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« Last post by Seann on November 23, 2025, 06:53:19 AM »
Hi All,
Thanks to everyone who responded to questions getting this big thing ready for a test drive. I took a guess and shortened the l/r leveling valve link 1", aired it up and it sits just right now, lucky guess. Took it for a short clandestine trip, first time driving air ride, rear engine combo...can see the attraction, very smooth and quiet. Found a gym equipment company in Mississauga that made me new luggage door cables using my ends and their cable/single shank ball ends for $40 each. Changed pass side drive axle seal (what a mess), driver side looks OK, noticed air bags have been capped on that side, I guess beams were too rusty (Canadian winter history remember). Lots more to do to get ready for safety check in the spring, but parking for the winter now. On test drive speedo doesn't work, nothing showing on temp gauge (not warmed up enough?), and fast idle switch works one day, then not the next. Still learning...
Thanks again,
Seann
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« Last post by Glennman on November 22, 2025, 09:45:26 PM »
If using lead acid batteries for house bank you can set them up for 24 volt and directly connect them to the chassis system. Your charge profile may not be perfect, but it works pretty well. You will need to center tap the battery bank for 12 volt, and best to have an equalizer to keep the batteries balanced. (I have a no longer used Vanner Equalizer I would give you, or charge a token price for.) I have done this in the past before I switched my house battery bank to 48 volt with LifePO4 batteries.
In this case you would need an inverter with charging as you would want to replace your 12 volt inverter. You really don't want to run an inverter off a center tap.
Sorry for not getting back to you belfert! I appreciate the offer, but my house batteries are lithium and the bus batteries are lead acid. Outside of maybe installing a DC to DC charger, I am very paranoid about installing anything that combines the two different systems.
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« Last post by Seann on November 20, 2025, 10:58:29 AM »
Any reference on ratio between link length and height change? If I shorten the l/r link by "X", should it drop that corner by "X" ?
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« Last post by Seann on November 20, 2025, 06:35:06 AM »
OK, thanks for your input...I'll try adjusting the back side to side with the links, but what should I be looking for at the front? If the leveling valve only does front to back, what can cause the difference left to right...seized shock(s) maybe not letting the pass side come up?
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« Last post by luvrbus on November 20, 2025, 05:29:01 AM »
Take a broom handle and move the leveling from the out side that will tell you how much to adjust the valve ,i do it without getting under the bus, sometimes the valves get where you cannot adjust it, make sure the air bags are not different on each side I ran into that on MCI 9 one time the bag would not extend high enough to adjust the correct level, the tag axle adjustment can throw level off too on 1 side ,been there before with a tag axle seized on the passengers side for lack of grease , a teenager showed me how his dad checked his cement truck tag with all things using silly putty under the tires it was stupid but it showed me tag was the same on both sides .You can buy leveling valves on Amazon for $30 up I never had any problems with the ones for Peterbuilt sold there some cases I would spend another 20 bucks for new arm kits and linkage
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« Last post by luvrbus on November 20, 2025, 03:54:17 AM »
I ended up ordering a Renogy 24v/2000 watt inverter. It will be dedicated to the mini split while driving. I suppose I would still need a generator for boondocking when it's hot both night and day. I now have a 24v mini split unit (like for truck tractors) in the bedroom that runs on the bus system while driving. It's set up so that I can connect it to the house batteries when parked. We can run it on low and benefit from it at night, where the Pioneer mini split unit is far away hanging above the windshield while using a lot of power. I have yet to use it as I installed it just as the cold weather started. Thank you everyone for your input!
I like the Renogy stuff they use a lot of it here in valley for solar applications, it is affordable and customer friendly, Renogy has a large warehouse and center not far from us in Chino Ca people here like that
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« Last post by luvrbus on November 20, 2025, 02:38:51 AM »
Generators can fail too. My previous generator failed almost every year for four or five years. We started to carry a Honda EU2000 generator as a backup to keep the basics running. I finally got sick of the generator issues and spent a ton of money to purchase and have installed a Wrico generator.
My Universal marine generator ran many years with me replacing only the shut down solenoid, Powertech had problems I helped Sonnie Gray change the head bearings in his several times, Onan had problems with the magnets coming lose after Cummins bought it, what I like about Dick Wrights generators he didn't use all the electronics on his just plain and simple and run for ever,I am not a big fan of Powertech,Gary's new bus has had the 20kw Powertech removed and replaced with a Wirco generator he got lucky, I like the Martin generators with the Yanmar turbo diesel engines they never give up that is why the entrainer buses use Martin.Onan is most popular RV generator by far due to the service network all Cummins dealers will work on Onan
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« Last post by Glennman on November 19, 2025, 09:21:27 PM »
I ended up ordering a Renogy 24v/2000 watt inverter. It will be dedicated to the mini split while driving. I suppose I would still need a generator for boondocking when it's hot both night and day. I now have a 24v mini split unit (like for truck tractors) in the bedroom that runs on the bus system while driving. It's set up so that I can connect it to the house batteries when parked. We can run it on low and benefit from it at night, where the Pioneer mini split unit is far away hanging above the windshield while using a lot of power. I have yet to use it as I installed it just as the cold weather started. Thank you everyone for your input!
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The physical link, between the axle and the leveling valve is intended to be bent/formed to either raise or lower the resting position of the body. Nothing rocket science about it and if yours are distorted or corroded, to the point they can't be adjusted to the desired ride height, simply go buy another pair of links from a truck supply source for air-suspension parts, these are very common and cheap, and install new ones. The MCI Manual describes how to set the height and that's how they describe it. Bend the link to shorten it and lower the body or straighten it and raise the body. The leveling valve really doesn't determine the actual ride height. All they do is dampen out the massive random axle movements to create an average and stable air pressure to the air bags. You can set/adjust the lever on the leveling valves' shaft for a gross adjustment then fine tune it with the bending of the axle attachment links. The procedure is in the manual and another reason to have a manual in hand for all those little questions and answers you'll need to keep your '9 in good shape. By the way the leveling valves themselves are rather standard today used in any air-ride suspension truck or bus, and only around $100 new, barring any outrageous inflation caused price increases, still reasonable priced. Nothing MCI proprietary about them any off the self leveling valve should work
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