Freightliner ambulance conversion project.

[scooter421]

Have either of you gotten an alignment? I've talked to the guys near me and it's about $300 for front and rear. I don't notice too much vibration but it seems like things should be a little smoother. I want to see what an alignment will do for the truck.

Then there is the A/C, winch for bumper, improved sleeping quaters, heat, fresh water supply and filtration.....the list just keeps growing. Oh yeah, wheel balancers. I need a better paying job!

 

[Ozrockrat]

Wait until Sunday then you will think your truck is like riding in a Rolls Royce.

I have not had an alignment done yet. Too many things keep getting in the way. And until I settle on axles and suspension it's not worth the effort. Although I did seriously consider getting one done before I head off for the east coast.

 

[scooter421]

If it were not for my air ride seats it would be like driving an empty 15 ton dump truck!

 

[rossvtaylor]

No alignment on ours yet, either, but I will after the front lifting is done. I'm waiting till the bumper and winch are on, before even that. The local place will do it for $250, and they have a good reputation.

By the way, I was really surprised by the difference in ride coming home from Home Depot, with about 1500 pounds of lumber in the back...

 

[rlrenz]

These creatures are designed to haul nearly 5000 pounds of people, rescue gear, and medical equipment.

When we drove my Medic Master back from GEV to Minneapolis, my son stopped off along the way for nearly 1000 pounds of railroad passenger car parts - the ride felt the same to me. Maybe we didn't load enough weight?

 

[patoz]

Question for anybody....

When you install the Centramatics, are you supposed to remove the existing lead weights or leave them in place?

 

[Ozrockrat]

Question for anybody....

When you install the Centramatics, are you supposed to remove the existing lead weights or leave them in place?

Being a lazy bugger I would leave them on there. Doesn't really matter either way. It is supposed to adjust for it with or without the weights.

 

[patoz]

Being a lazy bugger I would leave them on there. Doesn't really matter either way. It is supposed to adjust for it with or without the weights.

Leaving them on would be good for me, because I've been thinking about trying a set on my F250, which has some vibration/bounce between 40 - 46 mph. If they didn't help I wouldn't want to have to pay to have them re-balanced all over again if I don't have to. They have been re-balanced three times already by two different shops, and nobody can get rid of that vibration at that specific speed range.

 

[Ozrockrat]

Countdown 6 days to departure:

After discovering this (no gas in the AC again) I ordered up a UV flashlight (and found the one I had as soon as Amazon delivered it). Here is the results of a quick flash around the engine bay. Looks like an alien but it is actually the compressor back/base and below it.

SO my results for the day. Chased around everywhere to get a replacement/conversion AC compressor and all the other consumables. Thought I finally had the York-Sanden conversion plate and the compressor lined up. 3PM delivery to the shop and the son in law can pick it up. 5:30 I get the call, don't think it is the right one. Need to wait until Monday to check with Sanden. BUGGER!!!

OK picked up a few bulbs and light to fix the ones I have broken. So far its trees 4 ambo 0. I have to do something about replacing all the little plug in clearance lights plus the scene lights. I am all out of spares and had to just silicon up the holes where another scene light bit the dust. And this is Phoenix, how do you guys who actually have trees around do it. I also had to silicon the 2 replacement clearance lights onto the bases which were broken.

Another interesting titbit I found today was that my rig has (actually had) 2 of the upper clearance lights wired to be on when the battery master switch is turned on. Luckily I do have the module wiring diagram and found that it was by design. But I leave my battery master on all night when camping to run the lights in the module. So it was a quick terminal swap and they are now in "normal" mode. The interesting part was that both of these were beaten by branches and didn't work. It only took me 2 1/2 years to notice

Then I pulled one of the passenger side scene lights down as it wasn't working. Again it has cracked lens and base. More silicon to get me through the next month. Fits with my normal practice. Fix it twice then fix it right.

Summary. No closer to being ready than I was yesterday. But I am still smiling. Cruise control is working :wings::smiley_drive:

Also fitted the balancer's last night. Haven't run it down the road to test yet.

 

[rossvtaylor]

Were the clearance lights on opposing corners? I've noticed that we have just two which are on when the master switch is on, but I thought that meant that the other two were burnt out. Funny. When you come up on Sunday take a look at these scene light housings and see they will work for you. I'm sending a couple to a guy in CA, but I've got a few extras.

 

[rlrenz]

Since you're starting from zero, the R134a charge quantity should be on a small label on the firewall right behind the Freightliner receiver-dryer.

I think that running two clearance lights when the master is on is normal for Freightliner - mine does the same thing. I like mine running that way because I know if I left the master on, but if you don't want the power consumption of an incandescent bulb, one solution might be to replace them with LED marker lights.

If you have Whelen 97 scene lights and need clear lenses, let me know - I have some spares. I think that Pat might have some leftover Whelen 97 fixtures.

 

[Ozrockrat]

Since you're starting from zero, the R134a charge quantity should be on a small label on the firewall right behind the Freightliner receiver-dryer.

I think that running two clearance lights when the master is on is normal for Freightliner - mine does the same thing. I like mine running that way because I know if I left the master on, but if you don't want the power consumption of an incandescent bulb, one solution might be to replace them with LED marker lights.

If you have Whelen 97 scene lights and need clear lenses, let me know - I have some spares. I think that Pat might have some leftover Whelen 97 fixtures.

That's good to know they all (Medic Master) had it. When I was originally overthinking the situation I was trying to work out where the harness might of rubbed to cause a phantom feed to 2 opposing lights like that. What are the chances that 2 lights on opposite corners would have the same "failure". Then the old mantra came back, check the cheap and obvious before stepping into the dubious. Also RTFM (read the flipping manual). I will keep mine disconnected as we like to have minimal external lighting when we are camping especially if we are setting up the telescope to have a peek around. Also it may be obnoxious to others if camping in a more crowded area. Like the blue flashing light on a rig in the feature vehicles at the last expo. It always managed to sneak in through a gap in the curtains into my eyeline. Pissed me off to no end.

As for the Whelen 97's. Thanks for the offer but I think I need to stop replacing them (probably stop breaking them would be better). As a long term solution for my use they stick out too far and are too fragile (relatively). Also I just don't need that much lighting. Longer term solution would be smaller/flatter clear face white/red LED's. There are some good ones from the like of Whelen but they are very proud of them $$$$$. I may just have to do the best I can with ebay specials and build surrounds that steer the branches around them. Some of the marine stuff also has potential but again $$$$$.

Ross we can sort your out in a couple of minutes. Takes longer to get the ladder to get to the terminal strip than it does to move the wires.

 

[Ozrockrat]

Finally got a new compressor. I think the problem was actually cultural/language. The guy I was working with definitely had English as his 2nd language (generally I prefer working with the latino parts guys because they are more fix than replace it) and American is definitely my second language and my Spanish is appalling. So back in this morning armed with a catalogue (remember those big paper book thinko's we used prior to computers) a couple of years old along with some Spanglish/Shrine/real English. Just like ordering food in another country it was point at the pictures and tada all was reveled. I now have a Sanden universal compressor (available anywhere in the world), the adapter manifold and the mounting plate. It was probably twice the cost of getting a reman or aftermarket York replacement but in the long run it is smoother, more economical and easily replaceable. I will add part number and photos to this post later. (along with the photo Bob was referencing about the gas charge needed).

OK truck should be cool enough to work on so off the keyboard and back to the sweatshop.

Compressor in and holds vac. Hit it with a charge, started it up and the gauges went crazy. I had swapped the suction and discharge lines. So if you are putting a Sanden compressor in instead of a York remember the suction and discharge are the opposite way around.

 

[rlrenz]

That's good to know they all (Medic Master) had it. When I was originally overthinking the situation I was trying to work out where the harness might of rubbed to cause a phantom feed to 2 opposing lights like that. What are the chances that 2 lights on opposite corners would have the same "failure". Then the old mantra came back, check the cheap and obvious before stepping into the dubious. Also RTFM (read the flipping manual). I will keep mine disconnected as we like to have minimal external lighting when we are camping especially if we are setting up the telescope to have a peek around. Also it may be obnoxious to others if camping in a more crowded area. Like the blue flashing light on a rig in the feature vehicles at the last expo. It always managed to sneak in through a gap in the curtains into my eyeline. Pissed me off to no end.

As for the Whelen 97's. Thanks for the offer but I think I need to stop replacing them (probably stop breaking them would be better). As a long term solution for my use they stick out too far and are too fragile (relatively). Also I just don't need that much lighting. Longer term solution would be smaller/flatter clear face white/red LED's. There are some good ones from the like of Whelen but they are very proud of them $$$$$. I may just have to do the best I can with ebay specials and build surrounds that steer the branches around them. Some of the marine stuff also has potential but again $$$$$.

Ross we can sort your out in a couple of minutes. Takes longer to get the ladder to get to the terminal strip than it does to move the wires.

If you want loads of scene lighting, and a price that better than the big "W", check out TecNiq (http://www.tecniqinc.com/). The company was started by optical engineers, and they make a fantastic light - I replaced all my interior module lights with their LED lights, and the difference really there. Once you figure out the model number, see if Amazon has it in their TecNiq collection.

 

[rlrenz]

You mentioned a ladder to get to the terminal strip to change the marker light wiring. Where is your primary electrical relay panel?

Mine is hinged directly over the module's side door, and it swings down for access.