need a radiator for 4905 badly

[mikeH8H-649]

While gettingthe busready for trip to NY next week I replaced my fan today with a new one I bought from us coach since mine was pretty beat up,well it seemed to fit fine and enough clerance so I hooked everything up and filled the system and fired it up and let it idle for about 15 mins,no leaks and everything looked great,went to the front and hit the high idle and everything went to hell loud banging noise so I shut down imediayly and went to the back of the bus and antifreeze was going everywhere,5 of the blades where everywhere and into the radiator,funny thing was it was not 5 blades together well anyway I need a new rad if anyone knows of a good one sad thing is it was almost new when I bought the bus also will need a new fan(not another plastic one)well so much for taking the bus on this trip any help appericated thanks Mike

[FloridaCliff]

Mike,

Sorry too here about this problem you had.

What exactly happened to the fan?  Did it just come apart?

If the ends are still good it may be cheaper to recore if you don't find a used one.

What a bummer!

Cliff

[LUKE at US COACH]

Hi Folks:

We are at the peak of our busy season, but I make a few minutes to at least look at the Boards to see what is going on.

Seeing our name mentioned as a supplier waved a Red Flag, and I want satisfied customers!!!!

I called Mike and just got off of the phone after about 1/2 hour.  Mike only has about 300 miles total on his coach since he bought it, which includes the miles since he put on the New Fan Blade.

He told me the Minister that owned the coach previously had a similar problem with the fan blade going thru the radiator due to a drive shaft (on the road coming up and hitting it), but then ran it for years without a similar problem.

I told Mike we have installed and sold many of these new fans without a problem, but that I am always concerned that New Technology may be problematic.

Mike is an experienced Race Car Builder and therefore understands mechanics and parts, so we are on the same page.

I suggested that when he gets back, that he carefuly looks at motor mounts, radiator postion and mounting, since there has been a previous event, as it is quite possible that there is something else going on with this coach.

Hopefully communication between Mike and I in the next few weeks, we will come up with an answer which we will post here for the benefit of others.

Happy & SAFE!!! Bussin'  to ALL.

LUKE at US COACH

[mikeH8H-649]

Hi all,first of all I would like to thank Luke for his calling me last evening and spending a half hour or more on the phone trying to figure out what happened(he sure is a great guy),Cliff I am not sure exactly whathappened yet but I do not think the fan just came apart I guess the engine might have moved enough for the fan to hit or rub somewhere and the fan came apart since it had about the same clerance as the original fan I think the fan would have hit before but being metal did not come apart this is why I said I do not want another plastic fan because I think they must be to brittle,once I figure out what exactly happened and get it fixed I will probally stay with original fan just in case it was to happen again.Second,Luke called me and thought I must be upset about this since I bought the fan from him,not in any way did I think that us coach was responsible or was I upset about any of this and the only reason I mentioned where the fan came from was to bring up the fact that I had not just put some off the wall fan on but had bought the right one for my bus,I do not let things like this upset me .If I had thought uscoach was at fault I would have called Luke and said we have a problem,Luke has been a big help to me and I know many others of you while doing our buses and I look forward to doing business with him in the future as I will probally be getting a rad core from him and a replacement fan,everything happens for a reason right,Mike

[FloridaCliff]

Mike,

You and Luke are both top notch guys in my book.

Thanks for the update.

Cliff

[JackConrad]

Mike,
    Check your radiator mounting points.  When we had our 4106, I put a fan balde through the radiator when I hit an extremly rough railroad crossing. I found that the rubber bushings in the hinge pivots were badly worn and the latch had a lot of play in it. I replaced the pivot bushings, removed the latch and replaced it with 2 bolts with self locking nuts. Radiator remained rock solid after that.  Hope this helps, Jack

[FloridaCliff]

Jack,

That is probably a $1000.00 tip.(don't get any ideas)

I am checking mine as soon as I get home.

Hi Ho, Hi Ho, its off to work home I go.

Cliff

[mikeH8H-649]

Thanks Jack,I had checked the pivots and they are tight and I had put all new bolts and made sure all was tight,I put the old fan back on and everything seems allright but the old fan has alot more clerance than the plastic fan had,I talked with Luke a little while ago and I am going to stop by his place on the way back from NY and buy a new rad core and when I get home I will get it all back together and will probally take a trip up to see Luke and see if we can find out why I am having the clerance problem,this bus has been wrecked before so I am guessing that something is out of alignment somewhere,anyway once the problem is found and fixed then I will worry about a new fan blade.we are leaving tuesday for our trip and will be gone for 11/2 weeks so will let everyone know what the real problem is after we get back and figure it out  Mike