who has a bus for a tow rig? aside from the parking/cdl issues how do you like it? seems like you could tow 2 rigs comfortably... would want one for a ghetto motorhome/junk hauler not to mention the novelty of it:grinpimp:

my wife is totally emberassed by me even talking about it...:grinpimp: i have been looking on craigslist just for the hell of it. i would like one with a cummins or a detriot. my old man has been driving truck/self employed excavator for about 30 years...so i'm not new to the big truck thing at all

is insurance a killer on something like that?

discuss:flipoff2:

You are FAR from being alone. There is a huge converted school bus community out there. You just don't know about it yet. Check out http://www.skoolie.net/index.php

The configurations people go with are endless. Some are just RV's that tag tow, some are toterhomes, and some actually haul the rigs inside. It all depends on what's going to work for you.

The CDL and insurance thing actually really is a non-issue. The key is to get it registered as an RV. It is surprisingly easy in most states. At that point weight isn't an issue anymore in most states. Neither are the air brakes in most states though some will require an endorsement. Most people I've talked to insure their conversions through State Farm or GMAC to the tune of about $200 per year. Yes, that's $200 every 12 months.

The most popular engines I see are the big inlines. B-series Cummins, C-series Cummins, DT360, DT466, Ford 6.6/7.8, etc. Every engine has its own following. My bus has the 6.6 and I love it. Parts can be a little difficult to get off the shelf, but it is stupidly simple and will run forever. The high output version (mine) only makes 185 hp and 474 ft lbs of torque, but that's pretty average for a bus. I'm going to do a little pump work this summer to bump up the fueling rate to compensate for the slight loss of power running on straight veggie oil.

Some of the V-8's are pretty darned popular too. The 3208 has love it and hate it groupies. Ditto for the 6.9 and 7.3 IDI's. Even that 8.2 Detroit has a following.

Transmission choice and axle gearing will be important if you plan to tow big. The vast majority of buses out there have an Allison AT545. It's a good 4 speed tranny, but without a lock up convertor or overdrive it's a pig. They're awesomely cheap though. $1500 will get you one installed with a 24 month unlimited mileage warranty. Most people try to find an MT643 auto if they plan to go cross country. It doesn't have overdrive either, but it locks up in 3rd and 4th and is a little more stout. There's always the manual tranny route as well. Many of the 4 and 5 speed buses have two speed rear ends too. A DT466 with a 5+2 might make the ultimate drivetrain set up.

You have to watch the axle gearing. I've seen them run from 4.11 all the way up to 7.17. That's a huge difference with a low revving diesel. 11R22.5's (or 10.00R20's) will help some, but it's best just to find a ratio that works. With my AT545 and low power engine I can hit 60 pretty easily with my 4.56's and 10.00-20's. Faster than that and I'm on the governor on the pump.

I could go on and on, but I think you get the idea. They make great tow rigs considering they're a true medium duty truck. Mine has a GVWR of 30,000 but curbs out at less than 18,000 fully loaded. That's 12,000 lbs of payload alone!

Check out that board. Read up and see what you think. Look at the gallery and show your wife some pics. She might be pleasantly surprised. Just be ready for a little booty fab. Thankfully you drive a Toyota (so do I) so you're probably pretty understanding.

do you have any estimate of gas mileage?? fuel tank size?? i'm assuming all things are variable, just like any vehicle..

do they make trailer hitches for these? or are they all gonna be a custom deal? i would feel 100% confident in fabing a hitch, just curious..

are the "pusher" style trucks generally newer? most/all have air brakes right?? i dont ever remember hearing the bus blow off air when i was little..

Fuel mileage varies greatly, but would you believe there is a poll on the skoolie board for it? I get 8 mpg loaded or unloaded across Minnesota or anywhere else with trees. Going across North Dakota where the wind was ALWAYS a headwind I got 6.5, but I also had a leaky fuel fitting where my veggie oil system ties in. Gassers seem to get 3-6 typically while diesels get 6-12 typically.

Brake type is totally dependent on the area. Up here where it's relatively flat but the roads are covered in salt 7 months a year most have hydraboost hydraulic brakes. I've also seen vacuum assist brakes. Almost all hydraulic systems will also have an electric back up motor. Buses from the hill country or from districts that got some grant money will have air brakes and there is just no comparison. They are really cheap and easy to maintain and the stopping power is unbelievable.

Hitches aren't standard so to speak, but they are nothing special. My frame is on 34" centers. That means any hitch for most cab-chassis trucks out there will fit as well as 73-87 Chevy hitches. There are universals too. U-Haul makes a hitch for the Chevy trucks that can do 10,000 lbs WD and is only $140. The local bus dealer sells a $250 Class 5 kit that needs to have the side plates welded to the cross tube, but I believe that one is rated at 16,000 WD.

I don't know that I would say pushers are newer, but a lot more districts started using them in the early 90's. Ditto for the front engine Class D buses. They have a lot more usable space inside for a given length and handle better. Conventionals make up for it by being serviceable. :flipoff2: Seriously...I don't know how the hell you would even get to the primer on the 5.9 in a BLue Bird TC2000 FE if you ever ran it out of fuel.

Speaking of fuel....most buses I've seen have a 60-65 gallon tank. Mine has one stamped 60 gallons (and it is huge), but if only fits 30....I have a feeling there is a baffle or something that's stuck in it, but I can also carry 55 gallons of veggie oil (or diesel for that matter) in the interior tank so I can make some miles before refueling. I usually need to stop and take a piss and give my kidneys a break before I actually need to refuel. I still need to find a nice bucket seat I can put in there. Newer buses have air ride seats and air suspension. Sure beats my stiff-as-an-I-Beam leafs. :bounce:

Women love buses and beer. :D
http://us.a2.yahoofs.com/users/437ec2ebz2479e506/d189re2/__sr_/be2fre2.jpg?phA0fEGBMZNa9cZp
http://us.a2.yahoofs.com/users/437ec2ebz2479e506/d189re2/__sr_/6379re2.jpg?phA0fEGBL3bYAsgf

And the roof is plenty strong, atleast on a Wayne Lifeguard body
http://us.a2.yahoofs.com/users/437ec2ebz2479e506/d189re2/__sr_/a300re2.jpg?phA0fEGBsn1giXY.

you didnt say what kind of bus you want? school bus? school bus with old 460 in it? or school bus with small diesel? or old grey hound bus with diesel rear engine?

you didnt say what kind of bus you want? school bus? school bus with old 460 in it? or school bus with small diesel? or old grey hound bus with diesel rear engine?

i think either a school bus with a 5.9 cummins 84(?) passenger or a grey hound style bus with a detroit:grinpimp: :laughing:

edit whatever it is, it would have to have OD as all the vehicle would be used for is 300-1000 trips. i would also like to cut a door in the back, drive my junk in and have it all enclosed, throw a partition in for a "passenger" compartment and call it good:grinpimp:

If you want to drive your junk in the back then a Greyhound or a rear pusher is kind of out of the question. If you want overdrive you're either going to have to shop around hard for a 5 speed with O/D or find a bus with an Allison MD3060 "World" tranny....or buy something new enough to have a something from the 2000 series in it. No matter what you're going to be paying for that. Just think of the fact that you have 42 inch tall tires with 4.11 or 4.56 gears as being your overdrive. You have 4 gears either way.

If you're shopping for a 5.9 powered bus be prepared to justify why with a lot of people (not me...just informing). They tend to be a little outgunned in this application, but mated to an MT643 with a 4.33 rear they will get 10+ mpg at cruising speed. Don't plan on turning the pump up to the moon on these things. It works great for a pickup that spends most of it's time lightly loaded. The engine in the bus feels like it's in a pickup at GCWR every day of it's life. The real limiting factor is the transmission. I'd just buy a C-series Cummins and be done with it. If displacing 5.9 liters is good displacing 8.3 would be better, right? Most of the big inlines use the same IP anyway. If you can turn up the P-pump in your Dodge you can probably figure out how to do it on my 6.6.

how about a "fishbowl" bus? they are fawkin cool:grinpimp: looks like they are considered a "pusher" though right?:(

Yep, they will have the engine in the back with a goofy T or V drive configuration. The scariest thing with one of those is the rust that hides under that purdy shiny skin.

Being that you're in Utah you're damn near in Crown or Gillig territory. You might get spit on by art deco guys and bus enthusiasts, but one of those would make an awesome toy hauler. Most are 84 passenger and could be had with tandems rears, a mid mounted 671 or Cummins 220, 250, etc pancake motor with a Super 10 to back it up. That's the cat's ass when it comes to an RV, let alone a toy hauler.

Being that you're in Utah you're damn near in Crown or Gillig territory. You might get spit on by art deco guys and bus enthusiasts, but one of those would make an awesome toy hauler.


are they some group of bus purists or what?:confused: who/where are they?



Most are 84 passenger and could be had with tandems rears, a mid mounted 671 or Cummins 220, 250, etc pancake motor with a Super 10 to back it up. That's the cat's ass when it comes to an RV, let alone a toy hauler.

i understand the tandems (sweet:grinpimp: ) but 'splain the mid mounted and the rest of your motor lingo....

i swear whenever i pick up a new hobby, there is always a 2-3 month learning curve just for the lingo:laughing:

Crown made the "ultimate" bus for years and years. Actually, their long life is probably one of the things that killed them. Why buy a new bus when you can just get a remaned 671? I'd post a pic but I lack a star. Google should turn some up. They have a distinct look and the purists might take issue with you tearing one up, but fah gum.

671=Detroit Diesel two stroke I-6 displacing 71 cubes per cylinder. The big Cummins are four strokes with the number indicating their horsepower. By mid mounted I mean just that. They are not a front engine or a rear engine, but rather are mounted midship between the axles. Pancake just means they're laid on their sides so some kid doesn't have to crawl over a valvecover to get to his seat.

The Super 10 is a big ol' Fuller tranny. It is set up like a 5 speed automotive tranny, but has a gear splitting function built in as well. The cool thing is that you don't necessarily have to clutch to shift the splitter because if functions centrifugally.

With 10 forward speeds and a 671 there isn't a hill that could stop you, even fully loaded.

i bought this with the intention of eventually building it into a toyhauler:
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y269/scotty85/bus6sm.jpg

75 IH 1700 loadstar with a 345. if i do it it will require an engine swap,as the 345 i think is lucky to get 4mpg with the gearing it has and its holley double pumper :eek:

the RV title was ironically one of the easiest things ive done at the DMV,and i got an RV policy with my current insurance company to move it,and RV plates are cheap also. the guy i talked to at the state highway patrol claims i dont need any special endorsements to drive it as an RV,even tho it has air brakes.im not real sure how confident i am with his knowledge of the laws,however,so ill do some more digging when i start driving it on a regular basis

it has a 5 speed and is an absolute blast to drive. hopefully soon il have a place with enuff room to actually work on it

i caught some pics on a thread awhile back of a bus some guys were using as a tow rig that had an air cyl to tilt the bed back for loading. it was really cool :smokin:

definately post up pics if you build one.

The air brake thing doesn't sound all that unordinary. Minnesota is the same way. If it is registered as an RV GVWR and air brakes don't matter.

4 mpg sucks, but it's kinda par for the course with a gasser. You must have some mean gearing in there as I have heard of some people squeezing as much as 7 out of them consistantly. A diesel might get 7-8 so it's worth thinking about if the swap is really worth it. I'd still like to see how a Caddy 500 would do in one....

Wow, I'm joinin' that board!

I can even remember when I was little for the 5 years I rode a bus to elementry school that someday I was gonna get one to take out all the seats out and make a camper.

I know, what a dork...

Adrianspeeder

That board is AWESOME. There are some really creative people there from all walks of life and plenty of information. What I like is that I have never once seen a serious flaming....just some gentle persuasion back the other direction.

4 mpg sucks, but it's kinda par for the course with a gasser. You must have some mean gearing in there as I have heard of some people squeezing as much as 7 out of them consistantly. A diesel might get 7-8 so it's worth thinking about if the swap is really worth it...

yes,im sure its some pretty mean gearing.i have to drive it at full throttle pretty much all the time. there is no cruising at a light throttle,unless im only going 2 mph. :laughing: i thot somewhat about removing the holley and adding a GM TBI and see if that helped any. loaded with tools,gear,a rig in the back and one on a trailer id actually be pretty happy with 7-8.

main reason for wanting to do the diesel swap is the ability to run bio,as we allready have diesel trucks and were planning to build a still this summer :) the ability to run fuel were making prolly makes it worth it,along with the fact that i love diesels :smokin:

Wow, I'm joinin' that board!

I can even remember when I was little for the 5 years I rode a bus to elementry school that someday I was gonna get one to take out all the seats out and make a camper.

I know, what a dork...

Adrianspeeder

check out the thread where this older guy raised the roof 23" using 4 hi lift jacks its awesome, i spent an hr reading the thread and didnt even finish. seems like he spent some time and did a good job, ill have to finish the thread.

Elliot is pretty damned amazing. What I love is that he can jump from area to area and from work to the bus and back again without ever losing his place.

check out the thread where this older guy raised the roof 23" using 4 hi lift jacks its awesome, i spent an hr reading the thread and didnt even finish. seems like he spent some time and did a good job, ill have to finish the thread.

I read that one too. Alot of good idea, and alot of great entertainment from that thread!

i bought a bus out of IL and have a ??
what is the trick to getting it RV titled now (in KS)?
i have all the seats out but thats all right now (waiting for cooler weather)

i bought a bus out of IL and have a ??
what is the trick to getting it RV titled now (in KS)?
i have all the seats out but thats all right now (waiting for cooler weather)

call your local title office/DMV.

here in ohio its amazingly easy. i just went to the title office and filled out a "body change form". it had a bunch of questions like does it have a bathroom? sleeping quarters? etc. all i had to do was answer "yes" to all of them and they printed up a new title. easy as pie. they didnt do any kind of inspection. might sound alittle shady on my part,but my seats are gone,and it does allready have a bathroom. the rest of it it will have by the time im ready to drive it :)