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Old 11-15-2016, 02:01 PM   #1
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Year: 2000
Coachwork: Corbeil
Chassis: International
Engine: DT466
Rated Cap: 72
Distance to rear wheel wells and placement of bed

I'm trying to get a handle on interior dimensions of the full size buses and know there is some huge variations out there. For those with FE buses what kind of room are you seeing from the rear of the bus to the start of the wheel wells. I'd like to orient the bed longitudinal to the length of bus at the rear. And wonder how much space I'm likely to have before stepping on the intruding wheel well. If anyone can comment on the height and size of their wheel wells that would be appreciated.

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Old 11-15-2016, 02:06 PM   #2
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Location: Canada eh?
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Year: 1991
Coachwork: Corbeil - RAMROD
Chassis: IH 3800 66 Pass
Engine: 7.3 IH IDI NA w AT545 hyd
If memory serves me right, I had about 9' from the back to the back of the wheel wells - which is now my toy hauler deck
The wheel wells were maybe 8-10" tall
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Old 11-15-2016, 08:28 PM   #3
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Year: 1998
Chassis: TC 2000 bluebird
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I had just enough room for a twin size mattress length and a 32" x 32" shower behind the wheel wells

1998 front engine Bluebird TC2000
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Old 11-15-2016, 08:48 PM   #4
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My rear wheel wells are 10' from the back of the bus and measure about 2' x 4' x 10" tall in the middle. 2001 Bluebird Tc2000, 72 Passenger


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Old 11-15-2016, 08:49 PM   #5
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I'm probably missing something here but I lowered the offending wheel wells to allow for the available travel of the wheel (up and down) plus an inch to accommodate tight fitting chains and no more. Now rather than dealing with a couple of 55 gal barrel ends I have a couple of 2 inch high flat top surfaces. Three years on the road now and so far so good. Jack



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Old 11-15-2016, 09:24 PM   #6
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Leave it to Jack to take the easy way out. NICE!
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Old 11-15-2016, 10:36 PM   #7
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It just dawned on me that wheel wells serve another purpose other than room for the wheel to travel, but also room for something to fling around and not get jammed/ lodged between the wheel and the body, causing the wheel to lock up.

hmmm
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Old 11-15-2016, 10:48 PM   #8
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hmmmm indeed! Won't get stuck there if it can't get in in the first place--but an interesting thought--who knows? Jack
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Old 11-16-2016, 12:45 AM   #9
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Year: 1994
Coachwork: Genesis/Am-Tran Tall Roof
Chassis: International, 643 transmission
Engine: DT 466ci 250hp, International
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Mine is 40 ft genesis and its about 12 from the back door and 14 to the front of wheel well.
I'm cutting my wheel wells out as well and adding lifting blocks so the floor will be level. It just happens that the wheel well is exactly in my way at 13ft or its center.

Also I'm altering the fuel filler neck which is a few feet back on the passenger side. This floor needs to be level as well.

My tread is at the floor height withe air bleed off the bags stock. Then i have about 3" between the tread and floor with the bags full. On the front it looks like the tread is about floor height and there is about three fingers of space between the suspension rubber snubber and the suspension stop.

I think for wheel travel and to keep it stock distances around the tire in the wheel well it should be 6" of lift block. Front and rear

I;m glad to see some one cutting a well and it working fine. i was wondering how you actually test the suppression travel.
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Old 11-16-2016, 12:55 AM   #10
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Rated Cap: 86 screaming Monsters
This should be on that gun thread or a safe thread. If you can cut these down that far. you could do this and then weld the wheel well back on with hinge and a nice hidden magnet latch. I could see some foam with cut outs for stuff to sit right in its happy place. You can make it fold or open in a couple different directions.
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Old 11-16-2016, 07:48 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AdventureBus View Post
I'm trying to get a handle on interior dimensions of the full size buses and know there is some huge variations out there. For those with FE buses what kind of room are you seeing from the rear of the bus to the start of the wheel wells. I'd like to orient the bed longitudinal to the length of bus at the rear. And wonder how much space I'm likely to have before stepping on the intruding wheel well. If anyone can comment on the height and size of their wheel wells that would be appreciated.
Go look at buses and measure them yourself and look them over at the same time you will be gaining knowledge as well.
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Old 11-16-2016, 02:09 PM   #12
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don't have a measurement, but parked two buses side by side monday - a 2016 IC 72p and an older BB FE 72p. Rear axle center to rear bumper is the same, give or take an inch.
Overall the transit is about 3 or 4 feet shorter.
The big difference is the front axle - a good 6 feet farther back, so much shorter wheel base, which explains why they feel like you can 'sit and spin' in ones spot in a turn compare to a conventional bus.
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Old 03-29-2021, 12:30 PM   #13
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Originally Posted by ol trunt View Post
I'm probably missing something here but I lowered the offending wheel wells to allow for the available travel of the wheel (up and down) plus an inch to accommodate tight fitting chains and no more. Now rather than dealing with a couple of 55 gal barrel ends I have a couple of 2 inch high flat top surfaces. Three years on the road now and so far so good. Jack



What gauge metal did you use to fill the hole?
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Old 03-29-2021, 01:46 PM   #14
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Location: Baton Rouge
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Year: 2001
Coachwork: International
Chassis: FE300
Engine: DT466E
Rated Cap: 53
Our bus is a 2001 International FE300, not sure about the passenger count, but it's 36' long and 13 windows. From the rear fender to the back wall is 9'-3 1/2". The fender wells are 44"L x 17"W x 9"H for the front and 44"L x 23"W x 9"H in the rear.


During our hunt we looked at a lot of buses. I started to realize almost no two buses are built the same, including the wheel base. I was trying to plan our layout pre-buy and I gave up. We decided to find the bus that checked as many mechanical, condition and overall size boxes on our list and we didn't really start to plan until we could measure our bus. We wound up with 31'-7 1/8" of floor space. Our fender wells are going to fall in cabinetry and a couple of risers to accommodate infrastructure components, wiring, plumbing and the like. The front riser will match the height of the driver area and still have a small fender "lump" in the center about 3" tall, it will be under our dinette. The rear will run along side our bed and lead to the bath room.
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Old 03-29-2021, 02:29 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ol trunt View Post
I'm probably missing something here but I lowered the offending wheel wells to allow for the available travel of the wheel (up and down) plus an inch to accommodate tight fitting chains and no more. Now rather than dealing with a couple of 55 gal barrel ends I have a couple of 2 inch high flat top surfaces. Three years on the road now and so far so good. Jack



Why -o- why did you post these pictures...now I fell like cutting up and lowering my wheel wells, especially the front one do I can get a co-pilot seat in there...
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