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Old 04-02-2021, 12:43 PM   #21
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Location: Long Beach, CA
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rucker View Post

Yes, every group has a few folks that rile up, but Skoolie Facebook groups have a huge number of folks more interested in having others validate their lifestyle choices than talking skoolie.

Facebook groups are...mostly stream of consciousness babble and my thumb gets tired from scrolling past the junk posts.
Thats my impression as well. Some of their solutions are maddening

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Old 04-04-2021, 12:36 PM   #22
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Year: 1997
Coachwork: Thomas Built Buses
Chassis: Ford
Engine: 5.9, Cummins
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Comparing my activities the past year to CW's commandments (checking myself)

Quote:
Originally Posted by CHEESE_WAGON View Post
I – Thou shalt not jump in feet-first without doing thy research.

II – Thou shalt have a realistic budget, and thou shalt not overpay.

III – Thou shalt know what thee is buying.

IV – Thou shalt not take thy seller's word as gold.

V – Thou shalt not buy sight unseen without a pre-purchase inspection.

VI – Thou shalt not buy diesels newer than 2007, nor shalt thou treat diesel engines as gasoline.

VII – Thou shalt study thine Commercial Driver's Manual, and take thy skoolie's weight, height and length seriously.

VIII – Thou shalt plan thy conversion carefully before beginning, and thou shalt seek help if necessary.

IX – Thou shalt not wontonly cut wiring, disable safety devices, or remove anything without consulting skoolie.net or professionals.

X – Thou shalt not scrap anything removed until it is proven unnecessary.
__________________________________________________ __________

*this is my 1st reply to a post, pardon if not done right (learning how to use skoolie.net platform*

Comparing my activities the past year to CW's commandments (checking myself)


I – Hundreds of hours on skoolie.net, school bus forums, bus manufacturers websites, YouTube university, auction sites, numerous blogs by skoolie owners - learning about the various types of buses, what engine-transmission combos do best, doing a ride along with a bus mechanic who gave me an intro on the under-carriage, dashboard, trip inspection to-dos (best practices), bus maintenance recommendations. These activities are ongoing post bus purchase - research and learning does not stop

II – Money to buy the bus was set in stone due to budget constraints so this was easy to adhere to LOL.

III – I've done the best due diligence (research) despite never owning/being exposed to diesel or heavy duty machinery. The combo of mileage, engine type, transmission type, overall condition inside and out, etc.

IV – Got bus from local county public school bus depot as-is sale (depot manager was very patient with questions, viewed multiple bus for sale, access to maintenance records, etc). Then I got independent bus inspection from a school bus mechanic with decades of experience working with heavy duty diesel engines (army veteran). Just because bus was from school district didn't negate due diligence.

V – See response to IV above.

VI – #27 was born in 1997 - I am treating her as an unknown with much power that I need to be very mindful & vigilant about (yes #27 is a her LOL).

VII – YES INDEED!!! Safety 1st and always. 29,000lbs (would weigh post conversion), about 10' high, 30' long. 4 cameras to be installed on all sides.

VIII – I have a floor plan, 100 page journal that is half full with notes, to-do lists, thoughts for #27, conversion ideas, tools needed, materials list, construction notes: demo, floor, walls, ceiling, insulation, solar, generator, etc (paralysis from analysis has occurred 2x lol). I am taking this very seriously!.

IX – I am NOT TOUCHING any electrical anything without professional in-person guidance (I opened the emergency hatch for ventilation couldn't close it properly which led to all kinds of bells&whistles cacophony going on when I had to move the bus!!!). I am not ready or equipped to delete, disable, remove anything LOL.

X – I will be removing, cleaning, painting and re-installing ceiling & wall panels. Anything that can be salvaged will be used as a template.

Cheers for dropping knowledge Cheese_Wagon much appreciated
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Old 04-04-2021, 02:33 PM   #23
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help I cut some wires and my bus will not start

Amateurs..



Happy Easter everyone . Hope everyone is well fed, warm and Happy
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Old 04-04-2021, 02:39 PM   #24
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Just ground the yellow one
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Old 04-04-2021, 04:12 PM   #25
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rwnielsen View Post
Just ground the yellow one
dont cut anything green.
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Old 04-05-2021, 01:24 AM   #26
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kazetsukai View Post
Put this thread in my signature as well, hope you don't mind CW.
I never mind when people pass my knowledge to others, as long as they don't take credit for it. That's what this site is about, sharing knowledge and people helping each other. The problem is, we have a bumper crop of people who float themselves up the proverbial creek without a paddle by either not listening to sound advice, or worse, not doing any research at all.

Quote:
Originally Posted by kazetsukai View Post
I've been hoping to setup a skoolie chat room or two, nobody joins lol.
Email me the particulars. I'll see if I can get on there.
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Old 04-05-2021, 08:16 AM   #27
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Since I have made several videos about skoolies in the past, I get quite a few comment/questions about how-to ____, quite a few about wheelchair to motorcycle lift conversions. I always refer them here, as I have such a tiny bit of knowledge compared to you folks. Just sent a copy of The X Commandments to the last - one, thanks!

I don't mind helping folks get started with skoolies, but I have one requirement: Send me a link to your skoolie.net profile - yet so few pass that "hurdle", I rarely help people anymore. What should I do with all this newfound freedom?
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Old 04-07-2021, 03:24 PM   #28
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I would add another commandment : Thou shall not be a jerk to people who asked questions and didn’t follow the other Commandments.

These groups are literally created to help people, even people who didn’t do things the way we think they should have been done. Shaming people who don’t know as much as others doesn’t make anything better, it makes people afraid to ask questions which makes things worse.
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Old 04-07-2021, 03:26 PM   #29
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Just as in LIFE many folks also don't follow the other 10 Commandments either.

Facebook, social media and this board wouldn't exist if we all followed along!
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Remember "Drive Fast, Turn Heads, Break Hearts"
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Old 04-07-2021, 03:35 PM   #30
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Is anyone taking this guy seriously? I mean besides himself?
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Old 04-07-2021, 04:14 PM   #31
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Chupa View Post
I would add another commandment : Thou shall not be a jerk to people who asked questions and didn’t follow the other Commandments.

These groups are literally created to help people, even people who didn’t do things the way we think they should have been done. Shaming people who don’t know as much as others doesn’t make anything better, it makes people afraid to ask questions which makes things worse.
True, but consider that especially as of late, the same questions addressed by this thread are being asked only after foregoing four to eight of them, and creating an expensive mess, or even ruining their bus. Also that I am one of several who have been answering many of those questions -- REPEATEDLY. Feel free to help out with that. And quite frankly, the 'rescue' threads are jamming up the site at this point, burying other threads that aren't getting their due.

Quote:
Originally Posted by dredman View Post
Since I have made several videos about skoolies in the past, I get quite a few comment/questions about how-to ____, quite a few about wheelchair to motorcycle lift conversions. I always refer them here, as I have such a tiny bit of knowledge compared to you folks. Just sent a copy of The X Commandments to the last - one, thanks!

I don't mind helping folks get started with skoolies, but I have one requirement: Send me a link to your skoolie.net profile - yet so few pass that "hurdle", I rarely help people anymore. What should I do with all this newfound freedom?
Exactly. Which speaks to the heart of the problem. People get themselves into trouble jumping in feet-first, because they don't read up on what they don't know about, and then want instant-fix answers without reading then, either.

Quote:
Originally Posted by jackdebear View Post
Is anyone taking this guy seriously? I mean besides himself?
Meaning what, and who, exactly?
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Old 04-07-2021, 05:39 PM   #32
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CHEESE_WAGON View Post
True, but consider that especially as of late, the same questions addressed by this thread are being asked only after foregoing four to eight of them, and creating an expensive mess, or even ruining their bus. Also that I am one of several who have been answering many of those questions -- REPEATEDLY. Feel free to help out with that.


I’m a member of at least 15 Skoolie FB groups and am the admin/creator of another. I’m doing what I can, I just don’t spend a lot of time sitting in front of a computer when I’m not at work so I don’t spend nearly as much time on the web based bulletin boards with HTML commenting, etc.
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Old 04-07-2021, 06:06 PM   #33
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This post is pure gold
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Old 04-07-2021, 06:48 PM   #34
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Chupa View Post
I’m a member of at least 15 Skoolie FB groups and am the admin/creator of another. I’m doing what I can, I just don’t spend a lot of time sitting in front of a computer when I’m not at work so I don’t spend nearly as much time on the web based bulletin boards with HTML commenting, etc.
Unfortunately, that is where the rubber meets the road, and that is what it takes. If you simply admin a group and don't actively participate in the discussion, what's the point? Such an approach basically leaves people to their own devices.

I don't have a problem with newbies asking questions if they're unsure of something. But when you have a flood of people all asking the same questions that wouldn't have even been necessary -- if they had used the many available resources of this site in the first place -- it does get tiresome, not to mention I suspect a great many threads are going unanswered because of this. And much of it could be prevented if these folks could be bothered to read and learn in the first place. My eyes are not what they used to be (or should be), so on occasion I have difficulty reading the dates on threads and so unless they are in the 'new posts', I am not sure how recent they are.

No offense, but quite frankly, I think doing anything on Flakebook is a waste of time. Most of those folks have demonstrated to me time and again that they don't want the truth, or the best answer, they want the answer they want to hear.

I was on one of those groups for a bit, and it seemed to be the revamped church of the ever-praising and adoring followers of the 'honorable' Greg Archambault, who has screwed at least one member on this site selling a junk bus that had been obviously doctored up enough to unload it.

Mr. Archambault has since changed his trade name from Florida Church Bus to BGASales... The GA standing for Greg Archambault, I'm sure. Care to guess why? THAT idiot (and others like them, that I have mentioned on this site before) is why it is no longer possible to get a reasonably-priced bus. No one should be paying over 3X scrap value without a warranty and/or major reconditioning.
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Old 04-07-2021, 08:16 PM   #35
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Engine: International T444e
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Chupa View Post
I would add another commandment : Thou shall not be a jerk to people who asked questions and didn’t follow the other Commandments.
These groups are literally created to help people, even people who didn’t do things the way we think they should have been done. Shaming people who don’t know as much as others doesn’t make anything better, it makes people afraid to ask questions which makes things worse.
This sounds like there are scenarios where it is acceptable to be a jerk, just not in reaction to others not following the commandments. Why not simply a commandment "thou shalt not be a jerk"? The reason is simple: cheap moral points.

Not much point to rules if we're going to rule out critiquing those who chose not to follow them.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Chupa View Post
These groups are literally created to help people, even people who didn’t do things the way we think they should have been done. Shaming people who don’t know as much as others doesn’t make anything better, it makes people afraid to ask questions which makes things worse.
I spend time helping people with the same set of questions and issues regularly, when all of the answers are available here. The impulse to go after people whom have lost patience to deal with people not doing their research/due diligence is more toxic than the shaming in question.

Quote:
Originally Posted by jackdebear View Post
Is anyone taking this guy seriously? I mean besides himself?
He's one of the reasons I stick around.

Quote:
Originally Posted by CHEESE_WAGON View Post
True, but consider that especially as of late, the same questions addressed by this thread are being asked only after foregoing four to eight of them, and creating an expensive mess, or even ruining their bus.
And they had plenty of warning before getting into a mess of their own making. Yet when pointing out that they are responsible for where they are and why, not only do they get offended but a brigade rolls in to get offended on their behalf. All that accomplishes is chasing the biggest contributors out, I'm not going to bother helping people if I get attacked for saying what is true. Sometimes the path forward begins with acknowledging mistakes made as to not make more mistakes going forward, or to do damage control.

Quote:
Originally Posted by CHEESE_WAGON View Post
And quite frankly, the 'rescue' threads are jamming up the site at this point, burying other threads that aren't getting their due.
Notably the "rescue threads" are started by posters with single digit post counts, and even when they receive help we're unlikely to get them to respond meaningfully ( with pictures when needed, or follow troubleshooting steps and answering our questions ), nor will they post their resolutions in the threads they started for other users, or ever contribute to the site in any way.

Thread title: IT DONT WORK, HOW DO I TROUBLESHOOT IT!? HELP!
Helpers: "Do you have X? Can you tell me Y? Can you try Z and let us know what happens?"
OP either ghosts or: "Haha, thanks I'll call an electrician"

But yeah, lets attack the users with a decade-long membership or 5-digit post counts because they were insensitive to or shamed this same category of people in some way. Great idea. Wonder who will stick around for that.

Quote:
Originally Posted by CHEESE_WAGON View Post
I was on one of those groups for a bit, and it seemed to be the revamped church of the ever-praising and adoring followers of the 'honorable' Greg Archambault, who has screwed at least one member on this site selling a junk bus that had been obviously doctored up enough to unload it.

Mr. Archambault has since changed his trade name from Florida Church Bus to BGASales... The GA standing for Greg Archambault, I'm sure. Care to guess why? THAT idiot (and others like them, that I have mentioned on this site before) is why it is no longer possible to get a reasonably-priced bus. No one should be paying over 3X scrap value without a warranty and/or major reconditioning.
Buying buses at auction and remarketing them to the uninformed. Top dollar return, zero effort. The buyers either get really lucky or they get really unlucky... And when you point this out you get sanctioned in some way.
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Old 04-07-2021, 10:18 PM   #36
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CHEESE_WAGON View Post
Unfortunately, that is where the rubber meets the road, and that is what it takes. If you simply admin a group and don't actively participate in the discussion, what's the point? Such an approach basically leaves people to their own devices.
I spend quite a bit of time answering questions and helping as best I can every single day, I just meant not here as this isn’t set up for people who don’t sit around on a computer. There are currently 2.8 billion people on the Facebook platform. Many of the skoolie pages get hundreds of posts a day. That’s where I spend my time.

Listen, kazetsukai, if you guys want to defend the right to be a jerk to people who don’t follow your made-up rules, it’s a free country. I’m just saying there are other options like: you can keep scrolling and ignore them, or you can point things out in a civil manner. You don’t have to be a jerk. Anybody who wants to argue for the case to be a jerk knock yourself out �� I didn’t attack anyone.
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Old 04-07-2021, 10:24 PM   #37
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Chupa View Post
I spend quite a bit of time answering questions and helping as best I can every single day, I just meant not here as this isn’t set up for people who don’t sit around on a computer. There are currently 2.8 billion people on the Facebook platform. Many of the skoolie pages get hundreds of posts a day. That’s where I spend my time.

Listen, kazetsukai, if you guys want to defend the right to be a jerk to people who don’t follow your made-up rules, it’s a free country. I’m just saying there are other options like: you can keep scrolling and ignore them, or you can point things out in a civil manner. You don’t have to be a jerk. Anybody who wants to argue for the case to be a jerk knock yourself out ��
So what you're saying is, screw everyone else asking other questions whose posts go unanswered because they get buried by fifteen to twenty posts asking the same questions that would have otherwise been unnecessary had THOSE posters simply read up before just digging in.

I really think you misunderstand me, Chupa - I didn't create this thread to shame newbies. I created it to help them understand that this is not a learn-as-you-go project where mistakes are no big deal. Nobody has thousands budgeted for 'sh*t happens' if they screw up.

Just last week, someone posted that their bus wouldn't start after wiring their batteries for 24V, which probably fried everything electronic, among other things. The bus is probably ruined for all thoughts and purposes. HORRENDOUSLY expensive mistake, that could have been completely prevented had the OP simply done their research, learned a few things, and asked questions before altering anything.

Yet, just as has happened with at least two other posts in recent months, I have been bashed by someone deciding to turn the post into something it was never intended to be. I grow weary of getting dogged by others here for telling the truth, especially when those doing so have either a nearly non-existent post count, or have a high post count that is really for show, because most of those posts are to stir the pot.

If I'm such a jerk, why don't you ask those here who have interacted with me, and see how many of those folks tell you that I have genuinely helped them avoid huge mistakes and ultimately steer clear of a problem bus to select a really good one?

I'm still waiting as to who exactly JackDaBear was referring to, and what they were getting at.
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Old 04-07-2021, 10:37 PM   #38
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I like your post. I didn’t think you were trying to shame newbies. I never intended to make it seem like I did. I just see a lot of people who do that and I also see a lot of people (at least on the Facebook groups) who start out questions with apologies that they didn’t look this stuff up ahead of time, etc. etc. I was just saying it’s counterproductive to make people feel bad about asking questions… Not that I thought your post was doing that. Just seemed like something that went hand-in-hand with all the good information you were putting out for new people.
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Old 04-07-2021, 10:45 PM   #39
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Chupa View Post
I like your post. I didn’t think you were trying to shame newbies. I never intended to make it seem like I did.
Then what was THIS about?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chupa View Post
Listen, kazetsukai, if you guys want to defend the right to be a jerk to people who don’t follow your made-up rules, it’s a free country.
Defend the right to be a jerk? Made-up rules? Sure seems like it was being painted that way.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chupa View Post
I didn’t attack anyone.
You didn't? Put the shoe on the other foot for a minute and think about how you'd read all that.
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Old 04-07-2021, 11:09 PM   #40
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Jun 2019
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Coachwork: Setra
Chassis: S 417
Engine: 12.7 L
Rated Cap: 56
A-men completed initial inspection by "pro" inspection co. flying out to do in person inspection with printed checklist in hand. ordered oil change. Thanks again for so much help! about to take the next step. Got 30 pictures back from inspection. looks great. we'll see soon! Very nervous already. Will be bugging you folks on a regular besis. Hope you don't get tired of me. Looking into some CAD software to help plan. it's amazing what you can do on those! Will let you know how that goes!
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