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 01-03-2019, 07:01 AM   #1
Bus Nut
 
BusT's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Houston
Posts: 336
Year: 2003
Engine: Dt466e
Rated Cap: 30,000
Waiting for the right bus

Hello . I posted a few times as bangbus and had problems logging in.
So anyways made a new account just to express some slight frustration .
I’ve been waiting for the right bus for a good few months. I’ve been outbid a few times and the buses that I was outbid against weren’t even 10/10.
I’m looking for a flat nose dt466 with md3060 or Allison 2000.

Now thinking I’ll also accept a 5.9 with same trans options.
I’ve seen more of these.
Another thing to be mentioned is I haven’t seen many international / Amtrak with air ride suspension .
I have seen air ride suspension with 5.9 Cummins ina bluebird and Thomas .

Also is there a 30ft rear engine?
That would be sweet . Anyways please keep an eye out for me .
The YouTube channel rolling vistas has a sweet bus.
Dt466 with md3060 (or mt...)
Wondering if they have air suspension .
Also they have a video saying they were able to get there bus from auction for under 3k after fees and travels. What a steal.
Attached Thumbnails
AB06102F-7D2F-4871-B6E6-A44017698398.jpg  

BusT is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-03-2019, 09:55 AM   #2
Bus Geek
 
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Eastern WA
Posts: 6,401
Year: 2002
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: All American RE (A3RE)
Engine: Cummins ISC (8.3)
Rated Cap: 72
Have patience.

I watched the auction sites, eBay and CL for over a year before I found my 8.3/3060 equipped RE.

I have owned 5.9's in trucks. I currently have one that has been turned up a bit and it's great in a pickup but I would pass on a 5.9 in a mid/full size bus.

It sounds like you have done your homework and figured out what sort of drive train would suit you. Don't settle.

Good luck with your quest.
PNW_Steve is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-03-2019, 10:06 AM   #3
Bus Nut
 
ermracing's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: Claremont, NH
Posts: 480
Year: 2003
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: International 3800
Engine: DT466E (195hp, 520tq)
Quote:
Originally Posted by BusT View Post
Another thing to be mentioned is I haven’t seen many international / Amtrak with air ride suspension.
Good luck on your search. As PNW_Steve mentioned, it does take time to find the right bus. As for air suspension, you may have better luck finding a special needs bus with a wheel chair lift. Ours is such a bus and has air bags in the rear. Of course, if you go that route you may end up dealing with hundreds of bolts holding the chair rails to the floor....
__________________
Dave
ermracing is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-03-2019, 10:48 AM   #4
Bus Geek
 
o1marc's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Dawsonville, Ga.
Posts: 10,482
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Genesis
Chassis: International
Engine: DT466/3060
Rated Cap: 77
Lots of Internationals, including mine, have air suspension.
o1marc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-03-2019, 01:40 PM   #5
Bus Geek
 
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Eastern WA
Posts: 6,401
Year: 2002
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: All American RE (A3RE)
Engine: Cummins ISC (8.3)
Rated Cap: 72
An International with a DT-466 or 530 and an MD-3060 would be the bomb.

I understand that folks with International's are having better luck getting 6th gear unlocked than us Bluebird owners.
PNW_Steve is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-03-2019, 02:13 PM   #6
Bus Nut
 
BusT's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Houston
Posts: 336
Year: 2003
Engine: Dt466e
Rated Cap: 30,000
Quote:
Originally Posted by PNW_Steve View Post
Have patience.

I watched the auction sites, eBay and CL for over a year before I found my 8.3/3060 equipped RE.

I have owned 5.9's in trucks. I currently have one that has been turned up a bit and it's great in a pickup but I would pass on a 5.9 in a mid/full size bus.

It sounds like you have done your homework and figured out what sort of drive train would suit you. Don't settle.

Good luck with your quest.
I think having the 5.9 I’m a 30ft bus would be settling

Though the highest hp output rating I’ve seen was 205 .... I keep trying to justify that by wondering if a 5.9 in a midsize would actually be saving gas since it’s a smaller liter then 7.3/7.6 (dt444 or dt466)
So I wonder if a dt466 even though it’s a bigger engine would be either the same or better mpg then a 5.9 in a midsize bus having to work hard pulling 20k pounds at 70mph on highway..
A rear engien 8.3 midsize would be pretty sweet. A bonus would be with airbags
BusT is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-03-2019, 02:17 PM   #7
Bus Nut
 
BusT's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Houston
Posts: 336
Year: 2003
Engine: Dt466e
Rated Cap: 30,000
Quote:
Originally Posted by ermracing View Post
Good luck on your search. As PNW_Steve mentioned, it does take time to find the right bus. As for air suspension, you may have better luck finding a special needs bus with a wheel chair lift. Ours is such a bus and has air bags in the rear. Of course, if you go that route you may end up dealing with hundreds of bolts holding the chair rails to the floor....
Cutting torch!!!
Hahaha that doesn’t sound very fun at all.... ohh well the adventures will be worth it haha
BusT is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-03-2019, 02:17 PM   #8
Bus Nut
 
BusT's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Houston
Posts: 336
Year: 2003
Engine: Dt466e
Rated Cap: 30,000
Quote:
Originally Posted by o1marc View Post
Lots of Internationals, including mine, have air suspension.
International engine / bus built out by amtran?
BusT is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-03-2019, 02:20 PM   #9
Bus Nut
 
BusT's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Houston
Posts: 336
Year: 2003
Engine: Dt466e
Rated Cap: 30,000
Quote:
Originally Posted by PNW_Steve View Post
An International with a DT-466 or 530 and an MD-3060 would be the bomb.

I understand that folks with International's are having better luck getting 6th gear unlocked than us Bluebird owners.
I’ve never heard of a 530...
I think dt466 would be enough power for me . Time will tell. What’s that other transmission besides md3060....
Mt 1325 or something along those lines
BusT is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-03-2019, 02:40 PM   #10
Bus Geek
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Columbus Ohio
Posts: 18,753
Year: 1991
Coachwork: Carpenter
Chassis: International 3800
Engine: DTA360 / MT643
Rated Cap: 7 Row Handicap
on busses pre-2003. you can find the MT-643 (non electronic, non overdrive.. WITH lockup. very beefy and solid transmission.. they could be paired with most engines.. but most commonly you found them on the DT-466, cummins 8.3, and sometimes the CAT-3208. I say pre 03 because they stopped making this unit in 03 or thereabouts.

the shifter on a 643 is the same as a 545. (R-N-D-3-2-1)



the MD-3060 (6 speed electronic, with usually 5 gears enabled.. it sytarted coming into use in the mid 90s... and is still in use today... its shifter was often a push-button with a single digit red or green display.. there was also a T-handle shifter used for it.. it would also have a single digit display. ive never seen a shifter for the MD-3060 that didnt contain the digit display. the MD-3060 features a 0.75 overdrive in 5th and if enabled a 0.65 OD in 6th



starting in the year 2000. the allison 1000/2000 units came out.. the 1000s were seen mainly on GMC 8.1 gas engines and duramaxx diesels, hoswever navistar used the 1000s on the IC BE series busses. pre 2006 the allison 1000/2000 were 5 speed single overdrive units, the featured a 0.75 Overdrive on 2000 series and a 0.71 on 1000 series.. I list them together because their spec's and ionternals are very much the same.. Most all full truck chassis school busses contained the 2000s vs the 1000s. the shifter on most all school busses will show as R-N-D-4-2-1.



starting in 2006 the 1000/2000 series was sold as a 6 speed transmission.. same features as above but a 0.65 OD in the 2000 for 6th and a 0.61 OD in the 1000 for 6th, same shifter... R-N-D-4-2-1. in sachool busses 6th gear is typically disabled. though ive seen all 6 gears enabled on Van cutaway GMC busses with the 1000 and the duramaxx post 2006..



the 1000/2000 are still sold today with 5th gen electronic controls...



the AT545 as noted is a 4 speed non overdrive mechanical transmission without the lockup feature.. it is also a lighter duty transmission. they were extremely reliable and cost effective units for stop and go school bus usage in town and short jaunts.. the transmissions never had much time or force pushed against them to cause overheating conditions which are what destroys them when used on long road trips in the mountains.. the shift on the AT545 is identical to that of an MT643. (R-N-D-3-2-1). you found these on lower spec engines.. very common on the 175/190 HP versions of the T-444E, the 5.9 cummins, (6BT and ISB), 190 HP versions of the CAT-3126, 175 and 195 HP versions of the DT-466E..


swapping transmissions is most definitely possible.. (ive done it on 2 busses now)... but not likely the most desirable unless you want to build a completely custom built-to-your-spec rig.. its best to find a bus that has the drivetrain which will suit your intended use of the bus.. even if it costs you a little more upgront it will likely still be much less than making a major drivetrain upgrade down the line..

-Christopher
cadillackid is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-03-2019, 03:49 PM   #11
Bus Geek
 
o1marc's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Dawsonville, Ga.
Posts: 10,482
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Genesis
Chassis: International
Engine: DT466/3060
Rated Cap: 77
Quote:
Originally Posted by BusT View Post
International engine / bus built out by amtran?
1999 International Genesis AmTran DT466e/3060, air brakes, air suspension.
o1marc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-03-2019, 04:42 PM   #12
Bus Nut
 
ermracing's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: Claremont, NH
Posts: 480
Year: 2003
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: International 3800
Engine: DT466E (195hp, 520tq)
Quote:
Originally Posted by BusT View Post
Cutting torch!!!
Hahaha that doesn’t sound very fun at all.... ohh well the adventures will be worth it haha
We opted to remove the nuts and bolts 'by hand' in order to salvage the rails. The only ones I will end up cutting out are over the fuel tank since we can't access the nuts from underneath.
__________________
Dave
ermracing is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
30ft, 5.9., air ride suspension, dt466, flat nose

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 08:34 AM.


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