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Old 07-22-2020, 02:48 PM   #21
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Originally Posted by tlzimmerman View Post
It was ordered new by our district as a mid size activity bus hence the 70 mph governor. I bet at the time the fleet of older busses had the same tires so they ordered it to match. Now it's the last one with this size they have.

The big coach activity bus hauls the big groups and this one hauls the smaller groups...Jr high teams etc.
Is it governed or does it rev out to 70?

I've not seen split rims on any buses ever. Thought they went out in the 60's or 70's.

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Old 07-22-2020, 02:52 PM   #22
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Rev governed....which on a 12v Cummins you can change that with a spring in the Bosch diesel pump.....it rev limits at 2500....the engine will do more.

Around here in ag land mid size grain trucks had split rims into the 80s....we have an 87 feed truck with splits....96 is very late to have them I agree but obviously still an option..

Doesn't really matter...I've got them til I change them.
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Old 07-22-2020, 02:54 PM   #23
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Split ring, I'm sure... But not actual widowmaker true splits, right??
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Old 07-22-2020, 02:56 PM   #24
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Right split ring.
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Old 07-22-2020, 03:15 PM   #25
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My 85 Thomas had those in 20" as well. My trucker friends I parked with at the time told me tire guys hated them. Bout as much as I know about em.
Hard to beat a modern set of 22.5's.

Looking forward to seeing more of the bus and what you do with it.
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Old 07-22-2020, 05:52 PM   #26
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Up to 3200rpm's with stock valve springs, at least for the pickup versions. Over that and you get valve float, so changing valve springs lets you go to 4000rpms. I know that sounds a bit crazy but I have a "Gradall" with one governed from the factory at 4000. 6 speed Allison with manual valve body too. Odd setup.

The true split rims went out I think in the 50's and became the split ring that we call split rims. I have worked on both. Do not like the old style at all.
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Old 07-22-2020, 05:58 PM   #27
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Agree...I've never done split rims just split ring and I guess we always called them split rim.

And yeah this has a spring that cuts it at 2500......which I don't really mind. I wouldn't scream it at 3 or more all day on the road anyways.
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Old 07-22-2020, 06:18 PM   #28
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Originally Posted by tlzimmerman View Post
Agree...I've never done split rims just split ring and I guess we always called them split rim.

And yeah this has a spring that cuts it at 2500......which I don't really mind. I wouldn't scream it at 3 or more all day on the road anyways.
Since it already hits 70, and you'll be going bigger with replacement wheels and tires I'd not bother spinning it any faster. Maybe turn the fuel screw a wee bit for a lil more oomph.
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Old 07-22-2020, 07:30 PM   #29
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Rear end looks to be a 6/4.30.
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Old 07-30-2020, 12:04 AM   #30
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Congrats on your purchase - that's a real bargain compared with prices we're looking at here in UK. I appreciate there's shipping costs and import taxes, but we're looking at 4 to 5 times that for something nowhere as good condition and without all the 'bonus extras' you won!

I'm starting out on my search for the right skoolie to convert. The mpg attained by some is a big frightener for us in UK. We have diesel at around Ł1.20 a litre, so that's approx US$5.90 for a US gallon. I think your average is US$2.43 a US gallon, so we're over double that.

With that in mind, I'll probably be looking for one of the shorter 'mid sized' skoolies to give me 20 to 25 feet of living space to play with. These seem to come with DT466 diesel engines which, although robust, drink fuel....

Anyway, good luck with your build. Looking forward to more pictures!
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Old 08-02-2020, 09:48 PM   #31
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Congrats on your purchase - that's a real bargain compared with prices we're looking at here in UK. I appreciate there's shipping costs and import taxes, but we're looking at 4 to 5 times that for something nowhere as good condition and without all the 'bonus extras' you won!

I'm starting out on my search for the right skoolie to convert. The mpg attained by some is a big frightener for us in UK. We have diesel at around Ł1.20 a litre, so that's approx US$5.90 for a US gallon. I think your average is US$2.43 a US gallon, so we're over double that.

With that in mind, I'll probably be looking for one of the shorter 'mid sized' skoolies to give me 20 to 25 feet of living space to play with. These seem to come with DT466 diesel engines which, although robust, drink fuel....

Anyway, good luck with your build. Looking forward to more pictures!
For what its worth.....you aren't going to be able to build a bus that gets more than about 10-12 mpg at best. Even a shortie isn't going to give you much more economy than that. Unless there are busses in the UK that are just way lighter and more aerodynamic than what we have in the states thats about what you are gonna get.

I had a short bus with a 6.5 liter Chevy diesel and a non locking automatic trans.....it got about 8-10 mpg.

Good luck, I hope that you don't let the price of Diesel run you away! We are hopefully going to be tearing into the bus this weekend.
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Old 08-09-2020, 08:21 PM   #32
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Seats out Picture

Was able to get a work day today....it was brutal at 100 degrees but I work out in this most days so I can hang. My family and nephew were a little wilted but he hung in there. Seats are out, front and back flashers are out, stop sign is off. Pulled the center rubber up.....plywood looks dang good.

Donated the sign armature and electronics, and 6 sets of seats back to our school district. They said they could use them. Making shop seats out of the rest.

I did finally notice I have a dent and gash in the passenger rear top corner by the clearance light, I was on the roof several times before I bought it no idea how I missed it before. Excited I guess. Shouldn't be too bad of a fix. There looks to maybe be a little water damage in that corner but since this was always stored inside not much.

Hope to take side panels and ceiling and rest of the rubber down next weekend. The entire inside of my bus is screws and they zip out like nothing....how sweet it is! Is it possible that I can reuse the plywood floor if its in great shape? We will see...would of course insulate below it but heck could save me a couple bills.

Have 2 floor plans bouncing around in our head. Going to sit down and draft them hopefully tonight. Plan A will include an L shaped kitchen and dinette/seating area that would turn into a bed....if that doesn't have enough room we will go to plan B of galley kitchen with couch and dinette. It will be close.

We need to get the floor plan down so we can decide what windows to remove so I can get the steel ordered from the fab shop to replace the windows. Then it will be bypassing the interlock and buzzer systems. and resealing the windows and new gaps and time to start insulating.

Also working simultaneously on bringing back an all original 1955 Chevy Pickup that was my wife's grandparents.....they sold it to her before they passed. The deal with the bus is we work on them both at the same time so it got a new clutch, master cylinder, and a carb rebuild today. Getting closer to getting it on the ground and moving.











Best part of the day....my youngest, who is 4....finally got in his head when all the seats were out that this was going to be "his camper bus". Its all we have talked about alll day.

Was so hot but good for the kids, my daughters both told me they don't understand how I work out in the heat all day every day like that. They are all hard workers but its good to make em sweat a little now and again!
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Old 08-09-2020, 11:08 PM   #33
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Glad to see a family project these days. It is really important.
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Old 08-09-2020, 11:17 PM   #34
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Fighting for inches



This is the floor plan we want, but we are really going to be fighting for inches to be able to do the L shaped designs on the kitchen and front couch.

The bed shown in back is a full instead of a queen, but what we will want is a full XL. Gives us the 80" length with 54" width, that saves 6" forward. That will put the end of the bunks right at the wheel wells, and put the bathroom over the passenger side smaller basement, where I will locate the black and grey tanks. Should have enough room to get 75 gallons of storage there, planning on 100 gallon fresh under rear bed with pumps there so I may have to rid a little grey water from time to time. The bathroom should have enough room for a 24x24" shower and RV toilet with a couple shelves for linen storage.

Shown is a 10 cubic foot fridge, and that should squeeze us enough room to fit the cabinets and counters and possibly a 6" pull out pantry by the fridge. The L couch on front will fold out to a full size bed....wish i could squeeze enough room to make it a full XL in case we have taller guests but I just don't think I have the inches. On the underside of the bus below the couch will be the house batteries located next to the bus batteries.....bus engine will be able to charge house batteries underway and a diode will protect the bus batteries from discharge. Inverter will be under the couch close to the house batteries as well as breaker panel for the 12v systems. Inverter will be small just to run fridge and a couple outlets while underway. Switch panel for 12v systems will be on the side of the kitchen island, as well as the master for the 5 zones of recessed lighting plus reading lights in the bunks. 120v panel will be located under the rear bed for easy access to shore power or generator mounted on back porch for my current genny, or if I scrounge a nice RV onan I'll mount it under the bus. I'll have dual overhead AC units with heat strips.

Front heater set has a duct I can duct into the living room as well as heating the driver compartment. Rear heater will be relocated to the right side so I can duct into the bathroom and kitchen as well as heat the beds. Hope to scrounge a water webasto so I can run the heat system when parked. Back blower will be on house batteries, leaving the front blower on the bus batteries, probably can get by running just the back blower when sleeping.

Only thing I don't have mostly worked out in my head at this point is where I am going to put the hot water heater, or what hot water heater I plan on getting. That might depend on if we put a gas range in, right now I'm thinking not but I might change my mind. Propane gets pretty easy if all I have to power is my water heater.

Also plan to do a fold down bar top with folding stools that can be stowed while underway and if I can find the inches maybe a rotating co-pilot chair with a fold down floor that would cover the steps.

Sorry this is long just throwing all my thoughts out here so we can see how much of it changes as we get into the build. Always good to toss out a start point.
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Old 08-10-2020, 10:23 AM   #35
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Well thought out. You might consider a sliding pocket door for the bath and a battery to battery charger rather than the diode stuff for charging the house batteries while traveling.
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Old 08-10-2020, 10:31 AM   #36
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That will be a pocket door so you don't open it and smack someone I just didn't take the time to find one in the software.

I guess I am unfamiliar in the difference between a diode or a battery to battery charger. Can you explain?
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Old 08-10-2020, 11:44 AM   #37
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I was unable to use the diode style battery isolator with my charging system due to it's being part of a multiplex wiring set up. With the isolator my alternator produced no output. While the isolator charges all the batteries at the fast rate suitable for start batteries this isn't optimal for deep cycle house batteries.

There are several brands of B2B chargers each having advantages over the other I suppose. I chose to use a Sterling Power BB1230 for my bus. The main advantage of B2B chargers is that they charge the house batteries in the optimal three stage progression and do so automatically. I should ad here that from my private pilot days I am a switch flipper and check list reader so I wired my B2B for manual operation.

The link below though geared for a Ford van will give you more info on a B2B set up. Hope it helps.
Jack

https://faroutride.com/b2b-review/
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Old 08-10-2020, 11:46 AM   #38
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Thanks for the suggestion....I'll look into it.

At a glance they look pricey....but most things that are worth it are. Lol
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Old 08-12-2020, 11:03 AM   #39
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What a sweet bus! As you say, it checks all the boxes. Your gearing is absolutely awesome.

Your bus is an inch or 2 taller inside than mine. Have you considered putting an inch of foam up against your existing ceiling? Your roof is most likely already insulated with fiberglass and the r value benefits of replacement are not going to make much difference.

My 6 window is a good size for 2 of us and it gets into some pretty tight places - out turns my crewcab with plenty of spare change but if I were going for a full on motor home she would have to be longer.

I installed a rotating copilot seat with built in shoulder harness. Thought I would need to modify the steps but turned out not necessary. You can see the placement of it in my album, the only thing I would do different is I would use a larger mounting plate (longer) and some sturdy angle iron running north/south under the floor to securely sandwich the subfloor cross members. This is on my to do list. Seats with built in shoulder harness will put tremendous strain on the floor mount in a collision.

Seats and seat belts have to be secured to the floor and or wall and not to the actual bus frame as the whole cabin area is designed to move independently in the event of a collision.

I like having access to my back door for so many reasons. In my bus the bed folds allowing a straight shot through and I can transport some long and awkward items.

For comfort the nicest set up I have seen is a north/south bed in the back with room to walk all the way around it.

An untested idea that might work well is to build the bed in 2 halfs that split length ways and slide back against the walls as twins with an alley way down the middle.
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Old 08-12-2020, 02:22 PM   #40
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I like your swivel seat...good idea on the onboard seatbelt. Chevy makes a few of those I can snag out of a junkyard.

The back bed will flip up but I'm not going to make it walk through. There will be tanks under it and how the heck are you spose to snuggle your pretty wife if the mattress is in 2 pieces? Lol. I'll keep the door for an emergency exit but I've got semis or trailers or pickup trucks if I need to haul stuff.

I'm also going to take the ceiling down. The thought of putting foam over it is intriguing but I'm replacing the bus lighting and need to run wiring..I want to make sure there are no problems from the inside and rigid foam is about r5 per inch where fiberglass is 2.2. I can either reuse the steel panels....which is likely, and make a thermal break on the ribs with dense sound insulation, or replace with wood for an even better thermal break.
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