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• Air Cleaner Filter
• Air Conditioner Compressor
• Air Con V Belts
• Air Con woes
• Air Con Gas
• Air Con Label
• Air Tx Valve Change
• Auto Cooling
• Belts - V Belts
• Brake Pedal Assembly Removal
• Brass Slippers for Springs
• Car license for RB145
• Clutch travel
• Coolant volume
• Cooling Fans
• Cruise control for RB145
• Dip Stick Oil Reading
• Door Conversion
• Door Top Roller
• Engine Cutout (mystery solved)
• Engine Mounts
• Engine Serial Number
• Engine Shutoff Fails
• Expansion Tank
• Extra Radiator
• Filter - Air Cleaner
• Gravel and Sand Roads
• Heater Pump Removal
• Hub Removal (front)
• Insurance
• Isolation Switch
• Intercooler
• Overheating Fans
• Parts - WANO Japanese Truck Parts
• Radiator Hoses
• Refrigerator Fire
• Rust - Roof
• Speedo not working - fixed
• Springs and Dampers
• Steering Slack / Backlash
• Sway Bars
• Sway / Roll Solution
• Swing Away Spare Tyre Carrier
• Swivel Front Seats
• Towing Information
• Tubeless Tyres
• Tyre Pressures
• VIC Rego
• Vehicle Identification Number
• Water Pump
• Wheel Winder Part
• Window Washer Nozzle
• Windscreens
• Wreckers

Air Cleaner Filter

Found huge differences in cost.
Repco sell Ryco HDA 5735 - cost $264.00 (10% off for RAA)
Fleetguard AF25231 - cost $68.00
Kevin

Ed - Multispares sell them for 47.95

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Air Tx valve change

When my aircon stopped working the first diagnosis found a leak on the compressor. After having it rebuilt with all new seals it still leaked, indicating a blockage in the system which proved to be the Tx valve. Now the Tx valve is the original component around which Hino built the bus!

It's on the upper side of the LH end of the 'hump' aircon unit. The simple and lowest cost solution was to cut a hole in the roof (in the right place) to enable the valve to be changed. The alternative would have been to remove the entire aircon unit from the hump.

 

All now working as it should with rebuilt compressor, new Tx valve, new filter and new gas.

The cover required a little hand-beating to get the curves right and a gasket to seal it.
A couple of coats of paint now to finish it off.

Cheers Bob

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Engine cutout (mystery solved)

Engine cut outs solved!
Our 1987 RB145 has an engine stop system using a vacuum actuator which is controlled by a solenoid valve.

The bus has always started easily, run well and give good fuel consumption with the one embarrassing and potentially dangerous limitation that at 2700-2800rpm under load, the engine would suddenly cut out. It would then require a wait of some 10 seconds or so before it could be re-started. Once re-started, performance was completely normal.

As well as consulting with other RB145 users, engine specialists, auto-electrical specialists, diesel specialists etc. I have spent many, many hours poring over the manuals and circuit diagrams for this bus, trying to understand the logic of what was happening. Testing proved that this cut-out did not occur while free revving in neutral, which led me to study the wiring diagrams, where the only circuit that included the neutral switch and rpm pick-up was the warm-up program. Disconnecting the warm-up controller made no difference so after numerous other electrical tests the engine stop solenoid was rewired to be powered directly from the ignition switch. Again, no change. Since there are two solenoid valves in close proximity I also checked the idle-up solenoid in case there was some unwanted interaction. That just about ruled out the electrics as the culprits.

I then went on to study the vacuum system, again could not find any possible cause for what was happening. In such a generally simple engine system, we were running out of possible villains.

Further road testing showed that by running downhill in a lower gear, the engine would spin up to 3000rpm quite happily but then applying the accelerator caused it to cut out immediately.

After further consultation with experts it was concluded that the problem had to lie in the injection pump/governor. Further consultations with the fuel injection experts agreed that the pump had to come off for a proper evaluation on the test bench. So, the injection pump was duly delivered to the FInj. intensive care department where it was ultimately given a clean, if expensive, bill of health.

 
Talking through the problem with one of their people, he asked about the air piping leading to the turbocharger. Back home I carried out a very detailed inspection of the entire air system which revealed a tell-tale imprint inside the large rubber molding that connects directly to the turbocharger. Under high airflow conditions while under load, this rubber molding was being sucked flat across the air inlet to the turbocharger, cutting off the air supply.

The molding is available ex Japan at considerable expense ($350+ in 2011) so has now been replaced by an adaptation made from a silicon reducing elbow, a piece of mandrel bent aluminium tube and a silicon joiner.

The result, perfect. While accelerating I can now let the engine run up to 2900-3000 rpm without fear of an instant cut out, and when necessary, I can keep up with the traffic at 100kmh.

(I bet few saw that cause coming. Excellent write up Bob - Ed)

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Expansion Tank

The expansion tank, it will never remain full ! As the water in the engine heats up it expands, and it must go somewhere. On cooling it contracts, thus the expansion tank empties. It is ok to go down to say half way or even less, just keep an eye on it and as long as it does not empty, you do not have a problem. And do not open the system more than you need to, you let air in and this causes corrosion, or could do, should not if you have correct additives. Also, you have a low level light and alarm, so wait until it goes off, if it does in short time you have a leak, if not you do not have a problem. I do not look at my water level - at all - until either the alarm / light comes on or I need to change the whole systems water.

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Overheating - fans

Had trouble overheating going up long steep hills.
The trouble was one of the front fans wasn't working which caused the other fan not to work.
They are 12volt fans. One won't work without the other. Do a circuit test.
One of the brushes was sticking. Easy to fix and solved the problem.
Brian

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Door top guide roller

This roller will eventually wear out and may cause the door to rattle.
No idea where to find a replacement, but it can be made out of a nylon rod on a lathe.
Anyone got another option please

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Brake Pedal Assembly Removal

When I came to do this job I found the manual was somewhat lacking. Must have been lost in the translation! Hopefully these notes will make it easier for someone.
Brake Pedal Assembly Removal
Bob Wood

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Auto Cooling

Auto Cooling Pty Ltd, Factory 7 / 216 Blackshaws Rd, Altona Nth VIC. Ph. 03) 9362 7799

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Engine shutoff fails

There are many possible reasons for the engine failing to shut off, but a common item to wear and fail is the engine shutoff vacuum operated switch.
It can be found on page 19 of the motors workshop manual just to the left and above the number 27, or in this image.
This item needs to be removed, an easy procedure, and the two main parts separated by unbending the retaining lugs.
Inside, the rubber diaphragm will be found to have a split.
This can be repaired by using a rubber glue that remains flexible, eg. a shoe repair glue, and placing a thinnish flexible blob over the split.
Reassemble and reinstall.
This repair will survive for quite some time, and saves you a fortune !

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Gravel and sand roads

When traveling on gravel roads, reduce your speed and reduce tyre pressure.
This will substantially reduce the risk of tyre failure, and other damage from flying rocks.
On sand, reduced pressure improves traction and reduces sinking.
Be sure to reinflate tyres when back on the seal.

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Tyre pressures

When an RB145 bus fitted as a motorhome is fully loaded, the gross weight will be close to 6 Tonnes.
According to tyre charts, front tyres need to be 10 ply minimum and operate at 75 psi (5.17 bar) and rear tyres need to be 12 ply at 85 psi (5.86 bar).
(Tyre pressures depend on the make of the tyre so check for your tyres.)
However these pressures results in a harsh ride and increases the possibility of tyre damage.
It is recommended to have tyre pressures at; front 70 psi (4.83 bar) and rear 75psi (5.17 bar). For these pressures, 10 ply tyres may suffice.
This also improves steering and may reduce sway if your vehicle suffers from this.
The increase in fuel consumption is not significant.
Links here, and here (light trucks).

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Springs and dampers

Hino RB145 buses converted to motorhomes are at the maximum weight for the spring sets, and adding an extra leaf to each spring set dramatically improves the ride, and avoids or reduces bottoming out.
Haire Truck & Bus Repairs Wodonga, Victoria, do an excellent and price competitive job.
Wilkinson's Engineering Atherton, Queensland, possibly do the best job in the country. Not only do they add a leaf to each spring set, but each set is removed and individually retempered.
Powerdown is the pioneer and leading supplier of Australian designed shock absorbers and suspension components for trucks, buses, 4WD's and European vans. Our shock absorbers have been specifically designed for Australian roads and climatic conditions. Powerdown has an extensive distribution network throughout Australia and New Zealand. Phone 02 4949 0000.
Front Shock absorber, RT 336. (road train)
Rear Shock absorber, RT104M3, heavy duty, non adjustable with bushings to fit
Cost $225 per pair (2013)

Be sure to check the dampers (shock absorbers) are working, or have them replaced.

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Windscreens

   O'brien Glass Product # 818991

   Koala glass

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Air Conditioner V Belts

Any one who has had to purchase V belts may have received a shock at the price.
Well the other day the air con did not work and I thought it had lost it's gas.
After organising an appointment at an air con fixer place, I decided to check if the engine was still in the housing as it has performed flawlessly for some long time, actually since the last oil change, and lo and behold, the air con belts were not there !
Well only the remnants remained. So being computer savvy I decided to look on line and found the first link to be Super Cheap Auto. Yes they had the right size, code 11A1130M and only $19.99 for the pair !!!
Not only does the air con work better, I am a happy and cooler man.
Ron

PS if any one purchases the belts for the alternator or the steering pump, please pass the code onto Admin, email at top of page - thanks.

Bob has written - see Belts - V Belts

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Air conditioner compressor

Air conditioner compressor replacement. Sanden model part number cxs7867, sd7h15 it is a universal type and you will need an adapter plate.

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Reading oil dip stick

I would like to know how to read the oil dipstick, there are no marks showing low or full however there appears to be a very small slot approximately 25mm long but showing no levels, I am only guessing the bottom of the cutout is low and the top is full but this only a guess and that I do not like. My motor is the W40C-T. I presume they are all similar ? Norm

Norm, You are right, that is how Hino does the oil levels. You are also right regarding the motor, they are all W40C's and the T is for turbo-charged. Another way to check the oil, when you do an oil change, put on a new filter, add exactly 11 litres, start the engine to fill the oil ways and filter, and then stop, wait a minute for the oil to settle and then check the oil measuring stick, and it should be on the full mark, or top end of the slot. All the best, and thanks for the question, glad to be able to help. Happy travels.

While on the subject of oil, grade to use is 15W40, and change oil and filter every 10,000 km. At the same time, clean the air filter. Try and grease the nipples every 5,000 km.

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RB145 on car license

There is a person advertising an RB145A for sale on Gumtree and also advertising that it can be driven on a car licence. Somehow he's had it de-rated to a GVM of 4495kgs to bypass the light rigid driving licence requirements and also the yearly safety inspections. Problem is, as we all know, is that you cannot get a fitted out RB145 under 4500kgs under any circumstances, so if some poor person buys this vehicle believing they can, they will certainly be in trouble if the vehicle is weighed by state transport authorities and worse still, if they are unfortunate enough to have an accident, their insurance may be void (refer to Collyn Rivers latest article in the Wanderer). I would just ask that if you know someone considering a Hino that you please point this out to them so they don't get caught out.
Cheers, Les
Ed comment - the tare weight of the RB145 without the seats is 4495 kg. When fitted out, with full tanks and ready for the road, the GVM is close to 6000 kg.

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Hino extra radiator

The Australian assembled RB145 has an extra radiator behind the air conditioner condenser on the right hand side of the bus.
The imported RB145A's don't have this extra radiator and I was wondering if any of these owners have had any overheating issues whilst traveling Oz? I've heard of an owner who added extra cooling for towing but that's all. Perhaps our 'group' can shed some light on whether their vehicles cope ok without the extra radiator?
When I remove my small radiator I was planning on using 'blank off' rubber caps 16mm I think they are, plus hose clamps obviously, to ensure the water flows straight through to the front radiator and back again.

Admin - I have driven in 40 degree heat full throttle up the steep central divide mountains in third gear for a long time, and no overheating. The temperature gauge will rise much hotter than normal as per the owners manual until the electric fans start, and right to the top of the normal zone, but this is below the RED zone. I have heard on more than one occasion of owners modifying cooling systems as they believed their units were over heating, but this is not the case.

photos from Les Trask

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Bus heater system removal

Hi my Hino RB145 has a water pump in front of the left side rear wheel which was for the heater system I think. I have removed the heaters and would like to remove it and the redundant pipes, as I would like to fit a water tank there. Can anyone tell me if this possible? Gary

Gary, the water pump and diesel heater unit you are referring to is to heat the engine water system for the bus in the extreme cold of Japanese winters. It is possible to remove this system in total as well as all the bus interior heaters along with all the pipe work from the engine and return.
The electrics need to be disconnected beneath the floor and the terminals protected from the environment by sealing in a plastic bag and securely tied to the chassis.

PS On the other side of the bus is the diesel heater unit to keep the system from freezing in the -30C temperatures of the Japanese winters. This can also be removed. Seal the diesel line that comes from the tank. This line can be used to supply diesel to a diesel heater unit to heat the bus internally to great effect.
Note: the outlet to this line is not at the bottom of the tank, so you can not run out of fuel for the engine, or put another way, the fuel will stop flowing here before the tank is empty, just in case you wonder why the heater stopped when there is still 10 or 15 litres of fuel in the tank - Ron

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Tubeless tyres

After a lot of searching I stumbled over a useful source of 17.5 x 6.00 tubeless rims with the correct 5 stud centres and 127mm offset.
These allow the use of 215/75 or 205/80R17.5 tubeless tyres and fully comply with the Hino parts manual.
For anyone interested, contact Dave or Nathan at Tyreright, Wangara WA
Tel. 08 9302 5055 or info@wangara.tyreright.com.au.
They import them by the container load for NW mining use and sell them at $170 each.
Cheers Bob Wood .

Admin - I asked Bob if he could give an insight into the use of the tyres - here is his reply.

When I bought the bus it was sitting on 17.5 x 5.25 tubeless rims which had 115mm offset and 8mm centre thickness. I now know these were commonly fitted to the somewhat lighter Hino Dutro trucks as well as Toyota Dynas. The tyres were 215/75 Yokohamas on the front and 205/80 Bridgestones on the back and were all in very good condition.

I found it had some tendency to wander and all the usual swaying problems.
The swaying was largely tamed by replacing the shock absorbers at both ends - the rears are the Powerdown specials RT104M3 - and anti-roll bar bushes. This is the first bus I have ever driven and is the complete opposite of my normal drive.

My research revealed that the rims were the minimum recommended size for the 205/80s but below minimum for the 215/75s and with little published data to work with, I had inflated them to 70psi. It felt OK, but I had nothing to compare with. With my tyres now fitted to the new rims the tyre place inflated them to 90psi. I have only driven it the 100km home since the new wheels were fitted but it certainly rolls along a little easier and maintains speed with a little less throttle. That may indicate that the 70psi was too low. The wandering also seems to be less, and to me it feels more 'planted', although that may be wishful thinking, I'd just parted with a chunk of unbudgeted money :-(

The front tyres will now be sitting a little flatter, due to the wider rim, but may take a while to settle and wear to their new format. The track at the front is about the same as it was. The track at the rear is effectively increased by a few mm due in part to the offset but also the 2mm extra in centre thickness. The outside edge of the rim is just about flush with the body side. There are no conflict problems on the inside.

Overall then the footprint is marginally wider but the tyres are much better supported, lessening the tendency for the tyre to flex sideways relative to the wheel.
On my limited experience I am pleased with the result.

Of course, I already had the tubeless tyres so my cost was to replace 6 rims and to buy a complete spare rim & tyre as my spare had been a 16". Compared with the original spec 7.00R16 on a split rim, the overall rolling diameter is effectively the same but the tubeless tyre will run cooler. I shall be carrying a repair plug kit which hopefully would allow me to repair a flat without removing the wheel - time will tell.

Having spoken with many arms of the wheel and tyre industry over the last few weeks, it is nice to be able to prove wrong those eminent gentlemen who assured me that "you won't get any", "they don't make them", they wouldn't be allowed", "you'll need all new tyres as well" etc. etc. I'm sure you've also encountered some of these 'experts'.

The responses I got when I asked for feedback showed that many are running 7.00R16s while some have opted for 7.50R16s. Nobody else had gone tubeless but that choice had already been taken by the previous owner of my bus.

Interestingly, the operator of a local school bus contractor runs all of his smaller buses on 215/75s and swears by them.
The other gem was that in the Bridgestone range, 205/80s are $300 each, 215/75s are $430 each.

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Swing away spare tyre carrier








List of components 1 - 50*50*1.5 Square 735mm
1 - 50*50*1.5 - 725mm
1 - 50*50*1.5 - 660mm
1 - 50*50*1.5 - 935mm
1 - 50*50*1.5 - 355mm
1 - 40*40*3 angle - 70mm - external top mount
1 - 65*65*5 angle - 150mm - main bottom mount
1 - 30*5 flat - 60mm - anti luce tab
1 - 60*3 flat - 100mm - internal mount for top bracket
2 - nylon bushed hinges
1 - Anti Luce Lock
3 - 100*25mm bolts cut to suit
3 - nuts to suit bolts
4 nuts and bolts to mount the carrier to the bumper and the top mount 12mm diameter and about 30mm long

I bought the hinges and anti luce lock from OVESCO and the heavy bolts from a local bolt specialist.
The anti luce lock should be available from any trailer parts place. (This is a common device on trailer tailgates).

Bill Behan

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Swivel front seats ?

Has anyone got drawings or other information regarding swivel seats for the front ? Bob

Important stuff to know DO NOT bolt anything to the floor until you have located the seat to your preferred driving position and you are sure it will rotate properly without hitting anything.

To start with, use the original mounting holes. The engineers like this a lot.
If you can't utilise the holes at least use the original brackets, this too is really good. But make sure you fill the holes to stop water etc. getting in.
Use 8mm high tensile bolts and nylock nuts.
Use 3mm plate to make the new mounts.

Check out Vehicle Standards Bulletins - used to be called DOTARS -for everything related to engineering in motor vehicles, trailers, etc. ( link here).

I used Subaru seats because they had a arm rest but the seat was too long and hit my calf all the time, they also had a pressed metal base and formed foam which tended to get uncomfortable after a while. So I changed to Hilux seats. These are a lot (50mm) shorter in the seat and have springs under the foam to give a nicer ride, they are also a smallish seat (as opposed to something out of a commodore).

When you find a seat simply cut the old pressed metal mounts off and bolt the runners directly to the new mounts you make.

Drivers side floor to rotating seat base
2 * 370mm long 3mm plate bent to 50mm * 30mm. Note that the bracket is over bent to suit the rotating base. This is the rear bracket. The 50mm edge is bolted to the floor utilising the original under-floor reinforcing brackets. The front is exactly the same. It's all mounted inside the frame of the rotating base.
Bolt the bent bracket to the rotating base.

Rotating base to seat brackets.
This bit is going to depend entirely on the type of seat you end up buying. I have used Toyota Hi Lux seats because they are relatively small and they have inner springs to help with the comfort factor.
2 * 370 long *85 wide 3mm plate bent to a Z section. Remember you need left and right brackets. The 40mm and the 25mm are to make up for the difference in width between the rotating base and the seat.  The 20mm is for height adjustment depending on how tall you are. This is the right hand side bracket. In this photo I have used a nut as a spacer to allow the slide to run free.

Car seats are usually built so the driver is leaning backward a bit with the legs extended out in front. In this photo I have used a piece of tube at the rear to bring the seat up to more level so I can sit more upright. Again this is entirely adjustable to preference.

When you have everything bolted together you can start playing with where you want the seat to be located. In cars the relationship between the steering wheel, the pedals and the seat never line up. It might feel good but if you get a tape measure out you'll be surprised at how far out of alignment they really are. So when you are playing with seat positioning don't be too surprised to find that the seat may not be exactly parallel with the side of the bus. I moved my seat inboard a bit to allow it to rotate properly and then turned it a bit (about 10mm off square) so my feet lined up with the pedals. This also had the benefit of giving me a bit of elbow room.

Passenger side
2 * 420mm long 3mm plate bent to 50mm * 30mm . The passenger side is much the same as the driver side except for the narrower mud guard. Which means the seat is going to hang (unsupported) over the edge. I welded a small bracket to the overhang and then bolted the bracket onto the mudguard.
How much overhang you have is going to depend on how much room you need to rotate the seat.

In this photo you can see how the overhang ends about 60mm past the mudguard and in line with the bottom edge of the guard. I have also moved the seat belt mount.

On another RB 145 I worked on, I extended the mudguard out to level with the width of the seat which looked really nice. But the seat belt mount was a lot of mucking around fixing it to the floor frame and the narrower walkway made things a bit tight.

With the passenger seat I got a bit fancy and made the base to seat bracket on a taper to pick the back edge up a bit. This is 50mm at the rear and 20mm at the front. In this photo you can see the seat on the tapered bracket bolted to the base. And the base bolted to the mudguard bracket with the overhang nicely supported.


DOTARS has all the specifications on seat belt mounts so double check everything. I used 3mm plate 60mm * 120mm.

The nut is welded to the backing plate and the backing plate is riveted into position so it doesn't move when you tighten the bolt. This photo of the passenger side shows the seat belt mount and one of the plates that support the overhang brackets inside. Note the rounded corners on everything and it's all painted to prevent rust and look a bit professional.

The gear shift

When moving the drivers seat you will probably find that the gear shift fouls somewhere. An easy fix is to cut it and move it sideways. I've been told this is a common 'fix' when converting (expensive) cars from left hand to right hand drive.

Bill

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Air Con woes

I had a problem with the air con compressor and the thing froze up.
The first time this happened it shredded the drive belts, so thinking that there was a bit of slippage I did the belts up a bit tighter.
Then it happened again tore the rubber out of the clutch.
You can't buy these bits.
I have found a local company who can vulcanise the rubber back into the air con clutch.
I had to make a jig to hold both the inner and outer bits in perfect alignment but it works. The cost was a few dollars to buy the steel for the jig and a carton of beer for the vulcanising.
So if you have a problem with the air con clutch it can be repaired.
Now I have to find out why the compressor is freezing up, but I think the fans are not working.

The company I found to repair my air con clutch is called WEARX at Hexham, not far from Newcastle. http://www.wearx.com.
They do not repair air con clutches but they do vulcanise rubber so they said they would do it for me if I made the jig to hold the two pieces in perfect central alignment. Put that info onto your resources page for future reference.

Bill

An update to my earlier air con problems. It turns out that the reason for the unit 'freezing' up was actually the magnetic clutch bearing. Mike Varley from Mt Isa (on our list) pointed me in the right direction. The bearing is a massive 2 race unit and literally half the bearings were missing. This was causing the pulley to stop turning and thus destroying the drive belts.

It could sit and idle all day and the pressures were all correct which was why all the air con specialists I went to could not find anything wrong with it and suggested that the air con pump had a problem. Not one of these specialists suggested looking at the clutch bearing.

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Wheel Winder Part Required

Does anyone know where I could procure the eccentric spindle that winds up the chain to lift the spare wheel ? Ron

Something off a another model should fit. May require slight modification but a sample or a picture to compare would be req'd. cost would be $75 inc gst


After contacting many wreckers around the country I had no luck.
On a recent visit to NZ, I looked on line and talked to a couple of truck wreckers.
As I drove around I visited one in Taranaki, just north of New Plymouth, and he also did not have one, but suggested I try one off an old Mitsubishi truck. I took the whole unit back to base by Qantas hoping the spindle would fit, as it looked by eye to be good, but on removing the old unit found the second hand Mitsy unit is identical and fitted exactly. Looks like the Chinese are not the only ones to use parts universally between companies.
So contact Peter above and he will send you a part that fits.
Ron

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Brass Slippers for Springs

I have just replaced the brass slipper plates in the springs on my bus. To do this I had to make a little jig to put the locating dimple in the plate (this just holds it in place in the spring).

The front springs have to come out to fit the plates (it's not that hard a job and if you need bushes you may as well do it while you are there). I haven't fitted the rear yet but I think it can be done in place by spreading the leaves.

If any one is feeling keen and you want to do this I could make them for you. One metre of brass costs about $50.00 plus delivery and and I need to pay for the use of oxy to heat it up enough to work it to shape.

I reckon I could make a set for $100.00 plus delivery to you.
By comparison Hino tell me there are none in Australia and wanted $68.00 for each slipper plate. There's 16 of them.
Bill

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Wreckers

It seems difficult to find wreckers for our Hino buses, and not just in this country.
This maybe as a result of the great reliability of our machines.

So in summary this is what I have found -
Firstly look at the links page for possible places.
Secondly, any wrecker for small to medium Japanese trucks should be tried, as often parts for other makes of Japanese trucks are interchangeable with Hino, for example Mitsubishi, Nissan, etc.
And thirdly, spend a bit of time and read all the other knowledge based information, it is surprising the little hints that are imbedded in these gems of wisdom, and just maybe the answer that alludes you.

Happy hunting..
Ron

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Rust - Roof Line

Has anyone had experience with rust in the roof at the front?

This appears to be a common problem with the RB 145's.
I have had a fellow suggest that the problem occurs because the air conditioner encourages moisture to form in that area and that is why the newer models have vents in the roof, to get rid of the moisture laden air.
So I am wondering if anyone has heard that explanation?

The other possible cause is moisture being sucked up (via a vacuum effect) through the rear frame work. I know from experience that dust and exhaust fumes enter the bus via the rear column.
When I built the bus I was really amazed to find carbon soot in the insulation material at least a third of the way forward from the rear and fine dust in cavities even further towards the front.

So am absolutely convinced that moisture laden air gets into the area between the outer skin and the the plastic air con liner where it condenses and sits on the frame work and encourages rust to form.

I have made several little repairs to that area but I realised the problem was never going away. I ended up removing the entire curved bit (I call it a 'hip'). Well not all of it, but a length of 2.4 metres from the front joint .

I wasn't too surprised to find the rust had gotten into the frame members, and that is where the trap really exists. Everyone is probably repairing the visible rust and not realising the rust is eating the frame of the bus away.

I am interested in your thoughts on this issue and if anyone is keen I could do a little 'how to' on replacing the roof hip utilising the photos I took.

Bill


Yes I too have had rust problems in the roof area, just above the guttering, and yes it is from condensation which I have been told is common in the RB145's.

My thoughts are - it is caused by the cold air from the air-con going along the roof line inside, where the air comes out into the bus. This cold air would cause condensation along the whole length of the bus, the more and longer you use the air-con the more likely you are to get moisture there, and if then you switch off and park the bus, this moisture will eventually cause problems.

The thing that could be done to get rid of this moisture is to leave the fan for the air-con running for sometime on high without the air-con going, before you put the bus to sleep. My guess is that you would need to get the bus warm again and run the fan for at least fifteen minutes.

Keep the engine running otherwise the battery will be discharged and bus batteries should always remain fully charged to ensure long life.

I took my bus to a panel shop and had the rust cut out and replaced with steel. I think a fibre glass fix up job is probably a waste of time.
And yes, make sure the panel shop does check for any structural damage.
Ron

Thanks for this.
In my bus, there is a strip (~300mm wide) of 0.9mm opaque plastic sheeting, pushed into place between the wall and roof rails and sealed with silicone all the way along. This formed a smooth, curved rear for the A/C duct.
The silicone completely covered the steel rails and with a gap of ~20mm between the plastic and the steel 'hip' panel, the condensation problem would have been solved.
Not sure if this was standard on all 145's but it may also explain why there's no rust in that area. Again ambient relative humidity helps. Cheers Bob

Hi everybody . from northern NSW, we have had our 145a now for 10 years now we never use the AC as I removed the motor drive belt to it 8 years ago the vehicle is always enclosed in a shed and now rust has broken through above the drivers door the 145a has had little use the last 2 years as we have been having other adventures. Food for thought? Sue

Hello Sue, The bus will have been used before you owned it and the air-con used, and the process of rust development will have started. Once rust begins, it continues relentlessly using any atmospheric moisture until its presence is shown, nothing stops it except complete removal, so inside storage may slow the progression but it will not stop it. Sorry for the bad news, but you have to live with the problem and in time it will show in other places. Kind regards, Ron

Dear Ronald Thank you so much for your response it was very informative. I did eventually get the downloads off the site and they are most helpful. My dad, Allan, also managed to get the part he was seeking. What a great site you have and so very helpful. You are to be credited for the effort you have put into it. Thanking you kindly Yours sincerely Deborah Khan and her father Allan Coleman.

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Refrigerator fire

Hello everyone Bad news.

I have just experienced a fire at the rear of the Dometic 3 way fridge.
Fortunately the damage was limited to the fridge insulation, the timber cabinet enclosure and the roof vents are melted.

I was lucky to be next to the bus when someone came and brought my attention to the smoke coming out of the roof vent. The fire was caused when the cooling system on the fridge started leaking at the base of the flue, this leak released the ammonia and nitrogen mix and when I turned the fridge to GAS and lit the pilot light the pilot ignited the nitrogen ammonia mix. What actually caused the vast majority of the damage was the fact that the timber cabinetry surrounding the fridge caught fire. So even after I turned off the LPG to the fridge the timber kept burning.

What have I learned from this experience?
If you smell ammonia it is not the toilet or cleaning fluid, it is the fridge leaking, my eyes started to water and I still didn't realise what it was. How slow can I be?
If the fire alarm goes off, it does so for a reason and it needs to be investigated. I couldn't see or smell any smoke and I thought it was a nearby smoker combining with the fumes I thought were coming from cleaning fluid.

The insulation foam in the refrigerator will not support fire, if you take the fire away the foam will not burn.

The cooling unit of the fridge is remarkably fragile. The unit is tack welded to a frame and these little tacks crack due to vibration and allow the entire weight of the cooling unit to hang on the boiler, that's the bit at the bottom of the flue where everything joins up.

What am I doing next. I am going to line the fridge enclosure with a sheet of sign white. This is a metal sheet used in the signage industry and is only about half a millimetre thick so it doesn't weigh much. In the event that I have another fire the sign white will stop the timber cabinet from catching fire and this will dramatically lower the risk of major damage or a complete wipe out. It will also make the enclosure look a whole lot smarter with a nice smooth white finish. Repairing the fridge insulation is remarkably easy and I am taking photos as I go, for future reference. I have also found a video of how to remove the cooling unit from the fridge. Again this is extremely easy.

Repairs I have taken the cooling unit out of the fridge and a new one is being made. This is done by Alternate Gas Refrigeration in Arndell Park in Sydney. This is the only company in NSW that does this type of repair and all caravan shops and fridge technicians send fridges here for repair. I'm just cutting out the middleman.

I have cut out the fire damaged urethane insulation and replaced this with a similar product. The silver sisilation is there to reflect heat and also prevent any damage to the very soft urethane. I can't get a small quantity of the heavy paper based stuff as original so I am using something lighter but it will work.

Why not just get a new fridge? There's nothing wrong with what I have, if you ignore the fire damage and the fact that it no longer cools anything. A new fridge is $3,000.00 and I have been told they are being made in China and the quality is not there.

The company in Sydney do these repairs for a living and I am confident that it will be better than a new unit. The replacement cooling unit is about $1,000.00, so I should be able to replace, repair and mend all the bits for well under $1,300.00. It gives me something to do and I have learned a whole lot of new things.

My recommendations. Take your fridge out and have a look at the little tack welds to see if they are broken. This is important because it happens a lot more than we are told. Some fridge units are delivered with tacks missing or barely there.

Secondly and most importantly, line your fridge enclosure with something that will not catch fire and make a little gas fire into a major inferno.

Taking the fridge out is also quite easy, there are only four screws at the base and 2 at the top and it simply slides out.

Bill

The fridge repairs are going well and I thought I would share these links in case anyone gets really keen about fridge modifications.

The cooling unit simply pops out of the back of the foam box. http://www.dreampod.net/index.html shows how to put a heat extraction fan and thermostat on the outside of the fridge and a circulating fan inside the fridge to help keep the air moving and reduce ice build up on the fins.
http://rvrefrigeration.com/training-videos/ an excellent range of videos designed to train people on all aspects of gas fridge operation.

Don't ever be afraid to pull the fridge apart, it is simply a foam box which is covered in insulation material with a plastic liner which is only 0.5mm thick.

I have also attached some photos of the repairs I did a few years ago when the tack welds broke off or the cooling fins broke. I don't really recommend this type of repair, but it did the job.

Please note that the wrap around bracket on the top right corner was not too good because it still allowed the tube to move up and down. The point is that the tiny little tacks that hold the cooling unit to the frame often break and it is probably worthwhile checking.

Bill !

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Insurance

Question - I've been looking for insurance but can't get much sense out of them when they hear it's a converted bus.
Answer - If you join the CMCA www.cmca.net.au then as a member you can get insurance from Ken Tame, this is not necessarily the cheapest, but most definitely the best, check it out.
I have been a member for the last six + years and had to claim twice, windscreen and accident, never a question. Mine as you know is a converted bus, all RB's are of course. It's the norm, not the exception.

Ken Tame and Associates.
t: 03 9853 5555
f: 03 9853 5554
e:
w: www.kentame.com.au
POB 2390 Kew VIC 3101

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Sway Bars

Bill wrote - There is a difference between the Australian RB145K and Grey import RB145A anti sway bars.
The K model has a 40 mm anti sway bar and the A has a 34 mm anti sway bar.
If you have a problem with swaying in your model A bus, it maybe worth infesting in upgrading to a 40 mm sway bar.
I had my 40mm rear sway bar made by Signature Sway bars at Nowra for about $600.00.
I had to send him the original to copy and it took about 3 weeks, but he makes the bar at Nowra and then sends it to Adelaide for heat treatment.
New sway bar mounts and bushes. I went to a truck wrecker and found a 40mm truck Sway bar. I then cut the mounts off the truck unit and fitted them in place of the existing Hino units. I think that cost about $50.00. (Yes there was a bit of cutting and welding involved). Signature Sway bars can make some mounts for you if need them to.

Swaying Hino Rainbow RB145R Fellow Hino Drivers,
I built our Hino about 7 years ago, have only traveled 30.000km since complete. I posted a blog about 5 years ago in CMCA forum to help Hino owners solve the Swaying problems with this imported vehicle.
I got together with the engineer for Bents Engineering who copied my old bar (34mm) and made a (42mm) bar. This worked a treat. No other modifications were made to the bus, Shocks & springs all original. Bents have informed me they have built 20 bars since, all with positive feedback.
Bents also supply 42mm poly bushes to suit the bar.
So before you spend a lot of money on new springs & shocks, try fitting a new bar. It will work.
Regards Bob & Di.

I bought an imported RB145 around five years ago and experienced the swaying issue. We put new adjustable shockers on but this did not resolve the sway. Doug

That bar will fix the sway, but inevitably changes the way the bus handles in an emergency swerve situation.
See my Tech Notes in March 2013 issue re just how and why.
Collyn Rivers

Ed's Note : Ron's Rb145A has 40 mm front, 34.5 mm rear sway bars - never had sway problem.

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Sway / Roll Solution

This is a dissertation subitted by Paul Carter, new information here, thank you Paul, we are all much indebted to you.

Paul Carter (Sandy's Partner)

My Hino rolled very badly when I first purchased it so I have done quite a lot to reduce it, including.
Adjust the steering box.
New Wheel bearings (did the brakes while I was in there)
Fitted vortex generator to the rear
Played around with tire pressures.

I have it to the place where it is good to drive. Cross winds or another heavy vehicle coming the other way are just not an issue. But there are still traces of the issue still there.

I have read a bit about the orientation of the rear springs and have been giving that a lot of thought but until now could not get up enough courage to do it. The final nudge came when I read an article on another platform from someone in Christchurch who had modified his own bus and has gone on to do several others. The brief, but very informative document.

To summarize, in most leaf spring setups the swing shackle is at the rear on both front and rear axles, this means that when the spring compresses both axles moves back slightly but stay aligned. In the rear engine Hino's the rear spring set is in the other way around with the swing shackle at the front so when both spring sets compress when the bus rolls to one side on an uneven surface the front and rear axles move together just like the steering on a skateboard and thus the roll problem.

Got the first side done and all buttoned up now starting on the other side. I had to purchase a torque multiplier off ebay to get the spring bolts undone. They are crazy tight. Am replacing the bushes in the fixed spring end as they are a bit loose. Also fitting new U bolts as these are stretch to torque and as such one time use. Got them made to measure by archer springs, the price was reasonable and 24 hour turnaround.

Second side done. Went for COF this morning and drove over every bit of uneven surface I could find. Nothing, not a hint of it's former behavior. I can 100% vouch for this as a complete remedy. There are a few things I would add to the document.
1/ Fit new U bolts. ($130)
2/ If yours is the earlier version like mine the nuts holding in the front (shackle end) are not captive inside the chassis rail and will turn on you once you can get them to turn. just cut the heads off and fit new bolts,(only if they are not captive) minimum grade 8 (not 8.8) and push the bolts through from the inside of the chassis rail because you will be there till hell freezes over trying to get a socket inside there to do them up if you put them in from the outside. The back are captive but are also very tight. Get you hands on a torque multiplier.
3/ I replaced the fixed end spring eye bushes, why not while the spring is out laying on the ground. ($80)

To summarize my reading on the problem, in most leaf spring setups the swing shackle is at the rear on both front and rear axles, this means that when the spring compresses both axles moves back slightly but stay aligned. In the rear engine Hino's the rear spring set is in the other way around with the swing shackle at the front so when both spring sets compress when the bus rolls to one side on an uneven surface the front and rear axles move together just like the steering on a skateboard and thus the roll problem.

Below is the text I came across on line.

Subject: RE: Hino roll,
Hi Matt, I have now altered 6 of these narrow body Hinos, including 1 that I had and a mates which rolled quiet badly. And yes, we went through all the remedies on Facebook, magazines etc ( New tyres, stiffer springs, new Shocks, wheel alignment) but nothing worked, and generally aggravated the problem.

If you are handy mechanically this will save a lot of money. If you look at the makeup of the suspension on rear engine Hinos, 7, 8, & 9 metre, you will see that the shackles are on the rear of the front springs, but are on the front of the rear springs. So, when you drive over uneven surfaces the 2 axles are ether pulling together or spreading apart causing the rolling motion.

The cure, move the swinging shackle to the rear of the spring by turning it 180' or end for end.

Jack up your bus and block up the towbar or rear of chassis away from the springs so the wheels are clear of the ground. Remove both sets of rear wheels, remove the sway bar links and push sway bar up out of the way, undo lower shock absorber mount and push away. drop one end of the drive shaft.

Put an extended jack under 1 side of the diff housing, and undo the U bolts, lower the diff slightly to clear the spring. Undo the shackle pins from the chassis ( on early Hinos there was a nut inside chassis, later ones had a lock plate on outside) remove the spring, loosen the centre bolt and turn the leaf for the sway bar around. Refit the spring with the shackles now at the rear.

On reassembly insure the driveshaft still has at least 5 to10mm of clearance when fully closed, if not pull apart and cut a small amount off the spline as this process shifts the diff rearward aprox. 10 to 15mm.

It is critical that the pinion angle and rear gearbox flange angle are as close as possible to stop drive line growl. We just used a simple inclinometer app off our cell phone.
To line up the drive shaft properly you will need to obtain a pair of wedges, on our first bus we got some wedges from our local truck wheel alignment guys, but we then had them made by WEDGETEK engineering, 34 Klondike drive Hornby , Christchurch. Phone ( 04 ) 3499931. Cell. 021-383779 these wedges by memory are 5 deg and were about $35.00 pair plus freight, you will need to let them know the size and centre bolt hole size. The wedges are 175mm long by 60mm wide with a 22mm hole for the centre bolt and are "5 degrees" .

You just need to reassemble and repeat on the opposite side.
Believe me this is the only cure for Hino handling. It is a personal choice whether you have an extra leaf in the front springs or not. If your suspension is standard now, I would turn the springs first. Not sure what shock absorbers you have but adjustable POWERDOWN shocks set on firm work very well, also check to see if your sway bar bushes are in good order

You will not believe the difference to the ride and handling this work makes. I ran my front tyres at 65psi and the rears at 75psi, on 650x16 tyres, which makes for quiet and soft ride.

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Door Conversion

Conversion of Hino RB145 entry door from sliding to hinged.

This conversion was decided upon to improve the overall access to the bus, without the effort required and the associated noise which was a part of the original sliding door.

My door was suffering problems which included worn runners on deformed brackets and cracks in the inner door pressing, above and below the middle runner port and next to the lock mounting.

As a part of the conversion, I strengthened the door inner skin by welding both the cracks and a sheet metal patch into the middle runner port, using a wooden jig to keep the door the correct shape. It will be noticed that the door is not straight. The lower half is slightly curved while the upper half is canted inwards. This dictates that the hinges must be fitted between the upper and lower body grooves, in order to keep the two hinge-pins perfectly in line and allow free movement of the door.

Tools required:
1 Various hand tools, files, hacksaw etc.
2 Metric spanners or sockets 12mm, 14mm, Phillips #2 screwdriver
3 Power drill and suitable bits 3,5,8.5 & (13.5mm) diameter. This diameter will depend on the rivnuts selected.
4 Rivnut setting tool
5 Welding and sheet metal facilities (or a friendly panel beater)
6 Multi-tool with steel blade / angle grinder / reciprocating saw/cold chisel etc.
7 Anything else

The required components are as follows:
1 2 off Heavy duty over-seal type hinges (obtainable from Dunn & Watson, IRS, UES or others)
2 2 off Aluminium spacers 2mm thick (See sketch and pics below)
3 2 off Aluminium spacers 3mm thick ( " " )
4 2 off Reinforcing brackets to fit hinge mountings inside door ( " " )
5 1 off Reinforcing bracket for new lock mounting inside door ( " " )
6 8 off M8 Steel long rivnuts, large flange
7 4 off M5 x 12mm pan head screws and nyloc nuts
8 5 off M8 x 30 button head high-tensile cap screws
9 6 off M8 x 20 button head stainless steel cap screws
10 6 off M8 Nyloc nuts
11 12 off M6 Steel rivnuts
12 1 off Outside door handle to suit (Eberhard 4-21100-K or similar)
13 1 off Inside door handle to suit
14 1 off Lock unit (Eberhard 1-400-L or similar)
15 1off Lock striker pin (Eberhard ....... or similar - to suit lock)
16 1 off Striker pin mount (See sketch and pics below)
17 12 off M6 x 25 High tensile set screws

Method Preparation:
1 The door auto-operator can be removed from under the bus.
2 The door control unit, just inside the door on the right and its dashboard mounted switch can be removed.
3 Remove the door trim panel (may be re-used in original or modified form)
4 Remove the glued-on sealing rubbers from both the body and the front edge of the door.(may be re-used if in good condition)
5 Remove the lock striker pin.

Hinge installation
1 For setting the hinges in the correct locations, leave the door mounted on its sliding runners at this stage.
2 The hinges used in this conversion are heavy-duty, stainless steel 'over-seal' type. It is advisable to modify the body tab of the upper hinge to enable three fixing bolts to be used instead of two. It is the upper hinge that will be in tension due to the weight of the door. Offsetting the third hole achieves a triangular footprint for a completely rigid mounting. As in the pic below, an additional piece of 4.5mm stainless steel was welded to the original hinge tab to allow the third hole to be offset.
3 In order that the outside of the door finishes level with the outside of the body, it is necessary to measure your hinge offset. Place the hinge flat on a level surface and measure the height of the centre of the pin above the surface. This is the measurement that the hinge pin must lie outside of the body face.
4 The location of the hinges was chosen to maximise the distance between them.
It was decided to mount the body tabs to the rear face of the 'B' post. To ensure that the hinges are mounted perfectly in line, it is best to bolt them to a suitable piece of steel bar or angle by their door tabs. This allows the hinges to be set square to the piece of steel, and the two hinge pins kept in line while they were offered up to the body to mark the fixing positions.
5 Examination of the mounting face shows that where the nearside body panel and the front edge of the door opening panel come together on the 'B' post, the surface is not level. To achieve a level mounting for the hinge tab, a 2mm thick spacer was made from aluminium sheet, with its innermost edge filed to achieve a fit against the raised surface. (See pics below)
6 Large-flanged, steel, M8 long rivnuts were fitted through the 2mm spacer into the 'B' post. Mine required a 13.5mm hole diameter, but do check what your chosen rivnuts require. At this point the total metal thickness is comprised of the 2mm spacer, the body skin and the 'B' post. This total ~5mm requires the use of long-series rivnuts.
7 To allow the 3mm thick aluminium spacer to fit between the hinge tab and the rivnuts, it was necessary to counter-bore the rear face by about 1mm to clear the rivnut flanges. I did this using a router bit in the pillar drill with everything clamped firmly in place!!
8 With the upper hinge secured by two M8 screws, the third hole can be drilled as a pilot hole through the hinge into the 'B' post. After removing the hinge and 3mm packer, this hole will then require to be drilled out to suit your rivnut which can then be fitted. The third hole in the packer will also need to be counter-bored.
9 The lower hinge position does not allow a third fixing but the original door alignment fitting should be removed.
10 With both hinges fitted to the body, the door can be slid into its normal closed position. The door tab of the upper hinge is then swung onto the door, allowing the hole positions to be marked on the door. At this point it should be noted that if the hinge pins are perfectly aligned, the tab will not sit perfectly flat on the door. The tab can be twisted slightly when off the bus by mounting the entire length of the hinge pin in a vice, while applying a twisting force in the required direction to the tab.
11 Once the necessary adjustments have been made, the upper hinge can be secured to the body and the three fixing bolts tightened
12 The first hole in the door skin can now be drilled. I drilled through one of the marked positions at 3mm diameter with the reinforcing bracket (see pic below) held inside the door. This marked the bracket, allowing me then to remove it and then drill both the bracket and the door at 5mm diameter.
13 The hole in the reinforcing bracket was then filed out to create a slot <5mm rearwards. The bracket is then replaced inside the door, pushed fully forward and secured by one M4 screw & nut.
14 The holes for the two M5 front fixing screws were then drilled through the front edge of the door and the bracket. Note that these screws should be positioned inwards of the rubber door seal. With these two screws in place and tightened, the reinforcing bracket is drawn fully against the front edge of the door and firmly held in place.
15 The first hole in the door skin and bracket, previously drilled at 5mm, can now be increased to 8.5mm diameter by drilling through the hinge tab to ensure alignment, using light pressure, so as to not distort the bracket.
16 At this stage an assistant will be useful! With one of you inside the bus and the door closed, the hinge tab can now be temporarily secured to the door by an M8 screw and nut. The remaining two fixing holes can then be drilled through the hinge tab, door and bracket at 8.5mm and two more temporary screws fitted.
17 With some support under the rear/bottom of the door (I used a trolley jack), one of you inside the bus and the door closed, the two bolts securing the middle door runner can be removed from the inside (12mm socket). This will allow the middle runner to be withdrawn rearwards along its track, leaving the door supported at the front by the lower runner and at the rear by your support, with the top of the door kept inwards by the top runner.
18 Careful adjustment of the height of your door support will allow the gap between the front edge of the door and the 'B' post to be adjusted so that it is parallel. It is also most important to check that the door is completely covering its inner sealing rubber and that the gap around the door is equal at all heights.
19 When the door position is correct, the lower hinge can be swung into position and the required hole positions marked.
20 One of these hole positions can be drilled at 8.5mm, as before.
21 Remove the three door screws from the upper hinge before carefully sliding the door open, while continuing to support the rear edge.
22 With the door open, the top runner can be removed, followed by removing the two fixing bolts from the lower runner. The door can then be lifted from the bottom runner and taken away for its modifications.

Door modifications
1 Remove all of the original lock, handles and linkages.
2 If you intend to remove the original external door release, its entire pressing can be removed from the door skin by drilling through the eight spot welds.
3 With the pressed recess edges trimmed away, a flat 1mm steel patch may be fitted inside the door skin, secured with countersunk head pop rivets.
4 Mark out the intended cutting lines to accept the new lock unit. I was using an Eberhard #1-400-L passenger restraint lock.
5 With the door laid on a padded support, so that it is horizontal with the inside facing up. Make two cuts down the 45° face of the door edge, above and below the original lock location.
6 Cut along the lower edge of the original lock location, nearest to the door flange, see diagram #.
7 Cut along the original lock location through the two outermost lock fixing holes. This will reduce the length of the 45° tab to allow it to be bent to 90°.
8 Fabricate the reinforcement bracket as diagram # , and the outer cover piece, diagram #.
9 Insert the reinforcing bracket inside the door and ensure that it fits snugly in place.
10 Mark the required fixing locations for the new lock.
11 Drill through the tab and the reinforcement for the lock fixing screws.
12 Remove the reinforcement and apply Sikaflex Auto inside the door where the reinforcement will go, then insert it into its position and draw it fully into place, using spare bolts and nuts.
13 Once the Sikaflex is fully cured (24 hours minimum), the bolts may be removed.
14 The lock fixing screw holes can be enlarged to allow the installation of long rivnuts.
15 Apply Sikaflex to the outer cover piece, which is then held in place by the fitment of the 3 rivnuts. These pull together the outer cover with the tab and reinforcement and provide a secure mounting for the lock. Allow 24 hours for the Sikaflex to fully cure before continuing.
16 The Eberhard lock required a slot to be cut to allow its operating lever to be accessed from the inside the door.
17 The chosen Eberhard door handle also required an installation hole which was cut through both the door skin and the reinforcement.
18 Making and installing the linkage rods is not easy due to the confined space and limited visibility. As there will be some paintwork to be done after all these modifications are complete, don't lock linkage rods in place until you are sure they will not have to be removed again.
19 If you are not using the original inner door release, you may need to fabricate a mounting to suit your chosen handle. I used the original release but added an extension piece to make it easier to operate.
20 The hole in the inner skin where the lower runner used to fit passes across the rubber door seal and may now be patched, if desired.
21 On a trial fit of my door, with new pinchweld seal rubber installed to the step, I found that the lower inside panel of the door was bowed, allowing a gap of some 6mm between the centre of the door and the seal. To overcome this I cut the grill from the lower inside panel of the door. I then inserted some wooden packers inside the door to bring the inner panel straight. These were then coated in resin to waterproof them and bond them permanently in place.
22 In order to create a ventilation path that would comply with the gas requirements, I then cut a series of 32mm diameter holes below the seal line. Both these and the previous grill hole will need to be covered with suitable mesh.
23 Rods and linkages will also need to be fitted to operate the lock from the inside. I fabricated a bell-crank assembly to enable me to use the original lock button in its original position.
24 The area around the patched middle runner port and the lock position will now need some filler to bring them to a finished level.
25 If you have removed the original external release and patched the hole, a thin coat of body filler can be applied to bring the patched area up to the original panel level.
26 The door is now ready to be prepared and painted as required.

Refitting the Door
1 To refit the door, one assistant will be required, two would be useful. Using a jack or similar to support the weight of the door, one assistant can hold the door upright in the open position (90°) while the stainless steel screws can then be pushed through the hinge tab and door and have the nyloc nuts fitted on the inside.
2 Until all six screws are fitted, only lightly tighten them. The door operation can now be checked to ensure that it swings smoothly into the correct position.
3 Once the alignment is confirmed, all six screws should be fully tightened. Lock Striker Pin Since the new lock has been installed at the same height as the original, it will be necessary to remove the original pin and its mounting, to be able to install the new pin, aligned at 90° to the lock mounting face. To do this the original pressed pin mount must be removed.
1 Mark the cutting lines around the original pin mount.
2 Using a multi-tool / angle grinder/ chisels etc, carefully cut around the raised portion and remove it entirely.
3 Fabricate the new angle bracket (diagram # ) and mark the mounting holes on the door (C) post. (It may be preferred to weld this bracket into the 'C' post)
4 Drill the holes into the door (C) post, enlarge to suit your rivnuts and set them into the post. I used M6 steel rivnuts which required holes of 9mm diameter.
5 Fabricate the new striker pin mounting, including mounting slots to allow fine adjustment.
6 With all exposed metal faces treated for corrosion protection, the bracket may be secured to the post by M6 high tensile screws and with Sikaflex Auto applied to the rear face of the bracket. This will bond the bracket to the post and prevent any water ingress.
7 Allow minimum 24 hours for Sikaflex to fully cure.
8 The new striker pin mount complete with striker pin can now be installed to the post.
9 Before closing the door, ensure that the unlock is working correctly
10 When the door is closed onto the pin it should align smoothly.
11 Adjust the position of the striker pin as necessary to achieve a smooth operation and when in the closed position, that the outer skin of the door is in line with the body

Door glass
The original door glass is 5mm thick, toughened and marked with the applicable standard. However, it also includes three Japanese symbols which are etched into the glass, and therefore cannot be removed. We decided to replace this with a new piece of tinted, toughened, marked glass. The original rubber seal and lockstrip was still supple after 27 years, and was able to be re-used.

Interior trim panel
The interior trim panel is made from sheet aluminium and includes a pressed piece to provides clearance for the original door handle. This can be easily removed by drilling through all of the spot welds and replacing with a flat piece of aluminium, riveted in place. The original trim clips may be re-used with new Champion inserts (#39) if required. The original panel was trimmed with two layers of fabric, glued in place. As the lower inside panel of our door was quite badly marked, we decided to add a new lower trim panel which was made from aluminium sheet. Both panels were then covered in macro-marine fabric trim, matching that which had been used for the bus interior.

Was it worth it? Oh yes!!! That soft but comforting clunk as the door closes is a vast improvement on the whoosh, rumble, clatter and bang that was its previous sound and, on the road, there are no rattles.

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Towing Information

Under Australian regulations, an RB145 is allowed to tow a trailer of up to 4500kgs gross mass as long as the driver holds an MR (12T ) or higher license. Anyone find that reg ?
Have a look at the pic of the WA registration paper.
Courtesy Bob Wood

Have a look at this pic of a Victorian engineers certificate for registration
It shows that the towing trailer can be 3.2 T.
PS I have read that towing capacity of a braked trailer can be around half the GVM, or the GCM can be 1.5x GVM
Courtesy Rob Olsen

Does anyone have more information regarding towing regulations or hitch requirements ?
Please send, as this is important information, thanks, admin.

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Intercooler

Alex and Ann Morgan have had their RB145, Harry (the hounded) turned into Harry (the harrier) by the addition of an intercooler by Turbo Glide (Co. details on graphs).

Air from the turbocharger has been heated by compression, the heat expands the air this negating some of the effect of the compression, so cooling will result in more air being drawn into the engine, and thus more power delivered by the engine - that's the theory.

How did it turn out ?
Alex reported "I am more than satisfied with the decision to inter-cool Harry. We are in the middle of a trial trip towing our 1998 Suzuki Vitara, the temp gauge has moved less than ever before (must add I had renewed the radiator cap) and we are averaging 17 litres a 100 km up the NSW coast, at speeds between 85 to 95 kph. The next rip averaged 16  l / 100 km.
Harry weighs in these days at 5.73 tonnes on the compliance plate. Dyno after conversion indicated an additional 10% on previous, and this really is felt when the hills appear."

Cost of the Intercooler and bits $763. 00, Make up and fit, including cooling fan, air scoop etc $1520. Wish I was a mechanic! However, a good result for me at $2500.

Alex has kindly provided these pics of the installation and the Dyno tune performance graphs, courtesy Turbo Glide. (These show approximately 16% - 20% improvement in torque and motive power at low speed of 45 km/hr and around 20% increase in maximum power.)(the green zone is there for a reason - Admin)

Thanks Alex and Ann, a great project, well presented, and a joy to read - Admin

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VIC Registration Costs ?

G'day Ron,
I was wondering if you can tell me the cost of rego on the RB145 in Victoria at present.
I was originally registered in Qld but have now retired and headed south. Since I am from SA, I went ahead and changed my Hino & car to SA rego - easy process - only to find it was more expensive than Qld.
I have found your website very helpful and informative - Thank you for the effort.
Have Fun
Kevin=

Hello Kevin,
Glad to see the website has been helpful to you.
Now re the rego fees.
As an indication the full fee for a Hino RB145 is about 750.00 per year, discounted to 1/2 for one vehicle only for pensioners.
The fees differ for each vehicle dependant on insurances based on where you live in VIC.
Also remember there is stamp duty for first registrations, based on the original vehicle cost, not sure what % but it cost me 1800.00 for 52,000 from memory.
To get registered is easy here also, you need to have a VIC address and the vehicle will need to go over a pit to be checked by a certified mechanic, VIC Roads will tell you the closest to where you are.
Best to go to VIC Roads website and check, and give them a call to get more exact answers.
https://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/contact-us
Hope that has helped,
Ronald

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Coolant Volume for Buses

Typically, you will not find coolant volume information in Owners or Technical Manuals of buses.

The reason no information is given in any manual of buses concerning the coolant volume is that there are many versions of coolant systems when it comes to number of heaters, preheaters and other coolant related volumetric issues, such as piping and so forth.

The only way to find the volume is to drain the system and measure the fluid volume, either on draining or filling.

Use the information on the pack of antifreeze / anticorrosion fluid for the concentration required. It is typically around 50/50 %.

Hope that helps you.

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Cooling Fans for Hino RB145

Replaced the front Thermo Fans. (burnt both out) I replaced the originals with Maradyne Universal 12'' 24V 130watt Reversable Skew Blades.
Fitting is easy, 4weld on brackets & a bit of trimming on the top & bottom of the fan.

Cost about 400.00
Courtesy Hinobago

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Cruise control for Hino RB145

ProServ Auto Parts

Can you supply a 12 volt cruise control add on kit for a manual cable throttle control
And extra 24/12v converter

Admin comment - I use the throttle control when cruising and this works fine. It is also more economical than the cruise control unit, as when the speed slows you do not get full throttle, thus saving fuel. On long trips at 75 kph on West Aus roads, straight flat and smooth, Betty achieved just over 8 kpl.

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Window washer nozzle

Bob the Builder has sent me a request.
"Where I can get a window washer nozzle mine was broken during a storm and I don't seem to be able to get one any where"

Bob replied ..
Re the window washer nozzle, the only ones I know of are the Hiace style http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Toyota-Hiace-89-05-Windscreen-Washer-Jet-Spray-Nozzles-Pair-/281109602542?pt=AU_Car_Parts_Accessories&hash=item41737020ee
Or the series 2 Land Rover single nozzle, it may be easier to put two of those in - not sure, I haven't had to look at that issue yet. http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Land-Rover-Series-2-2a-3-Windscreen-Washer-Nozzle-Jet-Bearmach-Brand-/271429246731?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item3f32719f0b
Alternatively, on the rally cars we used to attach spraybars to the wiper blades and run a rubber hose from the original spot to the spraybar. Worked really well but a bit hungry on water.

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Front hub removal


by Michelle Webster, Auckland, New Zealand


1987 HINO RB  145

On my assumption that if a girl can fix her sewing machine she can fix anything this is my experience removing the front hubs on our house bus to inspect the brakes. We were told it was in good order mechanically but it had been sitting for 6 years.

Maybe this isn't the right way but as there is not much around on the net this might help someone.

Get the manual here. Great website for info, contact etc.    Hino RB145.com

Helpful people.. NZ Motorhome & Caravan Forum and Community NZ Motorhome Community

My experience removing front hubs to inspect the brakes.

At first I thought it would be a simple job, the workshop manual shows the drums themselves to be a separate item like a car. Undo a couple of retaining screws and pull them off.
Yes well.......they are indeed a separate item but bolted on from the inside.

So .... after cleaning with Kerosene and water-blasting everything jacked up the right front and found that the brakes were binding.
Once the wheel is off it is easy to see the 2 slots where the notched wheel for the brake adjusters hide. There is an arrow on the baking plate which indicates the direction to turn for tightening the brakes so go all the way in the other direction.
Note: the bolts which hold the wheel trims on, the wheel nuts and the brake adjusters are handed so do not mix parts from different sides.

Backed off the brakes as far as they would go, removed the bearing nut and outer bearing.
The hub moved a little bit but refused to come off.
Not only that but it then would not even turn so put the bearing back on and consulted the experts as to why.
I let some of the advice pass (use a big slide hammer etc) and in the end got right up inside with a torch for a closer look. There is enough room to see the adjusters and confirm which way to turn them. The adjusters still had thread showing....they had seized before winding right down!

Some CRC using the tube thingy that comes with the can and working them back and forth finally got them right down with no thread showing.

Took the bearing off again and the whole hub just fell off.
A relief but not funny...damn thing is extremely heavy.

I waited till morning when it was cold then poured a jug of hot water over the inner bearing race and it just popped off with a screw driver along with the spacer behind it.
In the end no heavy tools required.

The brake shoes can only go one way round so best to mark them if re using.
The retaining pins and all the springs can go either way up so no problem with those. 
Just unhook the main springs with a screwdriver.

The hub had a wear ridge, not too bad but obviously enough to stop it coming off unless the brakes are fully retracted. Photo shows one of the bolts holding the drum to the hub.
Pity they are on the inside.

I put the adjusters in the vice and would them right off then cleaned the threads with a small hacksaw blade and a wire brush until they turned freely by hand.

Replaced the piston cups even though they looked ok ($5 each from Truck Stop, Mt Wellington) then reassembled it all using blue silicon brake grease (Autostop, Otahuhu) on anything that moved. The main springs are a bit of a mission. I put one end on a shoe then a piece of wire doubled through the other end to pull the spring down using a large screwdriver for leverage.

Don't forget the retaining pins and springs (spring outside the shoe) and that the shoes only go one way round. Do one side at a time so you have something for reference.

Wash out the bearings (I used petrol then brake cleaner) blow the out with compressed air but do not be tempted to spin them up. Nice sound but not good for a bearing with no grease.

Concave side innermost towards the kingpins.

I used Locktite on the inner spacer and bearing race. Not sure if this is the right thing to do but was suspicious of how easy they came off. Interference fit but warmed them slightly in the oven first and they just popped on.

In this case the shoes, bearings and grease seal were all in good order so they went back on.
Required thickness of shoes is 8-4mm, mine were 7mm.
Pays to check them closely though as it is not something one would want to do again in a hurry.

Re packed with blue high spec grease (Repco). Really push it in making sure it gets in everywhere. Use the recommended amount in the shop manual, packing what is left into the middle and the end cap. If new to this Google bearing packing.

The hub is heavy but not too bad...I just managed to lift it on by myself (carefully) Trick is to get it in position first then lift up and on, careful not to catch the grease seal.

Torque the bearing nut up as recommended in the manual and don't forget a new split pin; (preload torque 80-90lb then back off 1/16 - 1/4)

Wind one brake adjuster out until the drum wont turn then back off just until it is free. Do the other the same.

At this point top up the brake fluid and bleed the air out until there is resistance in the pedal.

Tighten one adjuster right up till the drum wont turn then back off 5 clicks. Do the other the same.

The reason I did it in this order was that getting the brakes to work beds the shoes in and centers everything before final adjusting.

Then do it all again on the other side.

While it was up in the air I adjusted the steering box per shop manual specs. Took all the play out but make sure it goes lock to lock without binding. Also greased the king pins and spring hangers.

Final bleeding of the brakes is a pain, still not perfect but everything seems good after a test run.

Manual recommends this is done with the engine running.

Clean and lightly grease the wheel studs and contact surface of the nuts

Points to note:

Make sure the brake adjusters are indeed all the way in.
Replace the brake rubbers anyway (says so in the manual)
Put anything threaded back where it was as threads are handed.
Brake shoes only go one way round.

Hino Workshop Manual page ref (actual PDF page number)

Rear Axle                   p 78
Front axle                   p88
Steering                      p114
Master cylinder           p143
Front brakes               p161 Cylinder bore front & rear 26.99 (1.0625")
Adjust front brakes     p169
Bleeding                     p171

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Radiator Hoses

Radiator Hoses for RB145A
In the Cooling System Manual
900144936 - Hino calls SZ91044425 cost $110.75 plus GST.
900144937 - Hino calls SZ91044424 cost $83.10 plus GST.
Mal Mckenzie

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Hino Water Pump

My model is the Hino Liesse, of which there are very few in Australia, making parts identification quite difficult.

Initial symptoms were - small fluid puddle on the ground near the rear bumper. Investigations revealed it to be engine coolant and found to be coming from behind the Harmonic Balancer and seeping around the front sump area. I immediately suspected the water pump, but could not be sure without removing the rear bumper and support assembly, pump drive belts and pulley. Fluid was clearly leaking from the water pump seal.

The pump could not be identified by parts suppliers from the photos I took and sent to them. They could not find any equivalent local match to my engine number, VIN etc, so the pump had to be removed.

This meant, removing all the other belts, pulleys and the harmonic balancer, which was the hardest to remove. When this was all done, another problem became obvious - timing cover oil seal.

With the pump removed, I was able to take it and compare with possible replacements. A couple were a close match - but not quite right.

In the end, I was given contact details for a company that specialises in cooling system repairs including water pump refurbishments.

For your reference the company is: - Auto Cooling Pty Ltd, Factory 7, 216 Blackshaws Rd., Altona North, Vic. Phone 03) 9362 7799.

They may be represented in other states. The cost was $165.00 as compared to a quoted new price from Japan of approx $700.00 ex freight.

A replacement oil seal was purchased from the local Hino dealer for $50.00.

For those who may not be aware, there is a guy in Qld., who has a mate in Japan who can get a quote then supply and ship new parts to Australia.
Parts are quite pricey depending on the exchange rate, but if you need them, you pay for them.
His details: - Phil Jaquiery, 0438 102 002, philip@jaquiriery.net

She is all back together now and ready to rock and roll. -:)
Steve McDonald

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WANO Japanese Truck Parts

G'day

I was told a few days ago that I needed new engine mounts. Being in Adelaide and having used "He Knows truck Parts" before for my 145 I googled them and found a name change to WANO.

On ringing and saying that I had a Hino RB-145 the response once again was "Okay, the little bus" Very reassuring!
Short story - I had my mounts available the next day as they were in stock.
WANO part # 1Y3120 front engine mounts RB145 - $128 ea

Wano (Japanese Truck Parts) has 17 branches in all states, and Canberra, but I have only used the Regency Park branch - ask for Rick - who has been both knowledgeable and helpful.

Kevin Sampson

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Speedo not working - and a fix

Hi
The speedo in my Hino Rainbow 145 Bus is not working. I have tried opening and closing the outer face of the speedo but it appears that the pins at the back of the speedo are not connecting with the cable that comes up.
Any answers please. Thanks Brian Canberra Australia

Hi Ronald
Many thanks for your email, and for taking the time to reply to me. I will take on board the details re Wano in Canberra.

As it happens, a friend alerted me to the possibility that the pins at the back of the speedo may have been "dirty", and after an application of "electrical contact cleaner" I am delighted to say that the speedo is working again.

I have owned my Hino Rainbow 145 Bus for 11 years now (it is a 1993 model) and I can say that the pins have never been cleaned during that time.

Thank you once again for considering my call for help.
Best wishes Brian Canberra

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