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Lack of Black ???
After realizing my dream pit was not going to happen any time soon, and tired of only limited access when lubing, I constructed several plank (2X12’s & 8X12’s) style ramps as well as 8″ X 12″ frame supports and now have the coach 21″ off the concrete in my barn.
So as you can imagine I am on my shiny new low profile creeper and for the first time rolling all over looking and checking everything I can. This includes rebuilding the air drier, replacing drain cocks, fabricating one Cruisair blower deflector (misteriously missing), checking air bags, checking generator exhaust route and clamps, supports. Webasto exhaust.
Anyway getting back to my original question. We have only owned one Prevost and it is a Liberty, I know several of you have owned many Prevost and of many vintages. Did any of them have the axles and undercarriage parts painted ? Our axles and other suspension components are what looks like bare metal. I would have thought as expensive as these coaches are, the undercarriage would be painted or undercoated. And the newer coaches maybe even powder coated. The underbelly or body is insulated and looks like undercoated, but not the suspension parts.
Maybe I am missing something but having several streetrods where the undercarriage is as shiny as the bodies, it just seems that these coaches should also look as nice under the skirt.
I have to admit the rust is very light, but it is still rust. Now that I have good access I plan to clean treat and paint all of these components.
Just wondered if they all look like this.
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15 Replies
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I have tried to keep ahead of rust on the belly of my buses. The first one ran through the roads of the rust belt during the winter and I couldn’t keep up. It was so bad I had to even replace fittings and fasteners because of rust. The rust would come off the differential in chunks.
But the last two coaches have been a different story. They are far from rust free, but their overall condition is considerably better than the first. I use a rust converter on any surface rust such as suspension parts or differential. Then I spray with a good quality black paint. I do the same with brake parts, and anything else in the engine area.
It’s hard to see, but differential has been wire brushed and will get the conversion coat followed by a heavy black paint. The caliper got painted using the same paint as the engine because I have a gallon of it. But the process is never ending. Every time I am under the coach if I see something in need of paint, I try to touch it up. I am not worried about appearance because one trip through rain pretty much makes everything ugly, as can be seen by the accumulated dirt and crud on some of the frame members.
I have a sandblaster but I use it sparingly because driving that grit into places that can be damaged by it is not worth the risk If I get a rusty part disassembled and I can clean the grit from the parts then I will use it.
If Kevin is reading this he is the standard by which every coach underside needs to be measured. I suspect nobody, including Prevost can make a coach look as good as he has made his. Maybe he can post a photo.
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Thanks Jon, I feel better now. It sounds like the condition of ours is much better than I thought. By your description it sounds like your later coaches.
I am with you on the sand blasting, I don’t mind a little elbow grease on a wire brush, had good luck with a needle descaler also. I am leary about pressure washing for the same reasons. Usually use Purple degreaser and water hose.
It is amazing just what you can find when you are able to actually sit up under the coach. You must grin every time you use your pit. So far an oil line leak, transmission filter leak, power steering line leak. All leaks were just a matter of tightening some loose fittings, and the transmission filter was loose. The previous owner never touched the coach, always had the work done.
The 8V92 is dry as a bone. And all the time I thought the drips on the floor were from the engine, always heard they marked their spot like a Harley. Should have known better, my Harley does not leak either.
Pretty damn happy with the rig right now !!
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Here’s mine Robert
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That is what I expected to see under ours, and will see in the near future!!!!
Was it like that or did Tom or yourself do some painting ? Looks good.
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It was like that I just keep it that way . Maybe Tom will chime in if he did anything? Most Royale’s are gold plated under there aren’t Libertys that way!!!
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It was gold plated, but when Peter got it, he chipped off the gold and replaced with black paint…
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Wish I knew what I was looking at and how it relates to the original topic.
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That is part of the frame work ahead of the drive axle below the two norgrens valves!!!
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As far as rust the areas I have seen as most prone to rust on my XL coaches has been the differential being the worst by far. However, on the last two coaches I got ahead of the rust before it turned into a heavily flaking mess and I have seemed to hold it off. I did clean the surface rust, apply a conversion coat and then a good quality paint.
The second most rust prone components are related to the suspension such as drag links and sway bars. A little brushing or sanding and fresh paint seems to take care of that. I suspect they are purchased parts and do not get the quality of the finish I see on the Prevost structural parts such as what Peter showed in his post above.
The various steel pipe, hose, and coolant line fittings are also highly susceptible to rust. They start out with a zinc plating but it is of poor quality. I end up wire brushing them and painting them with a zinc or aluminum rich paint. There are minor issues with fasteners such as screws, but if they get bad, whenever I have to remove them to service something I just replace them, with stainless if I have some the right size.
The brake calipers and the solid front axle are on the list also.
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OK, so we are looking to receive some guidance on underbelly maintenance levels. So if he is out there I think California Kevin Erion should log on and post some of his underbelly pictures from the OKC Rally. No not Kevins belly, his coach underbelly! If we had a means of attaching food for eating to any part of his chassis we could have eaten off it. He spent quite a bit of overnight time “polishing” every piece beneath his coach. Incredible job!
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Thanks Will, there is no secret to what it takes, lots of time and lots of elbo grease! I don’t have any pictures but some time later and some 30 to 40 thousand miles and it’s still looking good. Once done the smallest leak is found with no problem and keeping up on it is also not so bad.
Kevin
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Kevin,
What year and conversion is yours ?
Thanks,
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What Kevin probably isn’t saying is that he never drives when the roads are dusty or wet. If my coach’s belly looked like his I wouldn’t either.
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Jon, living in California has it’s benifits, I get to drive 365 days a year with sunshine, no rain and clean roads!
165,000 miles, never in the rain 01 Marathon XLII non slide with 2 bunk beds.
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I wish I could do that. Drive only when it is sunny and the roads are dry.
Then I would hire a maid to go down in the pit once a week and dust the belly of the coach. Maybe add a little polish to the slack adjusters, and possibly shine my copper plumbing.
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