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Old 05-18-2018, 02:34 AM   #1
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Dec 2016
Posts: 46
How much does your converted bus weigh?

Hey!


I'm doing some homework and trying to figure out if an EV conversion for a bus is possible/sensible, I have a thread about that in the electrical section... not too important to this thread, but I figured I'd explain why I want to know.


So, how much does your converted bus weigh?


What I'm going to try to do is compile all the info shared with me here into a Google Doc and share it with everyone including things like averages, minimum, maximus... and depending on how much and how granular the data I have to work with is, maybe I can give some other useful numbers.


Please, be as detailed as you can be! If you have weight before and after conversion, that's great. If you have model numbers, how many seats/windows the bus has/had... how much the wheelchair lift weighed, if it had one... all of that would be awesome info to have!


Thanks.

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Old 05-18-2018, 07:08 AM   #2
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Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Andrews,Indiana
Posts: 2,430
Year: 1991
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: AARE
Engine: 3116 Cat 250hp
Rated Cap: Just the two of us.
1991 Bluebird AARE GVWR 36,200

Seated with full fuel tanks (100 gl)
Front axle 8,720
Rear axle 15,360
Gross wt 24,080

Converted mostly done except for cabinet doors
Full fuel (100 gl) and fresh water (100 gl) driver in seat (180 lbs)

Front axle 10,640
left 5580 right 5060

Rear axle 17,440
left 9140 right 8300
Gross wt 28,080
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Old 05-18-2018, 07:31 AM   #3
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Location: Owasso, OK
Posts: 2,627
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Saf-T-Liner MVP ER
Engine: Cummins 6CTA8.3 Mechanical MD3060
Rated Cap: 46 Coach Seats, 40 foot
Thomas Saf-T-Liner 1999.

40', Cummins 8.3 and MD3060

Completely stripped of seats, walls, and ceiling:

Steer Axle: 6360 lb
Drive Axle: 12400 lb

Total: 18760 lb
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Old 05-18-2018, 07:46 AM   #4
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Location: Spring Valley AZ
Posts: 1,343
Year: 2000
Coachwork: Bluebird
Engine: 5.9 Cummins
Rated Cap: 2 elderly children, 1 cat
F 9640, R 9647 w/both of us on board.
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Old 05-18-2018, 08:02 AM   #5
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Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Montana/Texas
Posts: 681
Year: 1998
Coachwork: Crown by Carpenter
Chassis: International 3800
Engine: 230 HP DT 466e/MT 643!
Rated Cap: 16
Front 7200
Rear 12200
Trailer 4100
Total 23500

On our way up to Montana for the summer loaded with our stuff and towing our Ford Escape.

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Old 05-18-2018, 07:02 PM   #6
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Location: Tahoe
Posts: 513
Year: 1997
Coachwork: International
Chassis: 3000RE
Engine: T444E w/ MT643
Rated Cap: 84 pass, 40'
Quote:
Originally Posted by Twigg View Post
Thomas Saf-T-Liner 1999.

40', Cummins 8.3 and MD3060

Completely stripped of seats, walls, and ceiling:

Steer Axle: 6360 lb
Drive Axle: 12400 lb

Total: 18760 lb
My stripped 40' International is almost exactly this front and rear. I'll weigh again once it's done. The GVWR is over 26K - maybe 31? Can't remember.
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Old 05-20-2018, 02:39 AM   #7
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Alright! This is a good start. I guess it's no surprise, but buses are quite heavy! Haha


Here's what I came up with so far off of these replies. Let me know if I can make this easier to read or more useful!



Do any of you happen to know what material your buses' frames are made out of? What about the wheels?


Another shot in the dark, but what about the weight of the engine/transmission, as those probably wouldn't be a part of an EV conversion. The transmission might stay.
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Old 05-20-2018, 06:31 AM   #8
Bus Crazy
 
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Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Andrews,Indiana
Posts: 2,430
Year: 1991
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: AARE
Engine: 3116 Cat 250hp
Rated Cap: Just the two of us.
Frame is steel, what else could it be? Wheels are steel. 40 feet long.

Cat 3116 engine dry weight approx 1085
Allison 643 trans dry weight approx 510

AARE is rear engine
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Old 05-20-2018, 06:43 AM   #9
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Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Eustis FLORIDA
Posts: 23,762
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freighliner FS65
Engine: Cat 3126
Rated Cap: 15
I know a DT466 weighs around 1500lbs without the transmission.
With ALL the interior stripped out, the rolling shell weighed 17,900 lbs and it was a 40 footer FE.
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Old 05-20-2018, 07:27 AM   #10
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Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Spring Valley AZ
Posts: 1,343
Year: 2000
Coachwork: Bluebird
Engine: 5.9 Cummins
Rated Cap: 2 elderly children, 1 cat
2K4S is 26', GVWR is 25500, front engine, TC1000.
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Old 05-20-2018, 11:22 AM   #11
Mini-Skoolie
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by somewhereinusa View Post
Frame is steel, what else could it be?

I feel like I've heard somewhere that some buses (like, airport buses or city buses) are made of aluminum. But I haven't been able to find any so it's totally possible I made that up...



Thanks for the extra info, btw.
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Old 05-20-2018, 03:01 PM   #12
Bus Crazy
 
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: Farmington Hills, Mi (Detroit area)
Posts: 1,968
Year: 2000
Coachwork: Eldorado Aerotech 24'
Chassis: Ford E-450 Cutaway Bus
Engine: 7.3L Powerstroke
Rated Cap: 19
Ford E-450 Super Duty Cutaway with 7.3l Powerstroke diesel and 24' Eldorado Aerotech fiberglass body. Steel frame & wheels.

Vehicle rated GVWR - 14040 lbs.

As converted with full fuel (50 gal), water (35 gal) and 2 propane tanks (20 gal), food, camping gear, a rifle or two and two people.

Front axle - 4240 lbs
Rear axle - 7440 lbs
Total weight - 11680 lbs
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Old 05-20-2018, 05:01 PM   #13
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Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Salt Lake City, UT
Posts: 74
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: TC2000 (3904 RE)
Engine: Cummins 8.3TA
Rated Cap: 84
Quote:
Originally Posted by scapegoatwax View Post
I feel like I've heard somewhere that some buses (like, airport buses or city buses) are made of aluminum. But I haven't been able to find any so it's totally possible I made that up...



Thanks for the extra info, btw.
Some road busses have aluminum skins, but the frames are always steel. It's strong and cheap enough to be commercially viable.
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