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by The Rod » Mon Sep 12, 2016 10:49 pm
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The generators worked out OK. I ran the smaller one off the aux tank and used it to power the sound system. The 3000is has a much larger tank than the regular old 3000i and I only used it to run lights so I didn't need it as much. With a few stops at hell station I didn't come close to running out of gasoline in any tank. On Sunday night I ran all systems off of one genny, to empty out the aux tank and confirm that 2x 3000 watts was overkill. It was, but I loved the idea of still having power in the event of one genny failing.
Radios worked great, went with some cheap Boafengs and had some help getting them programmed. It was awesome to have communication between 4 different crew members, I don't know how a similar sized rig would operate without it. We developed a pretty good plan/procedure for communicating and driving instructions in the field. We did not get to installing a 'stop now' button or pull cord, both are good ideas and will be considered for the future. One thing I was really happy we did have: dual 135 dbl train horns. Its astounding how many people out there don't notice a giant rock and roll caterpillar approaching...
Super happy I took the windshield out. Made driving at night a breeze! Bonus: we were able to fit the head pieces inside the bus for transport and shoving them through where the windshield used to be was the only way they fit.
Lights: We went too big and complicated, ended up with half the lights spending burn week in a dusty pile in camp, the ones we did install never got programmed and only half worked. No one noticed except for me.. besides, more for next year right? The 12v driving lights worked pretty well, next year/time I will upgrade to something even brighter.
Paper air filter seems to have worked great.. She sounds funny now, something whistles on deceleration, maybe vacuum or exhaust leak? and I can hear a belt/pulley squeaking but miraculously there were no major breakdowns and she ran great all week! Definitely burned up a lot of clutch out there once she started getting heavy but the old-as-dirt 4 speed transmission worked stellar at keeping her idling along at 4-5 mph in 2nd gear!
The biggest corner cut: not blocking the rear suspension. I ran out of time and man power, it took the better part of a day for me and another guy to fab and install the blocks on the front. Once we got those in we were amazed at how stiff she got, and the logic of "look at how beefy those rear spring packs are, it shouldn't bounce much" got the better of us. She bounced, made it a total PITA when people were trying to get on and off... And she dragged.. 40 people got pretty heavy and the generator cages we hung off the beck deck bottomed out a few times, had a nice 'swept-back' look to them by the end of the week.. if you didn't know better you'd think we built em that way.. Nothing catastrophic happened but so far this was my biggest mistake.. So to anyone considering a MV, and especially if its large: you want the entire suspension blocked.
There's more I could bore you guys with, a couple things I'll post as follow-ups in other threads.. The debate is on whether or not we are crazy enough to bring this beast back in 2017... perhaps let her rest next year and come back with a vengeance in 2018? whatever we end up doing I'm stoked ya'll are here to answer my questions and laugh at my mistakes!
Thanks to all who contributed to this awesome thread! The Bonerpillar loves you!
"From each according to their ability and to each according to their needs" - Groucho Marx
if god can kill his only son you should be allowed to kill yours
