[amit V8]

i haven't seen something like this before. great thread & pictures. how is the bus right now??

i think all CV chasis come with 7 wheels?? 6 std.+1 spare??

[raj_5004]

Originally Posted by phamilyman

Zimbly kicka$$$, Me likes.

Now be careful - TBHPians will post pics of your bus whenever it overspeeds

these bus drivers rarely overspeed unlike inter city bus drivers!

still, i'll be careful!

Originally Posted by Cartman

We get free rides, don't we?
Nice wheels raj! Reminds of my Midtown Madness playing days. Had fun with city buses. Hope you don't do that. lol!

free rides? sure arun, you have got enough space on the roof!

Originally Posted by PM - B

Way to go man, I have driven a completely sand laden truck in the small streets of Dharwad, Karnataka. Of course it was only for ~ 18 odd kms.
But the feeling is awesome.
Congrats on your buy, Happy Times to you.

thanks buddy. i am waiting to drive this beast.

Originally Posted by amit V8

i haven't seen something like this before. great thread & pictures. how is the bus right now??

i think all CV chasis come with 7 wheels?? 6 std.+1 spare??

the bus is almost finished, some finishing touches are remaining, will be delivered this sunday.

[kingofmyworld]

I was wondering why you dint start a thread here bout this and now you did it, Nice.
How many more days for the big boy's b'day?

[teamveevee]

Congratulations and wishing you all success with your new endeavor. You are so passionate about what you are doing. Please Start a web site for your tour operation. Hope one day you will become a well run tour operator in Kerala with your own workshops etc. Are you planning to start a route bus also, some point?

[anupmathur]

Raj, congratulations!
A beautiful and totally different ownership thread!
I wish you the very best in your new venture.

The day is not far when yours will be the first contract carriages offering trips to Leh!?

[vijaythacker]

congratulations Raj, different ownership thread to be seen.Pictures are good and nice to seem them as well.Awaiting to see final work along with interiors as well.
Might get offers for leh-ladhak trips from bhp soon Raj, get some more customisation for them, as you know very demanding.

[BaCkSeAtDrIVeR]

Originally Posted by raj_5004

on a serious note, no seatbelts, no airbags & no crumple zones which is very very sad. but there is very little I can do about it.

Airbags are not compulsory on heavy vehicles, AFAIK. In fact, manufacturers did not provide even power steering till it was made compulsory by law.

Originally Posted by muke31

do you know who takes care of passenger safety aspects and is it done by Ashok Ley while building the chasis or prakash(while building the body)
is there a crumple zone in bus chasis or body?

There is something called OLWAH.

Our Lord, Who Art in Heaven.

Seriously, safety of heavy vehicles (and risks posed by them) is an ignored aspect. Just look at the safety features offered in various heavy vehicles outside and within India.

Originally Posted by pugram

I have heard a corporation employee (TNSTC, Tamilnadu) quoting mileage figures of 6 ~ 10 for a bus, based on city or mofussil duty. Any idea if this can be true ?

I am thinking of joining a heavy driving school, just for the heck of driving a bus :-).

Yes, the old AL buses with the AL 370 engines used to give up to 5 KMPL on B'lore - Ernakulam route. That was in late 1980s.

BTW, I do not see any spare tyre carrier on the chassis. The last chassis we got was in 1978. It did not have a spare tyre carrier or even the tyre. We had to get the carrier fabricated and buy a used "disc".Later on, in mid 1990s, AL started to provide spare drums, which were mounted above the chassis, behind the diff. houring aka "axle". In the chassis pics, that point has some wheel "chocks" mounted now (the triangular thingies).

All I can see on your the chassis are four tyres and six discs. So, I assume that you purchased three tyres extra.

You should consider "upsizing" the tyres - from recommended / OE 16 PR ("ply rating") to 18 PR. These tyres will last longer.

And some advice.

5 forward gears does not mean that the 5 gears will be used. Check the owners manual. It will show the first gear as "push the shifter far left and push behind". That is what the drivers would call the "load gear". In actual practise, they will use only 4 gears, with positions similar to what is there on most cars. There is no overdrive.

Memorize the owner's manual.

Look at the various greasing points and ensure that the greasing points (water pump, leaf / suspension parts, transmission points - at the proppler shaft, etc) and lubrication poitns, especially enar the "king pin" - the part which connects the front wheels to the front axle) are oiled. Failure to do this can prove costly.

At least once a month, ensure that the engine switch off connection cable from the fuel pump to the "bonnet" is intact - the drivers will tend to "jam" / stall the engine in case this is not working - they never complain.

Ensure that the wheel bearings - front and rear - are regreased every 7500 / 10K kms (or whatever your manual recommends).

DO NOT change lubricant brands. Pick one during first six months, and stick to it. (like castrol, servo, "servo pride" etc.). Quality and effectiveness varied a lot with brands.

DO NOT use wheel caps. They look good, but cause heating of the wheel hubs.

Insist on replacement of oil filter and the 2 fuel filters during oil change.

Insist on return of every changed part and lube oil. The worlshop guys (even your own staffers) will cay "sir, it is not worth to you". It is worthless for the workshop guys too. Insisting on return of replaced parts ensures that they actually replaced the part and do not "recycle" them.

Remember that preventive / scheduled maintenance is the key to a breakdown less operation. The drivers / staffers may claim "sir, everything is ok"; but it is your vehicle, your business, your vehicle. As Behram Dhabar says in some other thread, "every vehicle talks" about its health to whoever is willing to listen.

Count and check the number of leafs on the front suspension (you have air suspension on rear only, right?) at every possible occassion. Sometimes, one leaf may break and fall off. Ensure that the 2nd leaf has a "loop" at the ends, which covers the first/main leaf.

Check air pressure daily. Have a spare "fan belt" on bus always. (most drivers / "cleaners" - whatever you call them - know how to replace it in case of emergency - if they do not know how to replace a fan belt, he is NOT a driver , or not experienced enough).

What is the seat configuration? 2x2 or 2x3?

How many seats on all? What are the taxes (based on seating capacity, I presume?) Did you get the "pucca" permit? Or are you operating on a temporary permit?

And a tip on insurance - ask for "unlimited third party property damage". This would cost maybe a hundred or thousand extra, but a nasty accident by a heavy vehicle can cause very heavy (in financial terms) damage to property, and is very risky).

[Turbo Head]

Originally Posted by BaCkSeAtDrIVeR

Airbags are not compulsory on heavy vehicles, AFAIK. In fact, manufacturers did not provide even power steering till it was made compulsory by law.



There is something called OLWAH....

Our Lord, Who Art in Heaven. .

Very nice tips indeed backseatdriver . Thanks for sharing the same.

[Ashley Nair]

Raj, since you are based at Aleppey, is it "Anu Travels" or "Panickers Travels"? Anyway, congratulations.
Leyland buses are preferred and respected by most bus drivers in Kerala over TATA or any other brand and that too with reason, I think. Here KSRTC depots in the high range have only AL due to their tremendous low end torque suited for inclines. TATA on the other hand are left to depots in the level plains.
And boy, the sound of an accilerating Leyland - nothing is more musical!

[DRIV3R]

@BAckSeatDriver : Thats loads of info man. Thanks for that informative post!

[fx45]

there are some new buses frm AL in bombay which have the front wheels which look slightly different, more like the AL Viking SLF buses used by BEST, their length of the chasis also looks similar to viking SLF? Considering the one which you bought is also a viking, i really dont get the front wheel style of your vehicle and the ones which i am mentioning about.
for reference.. see this picture.. credit to the photog

BEST JNnurm Ashok Leyland Viking SLF BS III CNG on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

[raj_5004]

hey guys, i am right now in bangalore and typing through my phone which is very irritating.

One of the 2 buses has a tilt to the right and it is a problem with the air suspension. We will call the wheels india guy on monday to inspect.

Originally Posted by kingofmyworld

I was wondering why you dint start a thread here bout this and now you did it, Nice.
How many more days for the big boy's b'day?

Hi buddy, the bus will be delivered on monday.

Originally Posted by teamveevee

Congratulations and wishing you all success with your new endeavor. You are so passionate about what you are doing. Please Start a web site for your tour operation. Hope one day you will become a well run tour operator in Kerala with your own workshops etc. Are you planning to start a route bus also, some point?

Thanks a lot buddy. The site is being made for online booking. No, we are not planning a route bus now.

Originally Posted by anupmathur

Raj, congratulations!
A beautiful and totally different ownership thread!
I wish you the very best in your new venture.

The day is not far when yours will be the first contract carriages offering trips to Leh!?

Thanks anup saab.
Lol... A trip to leh, i will be driving the bus then!

Originally Posted by vijaythacker

congratulations Raj, different ownership thread to be seen.Pictures are good and nice to seem them as well.Awaiting to see final work along with interiors as well.
Might get offers for leh-ladhak trips from bhp soon Raj, get some more customisation for them, as you know very demanding.

Yea sure!
Thanks buddy.

Originally Posted by BaCkSeAtDrIVeR

All I can see on your the chassis are four tyres and six discs. So, I assume that you purchased three tyres extra.

You should consider "upsizing" the tyres - from recommended / OE 16 PR ("ply rating") to 18 PR. These tyres will last longer.

And some advice.

5 forward gears does not mean that the 5 gears will be used. Check the owners manual. It will show the first gear as "push the shifter far left and push behind". That is what the drivers would call the "load gear". In actual practise, they will use only 4 gears, with positions similar to what is there on most cars. There is no overdrive.

Memorize the owner's manual.

Look at the various greasing points and ensure that the greasing points (water pump, leaf / suspension parts, transmission points - at the proppler shaft, etc) and lubrication poitns, especially enar the "king pin" - the part which connects the front wheels to the front axle) are oiled. Failure to do this can prove costly.

At least once a month, ensure that the engine switch off connection cable from the fuel pump to the "bonnet" is intact - the drivers will tend to "jam" / stall the engine in case this is not working - they never complain.

Ensure that the wheel bearings - front and rear - are regreased every 7500 / 10K kms (or whatever your manual recommends).

DO NOT change lubricant brands. Pick one during first six months, and stick to it. (like castrol, servo, "servo pride" etc.). Quality and effectiveness varied a lot with brands.

DO NOT use wheel caps. They look good, but cause heating of the wheel hubs.

Insist on replacement of oil filter and the 2 fuel filters during oil change.

Insist on return of every changed part and lube oil. The worlshop guys (even your own staffers) will cay "sir, it is not worth to you". It is worthless for the workshop guys too. Insisting on return of replaced parts ensures that they actually replaced the part and do not "recycle" them.

Remember that preventive / scheduled maintenance is the key to a breakdown less operation. The drivers / staffers may claim "sir, everything is ok"; but it is your vehicle, your business, your vehicle. As Behram Dhabar says in some other thread, "every vehicle talks" about its health to whoever is willing to listen.

Count and check the number of leafs on the front suspension (you have air suspension on rear only, right?) at every possible occassion. Sometimes, one leaf may break and fall off. Ensure that the 2nd leaf has a "loop" at the ends, which covers the first/main leaf.

Check air pressure daily. Have a spare "fan belt" on bus always. (most drivers / "cleaners" - whatever you call them - know how to replace it in case of emergency - if they do not know how to replace a fan belt, he is NOT a driver , or not experienced enough).

What is the seat configuration? 2x2 or 2x3?

How many seats on all? What are the taxes (based on seating capacity, I presume?) Did you get the "pucca" permit? Or are you operating on a temporary permit?

And a tip on insurance - ask for "unlimited third party property damage". This would cost maybe a hundred or thousand extra, but a nasty accident by a heavy vehicle can cause very heavy (in financial terms) damage to property, and is very risky).

First of all, thanks a ton for the great explanation, really really appreciated.

There are 7 tyres provided.
Seat config is 2x3.
Total no. Of seats is 49.

Originally Posted by Ashley Nair

Raj, since you are based at Aleppey, is it "Anu Travels" or "Panickers Travels"? Anyway, congratulations.
Leyland buses are preferred and respected by most bus drivers in Kerala over TATA or any other brand and that too with reason, I think. Here KSRTC depots in the high range have only AL due to their tremendous low end torque suited for inclines. TATA on the other hand are left to depots in the level plains.
And boy, the sound of an accilerating Leyland - nothing is more musical!

Thanks a lot buddy.
No buddy, we are new and name is Aishwarya travels.

[teamveevee]

Originally Posted by BaCkSeAtDrIVeR

DO NOT change lubricant brands. Pick one during first six months, and stick to it. (like castrol, servo, "servo pride" etc.). Quality and effectiveness varied a lot with brands.

Thanks BaCkSeAtDrIVeR, your experience will definitely help the newbie.
But what you mentioned above is a myth. As long as you use the oil with the recommended rating ( numer 30w, 40w) you are fine. Each brand will have different formulation, but at a minimum should fullfill the rating given. When i was a child, my father used to fill the same brand of Petrol (Indianoil, Bharat Petrolean etc) all the time. This is also not based on any scientific facts, and it does not matter really.

[shankarbn]

Congratulations raj. I've always wondered how it would be to drive such a huge vehicle. Driven a tractor once, that is as many wheels at once I have driven and man it was awesome! Waiting eagerly for the pictures to flow in.

[BaCkSeAtDrIVeR]

Originally Posted by teamveevee

Thanks BaCkSeAtDrIVeR, your experience will definitely help the newbie.
But what you mentioned above is a myth. As long as you use the oil with the recommended rating ( numer 30w, 40w) you are fine. Each brand will have different formulation, but at a minimum should fullfill the rating given. When i was a child, my father used to fill the same brand of Petrol (Indianoil, Bharat Petrolean etc) all the time. This is also not based on any scientific facts, and it does not matter really.

SAE 40 for engine oils, IIRC.

I have some bitter experience using Servo and Servo pride alternately. I lost between 33% to 25% of the interval between engine overhauls. (Used to be once in 3 years on a fixed route bus, had to do the over haul in 28 months.)


BTW, any reason you did not go in for the 130 BHP model? What engine is that?

Does the owner's manual contain any info about torque figures of the engine?

BTW. here is another interesting fact. Expenses for overhauling an 370 engine in 1084 and the newer generation engines now is almost same - mostly due to great reduction in the number of parts required, according to another owner.

No clue if this is true.

Also, be prepared for surprises - several parts are far less expensive for buses than on cars.

Also, if you are checking the rear suspension for tilt, please verify the camber of front leaf also.