Anyone know how much one 'row' of bus weighs?

[TheHubbardBus]

Excluding seats (or including them if that's the only data you've got), does anyone have any idea how much - generally speaking - one row of bus weighs? What's the difference in curb weight between a 6 vs 7 window (or 7 vs 8, or...) bus of similar manufacture?

[FAC]

I’m not sure but my 13window flat nose was weighed at #17200 last week without any windows or inner skin and a 7 window conventional I used to have weighed right around #11000 empty but with windows so that would be #1300 per window on the flat nose and #1500 per window on the conventional

[JustKip]

^^^ I don't think that's a fair comparison, since the engine and trans and radiator, etc, are in the front or rear, and you've got axles and suspension under both ends, but the middle is just a van body.
I'm guessing that the midsection is under 600 lbs of sheet metal, glass and chassis per 2 foot section. Certainly not much more.

[Mark_In_MA]

Well, we know what goes in to a "row" of Skoolie by material - let's call it 2x8 feet.


2 feet x 2 frame rails - maybe 25 lbs each? - 50 lbs.
2x8 plywood - 10lbs.
Figure 15 lbs of steel for the floor support?


That's about 75 lbs.


I'm not great at estimating weights , but 1 row of seats is the sheet metal, insulation, and 1 floor support/roof rib / ceiling rib / wall post. I can't really see each piece being much over 75 lbs again - so 75x4 nets 300 LBS per row. Figure I'm terrible at estimating, and bump it up to 400 pounds instead.

[plfking]

Originally Posted by TheHubbardBus

What's the difference in curb weight between a 6 vs 7 window (or 7 vs 8, or...) bus of similar manufacture?

I don't think there's a definitive answer to your question. When I was searching, I was looking at 5-8 window full-size conventionals......my 6 window has a GVWR of 21500, but I saw plenty of 5 and 6 windows between 17500 and 27000, and even remember some 8 windows below the 'magical' 26001 number. Plus, some buses have rubber floors only....no plywood.

So I don't think you can comfortably say "X windows means this much weight".

[TheHubbardBus]

I appreciate the input folks.

Agreed. Probably not a definitive answer. Then again it was a question asked with not much of a definitive goal, excepting curiosity. It's not like it's going to be a deciding factor for me, I suppose. Just trying to weigh engine choices in a chassis that might be shorter than I originally envisioned.

Anticipated GVWR is ~ 25K, but that's weight bearing capacity, not curb weight.

[Native]

A quick Google search discovered this document
. Not definitive, just general.


school bus types.pdf

[TheHubbardBus]

Thanks for the link, Native!


Unfortunately, that's still talking GVWR, which is the weight the vehicle can bear rather that the weight it is. Appreciate the effort regardless.

[SolomonEagle]

My 8 window dognose international came in at just under 15k lbs with minimal conversion

[TheHubbardBus]

Originally Posted by SolomonEagle

My 8 window dognose international came in at just under 15k lbs with minimal conversion

Is it asking too much to request you buy a 7-window bus of the same make/model/year/powertrain/fuel capacity, perform the exact same conversion, and then subtract the weight difference.


You get another bus, and I get the answer to my question. It's win-win!!


The longer this thread goes the more I realize I asked a stupid question ;)

[HazMatt]

'Fraid so!
In fact, I'd [n]love[/b] nothing more than to go to Gillig-ans Island, but I got no place to work on something eminently more worthy of conversion...
That said,

Originally Posted by TheHubbardBus

Is it asking too much to request you buy a 7-window bus of the same make/model/year/powertrain/fuel capacity, perform the exact same conversion, and then subtract the weight difference.


You get another bus, and I get the answer to my question. It's win-win!! [emoji3]


The longer this thread goes the more I realize I asked a stupid question ;)

My 8-window tipped the scales at 16,280 pounds; with numerous built-ins, mounted drive spare, and a full-sized, side by each residential fridge.
And a full tank...

[Native]

Our 11-window conventional (dognose) weighed in at 16980 pounds with sets and floor removed.

[TheHubbardBus]

Thanks for the weight info folks. It's nothing I can extract the exact answer to my question from (my fault - not yours. unrealistic question to begin with), but it's been very helpful in getting a ballpark feel for how much weight I will be able to add while staying well below our planned vehicle's GVWR

[o1marc]

Originally Posted by TheHubbardBus

Thanks for the weight info folks. It's nothing I can extract the exact answer to my question from (my fault - not yours. unrealistic question to begin with), but it's been very helpful in getting a ballpark feel for how much weight I will be able to add while staying well below our planned vehicle's GVWR

Good God, what do you plan on adding? An empty bus can add about 8K lbs of students.Surely you're not adding that kind of permanent weight to it.

[TheHubbardBus]

Understood, Marc, but I had ZERO clue how much everything in a conversion would add up to, or how close I'd come to the GVWR of the kind of bus we're looking for, before I did the math. That was this last weekend's project. From the way things are looking now, I'm at ~4000 pounds, which includes full fuel, propane, bodies, water tanks, electric, appliances, roof racks, furniture, 300# of supplies... pretty much everything but the cabinetry & flooring. So yeah... I've likely got plenty of room to work with. But it's been a learning experience!

[HappyInTN]

Originally Posted by TheHubbardBus

Excluding seats (or including them if that's the only data you've got), does anyone have any idea how much - generally speaking - one row of bus weighs? What's the difference in curb weight between a 6 vs 7 window (or 7 vs 8, or...) bus of similar manufacture?

I don't know if this helps, but my 40 footer was 24,765 stock. gutted it, ceilings, sidewalls, floors all removed to the outside steel. all seats, trim and heaters removed. It weighed it gutted at almost exactly 19k

[HazMatt]

That was a significant kick in the mass...

[o1marc]

Originally Posted by HappyInTN

I don't know if this helps, but my 40 footer was 24,765 stock. gutted it, ceilings, sidewalls, floors all removed to the outside steel. all seats, trim and heaters removed. It weighed it gutted at almost exactly 19k

You say "almost" 19k lbs. My Genesis is only 37' and completely gutted still weighed 19400.

[HappyInTN]

Originally Posted by o1marc

You say "almost" 19k lbs. My Genesis is only 37' and completely gutted still weighed 19400.

yes the truck scales say 19024 exactly. with a third tank of diesel.