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Old 01-24-2018, 06:45 PM   #1
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Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: Weeki Wachee, FL
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Year: 1997
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: TC2000 FE
Engine: Cummins 5.9
Rated Cap: 72
Our second bus build, WanderLounge

As promised, this is our new build thread.

For those of you who are new to this bus, it's a 32 foot 1997 Bluebird TC2000 FE with a Cummins 5.9 and AT545 transmission. I rode my scooter 600 miles to get it and drove it back home the next evening!

Our previous bus build is here: http://www.skoolie.net/forums/f27/sp...bus-17338.html

I've got a list of initial things to fix. There's an air leak (a rubber hose), 2 bad tires, the tachometer doesn't work, and the throttle return springs don't exist!

Since we aren't rushing through this build, I'm going to be documenting it on my new boog site, and Hillary will be trying her hand at running an Instagram channel. I've got a lot of DIY I intend to put into this thing, and I'll be documenting my successes and failures alike. We sure learned a lot with the short bus but this is an entirely different beast!

I invite everyone to subscribe to our Instagram: wanderlounge_bus

And check out our blog! https://wanderlounge.net/

Photos and more in the next post...

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Old 01-24-2018, 06:47 PM   #2
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A few before photos!

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Old 01-24-2018, 06:50 PM   #3
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Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: TC2000 FE
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After reading dozens of tire threads on skoolie.net, I'll be purchasing 2 of whatever tire the local shop can get for me at a good price and not worry much about the brand. It has four Roadmaster (by Cooper) and two Samson tires on it now. The driver's side front and passenger side inner rear are both in bad shape, the others look like new. I won't drive it again before I install a set of throttle return springs though!
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Old 01-24-2018, 06:55 PM   #4
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Not a bad idea to do like Ricky Racer and add one of these...


This is my "gas pedal" (diesel, actually) but the doohicky that sticks up is a manual return so you can pull back on the cable with your toe if a spring goes South. Many race sanctioning bodies require them and not a bad idea for any rig.

Just a thought.
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Old 01-24-2018, 06:58 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tango View Post
Not a bad idea to do like Ricky Racer and add one of these...


This is my "gas pedal" (diesel, actually) but the doohicky that sticks up is a manual return so you can pull back on the cable with your toe if a spring goes South. Many race sanctioning bodies require them and not a bad idea for any rig.

Just a thought.
I was thinking about doing something like that and bypassing the throttle lock system it has... But I'll try the springs first and see if that solves it well enough!
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Old 01-24-2018, 07:04 PM   #6
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Ya...you still need springs. The toe thing is simply a fail-safe device.
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Old 01-25-2018, 04:19 PM   #7
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Today I put a couple custom length springs on the throttle. It's too much tension for long term use but for a temporary fix it's all good! A quick test drive around the block and it was a lot easier to deal with... No more motor trying to pull me around on its own!
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Old 01-25-2018, 06:28 PM   #8
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I often had to remove the throttle pedal assembly to "bench clean" them on our TCs when I was still working for the bus company. Road grime and weather would bind up the pivots. If you clean those pivots and lube them with a good synthetic anti-seize the throttle will move like glass with stock return springs.
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Old 01-25-2018, 06:50 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DanPatWork View Post
I often had to remove the throttle pedal assembly to "bench clean" them on our TCs when I was still working for the bus company. Road grime and weather would bind up the pivots. If you clean those pivots and lube them with a good synthetic anti-seize the throttle will move like glass with stock return springs.
I was going to say that if you have gas pedal tension issues, the cause should be addressed and a not a crutch added because it is cool looking.
The old vintage Bigfoot pedals are always cool and only $10
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Old 01-25-2018, 07:08 PM   #10
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The spring issue was because there were no throttle return springs! So I went from 0 springs to 2 not quite perfect springs. I also applied wd40. Now the pedal is hard to press because the springs are overkill.

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Old 01-25-2018, 07:25 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by brokedown View Post
The spring issue was because there were no throttle return springs! So I went from 0 springs to 2 not quite perfect springs. I also applied wd40. Now the pedal is hard to press because the springs are overkill.

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Old 01-25-2018, 07:42 PM   #12
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I was thinking about jb welding over my windows!

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Old 01-25-2018, 07:52 PM   #13
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I was thinking about jb welding over my windows!

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Old 01-26-2018, 06:58 PM   #14
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Today I got a replacement for that leaky hose. Pretty tight quarters getting it removed, but I scooted up to the local auto parts store and they built me a new one. I was a bit surprised at the price, the fittings on the end cost me almost $15 each, plus another $10 for the 2 foot long piece of hose! But after an hour or so of cussing and bleeding, it's installed and that leak is gone!

Of course, after you fix the biggest leak, you find the next biggest leak. I'm still learning the air system stuff as I go, but there is a small black hose that reminds me of like an overflow hose... It trickles air and doesn't look it it was ever attached to anything. I was losing daylight and my tolerance for aching hands so I haven't traced it up yet. It was a very slight flow of air and almost silent. I bled out my air tanks also and was surprised at the amount of water in one of them...

Today I also pulled up my gas pedal and gave the mechanics a good spray of WD40, and removed the throttle lock cable system that I basically hate. The handle end wasn't property mounted to the dashboard and just flopped around, and it just doesn't seem very useful to have in the first place.

Now that I have throttle return springs (and a normal idle speed), my initial air charge takes notably longer to reach!

We got a start on removing the wrap, the sides of the bus are white under the vinyl. Tomorrow I'll be pulling seats out and starting to rip out the floor.

Pics follow.
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Old 01-26-2018, 06:59 PM   #15
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Pic 1, this is why my air was leaking!

Pic 2 is the new and old hoses for comparison.

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Old 01-26-2018, 07:02 PM   #16
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Some wrap removal I did. -Hillary
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Old 01-26-2018, 07:30 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by brokedown View Post
Today I got a replacement for that leaky hose. Pretty tight quarters getting it removed, but I scooted up to the local auto parts store and they built me a new one. I was a bit surprised at the price, the fittings on the end cost me almost $15 each, plus another $10 for the 2 foot long piece of hose! But after an hour or so of cussing and bleeding, it's installed and that leak is gone!

Of course, after you fix the biggest leak, you find the next biggest leak. I'm still learning the air system stuff as I go, but there is a small black hose that reminds me of like an overflow hose... It trickles air and doesn't look it it was ever attached to anything. I was losing daylight and my tolerance for aching hands so I haven't traced it up yet. It was a very slight flow of air and almost silent. I bled out my air tanks also and was surprised at the amount of water in one of them...

Today I also pulled up my gas pedal and gave the mechanics a good spray of WD40, and removed the throttle lock cable system that I basically hate. The handle end wasn't property mounted to the dashboard and just flopped around, and it just doesn't seem very useful to have in the first place.

Now that I have throttle return springs (and a normal idle speed), my initial air charge takes notably longer to reach!

We got a start on removing the wrap, the sides of the bus are white under the vinyl. Tomorrow I'll be pulling seats out and starting to rip out the floor.

Pics follow.
I've got a heat gun and scrapers...
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Old 01-26-2018, 07:31 PM   #18
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Quote:
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Some wrap removal I did. -Hillary
AWESOME!

Most people woulda just painted over it.
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Old 01-26-2018, 07:34 PM   #19
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One cool benefit of wraps is that typically the paint underneath is pretty much as it was when the wrap went on.

Saw tons of little cars in France that had some crazy/cool wraps. I was told they are quite inexpensive over there and people use them to preserve the original paint for better re-sale later.
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Old 01-26-2018, 08:04 PM   #20
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I used a heat gun and a scraper. There are a lot of scratches on it so it comes off in pieces, not sheets like I would hope.
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