Help needed On I90 around Wisconsin-Minn Border

[gumpy]

Just wanted to update this thread for everyone who's been watching and helping.

We had dinner with Gene and Evelyn this evening. He has an appointment at C&J tomorrow to get things looked at. Should be in good hands there.

He'll update the thread when he has more info, and internet access.

craig

[Gene 78 MC8]

It is 11PM on July 2nd and I just got home with the bus. I will detail the trip in the next few days. Right now I need to get some sleep..

thanks to those that replyied with suggestions. They really helped out and I will write about it later.

Gene    78 MC8/ 75 MC5

[Gene 78 MC8]

   I am away from home again and I dropped the bus off at home on July 2nd and then headed to the Bay Area on the 5th again. This time I took the car because we spent enough money on the bus this last month of traveling. I do not have the bills with me right now, but I wanted to comment about the service that C&J Bus repair provided in Bloomington Minnesota. I think their service was excellent and I would not hesitate to take my bus there again even if I had to travel quite a ways out of my way to get to their shop.
   They found that my rear parking brake problems were caused by a corroded service brake valve and the bracket that holds it on the from had been weakened by corrosion. As a mater of fact several of the mounting holes were corroded away and it was holding the valve at the wrong angle. They also replaced both front wheel bearings and the seals. They had to clean up the front brake pads because the leaking seals had gotten oil on the pads & drums. In the rear they found both brake activation canisters were rusted up and not working freely, so both of them were replaced. My reverse solenoid was very intermittent so they replace the relay in the rear panel that controls the main solenoid on the transmission.
   The steering was also improved when they replace one end of the drag link and adjusted the steering so that it was centered hen going down the road. Someone had the drag link 1.5" too long and that caused the gear to be in a looser area of the main gear.
   After leaving C&J’s the only problems I had was the temperature reading on the gage in the instrument panel and the one in the engine compartment. I stopped in Oklahoma city and had the proper senders and a new mechanical gage installed and that cleared up some of my worries about the long grades I had to climb on my trip west. In case you have not noticed it already I did not go home on my original route. I did not have C&J adjust the clutch because the adjuster was frozen and I was more familiar with the grades on I40 than I was going through Colorado.
   With all the work that C&J’s did, the bill came to just under $4600.And I am so glad I had the work done by someone that knew what they were doing. I know that I would have never made it home if I did not have the brakes repaired. If you have never had the brakes fail on one of these buses you may not know the helpless feeling when the bus will not stop. Thank God and Air horns we made it through a couple lights in Minneapolis.
   We will head back home on Wednesday and I will have a bunch of things I need to correct on the bus when I return. Thanks again for all your help and for those that suggested to take the bus to C&J’s for service. I would recommend then to anyone that needs their bus worked on.

Gene   78 MC8 / 75 MC5B

[Busted Knuckle]

Gene I'm gald JD & the boys at C&J were good to ya ! I'm also glad to hear ya made it home safely! I've never met JD & his crew, but they've been tremendous help to me with parts and advice! I knew when I saw yer post that was yer best bet for expert service with an excellenat reputation!  BK

[gumpy]

Gene, Glad to hear you were treated well at C&J, and made it home with no more significant or life threatening problems with your bus. There's a reason we recommend them. As I told you, it wasn't going to be inexpensive, but you knew when you left that the job was done correctly and complete.

I hope you mentioned my name so I'll get favorable treatment the next time I'm in there. I have to get parts to redo my tag brakes soon 

They're good guys at C&J, and top mechanics. Definitely the best choice in your situation.

Take care. Say Hi to the better half for us.

craig