I need a hitch for my bus suggestions?

[Nerys]

I have a 2002 39 foot bluebird 454 Chevy gas powered automatic bus

I need a hitch for it so I can tow a car behind it

How do I know which hitch to get?

[Cdimples67]

Go to Etrailer they have a good assortment of universal weld on hitches. I just took mine in to a fabricator $425 for a custom class 4-5 hitch, also had them install the Roadmaster towbar, airbrake assist and all the wiring and air line. Make sure you check the requirements for the states you plan to drive in as some of them you need a braking system on the towed vehicle.

[Jameson]

After months of searching for a unit that would bolt on or weld on without modification, I went with a Curt universal hitch. I was not thrilled at first, but after towing a 5k lb truck for the last two week and 800 miles, I love it.
About a hundred dollars at WalMart and a few hours work. Think it is called a multi fit hitch, they have a few options.

[CaptSquid]

Try going to Y'all Haul. That's their line of work and they'll be glad to help you.

[brokedown]

U-Haul didn't want to touch my Vista. At least the location I talked to said if they can't find it in their computer they wouldn't do it. I ended up paying around $500 at an independant trailer place.

[alexzckary]

Originally Posted by Nerys

I have a 2002 39 foot bluebird 454 Chevy gas powered automatic bus

I need a hitch for it so I can tow a car behind it

How do I know which hitch to get?

Answer: I was in the same boat, however found the multi size at Walmart. I was skeptical about the quality, however had my mechanic mount it up. Works just fine however I had to loose the recovery hooks because they wouldn't fit with the hitch. I pull a 7X16 7000 lbs cap trailer and works great.

because I had to drop the recovery hooks, I would not trust the hitch to try and get my bus unstuck anywhere. so maybe look into having them relocated or hook on to the solid cross member if you need to pull it out

[Jolly Roger bus 223]

What is your location?
A custom built one will be and look a lot beefier,stronger and weigh more. With less caked on,baked on paint.
The universal stuff already manufactured and sold looks cheesy but has been tested and approved at the load rating it has stamped/stickered on it and can handle more than its rating because everything hitch capacity wise is de-rated to 50-60% of its capacity for safety purpose.
I have ripped balls out of manufactured hitches hauling a 16'000 weighted trailer through mud holes and using using the excavator on the the trailer to push the whole mess out?
One was the ball?
One was the open square tubing on the slide in hitch that sheared the whole mess off.
So now I can make and have solid stock three ball slide in attachment's.
I have custom built quite a few but the manufactured ones can take a beating also and have a better paint coating for longevity than a shop built one.
Unless for the prices YALL are saying for custom built include electro-galv,powder coat or something like that then your paying to much.
I can custom build to your bus Bolt holes and all. Just need a sketch of what you want.
And ship for those prices?

[Nerys]

Originally Posted by Jameson

After months of searching for a unit that would bolt on or weld on without modification, I went with a Curt universal hitch. I was not thrilled at first, but after towing a 5k lb truck for the last two week and 800 miles, I love it.
About a hundred dollars at WalMart and a few hours work. Think it is called a multi fit hitch, they have a few options.Attachment 26583

$100 sparks my interest do you have a part number? The label should have a part number

[Nerys]

I would prefer a Bolton and I truly do only need it for one trip across the country and that's it in fact I will probably remove it and sell it if it's worth anything or just leave it if it's not really worth anything but I probably would never tell with that again in fact I think I was switching to Towing the Geo Tracker behind the bus to keep fuel usage down I am praying to God that my fuel gauge was just inaccurate because the bus was empty when I try to start it which means I literally ran out of gas backing it into my driveway 124 miles on half a tank... Ouch that's 4.1 miles per gallon I really really hope that fuel gauge was just wrong

The tracker is only 2200 lb versus the minivans over 5000 pounds so that should make it pretty big difference on the load on the bus

Also found out it's not a 454 it's a 496 with an Allison Transmission one of my viewers Works any repair center that repairs buses and he ran the VIN number for me

[Jameson]

Originally Posted by Nerys

$100 sparks my interest do you have a part number? The label should have a part number

The Curt 13900 worked for my application after removing the recovery hooks. I wanted the Curt 13902 to fit as it looks more stout and has a higher rating, but my frame was an inch to wide.

[Dog Rescuer]

I went to a local Welder - he attached a nice hitch for $250. I trust it to pull my Subaru all across the country.

[PeteinSF]

How about a hitch receiver at mid bumper level? (hole cut in the bumper center)

[reedy]

Gas busses with auto trannys are notorious for bad mileage . I had an 11 window 1964 gmc with a 305 v6 gasser and a 4 speed transmission that would get 12 mpg between Knoxville and New Orleans with a fresh tune up, but it had no power anything or air conditioning . dragging it down plus the gas was more powerfull prior to 1979. to get real good mpg in a bus you should get a diesel and hope for 10.

[reedy]

Try longer bolts and 2 1/2"Plate shims