New Trailers

[Jeff Bayley]

Just to make sure I'm not fingered accidentley for the yahoo going 108 mph.........that was a friend of a friend somewhere above. I only go 85mph for short distances to get a running start up the hill. I'll admit to that which is still probabley cause for admonisment.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Just so there is no doubt where I stand on this Jeff, you are right on the ragged edge.

That is not an opinion, but a fact based on your own posts. I'm not looking for a fight but to offer some more of that free advice. Your trailer exceeds the Prevost weight limit. You can spin that any way you want but 10,000 pounds is the limit.

But by your own admission you not only have exceeded the speed limit by going at 85, but your tires have a speed limit of 75.

Nothing I say will change your free spirit attitude, but you sound and act young enough to consider yourself bulletproof. I hope you never have a fool pull out in front of you, I hope you never have a blow out and I hope your trailer never separates from the ball hitch because if any of those things happen it is going to be very ugly.

Beside being chickens there is a reason us old farts are around to pick on you. We learned from our mistakes.

[Jeff Bayley]

I feel like a got spanked but only because I respect your opinon. Ouch. Even for a short "get a running start" its a bad idea then. I didn't know that the tires had a 75mph limit. That's news and valuable.

Talking about old vs young though......here's a weird twist of a story that happend yesterday on that as regards being more careful. A case where the old guy embarrased me by his fearlessnesss.

I pulled into a truck stop and found an RV lot they owned way in the back with plug in's and the sign says $15 a night. I joined Passport America for $40 a year and that cuts in half at any of their affiliates (they have a bunch) at only $7.50 a night. I'm staying here for a few days. I look out my window yesterday monring (Xmas morning) and I see an old fart fiddling with his coach and I said to myself "Self, you better get out there and see if that old fart can stand straight enough to hold your new telescopic ladder while you climb on the roof of the trailer and fix the broken vent before it rains in there on all your stuff". Sure enough, he was healthy and strong enough to hold the ladder but when I got to the top of the roof I found the ladder still uncomforabley short to be able to safely get back down. I sat up there fiddling with my body language imagining that it was going to be hard to get down without falling. The old fart said "Hey come on down from there and let me have a look". He marched up the ladder and onto the roof so fast it made my head spin and fixed the vent and came back down the ladder without incident. I felt like a weenie.

There's one for the old farts. The guys used to be a painter he said and worked on ladders all the time but that sure surprised me.

What I'm most afraid of regarding the bus is having a front time blow out at highway speed. I've heard that holding the bus straight takes all your might. Anybody ever had this happen ? I saw a bus for sale advertising that it had a safety device to help keep the coach straight in this event. Don't know if they work or how much they are to install but that sounds like a good idea if it works. It was described as "Howard active steering option. Holds the steering wheel straight in windy conditions or in case of a tire failure."

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Jeff,

I'm sorry if it came across like I was spanking you. I was trying to help you understand everything we do has limits, and these buses certainly have their share of them.

I know a fellow that has personally contributed to our high insurance rates. He was very proud of his high speed driving. Right up until his late model Marathon was rolled into a ball due to a blow out.

I admit to getting preachy on this forum because some folks seem to think such things as weight limits on axles, tire pressures (based on the weight the tires carry), tire speed limits are only suggestions. They are not. If people that ignored these limits were only exposing themselves to the consequences my attitude would be a whole lot different, but because these buses are so big and heavy, a lot of people could be seriously affected just because someone doesn't know or care about the limits and why they should be respected.

When you say old fart, watch out for Harry. He is a little sensitive in that area.

[MangoMike]

Jeff,
We're all still in the learning phase when it comes to the busses. It seems like every trip out I learn something new. Which hopefully will add to my knowledge base and keep me safe, happy and maint. free on the road. Just soak it all in and keep reading the posts.

I have the Howard steering assist on my bus. I have no idea what affect it will have on a blow out, but would like to know. I will tell you that it works great in a crosswind. Like trimming a rudder on a plane you just set it and it will track against a crosswind with ease. It came with my bus so I can't give you and idea of cost or installation.

howard_7444.jpg

Good luck on your trip.

Mike

[truk4u]

The Howard steering is designed to be fail safe, it can't cause any steering issues. I like it, works great when trimmed properly.

Jeff - There are several add on steering devices, I have had several of the Safety Plus Systems and installed them myself. This is a large shock absorber added to the steering linkage. It did help the plastic coach from the tail wiggle due to whimpy wheelbases. You can buy these at Camping World, but I see no reason to ever add one to a Prevost.

Flat front tire - Yep, have had two, always in 18 wheelers and no problem.

[Jeff Bayley]

I'm going 60mph nice and steady and no problems except that I want to get the brakes checked. I stopped to rest / sleep and went around and felt the hubs right after stopping and burned my hand it was so hot. The other 3 hubs were ice cold. I suspect the brake my only be working on one wheel or the hub may need grease . I stopped and felt these a few times along the route before leaving CA and never felt any heat before.

[Petervs]

My 94 Marathon came with the Howard Steering and it is a really nice system.


Not only does it keep the bus going straight down the highway when you are in a crosswind, it also reduces the steering sensitivity a little so when you are on the freeway the steering inputs are less to keep in the lane. Easier driving.

Once while driving across Iowa with a 60 miles per hour direct crosswind, and I stoppeed and used a wind speed meter to check it, I had the Howard Steering turned on and at it's maximum 120 psi pressure setting. That much wind it could not compensate for, and every time we passeed a truck or were passed by one, there was a large directional excursion as the side wind changed quickly. It made me realize how nice the system was at all other times when it worked just fine. And made me feel sorry for those coaches that did not have it, especially the plastic ones.

When I get off the highway, I switch the system off to make maneuvering in parking lots, etc. easier. The wheel is a little easier to turn with Howard Steering off.

[merle&louise]

Jeff,

I had a driver's side front tire blow out on my 93 Newell on I 25 nearby the Santa Fe Skies RV park where POG 2 was held. I was on cruise control at 65 mph (my usual speed) when the tire blew. The coach tracked straight and I slowed down and pulled off onto the shoulder. No damage to the coach, but of course the tire was ruined. I was lucky; had I been on a curve or riding in the left (passing lane) lane I might not have been able to pull over quickly enough to slow down quickly.

Moral to this story is SLOW DOWN. If I would have been haulin' butt, I would have ruined my rim or worse. The difference between 65 and 75 is significant; 85+ is nuts! Slow down and enjoy the ride of your beautiful bus.

We like you Jeff and we want you to be around for a long time.

[Jeff Bayley]

Tuga- Thanks again for yet another reminder. I've slowed down already. I didn't go very far today. I'm worried about the hot hub but I'm in the middle of the New Mexico dessert with nothing much around. I need to limp into Alb. NM to get the trailer looked after. I'm trying to find a place closer but there ain't much in these here parts.