[Bob]

Diane would share that info with me also ?

[Bob]

My comment above was poorly written.

It may have appreared that I was disparaging the work that was completed on my bus in June. That could not be further from my intention. Jeff and his guys replaced the airbags, brake chambers and norgrens and did great job and at a price point I could afford. I understood then that this was not a fix for all my air problems but it certainly gets me a lot closer. This whole thing has been a process and the process is not finished yet. As I was driving cross country a few weeks ago I felt much better than usual knowing those major components had been replaced as well as the air dryer and compressor.

I was trying to say in my previous comment that these things do take continual maintenance and that the learning curve for me has been and still is very steep. I am very glad for the progress that has been made in bringing my old bus up to snuff and I could not have brought it this far without the help on here.

I have a ways to go in understanding the rest of the system and then having time and opportunity to chase the aggravating leaks that cause it to lean. I will probably never be to the place that I can be comfortable changing the major components that have been changed. Thank God for Jeff. But it would be a joy to understand it better than I do and enough to stop the pesky leans would be a bonus.

For now I do not even have a way to get underneath it.

Davy

[Bob]

Rob …you may be thinking of the Remco Drive Shaft Disconnect…

website: http://www.remcodsc.com/driveShaft.php

Check it out.

[Bob]

Glad to hear that Prevost took care of you.

[Bob]

Had my drivers side foggy window fixed at Prehost Houston 2 years ago and this last weekend passenger side started the foggy game. After the 1200 buck fix on the drivers window this one will stay fogged or at least single paned when fixed. Can see the mirror out the front glass.

[Bob]

Will do Tom

[Bob]

Me too, I’ll get with Prevost tomorrow and post my progress.

[Bob]

It is hard to justify buying a Prevost to most folks, and even harder to suggest that after buying one that has some age on it that it makes sense to spend thousands more until you look at the big picture.

For all practical purposes if you put rwo Prevost coaches side by side, with the only difference being 10 years of age you will find apart from the new unused appearance of one, compared to the 10 years of use of the other they are nearly identical. The old chassis has all the integrity of the new one. The appearance is so much alike the average person cannot tell them apart. So the big difference is on the old chassis there is some wear and tear from use, and age has likely begun to affect components that depend on rubber to seal or function.

The unspoken difference however is the new one may have a price tag 3, 4 or 5 times that of the older one. In terms of dollars that means the buyer of an older coach has saved more than a million dollars by buying a used coach, and by spending less than 10% of that savings the entire coach can be restored to new condition as far as mechanical condition, and it can have a new interior that matches the buyer’s preferences.

We have seen new owners do what Jim has done time and time again. Some do it all at once. Some do a project a year, One owner who bought his coach new decided to redo the whole coach after having it a number of years instead of buying a new one with outstanding results. The reality is more and more buyers are going to be doing upgrades because it not only makes economic sense, but the number of coaches being converted each year is not sufficient to fill the used coach market with like new coaches to meet demand for a nearly new coach. The buyers will have to create their nearly new coach on their own.

If an owner, new or long term, intends to keep a coach for years to come it is really nice to know the small annoying problems that crop up as a coach ages can be prevented or eliminated by attacking the problems proactively. If we own a coach long enough we will start to be plagued with air loss from the systems, especially the suspension systems with their multiple air bags, valves and connections. If we intend to keep the coach there is little that can refresh a coach as completely as an interior redo. Replacing the carpet with a new floor, changing the fabrics, and maybe even replacing countertops can change the whole character of a coach.

Because few of us will ever outlive our coach it all begins to make sense. Not from an economic perspective, but in terms of how to get a virtually new coach for far less than a new one. That is something that cannot be said of a conventional motorhome because generally speaking the motorhome chassis is not going to have the longevity the Prevost chassis has.

[Bob]

Now the damn thing won’t let me load a PDF file. I’ll send it to you

[Bob]

We met them in 2010 shortly after getting our coach. Same thing then..they made us feel like family and took the time to show us around the facility. They were just moving into Featherlites old place then, and it was somewhat disorganized, but they made everything work out fine. Got some maintenance done while on our first trip that year and spent one day there.

Next time we are looking, if this isn’t our last bus that is, we will consider them. Good people.

[Bob]

Chip, as to where to get the power for your charger, you can probably plug into the switched outlet in the engine compartment that is used for your block heater. That way you can use the dash switch to turn it on and off. Since the block heater draws a lot of current, in cold weather I usually plug it directly to the pole so I can run my electric heat through the house system without overload.

[Bob]

Are the coaches supposed to be level? It is somewhat level, but you have to see the sites. Some have such steep entry and exit slopes we cannot get our coaches onto or off a site without raising the chassis on the suspension so we don’t drag the front, rear or high center it.

BTW, it is my coach and it is level front to rear, a little low on the passenger side.

[Bob]

Paint won’t adhere to rubber that moves, like tires. That Dupont 7 used car lot detailers goo will work for awhile; there is a flex agent in it but, within 90 days, the flex agent evaporates out it will comes off with a thumb over the tip of a garden hose sprayed at lo pressure. Call it the Earl Scheib look, commonly found on taxi cabs……..

[Bob]

Thanks all, I knew we would have some answers in OKC. If we can identify the problem maybe we can get a part overnighted in. Be in OKC Wed.

[Bob]

One consideration is the ceiling height needs to be high enough so you can get up on and work on the roof if you have to.

It is not often you need to get on the roof, but when you do you will appreciate enough room to allow you to at least sit up.