What is coming down the line from Prevost

[Just Plain Jeff]

About 30 shells out, Prevost will be equipping the new rigs beginning at number 08-9-xx with a built in band-type tire pressure AND temperature meter. For those who watch for tire pressure and temperatures, this will be displayed in real time on the Pilot's dash.

Under discussion with the use of the Volvo engine which is in Prevost coaches now, is the Swedish system of combining water and urea for reduced emissions. for those who may not have had the time to think this through yet, the fueling of urea in the engine may make the Taco Twins tour a visage of the future, and minimize the need for black tank dumping. Hmmm.

[rfoster]

Its called CYA. I just yesterday complained to the GM of the local Chevy dealer about my 07 2500 Pickup giving false warnings on the Tire Pressures. Why would Chevrolet after making vehicles for years install such a piece of crap on their new cars? It is proving to be a customer service nuisance. The cold weather has made it even more difficult to depend on the tire pressure to even be in the ball park of what is displayed on the dash. The reason: Remember the Ford Explorer Roll over episode and the media blamed tires, well it was more like tire pressures and everyone's lawyer blamed Ford and the tire company. Now these tire pressures are recorded to the cars computer as well as the speeds, G forces, braking etc. and so as to have a "little black box" record just in case there are legal repercussions in an accident.

Well imagine that.

Sounds like Prevost is following other vehicle manufacturers and I hope their is more accurate than what we are seeing on cars and pickups.

As far as the Taco Twins, I want to be in the front of the convoy!

[lewpopp]

Roger,

Stop your bitchin'. I have been very happy with the tire sensors in my 08Saturn Outlook. The fire dept came when I was down a lb. Now that's service.

Oh, I forgot. You have all volunteer departments in the hills of Bristol, hmmmmmmm.

[Jerry Winchester]

I'm with you Roger. Our H3 has tire pressure monitors. Everytime a cold front comes thru we get the "Low Tire Pressure" alert. Then we get the "Service TPM" (Tire Pressure Monitor) alert once a month, all intermittantly.

You can't believe a thing it says. It lies worse than a Lew at HH.

[rfoster]

Lew: If I was Mayor of El Mira, then the fire department, bldg inspectors and police would air up my tires. So there. I have to air up my own tires

[Jerry Winchester]

Roger,

If you are at the front of the convoy you have to listen to "Hey, the Trukman has to pee".......... on the CB every 20 miles. Better to let him and his peanut sized bladder hang in the front and you can just coast along behind him waiting for the next "Happy Bladder Club" meeting.

[truk4u]

I thought all you rich people with H-3's had run flat tires you big puss!

[Just Plain Jeff]

Been traveling today and have found some good discussion here.

This is the Prevost 'party line' on the topics that have been addressed.

Prevost has used DD engines for a very long time. There is an article over on prevost-stuff about a 1951 motorhome built completely by Prevost...still on the road.

The company settled on the 8V92 originally due to its long development history; in various versions the engine had been tweaked for almost 50 years. The primary market for the engine was the over-the-road trucker. Due to competitive pressures, and an emergine marine market, DD developed the Series 60. This was introduced into Prevost shells around 1994 and became a big sales pitch for the converters...and indeed has proven to be a good engine. We've hashed over the differences here many times...better gas mileage, higher torque on the low end, and so on.

The other thing that the truckers wanted was a 500hp+ engine, which sealed the deal for Detroit and the engine was discontinued. Pretty much end of the discussion, since buses were a small part of the market for DD. there are some 1994-1995 Series 60 XLV coaches with 5-speed transmissions as the six speed was temporarily unavailable. Allison's inventory was bought out by the Army to replace the trannies in the Abrams Tank, used in Gulf War I. As transmissions were available, they would put them in. So during this brief period some 5-speeds were made, other 6-speeds.

With increased requirements for EPA emissions standards, Prevost had a choice: Build a coach with a Series 60 that put out something like 660F at the tip of the exhaust with all the mechanicals to meet the standards, or find another engine.

Last spring at the Liberty Stuart Rally, Frank Konigseder, Liberty President, with a bevy of Prevost execs surrounding him, announced that Prevost would be going to the new Volvo engine. He also noted that anyone who wanted a tried and true engine should, "Buy one now," as the cut-in was coming sooner rather than later. Volvo already had the old Mack engine plant in Hagerstown, MD and it was determined that the 12.7 liter engine, tested in Sweden, would be produced in the old Mack plant and would be put in chassis...soon. This too, would be eventually a roof exhaust coach.

As to the entertainer issue.

The primary business of Prevost is the seated coach, which we all forget about. The entertainer coach is as special a design as the motorhome shell. It is designed for maximum comfort for those who travel and larger bays. Fleet owners of the Prevost entertainer have tested other manufacturers and prefer the Prevost primary for the ride. Many of those on such coaches are sleeping during the ride and are doing so at about 5 and 1/2 off the deck and need to be rested at the end of the journey. The Prevost entertainer coach seems to fit the bill for that.

Around the corner from where I am writing at this moment in Lakeland, FL, there is a guy who owns 200 entertainers and leases them on a long term basis to companies who sublet them them to entertainers. Other bus companies have tried to court him, but he is solid on the Prevost.

Had enough?

Me too.

Enjoy the Holidays!

[garyde]

On my most recent visit to Prevost in Mira Loma, the mechanic informed me the frame structure of the Prevost is going to I-beam construction on new Prevosts to better accomodate 2 and 3 slide outs. They will be doing away with the Pin sleeve locks entirely.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

We are bouncing all over the place here, but on the bus support stands thread Peter posted a picture of the prevost XL shell.

What is significant is the impact slides have had on the thinking relative to design, and why Newell for example can have slides on both sides, anywhere, and why Prevost, til now has had serious problems incorporating slides.

If you look at the picture you will note that between the axle subframes there is nothing that contributes to the strength. The bays just hang there. When a slide is added it cuts right through the longitudinal truss which is the guts of the strength lengthwise.

By adding a structure as Gary describes (and they are kind of doing in the latest shells) the longitudinal truss which is above the floor level, is replaced with beams that run from the floor level down. That means the upper structure can be cut anywhere convenient for slides because the entire design philosophy has changed from the strength above the floor to the support strength below the floor. If I were to guess the resistance to twisting is either less, or the engineers have had a significant challenge in retaining the torsional rigididty in our current no slide shell.