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What did you do to your bus today?


Liberty

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  • 2 weeks later...

Yesterday I put on the new longer 50A shore cord I had purchased while in Q this January. The old one had been plugged in when the prev. owner pulled it out of the bus barn. this caused it to stretch and look a bit like a cork screw. It also lacked about 10' of getting to the power posts tat are located at the rear of the site. I put a new hatch in the floor of that compartment so the male end would fit the opening. It has a molded on plug with a handle. The old one was a large round plug that dropped through a 3" PVS sleeve and had a cap with a hole the cord was threaded thru to restrict critter traffic.

 

Well when I was all done and plugged it in we had no shore power. the transfer switch did not pull in . I started the generator and it worked fine. I then checked continuaty on the new cord and that was fine. So to get us thru the night I plugged into our neighbors outside outlet (with permission) and put the battery charger on the house batttery to keep it going all night as I had been runnnning on battery for several hours.

 

I called an RV service to come see the problem and fix it. They said late tommorrow. I said OK.

 

So this AM being all rested I thought do I have power coming to the bus? I put a meter on the wires and NO I did not. I walked to the office and asked where the breaked box is. I was told and upon looking inside the Oleander shrubbs for Rattlers I opened the panel and YES our site was popped. Simple fix, several hundred dollars saved over a new transfer switch.

 

TO quote Colonel John "Hannibal" Smith of "A" Team fame, "I love it when a plan comes together".

 

All's well that comes out in the end.

LeRoy & Anne

Silver Eagle conversion

PT Cruiser Conv.

OK & KS now SD well sometimes

 

The journey is the trip not the destination.

 

http://2010liberty.wordpress.com/

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  • 2 weeks later...

We moved Liberty to a park near Roswell and will enjoy several sits from this locale. This PM we will have a sit down meal with David and Lorna. Will be a great evening.

LeRoy & Anne

Silver Eagle conversion

PT Cruiser Conv.

OK & KS now SD well sometimes

 

The journey is the trip not the destination.

 

http://2010liberty.wordpress.com/

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  • 2 weeks later...

Getting ready to do some road work. I adjusted to brakes on the Eagle today. I have had it done but this was my first time. It was not easy on me. The tag and front axles were easy but the driveaxle may have been part of a shops profit. I must have turned to adjuster 6 or so full turns. They are harder to get to so easy for a mechanic to skip. Sure hope this takes care of the rumble strip noise when the brakes are first applied. Oh yea I also drained the air tanks. Washed the bugs off the Windshield then washed the outside of the side windows.

LeRoy & Anne

Silver Eagle conversion

PT Cruiser Conv.

OK & KS now SD well sometimes

 

The journey is the trip not the destination.

 

http://2010liberty.wordpress.com/

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  • 2 weeks later...

De-winterized the bus, installed the batteries (in the garage on a maintainer for the winter) & ran up the generator...may drive it to work as a shakedown this week.

 

Five weeks to the road trip!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

John (and occasionally my wife Liz)

Former rigs: 1976 Holiday TT, 1984 Ford B-700 school bus

Current rig: 1993 International Genesis FE school bus conversion.

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I want a shakedown before leaving on vacation...that will be a 4000+ mile trip!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

John (and occasionally my wife Liz)

Former rigs: 1976 Holiday TT, 1984 Ford B-700 school bus

Current rig: 1993 International Genesis FE school bus conversion.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I replaced the radiator in having done it 3 times at Cliffords place I knew what to do. Will replace the fluid tommorrow and check for leaks. Now to get Sonja's radiator back to her so Clifford can get her bus back on the road. thanks to Eric, Wayne and Clifford for getting this done.

LeRoy & Anne

Silver Eagle conversion

PT Cruiser Conv.

OK & KS now SD well sometimes

 

The journey is the trip not the destination.

 

http://2010liberty.wordpress.com/

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  • 2 months later...

Got some exterior semi-gloss latex with dark blue.

started painting the bottom half of the coach.

covers up a lot of dings and scrapes over the last 14 yrs.

Fulltiming since 1989.

No TLC's--

Accessing the internet with Wifi Evdo enabled mobile card from Verizon

Wifi SSID r0adwarrior on the road for Access to Internet, ask for Key.

Wifi SSID r0adwarrior for Access to Webpages in Bus.

http://roadwarrior.free-man.com/

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In the past week, we have had the water pump replaced after overheating in Talkeetna, AK and being towed back to Anchorage. There they also found a hole in the exhaust after it leaves the turbo. Had the exhaust banded there and a part sent to Fairbanks for replacement. Had the exhaust part replaced in Fairbanks and they found another exhaust leak because the bellows was broken. That was fixed with a piece of flex pipe. We went to leave and the front suspension wouldn't air up. Spent the night in the parking lot and they found crud (much of it self induced) in the height control valve. The crud was caused by me putting MMO into the air system to address other issues. The MMO (Marvels Mystery Oil) mixed with water and emulsified. They had to blow the emulsification out of the valve and tried to blow as much as they could out of the system through the air tank drains. They also installed the easy pull open valves to make it easier to drain the water/crud out of the air tanks.

 

This is all since last Thursday.

 

I hope we are now on the road to success and can finish our Alaska trip with no more issues. :D

George Roberts

1994 40' Bluebird Wanderlodge WLWB 500 HP Detroit Diesel 8v92

Towed: 2008 Jeep Sahara Limited Hardtop 4 X 4

Location: Bluebird Maps

Blog: Not a Moment Too Soon

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well I feel better.

after sitting for 3 yrs, I found my driver seat rusted in the wrong position to drive and the Air brake value for the pedal, frozen open.

Not to mention I have about 3 shop vac full of Rat dropping from the infestation I had for two years.

 

I have been dosing the Seat with wd40 spray for a week hoping it will free up.

just started on the air brake to free it up.

Luckily I have been draining the air tanks as well as the dry air reservoirs.

letting it sit for so long was not the best Idea.

Fulltiming since 1989.

No TLC's--

Accessing the internet with Wifi Evdo enabled mobile card from Verizon

Wifi SSID r0adwarrior on the road for Access to Internet, ask for Key.

Wifi SSID r0adwarrior for Access to Webpages in Bus.

http://roadwarrior.free-man.com/

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Got some exterior semi-gloss latex with dark blue.

started painting the bottom half of the coach.

covers up a lot of dings and scrapes over the last 14 yrs.

Got the driver side, facing the street, done looks pretty spiffy.

Got rain tonight and tommorow so will work some more on the electrical and cleaning off the Engine Cover that has accumulated a lot of stuff, while immobile.

:lol:

Fulltiming since 1989.

No TLC's--

Accessing the internet with Wifi Evdo enabled mobile card from Verizon

Wifi SSID r0adwarrior on the road for Access to Internet, ask for Key.

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I tossed my can of WD-40 years ago. When I was introduced to some wonderful stuff called PB Blaster. Spray it on and watch it work!!!!!!!!!!!!! You'll never use anything else.

at this point will try anything.

Fulltiming since 1989.

No TLC's--

Accessing the internet with Wifi Evdo enabled mobile card from Verizon

Wifi SSID r0adwarrior on the road for Access to Internet, ask for Key.

Wifi SSID r0adwarrior for Access to Webpages in Bus.

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Guest David & Lorna Schinske

I "frosted" my windows! Cheap, easy and removable (with a razor scraper) This is two coats of Krylon Clear Matte Finish 1311 spray paint.

 

PIC_4323.jpg

 

There's an RV parked under those trees on the left side of the picture. Traffic light/intersection to the left of the power lines.

 

PIC_4325.jpg

 

Can't see in at night either. Now I no longer have the "view" of whomever is parked next to us!

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at this point will try anything.

got the pb stuff.

put it on for 3 days.

all I have so far is a hacking cough from the fumes.

had to open side and front door at night so could sleep.

seat still won't budge.

 

Got the engine to turn over from starter switch. now to get it to run.

cleaning off the top of the engine cover is a real task. it double as a self.

Fulltiming since 1989.

No TLC's--

Accessing the internet with Wifi Evdo enabled mobile card from Verizon

Wifi SSID r0adwarrior on the road for Access to Internet, ask for Key.

Wifi SSID r0adwarrior for Access to Webpages in Bus.

http://roadwarrior.free-man.com/

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You will find that the Kroil is far better than PB which is ok and is better than WD 40 but the Kroil will get the job done cost is a factor the Kroil cost twice as much as the PB but is worth it IMO

 

I only use PB when I am out of the Kroil or when my friends want to borrow some lol

 

 

 

good luck

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You will find that the Kroil is far better than PB which is ok and is better than WD 40 but the Kroil will get the job done cost is a factor the Kroil cost twice as much as the PB but is worth it IMO

 

I only use PB when I am out of the Kroil or when my friends want to borrow some lol

 

 

 

good luck

wow first post here.

welcome.

Fulltiming since 1989.

No TLC's--

Accessing the internet with Wifi Evdo enabled mobile card from Verizon

Wifi SSID r0adwarrior on the road for Access to Internet, ask for Key.

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RW

Sorry about the fumes , I've always used it under the hood or under the rig. (It does have scent!)

Many frozen stuck nuts and bolts , brake lines etc have come loose under it's power.

(And a little of mine.) One of my project vehicles (A 1970 Dodge 1/2 ton) was 17 years old at the time and I stripped it down to the frame. The next was a 1976 Motorhome that I completely restored between 1995 and 2005 20-30 yrs old. I'm using it now on my 1981 Rig.

Rust is a BIG problem here on the coast of Maine.

Salt is in the air and in winter on the roads,,vehicles are coated with salt and many die an early death because of it.

 

The kroil stuff sounds like something I'll have to check out.

 

That joystick setup you have is really interesting, can you drive it with the wheel if you have to?

stay tuned

popeye

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after removing all the rat dropping off the top of the engine and air cleaner, found they had chewed the oil air breather and had dropping in the valve cover.

the wiring to the alternator is messed up but I don't see how even rats could remove the plug on the alternator. This is on both Alternators.

corrosion on the water and oil sensor seem manageable for now. at least let me get the bus moved.

now to get the tools to remove the valve cover and see what damage is done there.

going to run some cleaner through the engine then drain the oil.

Glad I am my own mechanic. could not afford to pay shop rates.

 

Yes I can use the ancient systems without the fly-by-wire. But I have gotten pretty good with it, since that is part of the requirements of the State patrol. plus my avoidance system keeps me safe.

Fulltiming since 1989.

No TLC's--

Accessing the internet with Wifi Evdo enabled mobile card from Verizon

Wifi SSID r0adwarrior on the road for Access to Internet, ask for Key.

Wifi SSID r0adwarrior for Access to Webpages in Bus.

http://roadwarrior.free-man.com/

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Sounds like you need to make friends with a nearby cat.....Here kitty kitty kitty.

 

I'd like to try driving that way , probably a steep learning curve though.

 

I just saw your post about retrofitting it to look like the Enterprise !! Maybe add a tractor beam for hitching a ride behind a trucker!

stay tuned

popeye

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the fly-by wire sort of just happened.

the first was hooking up the engine because the system were linkages of 1/4 in rods that bowed and rusted.

then the C6 Transmission, which is 7 feet from the driver console to get the speed and change PRNF.took my idea from Allison.

The hardest, mechanically, was the steering. I took the Idea from how our Company hooked to Fishing boats for our automatic pilot.

 

LOL well I have used the slip stream till I put in the avoidance system. Now I can't get that close.

 

Actually it was a lot quicker to learn than normal steering. with the cameras and avoidance you have a good all around view and can't hit anything if you tried.

Fulltiming since 1989.

No TLC's--

Accessing the internet with Wifi Evdo enabled mobile card from Verizon

Wifi SSID r0adwarrior on the road for Access to Internet, ask for Key.

Wifi SSID r0adwarrior for Access to Webpages in Bus.

http://roadwarrior.free-man.com/

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I repainted our home on wheels. It started out as a project to repair some cracks in the fibreglass and then morphed into a complete paint job because I wasn't happy with the paint match. And it really needed a complete paint job. Its pretty well exactly 20 years since it was converted and first painted; the clearcoat was worn through in several spots and there were miscellaneous scratches accumulated over the years. The cost ended up being about 4X what I intended at the outset but I think the results were worth it.

 

A sample of the kind of cracks that needed repairing - this one is the rear cap where the cap and side panel are rivetted to a frame member. The converter should have done a better job of bonding the two panels together

RearCapCrackRepair.JPG

 

Getting started

Curbside.JPG

 

In progress - all painting was outside in the Saskatchewan wind and bugs, dodging thunderstorms and heatwaves.

Bus-in_progress.jpg

 

The finished product - the farther away you get the better it looks

Bus-curbside_finished.jpg

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Guest David & Lorna Schinske

... in progress - all painting was outside in the Saskatchewan wind and bugs, dodging thunderstorms and heatwaves.

 

So you have a local outbreak of grey and red bugs?

 

Bus looks good.

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