[Tom]

Do you have air for the parking brake?

[Tom]

Looking for bus barn suggestions.

In late November we sold our house in Grafton just north of Milwaukee and moved into the house my parents built in 1955 that I grew up in on the Wolf River in Shawano; between Green Bay and Wausau, Wisconsin. The Grafton house was in a rural area on an acre and we had a 1,000sf race shop with an adjacent, uncovered concrete pad with two 50amp receptacles and full hookups for the coach. The Shawano house is “in town” with 75’ setbacks from the river which is on two sides, consequently while I’m working with a restricted footprint there should be enough room for a proper bus barn.

My plans are to attach it to the house garage, have two 50amp shore power receptacles for our coach (inside) and a guest coach (near the big door), city water and dump station in the building, and in-floor radiant heat.

I’m thinking a 14’ tall door that’s either 13’ or 14’ wide. I don’t think I can realistically get by with a 12’ wide door. Am I thinking right on the door?

At this point, I’m pretty sure I can have a 60’ depth. Having a 45’ XL coach with swinging barn doors for the engine access at the rear I don’t think 50’ or even 55’ is deep enough to get around the front of the coach and be able to easily and conveniently get around the back of the coach with the engine doors open. Am I missing something?

I have neighbors immediately adjacent to where the bus barn will be, so I’m trying to keep the barn as low as possible. The majority of the roofs of our existing house are 5/12 pitch with a couple of “peninsulas” of the house at 4.75/12; so the roof of the barn will be shallow. Can I get by with a 14’ ceiling over the coach? Or should I go to 15’or even 16’?

The coach is 8.5’ wide (before the mirrors) and I think 3’ on each side is ample. So I’m thinking 15’ wide enough. Or should I go wider? Is 4’ (19’) or 5’ (20’) more realistic?

We had in-floor radiant heat in the race shop and loved it. I’m planning replacing the floor in the existing garage at the same time and putting in-floor radiant heat in the garage as well. I’m not sure I need to air condition it, but might wire the bus barn for a small mini-split A/C unit. I shouldn’t need much to keep the temps under 80*F in Wisconsin even in the summer.

I’ve thought about a pit, but I’m leaving that out of the plans at this point. I am open to thoughts on the subject. Has anyone built a bus barn without a pit and seriously regretted it? Has anyone built a bus barn with a pit and found it an unnecessary over improvement?

I look forward to your advice and counsel. Thanks!

Dick

[Tom]

Jon,

You write beautifully in describing the HVAC on Prevost conversions. I’m in the process of moving from a “conventional RV”, (2001 Monaco Exec) with three noisy rooftops.

We’re looking at a 2000 Prevost Featherlite Vantare. The coach was sitting in a Florida late morning day with ambient temp about 82 degrees. The interior was pleasantly cool and not a peep could be heard from the AC. There was alow noise outside…not a problem to me.

Outside, he opened two bays on the PS and said the bus had Prevost bus air. He then said that there were CruiseAir units behind the front cap. In addition, there is Prevost driver air.

As I understand it, “driver air” works the same as my Monaco; an independent engine-driven compressor supplying refrigerant 43 feet up to the heat exchanger and dash blowers in front.

What is the purpose of the CruiseAir’s? Another system with blowers connected to the same duct work as the bus air?

A description to a Prevost newbie would be greatly appreciated, especially before I make an offer on it.

Thank you!

Tom Gauger

Titusville, FL

Shermans Dale, PA

[Tom]

If it is a Microphor you need to clean both the gasket on the flapper and the one on the inside of the mating flange. Easiest way to clean both is to pull off the tank cover and locate the power wire. Push the flush lever and when the flapper is open pull off the power wire to keep it in the open position where you can get to both surfaces for cleaning. Water will only flow back into the bowl when the flapper is down and then it flows in for the length of time set on the timer you can see when the tank lid is removed. Easy to do but not pleasant.

jerry

[Tom]

Ronald,

Do you own that Teschner coach with the most awesome paint job on the planet? The one in your avatar?

Could you please will that to me should you die? Never seen anything like it and would kill to own it!

[Tom]

Gary,

Contact me by phone or e-mail when you figure out the gen battery.

[Tom]

Be careful when talking about Country Coach around Gil……..he is REALLLLLYY touchy.