1998 VanHool 45' coach conversion

[Offgr1d]

It's a TLW300-SS

(Can’t find old pic)

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by Offgr1d

Yeah, they are NOT cheap. The unit I got sells for around 9k new. This one has only 140hrs on it so I consider that pretty young or practically "new" considering the amount of hours these kind of engines can take. I got it half price used off a very well off guy that used it for his 5th wheel for camping.... Found ad in Vegas Craigslist and he was asking 5500.. I talked him down to 4400..

Now my other generator I was going to use is for sale!! I also have A 10kw whisper weld/generator by MQ Power - it runs at 3600 rpm though and I was about to put new injectors in it when I found this unit.. IT needed a bit of modifications to go in a bus. First off it's trailer mounted and would need welding transformer and gas tank removed after getting it out of the housing and putting on skids. Then a new air managed sound box... It has a Kubota d722 with around 5000 hrs.
If anyone feels up to that challenge and can handle 1gallon / hour for 10kw I'm selling it for $1800

You got a really good deal on that genny. Just be prepared to buy Cat parts for maintenance and repair.
The owner of Powertech is a pretty good dude. They're much smaller than one would think, a mom n pop joint really.
I used to to do some precision plasma cutting for them. When their laser couldn't do the trick!

[Offgr1d]

The oil, fuel, air filter are all available through Napa.
Shouldn't be too pricey.. Even the Kubota I have most parts were available through Napa because it's such a widely used engine in small bobcats, tractors etc...

[Offgr1d]

Are you saying I should only use "genuine" replacements for maintenance?

[Redeyeyogi]

Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful project. The thread has been beyond informative and your home gets better and better with every update.
Keep up the amazing work!

You may have converted some of us to coach bus folk now

[EastCoastCB]

On that generator, the air filter is often nearly impossible to access. You're dead right in building a slide for it. Its over 500 lbs.

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by Offgr1d

Are you saying I should only use "genuine" replacements for maintenance?

Well, not exactly. You can get the filters easily, which is great.
Stuff like coolant you may wanna go through Cat.

[dgorila1]

Originally Posted by Offgr1d

I could use some input on creative ideas for a slide mechanism to hold this 500 pounds and it should be able to extend at least 3 feet. I was looking on forums for truck bed sliders and people making their own with skate bearings and Steel so I was toying with that kind of idea.

Look through McMaster-Carr and www.MSCDirect.com. They have all kinds of slides, rails, linear slides, bearings, etc. You should be able to find what you need to fab up a custom sliding Generator mount. I like linear rail setups because they're pretty simple to design around and they slide smoothly when installed correctly.
Awesome work on the build!

[Tango]

Hmmmm...I do believe your genny's engine is about the same size or bigger than what will be driving my whole rig (a Cummins 4BT)!

[family wagon]

I'll give a second vote for Vlad's slide design. There's some commentary about the wheels for the indoor side of things around post 122 and the under-floor parts around post 94.

My generator only weighs about 220 pounds and I found some 250 pound full-extension 24" drawer slides fairly readily. Seems like I saw heavier slides, maybe up to 500 pounds, while I was searching. I wonder whether more than one set could be used on a drawer to achieve higher capacity.

[cadillackid]

thats one beautiful GenSet! that thing will power your coach nicely!!!
-Christopher

[Piersg]

These guys have some heavy duty aluminium slides that have a load rating of 980lbs:

Jonathan Engineered Solutions | Excellence in Motion

[Offgr1d]

Awesome link - I'll take a look at that company and get some quotes - thanks!!!

[Piersg]

Hopefully they aren't as expensive as they look!

[Camperman]

Also check out Mor Ryde as they carry a full line of sliding trays and other products. Cargo Sliding Trays - MORryde Products

[Offgr1d]

So I could not find a cheap enough slide to hold $500 without being over $400. I decided to build mine and it came in at a total of $150 and a full days worth of work.
Here is the parts list:
$30 48 skate bearings
$34 24ft unistrut (superstrut)
$15 half sheet 3/4 plywood
$30 steel angle (2 1/4 x 2 1/4 X 1/4 thick) 24' this is 6 cuts at 48"
$15 aluminum sheeting (not required)
$10 rustoleum spray paint
$10 nuts / bolts / washers
$8 steel rod 5/8" x8'

It's built and the generator is mounted. I also added shock mounted feet to the generator home built from a double stack of non skid furniture rubber feet with fender washers between them. Works perfect to raise generator about 3/4" from the mounting board..
The flashing was placed all around the air vent opening on the mounting board and in the bay floor for the down-vent...
Pics below....

[Offgr1d]

[Robin97396]

So simple it's clever. Nice job.

[cadillackid]

that looks great!!

those big coaches are so nice you have all that under-belly room since the bus skirting goes down so low.. on a skoolie that gennie would never fit!!
-Christopher

[Timelord]

Actually, the 12k genset from Powertech fits on a school bus. Just. I measured!