Looks like an oil-less oil bath hub.
Looks like an oil-less oil bath hub.
Joe and Michelle
98 Country Coach XLV
Somebody took it upon themselves to take a hub that you're supposed to put 90 weight in and change it to grease. I've seen that done before I'm tag axles but it takes some nerve to do that on the steer axle on a bus.
1990 Peterbuilt 377
3406 B Caterpillar
13 Speed Roadranger
No Norgrens
1 day on paper no machines
Grease vs oil is a debate that's been going on in the trucking industry for many decades. They'll come from the factory with oil. If the manufacture says not to use grease, don't use it. I'll stick with oil in the hubs.
Oil depends on oil seals, as long as they're doing their job life is good. Let that seal fail and you're going to lose a hub and wheel.
Grease doesn't depend on an oil seal.
It's more of a preference. Regardless of which way you go, get in the habit of putting your hand on the hub center every time you stop. If it's hot you have a problem, call Joe.
Even though some circles accuse me of it I never use customers for test pilots I'd never do that on somebody else's bus. I'll tell you another good reason not to do Greece it's almost impossible to put it together without contaminating the bearings with having grit stick to them you got to have hey surgical type cleanliness around things to make sure that goes together clean and anybody who's seen me work knows that don't happen too often
1990 Peterbuilt 377
3406 B Caterpillar
13 Speed Roadranger
No Norgrens
1 day on paper no machines
Joe:
I thought it was just you that got dirty and parts stayed clean.
Chuck
Chuck & Katrina
2000 Featherlite
H3-45 Double slide
2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee Diesel
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Happy Thanksgiving everybody. Eat drink and be merry.
There was a recent discussion on service intervals. Here is some more for u to add to the data banks.
These bags r original 2001 chassis IFS. They represent about average condition to age IMHO. Id also guess prob 5yr ago or so they started to more resemble these, than new ones. 15yr thats a good number for a still servicable airbag based on what I see and how I think i know u bus guys and what your comfortable with.
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While im on the subject there's some things I've been wanting to pass on.
The devels in the details listen up pay attention
The only way to pull the front bag on IFS. Unfastened the lower shock nut and swey bar end link. THEN WITH STANDS IN PLACE TAKE AN ADDITIONAL JACK HERE. Jak it up until the upper arm is square with the frame. Remove the 4 a arm nuts and bolts being sure to take away the bokts with the nuts thsts important. Getting the arm square is also vital to the since of a removal of the bolts. If they don't FREELY come make slight adjustment of the jack to make it so. Ok that dont take 10 min. Then slowly drop the jack till 1 end of the arm clears the pocket and u can push it up out of the way.
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On top of the bag opposite the fittings is a 3/4in nut first remove it. Before proceeding put a wedge atop the loose bag and wedge it down.
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This is why the wedge is important. With the wedge in place only then is there enough room to turn out that 90. Look at that. Oh I so love these buses.
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Ok continuing here is EVERYBODY'S stuff. Lot to show u there's 10 different potential M.I.F.s here let me show u. First the galvanized Street elbow if u look at the D shaped opening it has to go thru a brass street elbow dont fit so u have to use one.
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Here is how I get it out. Very simple. Uncle Leverage. Always always plug the female on removal and installation.
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Always use dope on both ends of the thread.
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Here is some input ull not get anywhere but here something I've learned and not ever seen addressed and its crucial to a good proper repair.
After u get this out of the street elbow and in your hand I mark where they stopped with the 90 and then I note the amount of force it takes to begin to unscrew it u will see why later. Im going to move to another post too many pictures for 1.
Last edited by Joe Camper; 11-25-2020 at 06:33 PM.
1990 Peterbuilt 377
3406 B Caterpillar
13 Speed Roadranger
No Norgrens
1 day on paper no machines
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This piece is quite a piece. I used to think they were all defective but have grown to decide they r designed correctly.
I'm talking about the male end and the way they threaded it. Normally with pipe threads after a turn or so u should begin to feel resistance but not with this piece. The photo with it threaded in,well, I did that by hand and look threads r gone u would think someone cut that thread too deep. No so, its done for strength because the piece is so darn heavy so it don't crack there. So now u know what your looking at.
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When reassembling it u first put the compression 90 in and here is where that notch comes in. Knowing that when u put it up into the galvanized elbow coming out of the top of the bag and u will be BOTTOMING OUT the extension u turn the coopression 90 fitting 1 turn short of tight. Stop at the notch 1 turn short of tight. This will give u wiggle room when u stick it up and not have to make difficult revolutions when its up.
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Then when u bottom out the extension uve only 1 revolution to go and there's enough meat on the 1/2by3/4 90° to redneck a couple of adjustable wrenches as shown.
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Here is how easy the bag goes in with the a arm out of the way and the female end of the elbow the extension bottoms out into after the new bags up and in. In these pics the arm has been completely removed but not nessessary, only the ends attatched to the frame need taken away. If there is 1 thing to take away its the weird extension what it is and how to manage it. If u get a leak at either end of the galvanized street elbow u have to pull the bag. 2nd most important point pull the a arm away get it square and its pulled back in 10 min.
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Zoom in on the bolts note shims.
1 last thing. Sometimes the upper arms r shimmed usually they r not. Important. If shimmed remove shims BEFORE u try to pull.out the bolts and replace the shims LAST thing before tightning nuts. Another tip that only someone who fought them out can completely appreciate.
Last edited by Joe Camper; 11-25-2020 at 06:42 PM.
1990 Peterbuilt 377
3406 B Caterpillar
13 Speed Roadranger
No Norgrens
1 day on paper no machines
Great info Joe!
Gil and Durlene
2003 H-3 Hoffman Conversion
What year did Prevost switch to IFS?
Mike Giboney
1992 Prevost Country Coach
#60187
My 96 (95 chassis) is straight axle. I would guess 96 sometime. I've seen this question asked but haven't seen a definitive answer.
Billy & Lisa Gaines
1996 Marathon XL40