Power Steering Pump Location?

Tom,

If you analyze that it makes zero sense.

The lifting of the tag manually is not to be confused with the automatic feature, unless there is a version in which there is no hydraulic "stabilizator".

The hydraulic stabilizers "lock" up when the tag axle air bags have their air dumped. That keeps the ass from dropping. I know from experience that if I manually dump air to the tag axle the ass will drop because the stabilizers are not "locked".

Where logic flies out the window is assuming the automatic tag air dump makes the bus drop in the rear. Unless the hydraulic system is absent then that feature is better than having to manually lift the tag to make a sharp turn.

When this feature was introduced Prevost indicated that they wanted the longer wheel base 45' coaches to turn as well as the 40 foot coaches. So they improved the angle of cut the front wheels would make slightly, and made the tag air dump automatically. They considered all of the other ways other bus shell manufacturers were addressing the issue of turn radius, and concluded a steerable tag was too complex and prone to many problems, hence the system they used.

If in fact Marathon knows the shell better than Prevost (sarcasm here) they are telling their customers "we are going to make sharp turns harder because we will not dump tag air, and if you manually dump tag air we will assure you that your tail will fall to the ground". I for one would want someone in the know on this issue to jump in here and explain what is going on.

Does anyone know the manufacturer or brand name of this stabilizer system? I am looking for information for maintenance and rebuild. One of the pistons is leaking. I am looking through the Prevost Car service section in the manufactures publications for info, but knowing the system manufacturer would help in narrowing the search.

Any ideas?

Hector

Hector...

All the parts to rebuild are available through Prevost. JDUB supplied us with CDs with Prevost parts list on them, or perhaps if you contact Prevost parts (I call Elgin) they can either send a CD to you or just walk you through what you need. My parts book is in the bus and I'm up in my office otherwise I would be able to give some part numbers right now. If I forget remind me and I will post enough info to get you started.

Sometimes the entire assembly is cheaper than the parts.

I also have a CDROM I requested and received from Prevost. I have not sorted out exactly how the CD works (Too much in a hurry!), but I will concentrate on it after Christmas. The CDROM seems to have plenty of infomation available.

Thanks for pointing me in the right direction.


Merry Christmas.

Hector

Hector,

You just have to load Cat Base Viewer from the CD and then you can cruise the parts lists. It takes a while to figure it out, but once you do there is a wealth of information.