# Paging TireIron and Helocopter



## Meerkat

Looks like we opened a giant bucket of worms.:eyebulge:

We had fixed the front end when we got it 7years ago,had all this done,put new tires all around,tunred it up etc. Bushings,bearings,etc.etc. Forgot all the parts then.

He just ordered inner,outer bearings for both sides,seals both sides,

It looks like the new price tag with us doing the work will be over $268.00. Already put $150 last week in 20 ton jack and 2 -20 ton stands,to make sure nobody gets hurt. Our jacks would'nt budge the thing.

Any info will help at this point.Any little secret or maybe missed part we may have overlooked ?

We can't sell it like this,have to keep a tag on it to park it here ' gustapo orders ' so there goes my saved up cash for emergency and vacation.We have had lots of third world menus and no life but work here for a long time to save money for repairs and my trip away. So I'm going to fix my bus for at least one more trip. 

:flower:


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## Tirediron

Can you post a picture of the axle tube nut, maybe I can see something that you are missing, Do you have a socket that fits the big nut??


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## Meerkat

Tirediron said:


> Can you post a picture of the axle tube nut, maybe I can see something that you are missing, Do you have a socket that fits the big nut??


No our cell phone is broke and my son is the only one who can and hes out of the nation.

I'll let my hubby explain now.

Hi,
The nuts are off now , they were at least 4 inches in diameter and there was a flange bent on some of the edges outward which was holding the nut from breaking free. After I saw it and tapped them back the nut was easily freed. Now I have the bearings out and seals ordered.They will be here friday.The inner bearing is worn out and was causing the inner seal to leak and building up sludge which was causing the brake caliper to freeze up and heat up the roters and pads.So we will keep you posted and really appreciate your help, thanks again.


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## helicopter5472

Sounds like your on the right track, Tirediron has you covered, but if I can throw in my two cents, just ask. I have an old 1985 full size bus. It's diesel and has 38K miles on it. It runs so good I hate to just use it as storage. I also like it because it has an Allison automatic transmission, It was owned by two different Christian Schools, they kept complete records of everything that was done to it from new as well as the service manual.


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## Meerkat

helicopter5472 said:


> Sounds like your on the right track, Tirediron has you covered, but if I can throw in my two cents, just ask. I have an old 1985 full size bus. It's diesel and has 38K miles on it. It runs so good I hate to just use it as storage. I also like it because it has an Allison automatic transmission, It was owned by two different Christian Schools, they kept complete records of everything that was done to it from new as well as the service manual.


Cool Heli. and thanks.

Ours is 7.3 deisel, 4 speed Alison Transmission. Our engine has about 240,000 on it. Man said it was good for about 600,000.Don't know?

1991 International with Thomas body,its just 24 ft. though.


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## Meerkat

Heres yall a song, if you don't like the band,just remember its the thought that counts,haha
Joe Cocker did it too but this ones a little calmer for me old age.


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## helicopter5472

Totally cool, I have both the Beatles and the "real" Joe Cooker on my CD collection and computer. I go on my oldies binge every so often, and it usually goes on all day and night.


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## Meerkat

helicopter5472 said:


> Totally cool, I have both the Beatles and the "real" Joe Cooker on my CD collection and computer. I go on my oldies binge every so often, and it usually goes on all day and night.


 Glad you liked it. I like all kinds of music. Yesterday I was listening to Aerosmith. I have lots of old music from Johann Strauss to [ mother played piano] Alman Bros.


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## Tirediron

The Beetles never sounded so Good

Glad you got it apart, and found a reason for the problems. when you reassemble it you are going to need to torque the inner nut to about 180 foot pounds , then loosen it off till the nut us just free then retighten it snug. this procedure insures that the bearings are seated. if you don't have a socket and can't borrow one , they are fairly easy to make with a piece of pipe and 3 short lengths of angle iron, I will try to post a picture later.


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## Meerkat

Tirediron said:


> The Beetles never sounded so Good
> 
> Glad you got it apart, and found a reason for the problems. when you reassemble it you are going to need to torque the inner nut to about 180 foot pounds , then loosen it off till the nut us just free then retighten it snug. this procedure insures that the bearings are seated. if you don't have a socket and can't borrow one , they are fairly easy to make with a piece of pipe and 3 short lengths of angle iron, I will try to post a picture later.


Glad you liked the song. 

Are those very expensive,he said he may try to buy one. Thats a big socket!

I worked a couple hours on a ship with giant wrenches,the man sent me down to shop to get a ' bastard file or socket ' I thought he was being crude,but there really is one. We were repairing the brake shoes,I could'nt picture brake shoes on a ship,it was for the winch,haha. Those were the biggest tools I've ever seen.


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## Meerkat

Very neat how you made that! WOW!


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## Meerkat

Hey Guys,

I finally got all the parts and now ready to go back together with this thing . Its been a nightmare getting the rigth parts for this old bus , but now there finally here. My son and I will start the process of reassemble this thing. Wish us luck and we will keep yall posted for your help if needed.

Thanks again in advance, Meerkats husband :2thumb:


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## Tirediron

Good luck 
you probably already know this , but just in case , make sure to put some gear oil on the seal lip and a pretty good dose on the bearing, I usually put the hub on and tap it into the seated position, then put as much oil in the cavity between the bearings before putting the outer bearing in after it si fully assembled with the tires back on .I fill the axle and then run one of the tires up on a hump to get the oil to flow out of the center of the axle into the hub, leave it for 5 minutes or so and the raise the opposite wheel , after you do this top up the axle again after letting it sit level for a few minutes.


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## Meerkat

Thanks yall for all the help. This is me again'Merrkat' they finally got one side done. Now hubby is going for a test drive to check on this side before he starts on the other side.

Are we crazy fro puttign all this work into this old bus?:dunno: its our only other way to go,but only in emergency because its not economicle to drive except on trips,which is cheaper than motels. 

Yall really have saved hubby lots of extra work. :kiss: :cheers:


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## helicopter5472

Glad to see it work out. I keep my bus mainly for storage, I am hoping soon to get a semi trailer as a perm. storage shed. Not that I expect an EMP attack, but this one will still go and can be loaded with several tons of supplies. Now that you have fixed yours it may come in handy in the near future....


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## Meerkat

helicopter5472 said:


> Glad to see it work out. I keep my bus mainly for storage, I am hoping soon to get a semi trailer as a perm. storage shed. Not that I expect an EMP attack, but this one will still go and can be loaded with several tons of supplies. Now that you have fixed yours it may come in handy in the near future....


Anythign we can do for yall we will.:beercheer:

Hubby just took shorty for a ride,he said its like a new bus, I just want to kiss you both,hes so happy he may even want to,haha just kidding of course.

He said no more roaring,no more hard bumps [ he did grease the leaf springs like yall told him to]. Now he will do the other side soon as he can get help.

Good news is seldom so its really a celebration when it comes.:2thumb:

Yall ever head down towards florida,you have a camping vacation on us,except fuel to get here . At Anastasia State Park in one of the most beautiful cities in florida ' St.Augustine Beach..Bring the family. google it on youtube,its still basically like it was 50 yr.s ago,unlike most beaches here.

You can drive on the beach and dogs are strill allowed there long as we pick up their waste,they even supply doggy bags for that.

Remember when I told yall about taking shorty on the beach and got a standign ovatn from the people at the outside bar?


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## helicopter5472

Many thanks for the offer, Tirediron deserves it more than me. When it comes to learning, and doing it yourself not only does it make you feel awesome inside, but gives a little more confidence that it's one more step in your prepping towards independence.


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## Meerkat

This keyboard is messign up again. So I can't correct it.

Anyway at first all those people saw us headign for the sand and they went  vract:. Then after they saw we made it,they all stood up and clapped.

Parking on the beach is really nice. Open up the front and back doors and you get a nice breeze from the surf. Just throw in your fishign line. Also I like to catch my cut bait with my cast net,hubby still can't cast as good as me,haha. But he also can't use a cuban reel like I can either,hes a smart man says rod is easier. And he is disabled so he can't swim,affraid he can't outswim sharks,well he could'nt do that when he was abled bodied .


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## Meerkat

All's done and its doing great around the yard will test drive on highway soon.

Right side was leaking gear oil worse than left brake pads were getting oil on it.Left caliper was locking up yet right caliper looked the worse.

I think its fixed. :kiss::flower::congrat:


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## Meerkat

Well this little job went from a bandaid to major surgery! Thank goodness we had the frontend done when we first bought it.:congrat:

So far now its calipers,brake pads,bearings,bearing seals,and I can't even remember what else needs to be done. Waiting for brake shoes now to come in from parts store, like one of yall said ,they are starting to crumble. 
Parts man said to scrub caliper with wire brush and put some kind of tube stuff on it. Lots of holdup on help so that gives us time to wait till more money can be thrown into the pit. :eyebulge:

So far about $800! Never say never ,we borrowed something we said we would not do for anything. 

Hubby said it will pay back in motel and give us privacy when we visit others. I think he has been possessed by this bus,now he's talking larger fuel tank! :nuts:


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## Tirediron

I know it is hard to spend money on a project like this , but it is an investment, and the bus will be able to tow a trailer if you want to haul more stuff along with you when you travel. the bearings and stuff have lived since the buss was new so they should go forever now.


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## helicopter5472

The money pit continues...sorry to here about that. I played mechanic back in the early 70's and 80's. I found that brake shoes/pads once they get soaked with rearend grease or brake fluid usually did not hold up well afterwards. Again in the old days you could get remanufactured shoes, which were cheap some good and some not so. On my own vech. I always replaced with new any time they got saturated with fluids and recommended to any customer to do the same. On a car with disc brakes on the front and shoes on the back, about 60% of braking was from the front and 40% for the rear. Reman. shoes usually would do fine. So lets take it up a notch, the bus weights more and depending how much you load it, the brakes take quite a bit more use, like a motorhome you tend to load it heavy with your stuff. I think it's a wise idea not to go cheap. If you live in a hot place, both the heat produced durning the stopping process, and heat outside, those pads get extremely hot, and an old pad, or pad cheaply remanufactured, or ones that fluids have saturated them (loosens the glue holding the pad to it's metal backing and can weaken the pad and break it down) can cause the pad or shoe to crumble apart. You then are back to metal backing pad grinding on the drum/rotor, destroying it. To end this long story, get good quality brakes and parts, your almost there, you got this far, good luck. Ask again if you need more help !!!


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## Meerkat

We just got more parts will let yall know how it works out. Thanks guys. Had to send back and wait for front shoes or pads ,they came in this morning so its shoes all the way around now.


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## Meerkat

helicopter5472 said:


> The money pit continues...sorry to here about that. I played mechanic back in the early 70's and 80's. I found that brake shoes/pads once they get soaked with rearend grease or brake fluid usually did not hold up well afterwards. Again in the old days you could get remanufactured shoes, which were cheap some good and some not so. On my own vech. I always replaced with new any time they got saturated with fluids and recommended to any customer to do the same. On a car with disc brakes on the front and shoes on the back, about 60% of braking was from the front and 40% for the rear. Reman. shoes usually would do fine. So lets take it up a notch, the bus weights more and depending how much you load it, the brakes take quite a bit more use, like a motorhome you tend to load it heavy with your stuff. I think it's a wise idea not to go cheap. If you live in a hot place, both the heat produced durning the stopping process, and heat outside, those pads get extremely hot, and an old pad, or pad cheaply remanufactured, or ones that fluids have saturated them (loosens the glue holding the pad to it's metal backing and can weaken the pad and break it down) can cause the pad or shoe to crumble apart. You then are back to metal backing pad grinding on the drum/rotor, destroying it. To end this long story, get good quality brakes and parts, your almost there, you got this far, good luck. Ask again if you need more help !!!


 We got Bendex pads from Napa,hope they are ok , replaced all pads front and back. Back one was falling apart from oil. Front worn on one side pretty bad too. Rotors look good wire brushed tops and bottom of calipers and used synthetic grease on top and bottom. Replaced one rear caliper that was locking up.

Any advice on bleeding the brakes now? We let it bleed for awhile through new caliper and replaced the fluid bleeding through that one side. He said he will keep reservoir full while I hold down pedal. We have done this before to other vehicles is the bus about the same? :dunno:


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## Meerkat

This song rings a bell about one piece at a time. It also reminds me of my job at GM back in the 70s. I was one of the first women to work on the line. What an experience that was. Especially riding that giant ribbit gun on the frame line..I lasted 14 months,it was too hard work for me,but most of the women there retired. I never took anything from the line though,haha.


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## helicopter5472

Pads should be O.K., You mentioned one caliper on the front where one was worn bad, you might want to check both calipers on the front, The one that's worn could be sticking and not releasing causing it to drag and wear out the pads. Another issue could be the one not worn is not working and froze up not allowing it to function. 
To bleed fill the reservoir, one person pump the pedal down slowly several times and hold to floor, I would start at the back, the other person open the bleeder valve, then close it, (don't let your foot off the pedal during this process) After he has closed the bleeder, repeat the process, keeping an eye on the reservoir so you don't run dry. It shouldn't be long before you get your pedal back.


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## Meerkat

helicopter5472 said:


> Pads should be O.K., You mentioned one caliper on the front where one was worn bad, you might want to check both calipers on the front, The one that's worn could be sticking and not releasing causing it to drag and wear out the pads. Another issue could be the one not worn is not working and froze up not allowing it to function.
> To bleed fill the reservoir, one person pump the pedal down slowly several times and hold to floor, I would start at the back, the other person open the bleeder valve, then close it, (don't let your foot off the pedal during this process) After he has closed the bleeder, repeat the process, keeping an eye on the reservoir so you don't run dry. It shouldn't be long before you get your pedal back.


 It was the left rear caliper that they changed. He said he only broke one line loose where he changed the caliper. Your probably right we probably should have changed both calipers but that was the only one sticking. I hope he doesn't have to take it apart again.:brickwall:


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## Meerkat

The brakes are bled and all seems ok on the dirt road here. He wants to take it on a test drive to nearest feed store 25 miles away , that means 50 mile round trip.

Wish us luck. Its hot today and it finally stopped raining so it will be hot, no ac of course. The rain was nice it kept us cool here for past month. It drowned all the plants but we were cool so that's the silver lining.


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## Meerkat

Trying to wait for more positive news, so will come back when I have some.

Good news I did live through the test trip and the heat stroke from it. Dumb and Dumber reporting back.


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## Meerkat

Went for another 'test' drive,it was much better than the last one. Hubby went without me this time. He said all sounds fine. No leaks ,vibrations or pulls.

Last test ride was not so good.It was 100de and only place to park was in a sunny parking lot. Never listen to " IT'S FINE" its a trick. The front wheels waited till we were 15miles from home to start dancing. Come to find out they forgto to balance the tires. So here is Mr.Its Alright on a bad pain day taking off lugs with a wrench. You men can be as hard headed as us women. I knew better than to go that far. I figured he paid for it enough so I even held a paper towel soaked in water I had brought in our little cooler [ very good move bringing that cooler he said we wouldn't need since we won't be gone that long] no ' I told you so' or hell raising for the trip from hell Mr.It's Fine took us on.

Too much confidence is not a good thing.

He was bedridden for a week off and on. He got them balanced enough to get home.

Of course I have pulled some nice ones too. But I'm blonde or was so was he come to think of it.


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## crabapple

I love the home made socket wrench.
Files: are commonly made in 3 different coarsenesses-smooth,second cut, & bastard.
The Bastard cut is fastest & roughest.
A mill file, so-called because it was originally used in a sawmill.
From "The Great Tool Emporium"
Sorry for casing a rabbit down his hole.
The biggest socket I have used was 4 inches, most of the time I use a 18 inch crescent wrench.
As you know 18 inch is the length of the wrench not the size of the bolt head.
I have to make one of those wrenches.


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## Meerkat

crabapple said:


> I love the home made socket wrench.
> Files: are commonly made in 3 different coarsenesses-smooth,second cut, & bastard.
> The Bastard cut is fastest & roughest.
> A mill file, so-called because it was originally used in a sawmill.
> From "The Great Tool Emporium"
> Sorry for casing a rabbit down his hole.
> The biggest socket I have used was 4 inches, most of the time I use a 18 inch crescent wrench.
> As you know 18 inch is the length of the wrench not the size of the bolt head.
> I have to make one of those wrenches.


 I was introduced to my first 'bastard' file in Port Everglades Ship Yard in 1976. Along with my first experience with no see ems.

It was a joke played on me. I needed a job besides waiting tables. After I finally got to the top of the scaffle and made it across the gangplank I was sent back down to get a bastard file needed to change the brakes shoes. I thought they were kidding since I knew ships didn't have brakes. The nuts and bolts on that StarKist vessel were huge, big as wheels on a car. So were the tools! I drug that thing across that black hot bug infested sand back up the scaffle and was told to take out the pins the something that meant a huge muscle bound greek would take a sledge hammer to and knock them out. !0 minutes and the biting and itch was increasing along with the jarring of superman with the sledge hammer.My hands were bleeding and wrapped in rags.

I lasted 4hours before I passed out of my misery trying to get off that ship. I woke up being carried back down the 10 or more stories to the ground by one of the supermen who work on those ships.

The one who hired me lost the bet,he said an hour and I lasted 4.


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## Meerkat

I went back in time,now back to the future of my traveling plans.

The bus still has a little noise it makes now and then like a soft grind or air release. Hubby took it on a 60 mile trip.

The mystery sound just grounded me for awhile longer. He said it was fine just a little 'kink' needs driving out. Well its too kinky for me, and I ain't going anywhere till I know what it is. Son is pretty much done with helping too.

We don't even know which part of the bus its coming from.


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## Tirediron

If it has a thematic fan clutch it will make a fairly aggressive whirring noise , when it locks in, usually on hills or in slow speed , higher engine rev conditions, such as speeding up in traffic, it should change with engine speed, not vehicle speed if it is the fan.


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## Meerkat

Tirediron said:


> If it has a thematic fan clutch it will make a fairly aggressive whirring noise , when it locks in, usually on hills or in slow speed , higher engine rev conditions, such as speeding up in traffic, it should change with engine speed, not vehicle speed if it is the fan.


 Thanks Iron. I'll tell him when he gets up, hes not feeling good this week, lots of pain.

I want to go to the campground for a cope days at the beach. It has rained here for about 3 months now, but better than being on fire so guess that a good thing. Never seen it rain and storm so much for so long.


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