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Old 04-12-2021, 11:18 PM   #1
Skoolie
 
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Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Hesperia, CA
Posts: 126
Year: 2007
Coachwork: Thomas Saf-T-Liner
Chassis: HDX with lift
Engine: Mercedes MBE 920
Rated Cap: 22
2007 Thomas HDX (nameless)

Pick Up and Trip Report:

Finally got my new bus! A 2007 Thomas Saf T Liner HDX with lift. It's got the MBE926 and 5 speed Allison. Drove it home from Las Vegas to Hesperia, CA...200 miles.

Drove like a dream. My last bus was a 1984 Carpenter that topped out at 50, and was 100 degrees and 100 decibels at the drivers seat. The loudest thing on this bus is the AC. On high, you could hang meat inside. On low (where I kept it most of the trip) It was perfect. I think I won't take this one out.

I did a brief stretch of flat ground at 75mph, no sweat. Took Mt Pass (4600ft elevation) at 55-60mph, and the engine never got over 195. Coming down the Baker grade (6% grade for 10+ miles), the exhaust brake was all I needed. I took it off for a test, went from 60 to 70 right quick. Put it back on and from 60 it took about 2 miles to get to 65. Literally had to stab brake 3 times the whole way down

The Allison trans is smooth as silk. Slightest hitch when downshifting, and the only way I could tell it upshifted was seeing the tach drop from 2400 to 1600 rpm.

Ready to rip out the seats. Only 9. And 3 of the 4 partition walls. Yay. Last one was, like, 20. And they were rusty as heck. This bus is absolutely rust free. So, hoping the seats come out easy with a wrench. But I have my angle grinder ready if any of them want to try me.

Should have the floor down by Thursday. I'll keep you posted.

ps: Not exactly scientific, but it looks, from the gauge, that I burned 1/4 tank of fuel That's 25 gallons in 200 miles...so 8mpg or close. If that holds, I will be well pleased.
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Old 04-12-2021, 11:29 PM   #2
Bus Crazy
 
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: Fraser Valley British Columbia
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Year: 2007
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freightliner
Engine: C7 Cat
Congrats Dave
that thing looks spotless.
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Old 04-12-2021, 11:41 PM   #3
Skoolie
 
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Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Hesperia, CA
Posts: 126
Year: 2007
Coachwork: Thomas Saf-T-Liner
Chassis: HDX with lift
Engine: Mercedes MBE 920
Rated Cap: 22
It is. Hats off to the Clark County Schools bus yard. That engine does NOT look like 14 years and 202,000 miles. And all the clamps and such are new...not sure if that's the bus yard, or the dealer that did that.
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Old 04-13-2021, 05:47 PM   #4
Skoolie
 
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Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Hesperia, CA
Posts: 126
Year: 2007
Coachwork: Thomas Saf-T-Liner
Chassis: HDX with lift
Engine: Mercedes MBE 920
Rated Cap: 22
Quarter of the way thru removing the seats, and remembering why I said I'd never do this again
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Old 04-13-2021, 05:53 PM   #5
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Join Date: May 2009
Location: Columbus Ohio
Posts: 18,707
Year: 1991
Coachwork: Carpenter
Chassis: International 3800
Engine: DTA360 / MT643
Rated Cap: 7 Row Handicap
the HDX is the closest thing in the school bus world to a Coach.. I love them.. and no dont take out the Air-Conditioner... a camper unit will not keep you cool on the road
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Old 04-13-2021, 06:41 PM   #6
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Join Date: Apr 2020
Posts: 22
Dave, you have a OM906 engine. The 926 has Diesel Particulate filter. I'm glad she runs nice and smooth for ya!
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Old 04-13-2021, 06:56 PM   #7
Skoolie
 
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Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Hesperia, CA
Posts: 126
Year: 2007
Coachwork: Thomas Saf-T-Liner
Chassis: HDX with lift
Engine: Mercedes MBE 920
Rated Cap: 22
Prolly shoulda looked at this first
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Old 04-13-2021, 07:02 PM   #8
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Yes sir, the 260 means 260 Horsepower.
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Old 04-16-2021, 08:07 AM   #9
Skoolie
 
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Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Hesperia, CA
Posts: 126
Year: 2007
Coachwork: Thomas Saf-T-Liner
Chassis: HDX with lift
Engine: Mercedes MBE 920
Rated Cap: 22
With the help of my trusty angle grinder (the greatest tool ever invented, imho) I got all the seats out.
Floor comes up today.
After I figure out how to remove the L track wheelchair tiedowns. Or figure out how to work around them...I'm not sure just how deep they are.
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Old 04-16-2021, 12:59 PM   #10
Skoolie
 
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Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Hesperia, CA
Posts: 126
Year: 2007
Coachwork: Thomas Saf-T-Liner
Chassis: HDX with lift
Engine: Mercedes MBE 920
Rated Cap: 22
Unseated. Oh, and the name is GangBUSter
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Old 04-16-2021, 11:49 PM   #11
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Oct 2020
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Those wheel chair racks go all the way through. They were a pita to remove from my 06 HDX. I was underneath with wrenches and sockets while my oldest kid ripped them put with an electric impact gun.
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Old 04-16-2021, 11:54 PM   #12
Skoolie
 
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Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Hesperia, CA
Posts: 126
Year: 2007
Coachwork: Thomas Saf-T-Liner
Chassis: HDX with lift
Engine: Mercedes MBE 920
Rated Cap: 22
I know...I'm leaving the ones on the left side, for my brother...and cutting out the ones on the right...putting in the bathroom there, so I'm taking it down to the metal. I'm thinking a diamond blade right down the middle of those tracks. lol
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Old 04-16-2021, 11:58 PM   #13
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Oct 2020
Posts: 21
I think its kind of cool that I'm not much farther than you on my HDX. My floor is down to the metal. Just need to reroute the heater lines under the bus so I can start prepping the floor for paint.

75 feet of 1inch heater hose costs a pretty penny lol.
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Old 04-17-2021, 07:03 AM   #14
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Join Date: May 2009
Location: Columbus Ohio
Posts: 18,707
Year: 1991
Coachwork: Carpenter
Chassis: International 3800
Engine: DTA360 / MT643
Rated Cap: 7 Row Handicap
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mrmagoo1077 View Post
I think its kind of cool that I'm not much farther than you on my HDX. My floor is down to the metal. Just need to reroute the heater lines under the bus so I can start prepping the floor for paint.

75 feet of 1inch heater hose costs a pretty penny lol.

you can splice them.. if the existing hose is in good shape just get some 1 inch joiners and join the lines together, saving the originals.



https://www.tacbusparts.com/Heat-Def...ose-Connectors
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Old 04-17-2021, 08:01 AM   #15
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Utah
Posts: 17
Year: 2005
Coachwork: Thomas
Engine: Cat C7
Cadillac, tried to send you a pm about my AC problem.
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Old 04-17-2021, 09:15 AM   #16
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Join Date: Mar 2021
Location: Missouri
Posts: 4
Thomas HDX Manuals found?

I'm about to purchase the same bus, same year. Were you able to locate pdf files for all the different components to your bus? I've been searching online for an operator's manual, can't find one. Before doing anything to mine I'd like to know as much as possible about it's wiring and controls. Plus I'd like to know it's maintenance schedule. If you found any would you be willing to share where I can locate them? Thanks in advance.
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Old 04-17-2021, 09:22 AM   #17
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Oh and congratulations on your bus!
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Old 04-17-2021, 01:56 PM   #18
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Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Swansboro,NC
Posts: 2,973
Year: 86
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Ford B700
Engine: 8.2
Rated Cap: 60 bodies
Quote:
Originally Posted by DAVEHOLMAN View Post
I know...I'm leaving the ones on the left side, for my brother...and cutting out the ones on the right...putting in the bathroom there, so I'm taking it down to the metal. I'm thinking a diamond blade right down the middle of those tracks. lol
cut across the tracks right at each bolt then you can pull them in sections instead of wasting grinder disc cutting the length.
either way you will still have the bolts to deal with.
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Old 04-17-2021, 10:10 PM   #19
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Join Date: Oct 2020
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I know I can splice them, will have to do some splicing. But while the condition isn't terrible, it isn't great either. Rather just replace it now and avoid an issue in a few years
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Old 04-18-2021, 07:49 PM   #20
Skoolie
 
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Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Hesperia, CA
Posts: 126
Year: 2007
Coachwork: Thomas Saf-T-Liner
Chassis: HDX with lift
Engine: Mercedes MBE 920
Rated Cap: 22
Getting the floor up was a chore. They nailed the s*** out of the plywood. And the wheelchair track was a whole other level. Wore out a diamond cutting wheel on my angle grinder.
But I got it done. And now I'm laying the new laminate tongue and groove.
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