PDA

View Full Version : Question



Just Plain Jeff
08-21-2006, 11:40 AM
How does a guy know when his, "shocks are shot?"

(Without going under the bus).

Jon Wehrenberg
08-21-2006, 02:05 PM
Without going under the bus you know the shocks are in need of replacement if you hit a bump and the bus rebounds more than once. The best visual is when you follow a car with worn shocks and you see the rear bounce up and down over a bump that all other cars seem to go over without any rebound.

Other clues are the shocks are leaking oil, or the end bushings are gone and the shock is banging on the studs that hold them in position. Those two require you to at least look under the bus, and in the case of rear shocks to get under the bus.

All a shock absorber is supposed to do is to compress along with the air bags when you hit a bump, but due to internal valving to resist compression and extension so you do not get secondary up and down motions.

dalej
08-21-2006, 03:01 PM
When we first got our bus it was all new to us, so we didn't know how a prevost bus rode. after we put new steer tires on and found one of the front shocks were broke replaced all four with the right shocks and alined the front end, it drove like what I thought a Prevost would drive like. I can keep my coffee on the dash and drive at 65-70 but not when we first bought it!

Ben
08-21-2006, 06:45 PM
The suspension on the back end of my bus is starting to squeek when I move around in the bedroom. It sounds just like a squeeky mattress/bed that you might hear in a movie. Any ideas where I should look for a fix?

dalej
08-21-2006, 07:24 PM
Jeff, I forgot to mention that are shocks had a real stiffness, so we felt every bump. Everything on the dash ( I have a drivers cap and a Harley pocket watch in a stand) would always be working toward the edge and then fall off. Not anymore, just on a very rough pot hole filled road.

dalej
08-21-2006, 07:29 PM
Ben, I think I would have someone walk around and lay on the bed while you are under the coach, maybe you can find them (squeeks). Not a fun job! Maybe turn the tunes up a bit.

Joe Cannarozzi
08-21-2006, 07:35 PM
Ben if you really want to be safe, take the radiator cap off, hang on to that, and replace everything else:D Sounds like a helper to make it squeek and listen around kind of a thing. If ya find it , HOPEFULLY, mabye, a little WD40, its whole purpose is to prolong the inevetable!

Jeff Bayley
10-27-2006, 04:19 AM
Newbie Jeff here. Boy I guess I can contribute more than I thought here! Shocks all the way around on my bus were only about $800 parts and labor. That was a real pleasant surprise for someone that is tired of getting soaked at Prevost. I think this is one of the best return on investments on the ride. Less than the price of two tires. If in doubt, change em.

Speaking of which, I'm at Prevost in Mira Loma, CA. RIGHT NOW as I write this waiting for the grim reapers to return Friday morning and start rounding up again. Amazing how one tech can work 6 hours but bill you for 9. Facinating. Good thing I bring my own KY with me. Anyway, does anyone know how I can assure that they properly test my 24 volt alternator in the AM ? My battery balance light is coming on and I already put a new Vanner in the last year. The poked around a bit prior to putting me out to pasture overnight and they think it might be an intermittent problem with the internal voltage regulator. It really grinds me to think of putting a rebuilt altnerator just to have that not be the problem and these guys love to spend first and spend more later.

Any advice ?

Jeff

Jeff Bayley
10-27-2006, 04:52 AM
Shocks are the best ROI you can do for your bus. I did mine about a year ago for only $800 parts and labor at Prevost. Probabley less done elsewhere (would have to be less than Prevost I suppose by default). If in doubt just change them when you consider how inexpensive they are. Hell, that's about the price of one fill up or less than two tires.

Speaking of which, I'm at Prevost in Mira Loma, CA. RIGHT NOW as I write this waiting for the grim reapers to return Friday morning and start rounding up again. Amazing how one tech can work 6 hours but bill you for 9. Facinating. Good thing I bring my own KY with me. Anyway, does anyone know how I can assure that they properly test my 24 volt alternator in the AM ? My battery balance light is coming on and I already put a new Vanner in the last year. The poked around a bit prior to putting me out to pasture overnight and they think it might be an intermittent problem with the internal voltage regulator. It really grinds me to think of putting a rebuilt altnerator just to have that not be the problem and these guys love to spend first and spend more later.

Any advice ?

Jeff

truk4u
10-27-2006, 07:52 AM
Jeff,
Year and conversion would help? Are you talking about 24V house or chassis battery problems when referring to your alternator output?

Jon Wehrenberg
10-27-2006, 08:05 AM
This was addressed on another thread, but clues are starting to creep in about Jeff's problem.

If the battery balance light is coming on, don't worry as much about the alternator until you check out the batteries. Still not enough information to isolate the problems Jeff describes, but separating fully charged batteries and testing them with a carbon pile tester may reveal the possible cause of battery discharge and the imbalance light coming on.

Also, I don't want to hurt feelings here, but shocks are so simple to replace it boggles my mind to think anyone couldn't do it in a couple of hours. General advice: check around for pricing. If you own some tools consider doing stuff yourself.

Jeff Bayley
10-27-2006, 12:06 PM
Tom- The problem is on my 97 Royale. To review, I have a new 270 amp house alternator, Less than 1 year old house batteries, a new Vanner installed less than a year ago (probabley still under warranty) and the chassis batteries are a little over a year old I recall. If it turns out to be the chassis batteries they will be prorated as I think they are still under warranty. The Yo Yo's at Prevost New Jersey tried to solve the (similar) problem in Feb of this year by brining in new batteries despite the fact that I informed them the batteries were fairly new at the time. Further probing after I insisted they were solving incorrectly revealed a defective Vanner. $700 for a new one which should be under warranty still. I guess the batteries could be due for another independent load test which they'll do today (waiting for the hand men to summon me any moment so write soon!) Mainly, I want to avoid replacing the alternator if it isn't actually defective and if the voltage regulator inside the alternator has an intermitent problem then the answer may be that you can't know for sure and I just have to use the process of elimination. The Delco 24 volt alternator looks original. Anyone know what the price for the rebuilt should be wiht the trade in ? $300-$400 sound about right ?

Jeff

Coloradobus
10-27-2006, 12:33 PM
foontoon,
There is a very easy test to see if you voltage regulator is grounding out. If your charging trouble is chassis related, the voltage regulator ($250-+) could be bad

Also, on a Marathon, there is an oil pressure switch off of the 270 amp house alternator that seems to control house charging as well as the frig door lock.
First, if you have a Marathon, does the red block light on the dash come on and stay after you start the motor.? 2nd, seeing the house volts on the screen, does the house volts show 25 amps or less?
If it does, first check the connection at the oil switch, clean it and be sure there is a perfect conncetion. Might add some diaelectric grease to the connection and crimp it good.
If

Jeff Bayley
10-27-2006, 02:10 PM
Tom, Jon and all-

The reaper came and knocked a bit ago and I'm in the shop right now. They changed out the small battery monitor which is also made by Vanner company. I was pleasantly surprised at the cost ($110). I'll guess I'll see if that fixes it. They said the chassis batteries passed the load test. I'll see if the battery monitor remedies the two lights (balance AND Hi/Lo lights on dash were both on.

This coach is a Royle by the way not a Marathon.

Jeff

merle&louise
10-27-2006, 10:31 PM
Jeff:

I watched a tech check my alternator the other day. He put a volt meter on the engine battery and it read 12+ volts. Then he put an amp meter clamp around the positive (red) cable that connected to the alternator. He told me to start the engine & race it a little. The amp meter showed 20 amps; which meant that the alternator was charging 20 amps, and he said that was good!