Looking For ... Unicorn?

[cowlitzcoach]

I think the basic problem is all going to be weight related.



Buses built on van/cut-away chassis have very little net payload available. As far as GCWR is concerned, the trailer weight is going to be limited due to the weight of the bus.


Most 1-ton trucks, even with the gas engines, have tow ratings in excess of 14,000 lbs. these days. Most trucks weigh in around 7,500 lbs and have a GVWR around 14,000 lbs. if the truck is equipped with dual rear wheels. If the bus has a GVWR of 14,000 lbs. and has an empty weight of 11,000 lbs then you should be able to have a net payload of 3,000 lbs. and still tow the heavy trailer as long as the tongue weight, passengers, and all of their junk and plunder don't weigh more than 3,000 lbs.


If you move up to a Type 'C' bus with a medium duty truck chassis with a GVWR of even 18,000 lbs the same trailer can be towed but the bus would have much more reserve in the net payload. The Type 'C' bus would also most likely have a transmission that would be better able to handle the weight than the 4L60/6L60 in the GM's or the Ford E4OD/4R100/4R55.

[Dirtdoctor]

Pulling a load is all about horsepower and gearing. Any dt466 with a Allison 3036 will supply you with enough power. My amtrans 25’ long has a 195hp dt466
(This engine can be pushed to 250hp without a bunch of money) I can pull a travel trailer just fine.
But- Check the gearing rear end and you can make adjustments with higher road speeds at the loss of hill climbing power- but the Allison transmission gives you plenty of options to pull hills, albeit slower but you can climb hills. If I were Pulling the trailer - I’d add pyrometer (measures turbo temp, you can overheat and toast them),
Additional transmission cooling a must! And possibly a larger radiator. School busses are set to produce hot water for heaters so the radiators are a wee bit small.
My bus has a short wheelbase and is very maneuverable. But the 466 engine has plenty of torque to pull loads.

[BigPaul367]

Originally Posted by MarkyDee

Need some advice - tell me if I'm looking for a unicorn....


Is there a shortie or "turtletop" bus with a powerful enough drivetrain to pull a fully-loaded two-horse trailer (about 5-6000lbs) at highway speeds? My wife is currently using an older Buick Enclave (but only one horse at a time). The Buick is acting up and we'd really like to transport 2 horses at a time.



If there isn't a shortie or "turtletop" that can do it, is there a bus more like Mullet's that can?


Thanks!

ALL school buses are designed to haul humans. SOME of them are called Activity Buses, these Buses have several Storage Spaces underneath for carrying the gear of a team, the instruments for a Band, Etc, Etc. You need to find a Bus that has a Cummins, 5.9 or 8.3. These motors can be reconfigured to a higher power level. 5.9 can go 325 Horse Power, 8.3 can go to 375 horse power. The hardest part of adapting a 'Skoolie' to tow a heavy rig is adding the correct hitch for the trailer. You may need to buy a 12 Window and replace the rear end minus the back four side windows. This will get the Hitch closer to the rear suspension, this affords better control when towing. You will probably need to have the rear suspension converted to Air Suspension, this is also good for handling and for carrying four legged animals who must stand for the trip. That is the harsh truth of the matter, the good fact of the matter is, you will windup with a rig that LOVES freeway speeds, gets decent fuel economy and ,most importantly, keeps the Horses happy on long trips. Fortunately you can get school buses cheap enough to afford to modify them to your needs. Include this as you think about this information. The larger bus has a heavier frame, modifications do not adversely affect the driving attitude of a large Bus . When a larger bus is cut down/reconfigured for a specialized use and they are bigger better more powerful for said task, you have a much more reliable road vehicle. This equates into a safer Family and Safer Pets, especially the LARGE kind. In the final analysis, what you are doing is creating a vehicle to perform a specialized task. If you start with a One Ton Frame, you are limited to that specification. If you start with a ten ton frame, you are NOT limited, you can fill the transport with ALL you need and the vehicle will will not let you down of restrict your activities! I hope I opened your eyes a little brighter and helped to clear-up your concern. Anytime you start carrying important living things, as important or possibly MORE important, than your Family. DO NOT SELL YOURSELF SHORT! Could a, should a, would a is NOT part of this process. You need to start out with MORE than you need and when you are satisfied with your plan, then you cut off the Ugly and Unwanted and you are left with exactly what you need!

[stever88]

Hi MarkyDee!

Good information on your responses, I especially like BigPaul367 and his information.

I would only add that if you look for buses in mountainous areas of the country you would have a pretty good chance of finding one that will have a lot of the features you want.

Good luck With Your Search!

[MarkyDee]

I've been seeing good buses from several places - there's a few 7 window shorties on public surplus right now (DT466 w/ Allison 2000 tranny) that I'm keeping my eyes on. However, the one that is intriguing me right now is a dealer here in Indy has a 2000 IC BE coming in. He says they should be pricing it between $2800 and $3500, but he doesn't know exactly until he physically receives the bus in May. It has a DT444E w/ an Allison 2000 and only 63k miles! Its from a school district in Eastern-Central Indiana, so there's a bit of rust.


Its GVWR is over the 26,000lbs "magical" mark (heh, only by <2000lbs....), but other than that it looks like it checks all of my boxes (I was hoping to snag one at or under the "magical" mark...).

[MarkyDee]

Originally Posted by stever88

Hi MarkyDee!

Good information on your responses, I especially like BigPaul367 and his information.

I would only add that if you look for buses in mountainous areas of the country you would have a pretty good chance of finding one that will have a lot of the features you want.

Good luck With Your Search!

Thanks, Steve, and all others who have posted here. I'm kinda pumped about this since my wife said she liked the price of the one I've found from a dealer (see previous message).

[MarkyDee]

Originally Posted by BigPaul367

ALL school buses are designed to haul humans. SOME of them are called Activity Buses, these Buses have several Storage Spaces underneath for carrying the gear of a team, the instruments for a Band, Etc, Etc. You need to find a Bus that has a Cummins, 5.9 or 8.3. These motors can be reconfigured to a higher power level. 5.9 can go 325 Horse Power, 8.3 can go to 375 horse power. The hardest part of adapting a 'Skoolie' to tow a heavy rig is adding the correct hitch for the trailer. You may need to buy a 12 Window and replace the rear end minus the back four side windows. This will get the Hitch closer to the rear suspension, this affords better control when towing. You will probably need to have the rear suspension converted to Air Suspension, this is also good for handling and for carrying four legged animals who must stand for the trip. That is the harsh truth of the matter, the good fact of the matter is, you will windup with a rig that LOVES freeway speeds, gets decent fuel economy and ,most importantly, keeps the Horses happy on long trips. Fortunately you can get school buses cheap enough to afford to modify them to your needs. Include this as you think about this information. The larger bus has a heavier frame, modifications do not adversely affect the driving attitude of a large Bus . When a larger bus is cut down/reconfigured for a specialized use and they are bigger better more powerful for said task, you have a much more reliable road vehicle. This equates into a safer Family and Safer Pets, especially the LARGE kind. In the final analysis, what you are doing is creating a vehicle to perform a specialized task. If you start with a One Ton Frame, you are limited to that specification. If you start with a ten ton frame, you are NOT limited, you can fill the transport with ALL you need and the vehicle will will not let you down of restrict your activities! I hope I opened your eyes a little brighter and helped to clear-up your concern. Anytime you start carrying important living things, as important or possibly MORE important, than your Family. DO NOT SELL YOURSELF SHORT! Could a, should a, would a is NOT part of this process. You need to start out with MORE than you need and when you are satisfied with your plan, then you cut off the Ugly and Unwanted and you are left with exactly what you need!

I appreciate your comments. However, I'm going for an SUV replacement and I need it to be usable for exactly that immediately upon purchasing (well, outside of a trip to the mechanic first...). So I really don't want to have to do work before its usable for me.