Building a toterhome from a 1997 IH crown 71 pass bus

[Ollie Hauler]

Toterhome

Only thing is ,I have a back door,I have a few ideas for a flatbed.

 

[Twigg-SKO]

Here is a really bad rough sketch of the inside

Rough sketches are the best kind of plan. As long as you have the critical dimensions in the right place, the rougher the sketch the more flexible you will be when you meet the inevitable snags.

Nothing worse than planning something like this down to the millimeter, then panicking when the shower-base doesn't fit.

 

[Ollie Hauler]

Toterhome

Here is more pics from today,total length of the bus from front bumper to hitch is 25 ft,trailer is about 33 fttotal length when done will be about 58 ft

 

[Robin97396]

That makes a nice looking shorty, but you have to hunt for the rear axle. Nice job.

 

[Ollie Hauler]

Toterhome

Started laying out the hitch tonight,from center of axle to ball is about 30 inches,found some good info on utube under RV haulers.com,great info on trailer and RV haulers

 

[david.dgeorge07]

Looking good! Nice work shortening the body!

 

[Ollie Hauler]

Toterhome

Some more progress today, here's some pics

 

[Ollie Hauler]

Got the flatbed on this weekend

 

[cadillackid]

pretty neast flatbed!! was thinking you might go longer. sure does make a bus more functional to have that on there.
-Christopher

 

[jazty]

Cool ride! Are you covering that lower door window on the rear, or removing it? I wouldn't expect that to last long being butted up to a flat-bed. I'd have accidentally broken it already, just installing the flat-bed

Also, does the door still open? Or is it now permanently shut?

 

[Ollie Hauler]

Don't plan on using it, still need to put a guard on it

 

[Ollie Hauler]

Haven't updated pictures for awhile,just did some painting today

 

[Ollie Hauler]

Pics didn't go through

 

[BlackJohn]

Looks really good man, nice work.

What a toy to have, one of a kind maybe?
Enjoy your travels,


John

 

[PNW_Steve]

Looking good Ollie!

Every time you post, I start shopping for a shorty to turn into a flatbed daily driver.

 

[Gustav]

Sweet looking ride!! Love the concept. Keep us up to date, we appreciate it very much.

 

[johnforrest]

Ollie, Did it change the way the bus rode when you took weight off the back?

I'm going to try this with a 40' flat nose and Im wondering about the way the air ride will be effected. The 80 gallon fuel tank needs to come out and its behind the back axle.

Do have any issues with the ball being behind the axle? I think if the trailer is balanced nicely moving that ball back a little will help lever that trailer out around corners better. A little more like a bumper mount.

John

 

[Ollie Hauler]

Actually it rides kinda rough without the trailer,when I hook up the trailer and get some weight on it the bus rides great,as far as where I put the ball for the gooseneck,it handles great

 

[Ollie Hauler]

Here is some pics of my load for this weekends threshing show

 

[PNW_Steve]

Hey Ollie,

I love your rig!

I had thoughts of doing something similar. I asked, on another forum, how towing would play if I mounted the hitch 18" aft of the rear axle.

The nice folks there, who have never tried it, assured me that the world as we know it would come to an end if I tried it.

Now that you have actual real world experience, how does it tow? Any issues?

Thanks.

S.