Stuck on the side of the road - UP-DATE

[El-Sonador]

The harmonic balancer is the drive pully located on the end of the crankshaft for the AC and cooling blower belts.   The balancer has weights specifically located to dampen crankshaft harmonics.   It serves several functions.  It is sorta fragile and cannot be bumped on or jacked with porta power to gain space.   If your trying to pull or push the bumper back a little, the engine block would be a better place to push from.  Using a ram.  Watch out for the oil pan lip, and other electrical parts that could be damaged if the Porta power slips.  Portapowers will jack several thousand pounds so be cautious.  Something will give.  You want the bumper to go first.
Is the 8V71 and original install?  Perhaps the engine is not in the correct location? 
Resolution is at hand....one way or another!  Youll find yourself back on the road soon.
Best, JR

Got Ya - I'll try and becarefull around there... Thanks...

For a while, I thought it was a term used to describe the perfect wife or husband... 

Steve

[Busted Knuckle]

Wow Steve you were up way to early for me the only time I get up that early is if the phone rings (usually a call for a tow truck or service call!) or if I'm on a charter, but since I da main guy in da shop! I'm usually last out on a charter! (unless of course I get requested or like the case of head'n to FL. with a Frat. mom & dad don't care much for partiers or letting it happen on their bus (which just had a $4,500 new interior, & a $4,500 new video system installed!). So since we know college kids and they said they didn't mind putt'n up a damage deposit(so they could have alcohol on board) THEY GET MY BUS! Which ya know really tears me up to have to take these kids to the beach for thier spring break parties! It's a tough job but someone's gotta do it! LOL  , By the way I was up that early this morn'n cause the phone did ring! Another bus nut in trouble as a matter of fact! Well hope you and Don get it together so ya can get r goin! "Knuckle"

[Busted Knuckle]

Any luck guys? I thought of a way just a few minutes ago! As I said before Steve when it comes to pushin engines in I use a big block o wood right on the circle where the craddle mounts to the block an push against it with my wheel lift! If ya want I'll bring the wrecker down and we can push there with the wheel lift while I hook both cables to the bumper with snacth blocks back to the lower D-rings on the wrecker bed an I guarantee we'll make some clearance for them belts to slide in no problemo! Knuckle!

[El-Sonador]

Hey Steve hows it coming on yer bus? I haven't seen any updates posted! Just curious!
"Knuckle"

OK... here is the latest up-date.

This morning I picked up a tube of Gasket Maker to re-install my drive axels.
Found a brass compression fitting to repair the broken air line.
And a few other neat toys including a 4 ton Porta-Power Set.

Don aka "Magic Torch" and help from that Porta-Power set, we were able to finally remove that dreaded beam and the rear bumper. The trailer hitch didn't help at all, as it was always in the way or blocking one thing or another at every turn, but we made it.

The remaining old belts are now off and the new belts are "almost" on. By almost I mean they are a tad shorter than the old ones, [probably due to stretching over the years?] so me thinks the slack adjusters need to be adjusted slightly. I'm about a 1/2 to 1 inch short to get over the pulley flanges.

The sun has come around to the back of the bus where I was working, so I came in to get cooled down and take a break.

My plan is to finally get the new belts fully on, then cut the bumper slightly to avoid the trailer hitch in the event it happens again. Then re-mount the bumper, fix the damage caused by the broken belt, like the curb-side tail light cluster, small air line going to the A/C compressor's slack adjuster and crimp on a new terminal for the Temp sending unit.

After the above work is done, barring any belt alignment issues etc, I should be "good-to-go"

Are there any issues or things I should know about belt alignment or adjusting the tension on the belts by way of the air assisted slack adjusters...?

Steve

PS... To Don/TX and his wife Geneda - many, Many, and MANY thanks.......

[Busted Knuckle]

Steve I think if you'll air up the bus and turn the lever controling the adjustment cylinder it'll suck the cylinder in further if ya don't have a source of air other than the engine it self just make sure that the belts are outta the way and start the engine long enough to build air it won't run long enough to hurt any thing! Once the new belts are on you might have to adjust them! Once on I'd  eye ball 'em if they ain't dog legged or anything you should be good to go! Knuckle 

[El-Sonador]

Steve I think if you'll air up the bus and turn the lever controling the adjustment cylinder it'll suck the cylinder in further if ya don't have a source of air other than the engine it self just make sure that the belts are outta the way and start the engine long enough to build air it won't run long enough to hurt any thing! Once the new belts are on you might have to adjust them! Once on I'd eye ball 'em if they ain't dog legged or anything you should be good to go! Knuckle

Got the blower belt on, but I had to disconnect the upper pulley linkage arm going to the air cylinder. She seems a little tight with no air in the bus, but it is on.

I had to put both A/C belts on first as they are forward of the blower belt. - I pried up on the A/C compressor as much as I can to allow the max play in those belts, but I'm still a little short - plus the furthest forward belt has to jump over one pulley to get to it's position, then I can get the 2nd A/C belt on.

Should I un-couple the slack adjuster linkage arm on the A/C compressor also... That big old compressor will be just pivoting on the one hinge at the bottom... ? ? ?

Steve

[El-Sonador]

PS -----

The upper blower air cylinder is almost all the way in - no more room to suck in more...

Steve

[El-Sonador]

www.niagarawireless.com/mybelts/ac_air_cylinder.jpg

[El-Sonador]

www.niagarawireless.com/mybelts/ac_compressor.jpg

[El-Sonador]

www.niagarawireless.com/mybelts/main_blower_belt.jpg

[El-Sonador]

www.niagarawireless.com/mybelts/main_drive_pulley.jpg

[El-Sonador]

www.niagarawireless.com/mybelts/upper_air_cylinder.jpg

[El-Sonador]

Check out the above photos of the belts and stuff in the previous 5 postings

Steve

[El-Sonador]

I guess everyone is probably tired of hearing about my problems by now but I did manage to get all the belts on, axels in, airline fixed, temp sensor repaired...

Just have to re-install the bumper.

Does anyone have any objections if I toss that aluminum beam... ? ? ?

Steve

[NJT5047]

Does anyone have any objections if I toss that aluminum beam... ? ? ?

Yep.  I got a problem with losing the crossmember.  That beam is a structural member that stabilizes the rear cradle and frame.  What you could do is space the thing away from the coach with 1' spaces or some such.  Big flat washers would get you back home.  The bumper would offer some support, but the aluminum crossmember should be reinstalled. 
Best, JR