[David]

Does that mean the Batteries are Series internal ?

[David]

I got them off Amazon back in 2021.

[David]

My notes indicate Grainger item# 5WJC4.

Cut the shaft off the side you don’t need.

5WJC4 link

[David]

Just want to say Hi to you and Di! It’s been to long and it is good to see you pop up on here once in a while. George and Corey

[David]

For the moment consider why replacing a late model rivet coach with an XLII makes sense.

There is no better, simple, easy to maintain, and inexpensive Prevost chassis than the late 90’s XLV. It gets amazing mileage, around 7.5 to 8 compared to an XLII which can hover around 6 MPG. Glass replacement is very expensive and depending on the owner has to be professionally done. If it had the Prevost skin repair done that is not an issue, but if not as stated above somebody (buyer or seller) faces potential repair costs that drain wallets. ONLY THE PREVOST SKIN REPAIR IS ACCEPTABLE AND IF A BUYER DOES NOT HAVE PROOF FROM PREVOST IT WAS DONE IT IS A HUGE GAMBLE.

Later models are EGR coaches, use even more fuel, and have additional emissions complexity. XLII models with the Knorr Bremse brakes that are 10X the cost of the conventional brake chambers found on the late 90’s XLV coaches and only come from one source with no competition.

Assuming the desire is to get a coach with slides there is no question an XLII has a completely different feel, more like an apartment than a railroad car, but while slides improve the character of the coach the XLII can be 7,000 pounds heavier and worse lose a serious amount of bay and house space for storage due to accommodations for slides and their mechanisms.

We went from a 97, by far our most economical coach to own to our 2006, our most expensive to own but will never go to a non-slide coach, but the coach has a way of eating money.

As to converters all are equal with a songle exception. I will not own a coach without OTR, and unless a buyer is very lucky and can find the rare Marathon with OTR, the converter to focus on is Liberty.

Having said that however I know a coach without OTR can be just as comfortable while on the road by running the generator and turning on all the house A/C units. It is just a personal preference to never ever run an A/C through inverters.

[David]

Right on with the two bolts behind rear access panel. It is also easy to access the power cord and vent hose through panel. I had to remove the panels surrounding the dryer which were caulked to the dryer in order to get enough clearance to remove. They will not be reinstalled as I wound up destroying them; no issue for me. I removed outside cabinet door also but you may not have to if you remove panels first.

[David]

Get Jeff to look at them. They should have the full train sound all the time.

[David]

What ever happened to the good old “Atlas” days where you map out your route and hope road construction haven’t closed a couple roads after the Atlas was published

[David]

I’ve been through issues with the coolant filter and hoses. This is what I recommend:

1. Get a new filter fixture. I got one at Inland Power in Butler WI the Milwaukee area Detroit Diesel go to place. Trash the old fixture. I found the little valve handles broke off very easily due to corrosion. The filter, fixture, hoses, etc. area is a very high impact area of bad stuff from the back tires.

2. Trash the two hoses. I had one bust open (in my driveway thank you!); IIRC the metal fitting corroded through. You might want to get one or both hoses a few inches longer; the tech who did the work had them made longer. I had them made at a local hydraulic hose shop.

3. Replace the hose fittings in the engine block and water pump. Be ready for a fight with them. Both of mine disintegrated and they had to be E-Z Outted and cut out. Replace with quality fittings.

Owners of older coaches should do this as preventative maintenance. Our 1999 was 20 or so years old when I had this done in about 2020. The failed hose on our coach could have stopped us dead on the road in terrible weather. No work around except plugging the holes in the block and water pump (if I could have gotten the old fitting out) or the good remaining hose … and only then as a temporary fix.

[David]

David, the Webasto heat exchangers are long lived units but they are steel metal which can corrode. Your leak to the outside may be fixable which is much better leak than leaking into the exhaust system. Fix it anyway that suits you and you are done.

New exchangers are not terribly expensive and might be sourced from a salvage source.

All the best in your repair. Enjoy your trip.

[David]

Good grief, I had no idea that removal of the panels would mean most likely further damage.

I believe that the two sided rubber has lost it ability to stick to anything due to it’s age.

I will try and remove the chrome strips that I assume are clipped into place to gain access to the mounting screws for the panel.

Thanks very much for the images, helps my brain.

Cheers.

[David]

Alex:

Glad to hear you made it safely. As a Florida boy I would be scared to death to drive in that kind of weather (been called a southern sissy, and proud of it, LOL).

Sorry to hear about the mirror and windshield, have had many close calls on dry roads and sunny days. Don’t know if it is just me, but a lot of the tractor trailer rigs seam to let the back end of the trailer sway very close when passing. My theory is, there is a pressure of air formed between the bus and tractor trailer during the passing that suddenly disappears once the trailer is mostly passed the bus. Once the air cushion/pressure drops away it lets the trailer sway inwards towards the bus if the tractor trailer driver is not paying attention.

Any buddy else notice this?

Chuck

[David]

Thanks folks for the replies

the coach looks like its was built very well. He bus is very clean in side and out.

I was hoping there was some current owners on here!

My only question is there a way to dump just the Gray water ? he only has one tank . seems to me one would make a bypass of sort so you dump the gray without going into the tank … my Mci was that way ..

thanks Dave

[David]

Paul, I like that statement about family, I think the same can be said for almost everything regarding owning/driving a Bus. Tires, Brakes, how long should we drive tired etc. etc.

[David]

Les, go to profile and open up your email address so people can contact you.