Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 08-19-2017, 04:59 PM   #1
New Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Bethany Ok, right off Route 66
Posts: 5
Smile Hello from Route 66

Hello all, as the title say, we live (in a house) right off Route 66, in Bethany Ok! The wife and I have looked at buying a RV for some time, then saw the prices and lack of quality construction, at least in what we can afford, and have decided a Skooly is in our future.
We are going to be looking at a long one, say in the 60 to70 passenger size, we think.
I have SOME ideas/plans for it, but am going to lurk around here and steal some of your plans too . . . . but don't tell anyone that, ok ? Oh, shoot, I just told on my self huh? Oh well. . . too late now ! LOL
Some of the plans include:
1. Raising the roof about 12" front to rear
2. roof top deck
3. solar power, in the 500 plus watt range
4. POSSABLE 4wheel drive conversion (way down on the list)
5. strong boon docking/off grid design
6. room for up to 2 Adults and 2 kids to sleep (bunks for kids)
7. toilet and shower facilities on board
8. propane cooking
9. enough fresh water capacity for 5 people for a week at a time (150 gal)
10. solar shower outside for body rinse off or washing

Anyway, those are my current THOUGHTS on the build up, some may not work, some may work better than planned, we shall see.

The primary use will be for vacations (four people), and some day living in (2 people).

__________________
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails." M.Twain
Uncle Fester is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-19-2017, 07:07 PM   #2
Bus Crazy
 
CaptSquid's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Billings, MT
Posts: 1,269
Year: 2003
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: HDX
Engine: Cat C7
Rated Cap: 84 passenger
7 gal of freshwater for one person can last a month. 150 gallons? That's a bit much and, considering that water weighs in at about 8 lbs, you're looking at 1200 lbs!

4WD conversion? $$$$$$$$$$
CaptSquid is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-19-2017, 07:59 PM   #3
Bus Geek
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Columbus Ohio
Posts: 18,751
Year: 1991
Coachwork: Carpenter
Chassis: International 3800
Engine: DTA360 / MT643
Rated Cap: 7 Row Handicap
7 gallons a MONTH??? I drink a gallon a day!! let alomne showers and flush
-Christopher
cadillackid is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-20-2017, 01:16 AM   #4
New Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Bethany Ok, right off Route 66
Posts: 5
Quote:
Originally Posted by CaptSquid View Post
7 gal of freshwater for one person can last a month. 150 gallons? That's a bit much and, considering that water weighs in at about 8 lbs, you're looking at 1200 lbs!

4WD conversion? $$$$$$$$$$

I can get front AND rear 5 ton rockwell axles (rebuilt at that) for about $5000, a Atlas T-Case is about $1000, drive shaft is $100, misc parts $1000 so about $6500 I have all the parts, and might be looking at $1000 labor, so for $7000-$7500 I have MONSTER BUS !

As for water, even FEMA says 7 gallons per person per day to cover drinking, cooking and hygiene. My family has it down to about 5 gallons with some careful planning. So yeah, heavy but needed if we are going to boon-dock. . . .
__________________
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails." M.Twain
Uncle Fester is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-20-2017, 05:06 AM   #5
Traveling
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Midwest
Posts: 2,573
Year: 2003
Coachwork: BlueBird
Chassis: TC2000
Engine: 5.9L Cummins
Rated Cap: '00
Quote:
Originally Posted by Uncle Fester View Post
I can get front AND rear 5 ton rockwell axles (rebuilt at that) for about $5000, a Atlas T-Case is about $1000, drive shaft is $100, misc parts $1000 so about $6500 I have all the parts, and might be looking at $1000 labor, so for $7000-$7500 I have MONSTER BUS !

As for water, even FEMA says 7 gallons per person per day to cover drinking, cooking and hygiene. My family has it down to about 5 gallons with some careful planning. So yeah, heavy but needed if we are going to boon-dock. . . .
Capacity: 150 Gallons
Dimensions: 40 1/4"L x 32 1/2"W x 28 1/2"H

4x4: You'd be best-off getting an entire 5 ton M923a2 for the conversion. You will need custom leaf springs. Custom steering. The 2-speed divorced cast the 5 tons use is stout. And you get the 8.3L Cummins.

Just put a shorty body on the cargo frame. Like this:

Click image for larger version

Name:	m923bus.jpg
Views:	6
Size:	52.6 KB
ID:	15427
Rusty is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-20-2017, 12:43 PM   #6
New Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Bethany Ok, right off Route 66
Posts: 5
Thats cool looking. . . .But the 4x4 conversion is WAY down theist, IF it even happens.

Now the 150 gallons, THAT is high up the list. plus ill need a matching sized grey tank. Would there be room UNDER the school to fit two tanks that size ? Well more like a 150 fresh and a 100/125 grey.
__________________
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails." M.Twain
Uncle Fester is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-20-2017, 02:05 PM   #7
Traveling
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Midwest
Posts: 2,573
Year: 2003
Coachwork: BlueBird
Chassis: TC2000
Engine: 5.9L Cummins
Rated Cap: '00
Quote:
Originally Posted by Uncle Fester View Post
Thats cool looking. . . .But the 4x4 conversion is WAY down theist, IF it even happens.

Now the 150 gallons, THAT is high up the list. plus ill need a matching sized grey tank. Would there be room UNDER the school to fit two tanks that size ? Well more like a 150 fresh and a 100/125 grey.
I'm putting my fresh water tank inside the bus, under the master bed. Hopefully it will stay warmer and not freeze. You could go 2 tanks and a little pump.

this will fit under bed perfectly.

LAVANTURE PRODUCTS
100 Gallon RV Water Tank 81" x 26" x 11"

$162.18
Click image for larger version

Name:	100-gallon-rv-holding-tank__45304.1478545545.1280.1280.jpg
Views:	7
Size:	54.3 KB
ID:	15430


A waterbed could work.....hmmmm.
Rusty is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-20-2017, 04:02 PM   #8
Bus Crazy
 
CaptSquid's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Billings, MT
Posts: 1,269
Year: 2003
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: HDX
Engine: Cat C7
Rated Cap: 84 passenger
Quote:
Originally Posted by cadillackid View Post
7 gallons a MONTH??? I drink a gallon a day!! let alomne showers and flush
-Christopher
Doctors won't let me ingest more than 1800 ml of fluid daily. Flushing? Whazzat? I have a composting commode - no water necessary. And showering? I can shower in a teacup! I'm a NAVY veteran.
CaptSquid is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-20-2017, 05:56 PM   #9
New Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Bethany Ok, right off Route 66
Posts: 5
Quote:
Originally Posted by CaptSquid View Post
Doctors won't let me ingest more than 1800 ml of fluid daily. Flushing? Whazzat? I have a composting commode - no water necessary. And showering? I can shower in a teacup! I'm a NAVY veteran.
First and foremost, THANK YOU for your time and service Sir !

Now, on to the next part, I am 6'3" and 300# , it would take a HUGE tea cup for me to wash up in ! LOL J/K , I can infect wash and rinse in about 1 gallon full body wash, or 1/2 gallon for a "bird Bath".
Unfortunately my two daughters are high functioning autistic and do not seem to grasp the concept of a "bird Bath', so they tend to need/use about 1-2 gallons to clean up.
Add to that we are all four type two diabetics and we go through A LOT of drinking water ! I drink almost 2 gallons a day personally, the wife and kids, a little less.
Follow that with cooking needs of up to a gallon a meal (high side) and you get a lot of water needed. Basically we are at 14-15 gallons a day MINIMUM, times 7 days of boon docking minimum, and you get 105 gallons, if we go with a composting toilet like you ( I am looking into that ).`

I do want to thank you for your, and everyones, input as this IS HELPING me figure out more on how I want to go.
__________________
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails." M.Twain
Uncle Fester is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-20-2017, 06:26 PM   #10
Bus Crazy
 
CaptSquid's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Billings, MT
Posts: 1,269
Year: 2003
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: HDX
Engine: Cat C7
Rated Cap: 84 passenger
UF, I, too, am Diabetic (since 2000), so the doctor's orders are a double whammy. I just can't win.

I decided to go the composting route when I realized that I would have to add a black tank. Realizing from past experience (submarines) just how badly a black tank can smell, I started researching and came up with this: Nature's Head. The cost? About $1k. Plus side: no smell, no black tank. The downside? Emptying the compost, the size of the peat moss bundle. Alternative? Compressed coir (available through Amazon Coir.

The shower? The only thing I can come up with that your family can use would be a shower timer, either a mechanical timer or a minute glass. Shower Timer
CaptSquid is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-20-2017, 06:58 PM   #11
Bus Geek
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Columbus Ohio
Posts: 18,751
Year: 1991
Coachwork: Carpenter
Chassis: International 3800
Engine: DTA360 / MT643
Rated Cap: 7 Row Handicap
if I couldnt drink water by the gallon I would be worse than diabetic.. id be dead! I walk on average 5-10 miles per day in the summer.. outside city-style (yes im opposite most of you.. im a proud City-slicker).. all that sun and concrete means dehydration... im just a little guy and my body expels water al;most as fast as I cAn drink it.. mainly by sweat.. (my walk speed is most often 4 MPH)..

not sure how id shower in a teacup - all that sweat means im rank.. and one think I dont want to do is be all stanky .. I could clean up with a couple gallons of water pretty well.. but 1 gallon would leave me feeling ick still..

in the winter I can get away with showering every other day because I dont sweat when its cooler outside..

-Christopher
cadillackid is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-20-2017, 09:51 PM   #12
Bus Geek
 
Tango's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Houston, Texas
Posts: 8,462
Year: 1946
Coachwork: Chevrolet/Wayne
Chassis: 1- 1/2 ton
Engine: Cummins 4BT
Rated Cap: 15
Learn to take "Navy" showers when boondocking. It really is amazing how little water is needed. If you want to soak longer...wait till you are connected to city supply.

https://www.trustedclothes.com/blog/...ng-less-water/

My ship was on severe water rationing for about a month and I discovered it was possible to take a full shower using maybe a quart and a half.
Tango is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-20-2017, 11:13 PM   #13
Bus Crazy
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Oregon/Philippines
Posts: 1,660
I have three water tanks with 120 gallon storage cap, under my queen size bed.. raised some of course coz of the tanks. Never had any problem with weight. Now guess my grey and black tank storage in the compartments under the bus... RE bus with compartments handles all this just fine not to mention 10+ mpg.... and i normally tow a 24' trailer...
__________________
Jesus Christ... Conversion in progress.
chev49 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-21-2017, 11:45 AM   #14
Traveling
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Midwest
Posts: 2,573
Year: 2003
Coachwork: BlueBird
Chassis: TC2000
Engine: 5.9L Cummins
Rated Cap: '00
Capacity

The thing about storage capacity is you don't have to always utilize it. I like the idea of having 2 tanks so I can just fill the bonus tank when needed. Little transfer pump should do the trick.

Or just use that second tank for Margarita mix...Hmmm.
Rusty is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-26-2017, 02:58 PM   #15
New Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Bethany Ok, right off Route 66
Posts: 5
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rusty View Post
Just use that second tank for Margarita mix...Hmmm.
Hmmmmn, 120 gallons of Margaritas. . . That MIGHT last a week ! LOL Fortunately or unfortunately depending on how you look at it, I have 27 years clean and sober, so no 120 gallon booze tank for me/us.
__________________
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails." M.Twain
Uncle Fester is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 03:33 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.