Howard Power Steering

[traveling.dude]

I'm curious as to why so many Prevost conversions have Howard Power Steering units installed? Do they improve the handling and driving experience?

I'm currently interested in buying my first Prevost primarily due to the fact that the driving experience is supposed to be far superior to fiberglass coaches.

While I've thoroughly enjoyed a few Prevost test drives so far, I'm curious as to why so many Prevost coaches have after market steering assistance products installed?

Thanks,

Dude

[jello_jeep]

Nice to meet you Mr. Dude, welcome aboard! You will need a steady supply of prozac if you hang around this forum too much !

The air steering is kind of a dampener of sorts. It comes in real handy when driving long stretches in crosswinds, like in Texas :)

You turn it on, and can adjust the air pressure to the unit, so you run it up to 100 lbs or so then steer straight and hit the trim button. That now becomes the center of your steering position if that makes sense, so you don't have to keep constant pressure on the steering wheel into the wind, or for a long heavily crowned piece of road.

You can adjust the air pressure on the fly, and kind of get a feel for where to set it based on the conditions at the time.

Also reputed to improve handling during a steering axle blowout. I hope not to verify that one !

Plus it gives you something to fiddle with when you are driving in the middle of nowhere and bored :D

Where part of the country you in? Coming to the Parumph rally?

[MangoMike]

Dude,

Welcome to POG.

Jeep man explains it well.

I have two busses. One with the Howard and one without. And with the exception of very heavy crosswinds, I don't miss the Howard. So find your perfect bus and don't let the lack of the Howard be a deal killer.


Mike

[Tully]

I as well have just come from a plastic coach to a Prevost. Let me assure you, night and day. Rock solid and smooth as silk. I find it difficult to believe that anything can make my coach any smoother. It is so quiet and smooth I am certain it may sway me to sleep one night driving. It is a false sense of security in a way. There really is nothing better. My two cents...

Tully Lee
1990 Country Coach Prevost

[Loc]

Dude,

Welcome to POG. I have often wondered the same thing. Having driven a Prevost MH for the last six years and about 120,000 miles, I don't see any need for additional help - the driving experience is excellent. The bus handles well in every condition. Even in strong crosswinds it remains well behaved. As a previous owner of a Fleetwood diesel MH, the difference between the Freightliner chassis and the Prevost is night and day. Granted, I have not driven a coach with the Howard system.

Loc

[MangoMike]

Locman,

I can put you in a coach with the Howard tomorrow.

Where should I deliver?

mm

[jello_jeep]

Close the deal today, and he will have your name engraved on the door, in "Hay In The Manger Gold" "D



Locman,

I can put you in a coach with the Howard tomorrow.

Where should I deliver?

mm

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Dude,

Welcome to the asylum. On this site we will answer every one of your questions, and if we do not know the answer we will make one up.

Your question has been accurately answered, however the answers have been from the technical side. Let me explain how things really work with a Prevost. The reason there are a lot of buses out there with any mods, Howard Steering being only one example is peer pressure. If one guy has something on his coach, the other guy thinks he needs it. This is especially true if the coach was previously owned by a member of the Prevost Prouds.

In fairness to the Prevost Prouds they are less interested in the mechanical aspects of their coach than the grease monkeys on this site, so they were more easily convinced of the merits of things like the Howard steering and it is my observation they make a big effort to keep pace with Jones. Now this POG group that pretends to be the anti-snob crowd may not necessarily add something mechanically viable to the coach like Howard Steering, but instead will add chrome plating, polished aluminum, polished stainless steel or polished copper trim to its coaches, kind of the poor man's reverse snobbery.

I do think however that the coach handles extremely well without any modifications and if you do get a Howard system on a coach it may be a mixed blessing. While it will help trim out crosswinds for example, Howard is no longer in business and future maintenance of the system may pose problems.

[tdelorme]

Does anyone know if we just got slapped or kissed by Jon?? Hard to tell but its probably a little of both.

Jon, Howard Steering is still in business. River City Products, San Antonio, TX. No web page, you gotta call um. See article below from a trucking mag.

Great Basin Supplies Howard Steering System
The Refrigerated Transporter Staff

The Howard Power Center Steering System is available through Great Basin truck companies nationwide. This system is optional on Great Basin new or used Class 8 trucks. Retrofitting the system also is possible at Great Basin service centers.

The Howard system corrects the three most common driving problems: crosswind driving, road wander, and steering wheel pull. This system keeps large trucks tracking straight, even in adverse conditions like crowned or rutted roads. This level of directional stability reduces driver fatigue by eliminating thousands of steering corrections needed to keep a rig on-center.

In a study by Bridgestone/Firestone, the Howard system has proven to increase steering tire life by as much as 55 percent with proper tire maintenance. The Howard system is manufactured by River City Products Inc of San Antonio TX.

[0533]

Does anyone know if we just got slapped or kissed by Jon?? Hard to tell but its probably a little of both.

Jon, Howard Steering is still in business. River City Products, San Antonio, TX. No web page, you gotta call um. See article below from a trucking mag.

Great Basin Supplies Howard Steering System
The Refrigerated Transporter Staff

The Howard Power Center Steering System is available through Great Basin truck companies nationwide. This system is optional on Great Basin new or used Class 8 trucks. Retrofitting the system also is possible at Great Basin service centers.

The Howard system corrects the three most common driving problems: crosswind driving, road wander, and steering wheel pull. This system keeps large trucks tracking straight, even in adverse conditions like crowned or rutted roads. This level of directional stability reduces driver fatigue by eliminating thousands of steering corrections needed to keep a rig on-center.

In a study by Bridgestone/Firestone, the Howard system has proven to increase steering tire life by as much as 55 percent with proper tire maintenance. The Howard system is manufactured by River City Products Inc of San Antonio TX.
I have this system on my coach. have tried it a couple of times and the way I drive I am not sure that it makes a huge difference. I also have a leak in the main cylinder and have been trying to find a source for a new one. I spoke with a fellow who represented Mr. Howards business assets, as Howard is no longer in business. Maybe it is possible that the company you referenced has purchased the equipment to manufacture the necessary parts, but as of a few weeks ago there were none and no one had any way to make new ones. I would be interested to find out.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Ted,

I do believe I insulted everybody. If I failed in my efforts I will try again.

[Ray Davis]

Did you contact that company listed? I too have the Howard system on my new coach, and have only played with it once. Wasnt sure I was doing it right, or whether or not it was working.

Would be interesting to know whether spares are available?

Ray

[tdelorme]

Here you go. No one answered the phone just now, but its after 5pm so you might try them tomorrow.

http://www.rcproducts.qpg.com/

[truk4u]

Dude,

Welcome aboard the nuthouse. I had the Howard on a previous Marathon and rarely used it. I never found a need for it since the Prevost handles so well. You will see it on Marathon's, but I don't think many others used it. Bottom line, you don't need it..

[Joe Cannarozzi]

Tom with the standard long list of elaborate and exotic features most have what does not needing something unnecessary on these buses ever really figure into the calculation.

It's another gadget, a few more switches dials and gauges. That is reason enough:eek:

I have a tent, would you like to borrow it?

[garyde]

Welcome to the asylum. I don't have the Howard system, but I do have the 365's on the front and my coach handles beautifully. I would like to get some furry dice for the front, but I don't have a rear view mirror to hang them on. I might settle for a bobbing headed hound dog.

[traveling.dude]

Thanks for your comments. It's great to know that i'm "steering" myself in the right direction towards a Prevost. I'll continue researching. Cheers,

Dude

[truk4u]

Keep your tent Joe, but like Gary, I'll take the fuzzy dice if you got em!:p