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Old 09-27-2015, 10:13 AM   #21
Bus Geek
 
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These had transaxles, but automatics weren't available till later, and they sucked.

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Old 09-27-2015, 02:45 PM   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by crazycal View Post
What pickup has a transaxle?
I meant driveshaft, sorry for using incorrect words, and thank you for the correction.
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Old 09-27-2015, 05:44 PM   #23
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Year: 1992
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Albatross View Post
I went down to a PPL RV store near me, and they recommended a local welder that specialized in RV's and heavy/commercial trucks and buses. Cost was $750 + tax for a Class IV welded on. I am willing to pay someone with 30+ years of specialty and experience for the confidence of being able to break the bus or bend the frame before I have something go wrong with my hitch.

I still need to do the wiring, but I am still trying to figure out exactly how to pull my pickup yet. I would prefer to pull flat, but the pick-up is an automatic, so I don't want to have to drop the transaxle every time I hook up and unhook.
You should have had that welder build you a simple wheel lift on the back of your bus VS the hitch.

Then, just like on the back of a tow truck, you could have lifted the drive wheels of the vehicle your towing off the ground.

Much much safer, No wear and tear on the toad, No drive shaft to disconnect, better stopping due to the weight of the toad being on the rear wheels of the bus, ect.

And you could have still used it as a adjustable height trailer hitch.

Nat
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Old 04-24-2019, 09:22 PM   #24
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Receiver Hitch and Install in Atlanta

ok so I'm trying my best to troll the 'net to find a local company here in Atlanta GA area that will be able to sell me the receiver hitch assembly that will fit my 1997 International 3800 series with BlueBird body, dt466e and the good old Allison at545 with a 5.9 rear end gear ratio. So far I'm hitting blanks. My plans at to go full time RV at the end of my lease at the end of June this year (2019) but this will hold me up from that b/c of a need to tow dolly my car. Help anyone know of a reputable business in Atlanta that I can go to for this?
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Old 04-24-2019, 10:00 PM   #25
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They may not find something listed in the hitch manufacturers' application tables. Maybe you could try for a custom hitch or general welding shop and say "if I bring in a Draw-Tite 41990 hitch kit, will you install it on my vehicle?"

The Draw-Tite 41990 is a weld-together hitch kit consisting of a 44" wide center section plus left and right brackets. It can be ordered with either 7" or 16" brackets.
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Old 04-26-2019, 05:32 PM   #26
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We went with a standard reese hitch for a f150. took the plates off it that it cam with and it fits perfect between the frame rails.
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Old 06-01-2019, 10:31 PM   #27
Mini-Skoolie
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Albatross View Post
I went down to a PPL RV store near me, and they recommended a local welder that specialized in RV's and heavy/commercial trucks and buses. Cost was $750 + tax for a Class IV welded on. I am willing to pay someone with 30+ years of specialty and experience for the confidence of being able to break the bus or bend the frame before I have something go wrong with my hitch.

I still need to do the wiring, but I am still trying to figure out exactly how to pull my pickup yet. I would prefer to pull flat, but the pick-up is an automatic, so I don't want to have to drop the transaxle every time I hook up and unhook.
In the Atlanta, GA area, I've been referred to Mike's Trailer Hitches in Riverdale, GA over on the southside of town. They're about the only one here that will touch my skoolie for hitch companies in the area. The others despite not needing a rack, insist they can't handle anything the size of my bus which is a front engine 1997 International 3800 w/BlueBird body(dognose config). I've been quoted $500 as the ballpark figure, and since it's my last month in my apartment here before I go full time RV, next paycheck will most assuredly be going down there to get it done!
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Old 03-14-2020, 02:15 PM   #28
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Reviving this thread here because I want to tow my car and carry a bit of odds and ends on a trailer. My car weighs about 2750 lbs and ultimately I'd like to get a 20 ft trailer. My bus is a B.B. TC 2000 from 1996. She is in the shop right now and the swell folks there are willing to weld in place an adjustable hitch receiver if I bring one in. If anyone has the same body and could let me know what width my frame rails are I'd appreciate it. I am thinking of getting a class IV or V hitch receiver and either Curt or DrawTight. If I'm figuring things out right, the weld on hitches are all adjustable? But the bolt on ones are only 'universal' for cars and trucks that have bolt holes in the right places?
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Old 03-14-2020, 05:07 PM   #29
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Your frame rails are most likely 34" outside-to-outside, I need 34 1/2" because of bumper brackets (unless I relocate them inside the frame rails). I've removed my brackets and cross-piece for the rear tow hooks, which is where I measured from. I was not able to find a ready-made hitch to fit, and the universal one is only rated up to 5000 pounds - I need 7000+ for my 20' enclosed trailer. I have a 12K Class IV hitch that is destined to be cut to width and new custom ends made for it (no idea what it was sized to fit previously), I figure if the 6 (per side) 1/2" bolts were enough for the tow hooks then they should be more than sufficient for a 12K trailer, should I ever need to pull one.
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Old 03-14-2020, 05:48 PM   #30
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I am thinking of ordering this weld on class V hitch receiver https://www.amazon.com/15902-Univers...omotive&sr=1-9
Has anyone used this one? Is there any disadvantage of using a weld on rather than a bolt on?
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Old 03-14-2020, 06:19 PM   #31
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I looked at that and considered getting it, had I not already had something else to work with. Disadvantage - it's not really easily removable once welded on. Some heat-treated frames are not recommended for welding to. Don't weld to the frame flanges (the "top" and "bottom"). Not really adjustable once welded in place. If those are things you can live with, then as far as I can see, this will serve the purpose very nicely.
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Old 04-01-2020, 05:27 AM   #32
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I opted for the Curt weld on rather than the Reese. All the customers service gals when I called Reese or their distributors were bimbos that knew less than I did. Now I'm hoping the shop my bus is getting fluids changed at will be able to weld it on and wire it this weekend. If they just weld it on I'm in for one heck of a lesson in wiring the break controller and lights.
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Old 04-17-2020, 11:49 PM   #33
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mmmm... I don't like those kind of hitch, one of them tore itself apart and I was not anywhere near its maximum weight rating. There is a slot in the back where the bolt is able to slide along to match the width of your vehicle frame. Inherently not a strong design. And if the hitch had actually broken, which was likely in the next few miles when I noticed it was tearing apart, the safety chains would have been no help. They would have gone with the trailerInherently not a strong design. And if the hitch had actually broken, which was likely in the next few miles when I noticed it was tearing apart, the safety chains would have been no help. They would have gone with the trailer. A serious disaster was avoided by noticing that the hitch angle was dropping.
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