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Old 08-31-2021, 11:54 PM   #2221
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Originally Posted by ol trunt View Post
You need one of these posted on the left front "A" pillar--sure has saved my a$$ a couple of times!
Jack

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100% Jack, gotta have a pre flight checklist. I once drove over a jack stand and a bunch of tools, don’t know how I didn’t shred a tire. Won’t do that again thanks to the list.
Cheers

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Old 09-01-2021, 04:32 PM   #2222
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I'm really going to need to continue with my plan of wiring up the starter interlock circuit (which I left intact) to all the stuff in my living space that I need to have secured before driving.
Me too. I keep leaving my roof hatch open, and it slams shut when I get up to speed. Started to ruin the latch last time, and it needs fixin'/maintenance. Now I'm hyper-aware of it. The wire is still there, but how to attach the switch?
I don't have the starter interlock, just the buzzer, so I'm not worried about problems in the system.
The day I forget to secure the laptop case will be the bad day. I still haven't found a good home for it while driving other than the bedtop/couch. At least I have SSD drives now, but my backup drives are all older magnetic hard-disks subject to shock.
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Old 09-01-2021, 05:28 PM   #2223
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Drove back to my lot tonight and heard a super-loud crash/bang from the back as I went around a corner. I figured I had just trashed my second microwave oven, but it was actually my 100 pound dumbbell cart smashing into my desk. I showed it to my neighbor yesterday but forgot to run the retaining deadbolt back into the floor afterwards. Nice little dent in the desk now.

I'm really going to need to continue with my plan of wiring up the starter interlock circuit (which I left intact) to all the stuff in my living space that I need to have secured before driving.

Or make all of your motion locks automatic or gravity operated?
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Old 09-01-2021, 05:32 PM   #2224
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100% Jack, gotta have a pre flight checklist. I once drove over a jack stand and a bunch of tools, don’t know how I didn’t shred a tire. Won’t do that again thanks to the list.
Cheers

I found out that doing a walk around before moving is good idea for me. It would have prevented numerous expensive situations for me on various vehicles.
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Old 09-01-2021, 07:26 PM   #2225
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Since my bus really needs a new rear bumper, I'm conceiving of a plan to bid on this bus: https://www.publicsurplus.com/sms/au...ew?auc=2879111 in Hampton VA (or the other one like it that they're auctioning off) then having it towed to a scrap yard nearby and selling it for scrap after harvesting the bumper and triangular brackets and maybe the passenger doors and some other stuff. I'm thinking that maybe I could at least break even with the scrap sale or even turn a little profit, depending on what these usually go for.

Anybody ever popped off a bumper? It looks like it's just some big-ass bolts and nuts to take off.
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Old 09-01-2021, 08:13 PM   #2226
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I’ve taken front and back bumper off and reinstalled both. You are correct MG. A good floor jack and a little balancing act. Should be Four 1/2” bolts on the front and 8 on the rear.
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Old 09-01-2021, 08:25 PM   #2227
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I’ve taken front and back bumper off and reinstalled both. You are correct MG. A good floor jack and a little balancing act. Should be Four 1/2” bolts on the front and 8 on the rear.
How much do the bumpers weigh? Could myself and my giant brother lift one into the back of my bus, just the two of us?
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Old 09-01-2021, 08:30 PM   #2228
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How much do the bumpers weigh? Could myself and my giant brother lift one into the back of my bus, just the two of us?
You can do it by yourself. Or just your giant bro.
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Old 09-01-2021, 11:05 PM   #2229
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How much do the bumpers weigh? Could myself and my giant brother lift one into the back of my bus, just the two of us?
O1marc is right. Although I would have to raise one end up and lay it on the tailgate and then raise the other end up and slide it in. I’m kind of a short fellow. I like to work smarter not harder!!!
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Old 09-02-2021, 09:43 AM   #2230
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Since my bus really needs a new rear bumper, I'm conceiving of a plan to bid on this bus: https://www.publicsurplus.com/sms/au...ew?auc=2879111 in Hampton VA (or the other one like it that they're auctioning off) then having it towed to a scrap yard nearby and selling it for scrap after harvesting the bumper and triangular brackets and maybe the passenger doors and some other stuff. I'm thinking that maybe I could at least break even with the scrap sale or even turn a little profit, depending on what these usually go for.

Anybody ever popped off a bumper? It looks like it's just some big-ass bolts and nuts to take off.
Like the Phatman and O1marc said taking the rear bumper off isn't a big deal. I took mine off alone, I seem to recall 4 bolts which I had to cut off with my angle grinder. I had it balanced on my floor jack and 2 jack stands and when it was loose I just dropped it to the ground.

Just last week I loaded mine into the bus through the rear door by myself
and I'm 68 and not as stout as I once was. Best if you have help. Hardest part is getting it up on it's end. After that you can walk it and lay it on the door sill and slide it.

That bus you're bidding on is the spitting image of mine. If you get it there are some things I might be interested in if you're not. If you get it and need help transporting let me know. I'm dumb enough to look at picking it up as an adventure and we hobbitses love adventures. Just has to be before the snow flies because I hibernate. It looks to be situated within a stone's throw of I-64 so it would be an easy drive.
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Old 09-02-2021, 10:19 AM   #2231
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Looking further I see that the bus is not running. Were you thinking to buy it, take what you want off it then have it towed for scrap or do you have a way to get it home?

Either way if you want/need help let me know. Day after tomorrow I'm flying down to Daytona Beach to ride a motorcycle back to New Jersey but after that I could make myself available.
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Old 09-02-2021, 11:49 AM   #2232
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Looking further I see that the bus is not running. Were you thinking to buy it, take what you want off it then have it towed for scrap or do you have a way to get it home?

Either way if you want/need help let me know. Day after tomorrow I'm flying down to Daytona Beach to ride a motorcycle back to New Jersey but after that I could make myself available.
My plan was to buy it, drive down in my dad's SUV, have it towed to a scrap yard nearby in VA (I haven't found one yet), remove all the stuff I want (mainly the bumper and hardware and the passenger door, and maybe some sections of rub rail and possibly the air tanks) then sell it to that scrap yard for whatever it's worth. Maybe I could offer to sell it to them for a lower price per pound if they let me cannibalize it at their site. I would definitely not want to pay to have it towed back to Philly.

It occurs to me these buses might have a more favorable rear gear ratio than mine (which is 6.17) but I think pulling off the differential would be well beyond my abilities. Thanks for the help offer, I may just take you up on it. I might also wait until a more favorable scrap bus comes up for sale, something closer and with the high-ceiling windows that would match my bus (mine are 29" tall rather than the short-bus 23") since I need at least three of those as well.

If I get one of these two, I'd be more than happy to share whatever bits off it you want.
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Old 09-02-2021, 11:55 AM   #2233
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Scrap metal is trending at $9/100lb right now. My Genesis empty was around 19k lbs. if that one was 16k lbs, it would pay $1440 in scrap.
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Old 09-02-2021, 03:36 PM   #2234
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It occurs to me these buses might have a more favorable rear gear ratio than mine (which is 6.17) but I think pulling off the differential would be well beyond my abilities.
Sorry to have to bust your balls, but you are flat wrong.


I've been reading this thread. You could do it with no problem.


I might be wrong, but I think the axle has a "pumpkin" and the differential ring-gear and pinion-gear are all one unit. Remove the driveshaft from the diff, remove the wheels and pull out the rear-axles a bit (someone here I'm sure could help you understand exactly what is up with that on that specific axle), unbolt the ring of bolts around the diff, and it's out (lower it with a floor jack).


Take it to the proper shop and have it checked for end-play and that the gears mesh correctly, and install it in yours, reverse of removal. Get some good Silicone oil-resistant sealant for the seal, and a new gasket if they make them.



Am I missing something here?
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Old 09-02-2021, 03:55 PM   #2235
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Gear change in these rigs is pretty simple really. You can typically get a used low mileage drop out for ~500 or so (drop out meaning the center section of the axle which contains the differential). Pull the driveshaft... unbolt the axles at the flanges and slide them out enough to clear the side gears... unbolt the center section and drop it out.



Can do it with tires on and all. Then swap in your used unit or have yours rebuilt and re-geared to what you want... drop it back in.
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Old 09-02-2021, 04:01 PM   #2236
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Am I missing something here?
I think I still need to have the ECM reprogrammed at that point, don't I? Or else the speedometer, odometer and shift points will all be off.

Nevertheless, balls successfully busted! Perhaps I can at least DIY removing it from the donor bus.
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Old 09-02-2021, 04:02 PM   #2237
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I wish I had like one friend who was a mechanic type.
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Old 09-02-2021, 04:06 PM   #2238
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My plan was to buy it, drive down in my dad's SUV, have it towed to a scrap yard nearby in VA (I haven't found one yet), remove all the stuff I want (mainly the bumper and hardware and the passenger door, and maybe some sections of rub rail and possibly the air tanks) then sell it to that scrap yard for whatever it's worth. Maybe I could offer to sell it to them for a lower price per pound if they let me cannibalize it at their site. I would definitely not want to pay to have it towed back to Philly.

It occurs to me these buses might have a more favorable rear gear ratio than mine (which is 6.17) but I think pulling off the differential would be well beyond my abilities. Thanks for the help offer, I may just take you up on it. I might also wait until a more favorable scrap bus comes up for sale, something closer and with the high-ceiling windows that would match my bus (mine are 29" tall rather than the short-bus 23") since I need at least three of those as well.

If I get one of these two, I'd be more than happy to share whatever bits off it you want.
You may want to answer the scrapping question before you bid. When I bought my bus I was trying to figure out how to get it from the bus company's lot to my friend's farm - legally. I went as far as to call a towing company and was told it would cost, if I recall correctly, $375/hour for the tow. He estimated it would take 3 hours so figure it would have cost me about $1200 all told. I wonder if the average scrap yard would agree to tow a bus for scrap. Based on what 01Marc said you'd think if it was that easy the district would just scrap it themselves and pocket the $1400.

Re the differential ratio, I was looking into doing it on a short bus I was considering before I bought my bus. The guts of the differential are attached to a carrier (someone please make sure I'm getting this right) which bolts into the assembly from the front. As a couple others have already replied, pull the axles (probably don't need to remove the wheels), drop the driveshaft, unbolt the carrier and you're done with the removal. While that isn't complicated the carrier probably weighs upwards of a thousand pounds so you'll need a jack and something to catch 4 gallons of used stanky diff fluid in. I was thinking about using my motorcycle jack which has a thousand pound capacity and crossing my fingers that I didn't crush it and myself in the process.

Hmmmm, if I'd have bought the short bus, I'd have been out in it last year. Kinda wish I had that decision to make again.
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Old 09-02-2021, 04:10 PM   #2239
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You may want to answer the scrapping question before you bid. When I bought my bus I was trying to figure out how to get it from the bus company's lot to my friend's farm - legally. I went as far as to call a towing company and was told it would cost, if I recall correctly, $375/hour for the tow. He estimated it would take 3 hours so figure it would have cost me about $1200 all told. I wonder if the average scrap yard would agree to tow a bus for scrap. Based on what 01Marc said you'd think if it was that easy the district would just scrap it themselves and pocket the $1400.

Re the differential ratio, I was looking into doing it on a short bus I was considering before I bought my bus. The guts of the differential are attached to a carrier (someone please make sure I'm getting this right) which bolts into the assembly from the front. As a couple others have already replied, pull the axles (probably don't need to remove the wheels), drop the driveshaft, unbolt the carrier and you're done with the removal. While that isn't complicated the carrier probably weighs upwards of a thousand pounds so you'll need a jack and something to catch 4 gallons of used stanky diff fluid in. I was thinking about using my motorcycle jack which has a thousand pound capacity and crossing my fingers that I didn't crush it and myself in the process.

Hmmmm, if I'd have bought the short bus, I'd have been out in it last year. Kinda wish I had that decision to make again.
Local tow company charged me $75 to tow the bus 5 miles to scrap. Scrap yard pulled the wheels and tires and I retrieved them the next day. Paid me $1200, that's when scrap was way down. I only paid $900 for that bus, and now have a spare set of wheels/tires
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Old 09-02-2021, 04:14 PM   #2240
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Based on what 01Marc said you'd think if it was that easy the district would just scrap it themselves and pocket the $1400.
Yeah, I'm not confident this is a smart move for me. But I think a school district would not bother with this because it would be a break-even deal for them or even with a tiny profit it's not worth the effort because they're not going to pocket that money personally. For me to do it, it would hopefully be enough for me to get the bumper etc. that I need for free plus a bit of time and effort.
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