Frodnew's 1989, Model 15, 6v92, 102" wide

Look for a small stamped-in number on the flat top of the tie rod end. For example, on Eagle part number 05-0422-502, it is 685504RH (if the part was in the correct part bag). Usually, the tie rod ends are threaded into the connecting tube joining the two (one left hand thread, one right hand thread), is that the case with yours? Has your toe-in adjustment been checked?

No stamped number. The part number I posted earlier is what was on a bright green tape wrapped around the rod. Looks like Goodson's wrote it out. JB said that he looked as well but the standard to the chassis is that if it's a model 15, the part will likely start with 015-xxx...
model 5 would be 05-xxx... and so on for 10/20's. Either way, even with a different part number, the part still fits. Goodson's shipped them new.
JB's working on the wiper conversion for me now going from air to electric. Driver's side was the original motor and the passenger was replaced when I purchased it but the electrics I have now are going to be better. Brand new, all the fixin's. Some mods and clean up are also being done due to the previous shoddy jobs inside the areas. Will post when done.
The train horns he installed are sweet. LOUD! 150db loud. As in, "Get the hell out of my way" loud. The steering wheel horn was practically a Herbie the Love Bug type. Since it's hidden below the driver's seat, I can't show the finished product but will blow it a few times and see if you can hear me. LOL!
Next job on the list is the engine. He'll be taking out the hydraulic lines that are wrapped around the engine, replace it with a miter box assembly and I'll have belts to deal with instead of the lines. The generator was sold and the lines were just left hanging. As of now, they leak slowly and it drives me nuts. Not a lot but still, it drips.

Speaking of generators. Anyone know where I can get a quiet type 12-16kw generator? I want to upgrade from 2 A/C's to a third since it's blazingly hot here in Fla. Unless you all have other ideas, this is best I can think of so I might as well ask.

Will be back at ya soon,
Eric

Dick Wrico at Wrico generators is the favorite of many busnut's...
He either is an excellent salesman or he has an excellent product,(Probably both!) but either way I am planning to buy his product when the time comes.
http://www.wricointernational.com

Last edited by DoubleEagle on Sun Mar 24, 2019 10:27 am, edited 1 time in total.

frodnew wrote:No stamped number. The part number I posted earlier is what was on a bright green tape wrapped around the rod. Looks like Goodson's wrote it out. JB said that he looked as well but the standard to the chassis is that if it's a model 15, the part will likely start with 015-xxx...
model 5 would be 05-xxx... and so on for 10/20's. Either way, even with a different part number, the part still fits. Goodson's shipped them new.

I suspect that Goodson's got these from a supplier of truck parts and put that Eagle number on them. If we had the actual part numbers we could get them without Goodson's markup. As a truck part, a drag link of this size would be about $100-$130. (A drag link is a fixed length link with no adjustment or replaceable tie rod ends).

Next job on the list is the engine. He'll be taking out the hydraulic lines that are wrapped around the engine, replace it with a miter box assembly and I'll have belts to deal with instead of the lines.

That does not sound right, in a model 15 there is not enough room between the engine and the bumper for a miter box. They use belts to drive everything normally. The hydraulic lines for the fan drive don't go over the engine in setups I have seen.

The generator was sold and the lines were just left hanging. As of now, they leak slowly and it drives me nuts. Not a lot but still, it drips.

What lines are hanging, what is leaking?

Speaking of generators. Anyone know where I can get a quiet type 12-16kw generator? I want to upgrade from 2 A/C's to a third since it's blazingly hot here in Fla. Unless you all have other ideas, this is best I can think of so I might as well ask.

You will need 12.5 Kw and up alright, but 3 A/C's will not be enough going down the road. You still have all the windows, and probably stock insulation - you will need four or five rooftops and/or basement A/C's. WRICO is a good source, but shipping will be from Oregon. There are many sellers of generators, but a lot of them use Chinese generators with lesser quality. Good sets will have a Kubota, Yanmar, or Perkins diesel, and a US made generator, or foreign one made to US specifications. Hunt for a good used generator.

Eagle obsessed wrote:Dick Wrico at Wrico generators is the favorite of many busnut's...
He either is an excellent salesman or he has an excellent product,(Probably both!) but either way I am planning to buy his product when the time comes.
http://www.wricointernational.com

It's Dick Wright (Wright Company shortened to Wrico). He is a quality person that not only knows his own, but many others as well. You can call him direct to ask advice about generators, and he will freely give advice. He also knows many of the other suppliers across the country.

DoubleEagle wrote:It's Dick Wright

Arghhhh... my bad on that one :oops:

Hi Guys:

Thanks for the amazing feedback I appreciate the chatter on who's and what's. I'll see what I can find out about the number Goodson's uses. I can attest that after purchasing electric wiper motors and my mechanic having issues on mounting them, I had to give these guys a call. What I learned was that the original motors were already in their own boxes, removed and placed in another box labeled oil filter and mailed to my mechanic directly. The paperwork for installation was also cut intentionally with scissors which could've been information on who they came from originally.
The reason for the call was because instead of the wipers parking in the center, they parked on the outside. I paid enough for the kits plus shipping only to have my mechanic rack his brain for hours around why this was happening and also be charged his time. In the end, I ended up being the bad guy for calling out the sellers for a product issue they knew to have issues like this and the fix is to turn the spindle around. All said, more time and money is needed to see my mechanic, drive some hours to do this, have him turn the spindles around and that problem will be fixed at my cost, not the seller's. additionally, I was told to lose his number and not call back. What customer service we have in the bus parts world. I guess I'll have good working wipers when all is said and done but now I'm going to need to find someone with access to parts (for future purposes) because I was the one with an attitude. Wow!
I'll call Wrico. I'll call anyone as long as I have a name, number or info on possibilities of this person being on the grid. Till then, life goes on.

I'll be posting pics of the bus. Just washed him today. I'm getting married on Sunday and we're going to try and incorporate the bus, too. Life is good, my chin up and moving forward.

Eric

Eric, I'm not clear on who you got the Wiper Kit from, was it Goodson's, or Autex Automotive Devices in Staten Island, New York? Auxtex sells two versions of electric wipers as a kit for conversion for Model 15's. I have not heard anything negative about their kits (except for the high price). Whomever it was, it does not sound like you got your money's worth. Lord knows, you need to preserve your money for a generator, and getting married, congratulations! It would be nice to know what outfit wants their number lost, maybe some of the rest of us could help lose it.

Hi Walter:

Life never stops with me, hence, the late feedback. Since my last post, the road has taken me all across Florida again. I got married! Wedding was simple, in the country and ran (Thank God!) by friends who took the burden off our hands. Beautiful weather, quick, simple ceremony and the rest of the night was live acoustic music from friends afar and the best part, our bus was a part of it!

The wipers turned out to be from a company that you mentioned first in NC. I'm not familiar with Autex but I am now!
Parts were ordered, shipped directly to my mechanic, put in and as explained before in last post, would not park properly. He asked that I call NC and find out what gives. I did so and it wasn't pretty. In the end I was asked to remove his phone number from my list and give him the number of my mechanic. By doing so, mechanic later explained that it turned out to be an arm that can/should be reversed by swinging arm 180 degrees to other side. I'm not sure if I'm explaining it correctly but do know that everyone on board got it and the fix is now easy. Bus is still in garage so am waiting to see results and will post soon.

What upset me was that I paid good money for the parts and this "issue" was somehow MY fault because...on a Sunday...I was supposed to call non mentioned "company" to ask what should be done to fix said problem when I wasn't even the one fixing it! On top of that, I got a story about Eagle's beginnings, problems and end and how the parts became difficult to find and those that do have them or know how to get them (if willing) sell them at the prices we all bend over for. I'm green behind the ears so it's all I know based on my conversation.
I'm looking for other, fairer means to acquire bus parts where the customer is not being blamed for something they had nothing to do with. I found it weird that the new parts were being taken out of the new box,and the original parts company info on the instruction sheet was scissored out and then it was all shipped in another box (oil filter boxes to be exact). I asked why this had to be done and shit hit the fan but it made no sense to me till I thought about it after the call.

What's important is that I'm a married, happy man and always willing to go above and beyond our fellow man for peace, love and happiness and a good bus ride, but man, I did not deserve what happened on that last phone conversation. So, the quest continues to seek out the world for those who are willing to help (like everyone here in the forum) and pray that parts that are needed for Eagles can be found elsewhere outside NC. Next on the list of my bus upgrades: Hydraulic lines that were left on the engine are coming off now, wipers parked where they should be and the generator box improved to prepare it for a generator (as you mentioned Walter). Which btw, does anyone know where I might find a used, well running 12-16kw diesel generator right now? My mechanic wants me to start shopping now so when I get back from Kansas that he can get this installed asap. In a few weeks, my goals are to drive the panhandle of Fla, Ala, Miss, Louis, Tx and straight north thru Oklahoma and finally into Ks. If anyone is along the route or close by, please let me know. Would LOVE to drive over and say hi!

Happy Easter everyone!

Eric,

Congratulations again, the main thing is that you are happy personally. As for the good people that sold you the wipers, I wonder if they got them from Autex and simply re-boxed them. The moral is, price around, ask around, before you jump in to big ticket items, like a generator. I would not prepare a generator box for it in advance because you do not know which one you are getting yet. There are different sizes and slide mount arrangements, and you have to decide where it will go to get the best weight balance, etc. My new Model 15 came with two generators, a 17.5 Kw PowerTech, and a Wrico 15 Kw. I'm still checking them out, but they both have Kubota Diesels. I also have two 12.5 Kw Perkins Diesel generators, but one has a bad generator head, the other is a newer Martin Generator. I will need two of them at least, but I will probably sell or fix the other two eventually. It could be a while before I figure what to do, I have a lot of projects on the burner.