A Riding Star — MCI holds sway at bay in super smooth-riding J4500
conversion shell

When aboard a custom entertainer coach, rock 'n' roll is something you want to hear — not feel. To that end, MCI has engineered its recently introduced J4500 conversion shell to make sure that every ride is lounge-singer smooth.

"The feedback we've received is extremely positive," says Brent Maitland, vice president of new markets. "We brought our new J4500C triple slide to the TourLink show recently, and representatives of several operators — including last year's Driver of the Year — said it was the finest-riding coach they had been in."

The smooth moves started with extensive benchmarking. MCI examined its existing conversion shells as well as those of competitors to better understand vertical motion and sway issues. Based on those findings, MCI made significant changes to the J4500 for the conversion entertainer market. Among them, engineers changed the orientation of the front air bags, employed a new steering gear and geometry, changed the front axle, redesigned the drive-axle suspension support to move the shocks farther to the outside, took advantage of new shock-absorber technology, and changed the tag-axle sway bar geometry.

"We looked at ride quality from the entire system perspective," says Brent Danielson, MCI's business development manager. "Next, we tested and re-tested to make sure we beat our targets."

Finally, engineers tested and confirmed the ride quality and roll control on a pilot shell that was framed and loaded with weight high in the bunk area to simulate an entertainer-style conversion. The J4500 shell was rigorously tested against earlier MCI shells as well as the competitor coach, under similar conditions and on roads that Danielson describes as challenging. "The results were impressive," says Danielson. "The coach rode quietly, cornered tightly and promised a smooth ride for band members and all those traveling in the coach."

Maitland says that word of the J4500C's ride quality is getting out, and more operators are showing serious interest in the vehicle. Says Danielson, "We think we went through the right steps to get where we wanted to be. So far, the real-life feedback is backing us up."

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