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Old 01-04-2017, 06:55 PM   #21
Skoolie
 
Join Date: Dec 2016
Posts: 138
The ramps that came with it are only 5 feet long. This makes it very steep. I have a hill in my back yard that makes loading the Jeep a breeze. I need to make some longer ones. It is just some angle iron.

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Old 01-04-2017, 08:00 PM   #22
Bus Crazy
 
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Join Date: May 2015
Location: Oklahoma aka "God's blind spot"
Posts: 2,446
Year: 1989
Coachwork: 1853FC International/Navistar
Chassis: 35' Retired Air Force Ambulance
Engine: DT466, MT643
Rated Cap: 6 souls and a driver
Quote:
Originally Posted by slidewayzm5 View Post
Sweet build! There are more than a few of us that are building toy haulers.

I also happen to currently sell the new Raptors - have a customer who should take delivery of his in a month or so. They're unreal!
Slight derail ahead...
Can you provide info about the receiver hitch in your photobucket?
Manufacturer, specs, install, etc.
I read one user went to Curt Mfg. for his...
Thanks
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Old 01-05-2017, 07:10 AM   #23
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 20
Haha wasn't me! That really didn't look too bad though, I've definitely seen worse out there. The raptor has an offroad mode that turns the sensitivity of the air bags way down, I'm gonna take a wild guess and say they weren't in offroad mode lol.
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Old 01-05-2017, 07:17 AM   #24
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Nov 2016
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Quote:
Originally Posted by slidewayzm5 View Post
Sweet build! There are more than a few of us that are building toy haulers.

I also happen to currently sell the new Raptors - have a customer who should take delivery of his in a month or so. They're unreal!
Yours looks very similar to mine! I really dig the look of the short bus with the bed sticking out behind it. It's great to see others building these toyhaulers, makes me feel a little less crazy

I must admit, although probably just childish and stubborn, I can't get on board with the V6 in the new Raptor - I would miss the rumble too much. I still can't wait to start seeing them out on the roads, and more importantly, out in the dirt!
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Old 01-05-2017, 12:10 PM   #25
Almost There
 
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Canada eh?
Posts: 99
Year: 1991
Coachwork: Corbeil - RAMROD
Chassis: IH 3800 66 Pass
Engine: 7.3 IH IDI NA w AT545 hyd
Haha yeah I don't think its crazy at all. People spend huge cash for sticks and staples toy haulers that can collapse so easily. Sure they look a lot nicer and more finished, but I prefer function over fancy.

milkmania - I went to buy a Class V F350 hitch from a guy on Kijiji for $20 and when I told him what it was for he gave it to me.
Had to cut it down and weld it back to the proper size (my cousin is a weld inspector), drill Eight 5/8" holes into it and the frame and bolted it up with loctite and lock washers.
I painted it and applied bed liner for durability.
It will be used to pull smaller trailers hauling Snowbikes, sleds or dirt bikes most likely but I made sure it was overbuilt in case I needed to pull a flat deck once or twice.

I haven't updated my build on here in a while, but there is a FB page that I regularly update. If it wasn't such a pain to go upload pics to photobucket then link them here I would be up to date. There it is simple - attach pic and done.

Here is the link to the build if you guys are curious..
http://www.skoolie.net/forums/f11/ne...ler-14400.html
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Old 01-16-2017, 06:49 AM   #26
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 20
Finally got the ramps finished up and it was time to load the truck for the first time!

Also found a futon on craigslist for $20. Of course it was a foot too wide, so we had to cut it down and put it back together.... but it fits like a glove now!









Attached Thumbnails
bus19.jpg   bus20.jpg   bus21.jpg   bus22.jpg   bus23.jpg  

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Old 01-16-2017, 06:55 AM   #27
Bus Geek
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Columbus Ohio
Posts: 18,707
Year: 1991
Coachwork: Carpenter
Chassis: International 3800
Engine: DTA360 / MT643
Rated Cap: 7 Row Handicap
did it feel top-heavy? how do you chain it down? do the ramps just chain in under the truck? looks like a cool rig!
-Christopher
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Old 01-16-2017, 07:01 AM   #28
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Nov 2016
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cadillackid View Post
did it feel top-heavy? how do you chain it down? do the ramps just chain in under the truck? looks like a cool rig!
-Christopher
I haven't driven it on the road yet, so I'm not sure how it rides yet. I still need to add some tail lights at the rear before I can get it on the road. I'll be putting holes in the floor and chaining it down straight to the frame though the floor. The ramps have wheels on the front/upper end. I just lift the lower end up and roll them between the wheel wells.

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Old 01-16-2017, 07:04 AM   #29
Bus Nut
 
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Pensacola and Crystal River, FL
Posts: 647
Year: 1998
Coachwork: AmTran International
Chassis: 3800
Engine: Navistar 7.6L
Years ago there was a guy at Silver Lake with a similar setup.
He mounted the long ramps on driveshaft u-joints at the upper/outer corners of the ramps to the outer ends of the bumper. They then could be tilted so drive-on surface was vertical and then swung towards the front and secured.

They then looked like sides racks on a flat bed truck.
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Old 01-16-2017, 07:15 AM   #30
Mini-Skoolie
 
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Posts: 20
Quote:
Originally Posted by DoubleO7 View Post
Years ago there was a guy at Silver Lake with a similar setup.
He mounted the long ramps on driveshaft u-joints at the upper/outer corners of the ramps to the outer ends of the bumper. They then could be tilted so drive-on surface was vertical and then swung towards the front and secured.

They then looked like sides racks on a flat bed truck.
Wow that's a cool idea! A little more complex then I need. These are heavy enough just to lift, I can't imagine swinging them around.
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Old 01-16-2017, 07:32 AM   #31
Bus Geek
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Columbus Ohio
Posts: 18,707
Year: 1991
Coachwork: Carpenter
Chassis: International 3800
Engine: DTA360 / MT643
Rated Cap: 7 Row Handicap
looks good up on there.. biggest thing seems to me will be how much frame flex you get with the engine of the truck right above the longest span of unsupported frame.. then again I dont know how much framing rollbacks have over and above the factory truck chassis.. total weight has to be less than a bus body and 65 screaming fat kids

-Christopher
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Old 06-15-2017, 09:41 AM   #32
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 20
Update

Figured it's time for an update!

I've made some pretty good progress on the interior since my last posts.

I've made a couple trips with the bus this year, and it was quite obvious that the interior, although it worked, was not very refined.

I added a copilot seat out of an old junkyard f250. It slides forward and out of the way, which was a big plus!


Inside storage was very limited, so I added some old rv cabinets to give us some more space.


Found a futon that fit perfectly, both as a couch and as a bed when folded down.

You can also notice the patch job over the seam of the old and new bus sections.


I've got the trans-air installed, but not wired and plumbed. I think that job is going to be quite time consuming if I do it correctly, but I haven't dug into it too far.

Also installed a speaker in the cabinet - definitely won't shake the bus, but it helps to drown out the engine noise as we drive.


Lastly, I've added runners that cover the jagged cuts along the side of the bus, and helps to distribute the load of the truck.

Brake lights/tail lights/clearance lights have also been installed.




And of course, putting the bus to work for once instead of play.
Attached Thumbnails
cabinet.jpg   copilot seat.jpg   cut.jpg   futon.jpg   hay.jpg  

runner.jpg   speaker,ac.jpg  
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Old 06-15-2017, 10:01 AM   #33
Bus Geek
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Columbus Ohio
Posts: 18,707
Year: 1991
Coachwork: Carpenter
Chassis: International 3800
Engine: DTA360 / MT643
Rated Cap: 7 Row Handicap
I love that Copilot seat!! super cool ideas to use a folding passenger seat..

Transaur should not be too tough to get going.. the relay panel for it is usually placed under the bus toward the front... if you are lucky they put it inside the dash..

do you have the comntrol panel that is the 2 switches wit ha red light in the middle?

plumbing it in.. use Burgaflex hose and Burgaclip fittings.. it is by far the easiest way to make your own A/C hoses..

since the system has been open so long be sure to replace the receiver / dryer thats on the side of the codnensor..
-Christopher
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Old 06-15-2017, 10:42 PM   #34
Bus Nut
 
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 334
Quote:
Originally Posted by DoubleO7 View Post
That air born Raptor looks like it made Test Hill at Silver Lake sand dunes in Michigan?
That's what I was thinking
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Old 06-16-2017, 08:17 AM   #35
Mini-Skoolie
 
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Posts: 20
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Originally Posted by Seriousracer View Post
That's what I was thinking
Exactly right! I'll be up again this weekend
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Old 06-16-2017, 08:22 AM   #36
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 20
Quote:
Originally Posted by cadillackid View Post
I love that Copilot seat!! super cool ideas to use a folding passenger seat..

Transaur should not be too tough to get going.. the relay panel for it is usually placed under the bus toward the front... if you are lucky they put it inside the dash..

do you have the comntrol panel that is the 2 switches wit ha red light in the middle?

plumbing it in.. use Burgaflex hose and Burgaclip fittings.. it is by far the easiest way to make your own A/C hoses..

since the system has been open so long be sure to replace the receiver / dryer thats on the side of the codnensor..
-Christopher
The seat worked out great, really better than I expected!

The trans-air was somewhat functional when I got the bus in November 2016. I have the switches up by the drivers area, and they would turn the fans on - just no cold air. There are two engine driven compressors under the hood, along with the relay panel. I believe all I'll have to do is shorten the AC hoses that ran to the back of the bus, and reconnect them to the tran-air unit. Then check for leaks and recharge the system with refrigerant (after replacing receiver/dryer). Hopefully that's all it will take. I have added a window A/C unit for when I'm parked, so the only issue is on the road.

Attached Thumbnails
window ac.jpg  
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Old 06-16-2017, 08:52 AM   #37
Bus Geek
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Columbus Ohio
Posts: 18,707
Year: 1991
Coachwork: Carpenter
Chassis: International 3800
Engine: DTA360 / MT643
Rated Cap: 7 Row Handicap
each of those compressors shouldve gone to a separate system.. you can choose the one you like and then do as you say, shorten and reconnect the lines.. should be good to go
-Christopher
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Old 06-16-2017, 09:24 AM   #38
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 20
Quote:
Originally Posted by cadillackid View Post
each of those compressors shouldve gone to a separate system.. you can choose the one you like and then do as you say, shorten and reconnect the lines.. should be good to go
-Christopher
That's exactly what I thought. After following the lines out of the compressors, it still look to me that they are connected to the same system.

Here's a couple pictures or the compressors, and the unions under bus.




Attached Thumbnails
compressor.jpg   compressors.jpg   union1.jpg   union 2.jpg  
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