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Tripz Eagle 10 project

This is a public forum. This forum will be a place to show your Project Eagle and updates on progress you have made. Please make one thread with your project and put all updates in the same thread. Sorry... Eagles only.
tripz
Posts: 14
Joined: Wed Mar 16, 2011 9:42 pm
Bus Model: 1980
silver eagle
model 10
8v71 automatic
Location: los angeles california

Re: Tripz Eagle 10 project

Post by tripz »

hey Art!, funny thing you should mention power steering going out!, mines is leaking very bad! in fact when I was bringing it back home, right before i hit Texas, I lost control of my bus coming off a turning exit to get gas! talk about pissing in ones pants! took me a while to figure out what the problem was and where the power steering was! I read the mannual finally and there it was. dont ask me why I didnt just look at the mannual first?!, guess its a guy thing,. LOL. so anyway I need to rebuild mine at a later date as well. I cant believe its not raining there?!, its non-stop here.
" oh before I forget!" if anyone is interested! I found a pretty cool idea for adding a touch of that high end look to your eagle bathrooms, just by adding a simple night light! while stripping out my marble sink, I had a flash light under neath un-doing the plumbing and low and behold, I looked up at the sink and it had a very soft, warm glow! so I turned out all the lights and said jackpot! thats what i'm gonna put under all my marble sinks. maybe center a row of LED's underneath with a switch on the wall. hope somebody could use that idea before me, and tell me how you like it? who said Newbies cant have good ideas, LOL!
tripz
Posts: 14
Joined: Wed Mar 16, 2011 9:42 pm
Bus Model: 1980
silver eagle
model 10
8v71 automatic
Location: los angeles california

Re: Tripz Eagle 10 project

Post by tripz »

Hello Cindy!
nice to meet you as well, as I said, I studied your bus conversion in detail. both of you broke every phase down very clearly. plus i notice your creative talents around the bus. very impressive, my favorite is the idea of the Eagle on the front cap window, so original! You can bet I have a few original concepts on mine as well.
what you said about the name is true, yes maybe it will come to me, when I'm sanding and prepping for paint, who knows! I can't wait to come up with a good one like yours. thanks for offering your help with my bus, but i know Art and his King of the Hill crew " he's funny and talented!" is just to busy working on your bus now.
goodness! i had know idea your family was that big! it does make sense that i would get more work done alone. thanks for that different P.O.V!
maybe when I get closer to raising the roof, i could offer you guys some cash and meal for your time, to come out and help? no time soon, I'm still stripping it down to the frame. please if you working on anything I could help with just let me know?, thats a great way for me to learn more. I'll call at the end of the month, thanks again for you and Art being such wonderful members!
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ericbsc
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 743
Joined: Wed Dec 24, 2008 8:31 pm
FMCA #: 12345678
Bus Model: 1973 Eagle 05
Location: Boiling Springs, SC

Re: Tripz Eagle 10 project

Post by ericbsc »

Don't worry bout the little stuff!!! I agree with Jim about adding and changing to a "T" drive. If you are going that far that is the way to go!! It is a bunch of work though. And 5' is a lot backback there. The dropbox is definately the weak link in the factory setup!! My thought was what is the simplest way to do a streach. According to the boss, if everyone followed my advice all cars, trucks, bikes, buses, boats, etc would be RED!! She say's its the only color I know!!LOL
Eric Brown
Spartanburg, SC
1973 05
Series 60 allison 4000MHP
tripz
Posts: 14
Joined: Wed Mar 16, 2011 9:42 pm
Bus Model: 1980
silver eagle
model 10
8v71 automatic
Location: los angeles california

Re: Tripz Eagle 10 project

Post by tripz »

last few weeks, have been getting better with the rain, just a little under the weather, and pissed off!
found a great welder with a wonderful price to do the back end first, he asked for the money to buy the steel framing needed, i gave him the $500 and that was the last i heard from him! only in Los Angeles! of course I tracked his number, told the folks on craig's list!, and all this imformation was fake! with some pay by month throwaway phone. so I couldn't even get the dash I wanted to get after that!
I've calmed myself down abit, realizing that some people will take avanage of my excitment over my bus.
he'll show up again, I will get my money bac, when I find him!, anyway just been in a funk over this lost! i should have went with him to the steel mill.
but it dont stop me, i'll just have to be more careful with craig's list quotes! been studying up to much on the T rear end not to do this now, I like it! I hope to get back to grinning rust next weekend.
User avatar
beltguy
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 2663
Joined: Wed Oct 08, 2008 4:39 am
FMCA #: F246286
Bus Model: 1985 Eagle 10 with Series 60 and Eaton AutoShift 10 speed transmission (SOLD)
Location: Evergreen, CO
Contact:

Re: Tripz Eagle 10 project

Post by beltguy »

Vinny, what a terrible setback. It is sad that there are those kinds of folks in this world.

I have to be honest with you and express a big concern.

I had the image that you were going to do the "normal" modifications first and then somehow work your way into the huge project of making the bus longer. It sounds like you have decided to go with the big project first. In my mind that is really scary - especially if you select a person that does not have the "credentials" to do the work. Those "credentials" are two fold: professional welding skills and ability to "design" the frame modifications properly. The welding skills are pretty straight forward. Select a person with a qualified welding shop, or a person with good references.

At the risk of boring you and the other good folks on this board, I will repeat my strong emphasis that MIG welding is very scary. In the hands of an untrained person, a good looking weld can be achieved that has very poor structural integrity. Lots of folks get by with less than professional welding on many modifications. But when you undertake a MAJOR structural modification, you must be very careful!!! Both welding quality and structural design MUST be part of the project.

What really scares me is that the frame extension really impacts the basic structural design of the frame. Most registered structural engineers will scare you to death and tell you that you can't do what you want to do. They will harp on the fact that you will change the dynamic longitudinal and torsional stiffness of the structure. These frames are designed to flex as they encounter uneven surfaces. Picture going diagonally across a drainage dip into a driveway. The frame will twist significantly. If you stiffen the fame in critical areas, it can cause a high stress concentrations and that can cause frame cracking.

So why do I go down this engineering drivel highway? I just want to make the point that frame modifications must be done properly. What is “properly” :?: Some folks will tell you that you MUST have a structural engineer do a full analysis. Other folks will say: “just grab the welder and go for it”. In my mind, it is somewhere in between.

If you look up all of the threads, on the various boards, about fabricating slide outs or center entry doors (both significant structural changes), your head will swim with discussions that suggest the bus will crack in half in the first few thousand miles. We all know that these modifications have been done many times and the results have been successful.

BTW, raising the roof may seem like a major frame modification, but in truth, it is not. Sure, it will change the stiffness but not significantly. While the rear part of the roof structure helps support the engine cradle structure, the typical roof raise does not compromise that part of the design.

So why did I just type a few thousand words :roll: that ramble all over the place :shock: ? It is because I am very concerned about your first attempt to do the modification. Without knowing more, it sounds like you were going to select a low cost fabricator with unknown skills. Please be very careful. A few of us have seen, first hand, the abandoned frames that Sam Walker attempted to modify

In a perfect world, you would get that bus in the hands of someone with a good track record. Our very own Sonnie Gray would be the best source in my mind.

Jim
Jim Shepherd
Evergreen, CO
'85 Eagle 10 with Series 60 & Eaton AutoShift 10 speed transmission SOLD
2005 Dodge 2500 with 5.9 Cummins and 6 speed manual 2022 Sunset 28 foot trailer
Bus Project pages: http://beltguy.com/Bus_Project/busproject.htm
Blog: https://beltguy.com/Travelogue/
Email: eaglesinternational.email at gmail.com   NOTE this email box is only for general correspondence related to the forum and not technical advice.  Technical questions will not receive a response.
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luvrbus
Club Member
Club Member
Posts: 2981
Joined: Mon Oct 13, 2008 12:50 pm
FMCA #: F262917
Bus Model: 05

Re: Tripz Eagle 10 project

Post by luvrbus »

T drives are not that hard to do on a standard Eagle setup several Eagle owners have the setup,with a 8v92 they are more of a challenge but the 6v92 is easy some Eagles came from the factory with the setup with the boogies.
The guy from Michigan did it with his 8v92 you lose the mitre box and need some way to drive the fan and space the engine and transmission where the drive shaft is a least 13 inches long and you are good to go not a real hard thing to do and fwiw the dropbox will stand more than the differential they will shear the bolts in the ring gear before they give up I have 2 here to prove that lol .
You can use a ISM engine and a 748 Allison and have room for a tee drive if you go the 4 stroke route makes a nice setup Hartley has that one in his Eagle never knew why the guys with the 60 series didn't do that not much difference in length in the 60 and the ISM


good luck
Clifford
User avatar
beltguy
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 2663
Joined: Wed Oct 08, 2008 4:39 am
FMCA #: F246286
Bus Model: 1985 Eagle 10 with Series 60 and Eaton AutoShift 10 speed transmission (SOLD)
Location: Evergreen, CO
Contact:

Re: Tripz Eagle 10 project

Post by beltguy »

Clifford, I had the bus up in the air doing some maintenance, so I scooted under to take a look. I have the 10 speed which is shorter than a 740 and about the same length as a Allison World as I recall.

My engine sits pretty close to the bumper. Indeed, I had to move the bumper out a half inch to clear the new hydraulic pump with two chambers. There is no way that you could get a driveshaft in a pure "T" drive.

My transmission U-joint is about 2 inches from the back of the pumpkin. With the pinon turned to the rear and a 12-13 inch driveshaft, I would guess that the engine would have to be moved back at least 16 inches and more like 20 inches.

Dave St. John's new bus has an ISM and they had to extend the rear by something like a couple of feet to get the "T" drive in.

If it could be done, I think Sonnie would not have gone to all that work to move the drive axle forward.

Those comments are for the four stroke. Just thinking about the 6V92 and miter box, I can see that it might be doable. That said, I wonder why Eagle designed the system with a drop box and found an alternative to the miter box. The drop box and miter box are expensive.

Dan, if you are reading this, would you chime in?

Jim

Jim
Jim Shepherd
Evergreen, CO
'85 Eagle 10 with Series 60 & Eaton AutoShift 10 speed transmission SOLD
2005 Dodge 2500 with 5.9 Cummins and 6 speed manual 2022 Sunset 28 foot trailer
Bus Project pages: http://beltguy.com/Bus_Project/busproject.htm
Blog: https://beltguy.com/Travelogue/
Email: eaglesinternational.email at gmail.com   NOTE this email box is only for general correspondence related to the forum and not technical advice.  Technical questions will not receive a response.
DaveG
Posts: 118
Joined: Mon Feb 15, 2010 9:48 pm
Bus Model: Currently do not own a bus, but I know people who do!
Location: Redding, CA

Re: Tripz Eagle 10 project

Post by DaveG »

Hey guys, not to hijack Vinny's thread, but I am still contemplating doing a T drive in an Eagle (probably a 10) and since I plan on using a 60, I have thought about moving the drive axle to the forward position and tag in the back....any thoughts? Engines/trans/rearends I already have.

It might be nice to have a T drive thread!

Vinny, yup...only in the City of Angels! Good luck and keep your head up...there are some good folks out there!
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rusty
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 1546
Joined: Thu Oct 09, 2008 3:22 pm
FMCA #: F341087
Bus Model: 1972 05 completed 2003
1994 15/45 in progress
Location: Johnstown Co.

Re: Tripz Eagle 10 project

Post by rusty »

It can be done but not for the faint of heart. Things to think about One the springs will protrude into the rear bay. Two the traction bars will have to move into the rear bay and will need to be beefed up. Three stock boggies will not work you will have to use 01 boggies. can use a truck tag axle but it will have to have a drop in it for the drive shaft. Go to my project page ( Wayne Schell 15/45 ) and see how I did mine.

Good Luck Wayne
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beltguy
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 2663
Joined: Wed Oct 08, 2008 4:39 am
FMCA #: F246286
Bus Model: 1985 Eagle 10 with Series 60 and Eaton AutoShift 10 speed transmission (SOLD)
Location: Evergreen, CO
Contact:

Re: Tripz Eagle 10 project

Post by beltguy »

Hi Dave.

Sonnie Gray did that very conversion. He uses something like a 2.62 truck rear end and an HT 740 with his kitty cat engine. He love is and says he has not startability issues with that ratio.

It is a huge job, but obviously doable. He used a special axle and air springs for the new tag.

I don't think he has a project page, but I have a lot of photos he sent me when we did our engine conversion seminar for Jack Conrad's rally. If you want to start a new thread, I will try to post a few pictures.

Jim
Jim Shepherd
Evergreen, CO
'85 Eagle 10 with Series 60 & Eaton AutoShift 10 speed transmission SOLD
2005 Dodge 2500 with 5.9 Cummins and 6 speed manual 2022 Sunset 28 foot trailer
Bus Project pages: http://beltguy.com/Bus_Project/busproject.htm
Blog: https://beltguy.com/Travelogue/
Email: eaglesinternational.email at gmail.com   NOTE this email box is only for general correspondence related to the forum and not technical advice.  Technical questions will not receive a response.
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