarder wiring can-bus or something similar.
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Thanks for the heads up on the exhaust brake switch. The relay had been removed as Jon suggested.
We talked about the switch with an “M” on it while I was trying to figure out how to activate the exhaust brake. I was afraid to push the switch, because I had no idea what it controlled, and I did not want to find out while rolling down the Turnpike.
Thanks to George and Tom, I am now “in the know.”
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Joel, I cannot answer your question. I am not sure the signal from the retarder to the relay and hence to the brake lights is position specific. I do know on mine, both coaches, whether I had the first or last retarder position selected the relay would engage the brake lights. I am not aware of the sixth position creating a different signal than any of the other positions and that is what you need.
As an alternative have you considered a switch sensitive to acceleration being used to create a signal to a set of stobe type lights so any hard deceleration would close the circuit, retarder or hard braking, and set off a time delay relay to activate really bright flashing lights for a short time like 5 seconds?
The lights need to be on the toad or trailer to be most effective.
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I can’t believe I’ve stumped you!
I have already (since the accident) installed a strobe in the CHMSL on the coach and changed both trailer t/s lamps to strobe. Eventually, I’ll probably install 2 addl high t/s lamps on trailer as well as a CHMSL.
Whenever decelerating quickly, I try to go for the flashers but if the incident unfolds unexpectedly, as it did, my automatic reaction is brakes and position 6 on retarder…see what I’m trying to do?
When I get a chance, I’ll check the wiring diagram.
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Joel, doesn’t your retarder automatically apply whenever you press the brake pedal while the retarder switch is set to active? I thought that was the Allison default. Mine works that way and all the others I’ve seen do too. With that feature active there is no need to pull the retarder lever to get maximum brake performance in a panic stop situation. I rarely turn off the retarder switch on the dash so that feature is always active.
Jon’s idea of an inertia switch to activate the flashers is a good one. I’ve noticed transit buses that seem to have that feature so parts may be readily available.
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If I was concerned about tailgaters and wanted their attention I would go for the switch that senses deceleration. I would use a time delay relay so that once the sudden stoppiing is detected, a time delay relay would allow the strobes to continue flashing for a number of seconds.
As to morons who like to tailgate we will never stop them, or likely discourage them even with annoyingly bright strobes on the back. My defense so far has been to maintain a lot of distance between me and the guy in front, so even if he slams on his brakes I can bring mine to a stop with less agressive force. I get rid of tailgaters using a trick I learned from an old trucker. He turns on his RH turn signal and lifts from the gas slightly until the tailgater changes lanes to go around him. It works so when I see someone doing that in my monitor I just use that technique.
One thing to be aware of……with cell phones and texting you can set of a nuclear device on your rear bumper and it still will not get the attention of some folks who text or talk.
1999 XLV X-6872, liberty #440 -
I, too, also leave dash switch on at all times but I don’t like the retarder working everytime I release the gas (go, diesel, throttle???) pedal so the lever is usually in the off position.
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Joel, that’s exactly what I do. My point was that in a panic stop situation I don’t need to take my hands from the wheel to pull the retarder control lever because the retarder employs automatically along with the service brakes whenever I step on the brake pedal. As you say, with the retarder lever in “off” I will coast when I lift from the throttle and I can then apply retarder braking with the lever as desired. My “Retarder Applied” light comes on whenever I step on the brake in this configuration even if the lever is set at “off.” I believe it comes on in the highest retarder setting, but I don’t know how to test that.
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I believe the retarder comes on in low automatically when you depress the brake with the retarder switch on unless a higher position is selected on the lever ON MY COACH. This is what I recall from the manual but I also recall that the action of the retarder is programmable through the DDEC system.
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