Removing hosing inside school bus...help!

[omasika]

Hey skoolie fam,

I’m in the process of demoing my 2003 mid-size Thomas. About to take up the floor, but have these hoses running along the floor. They come out under the driver’s seat and run underneath the silver plating. What are these, what do these run to and what’s the process of removing them?

I already removed the AC unit and had the Freon evacuated. I originally thought they ran to the unit but after taking it out I have realized they do not.

Thanks!

 

[#1FordFan]

Hey skoolie fam,

I’m in the process of demoing my 2003 mid-size Thomas. About to take up the floor, but have these hoses running along the floor. They come out under the driver’s seat and run underneath the silver plating. What are these, what do these run to and what’s the process of removing them?

I already removed the AC unit and had the Freon evacuated. I originally thought they ran to the unit but after taking it out I have realized they do not.

Thanks!

You should find they go to the rear heater.

 

[Johnny Mullet]

Rear heater? You wanna rip that out too like the A/C?

 

[omasika]

That’s what I was thinking, but I thought it was weird they ran on the opposite side of the bus than the heater.

 

[omasika]

Thanks for the quick reply! I was originally thinking of leaving it in. Is it easy to work around or is it best to take it out during demo?

 

[Meathead]

I assume you have a front engine bus? In that case your front heat and defrost won’t be affected by cutting off the hose to the rear and making a loop to recirculate.

In my case, w rear engine, I deleted my rear heater and kept the loop to the front for my dash heat/defrost.
I can always add a, smaller than original, new heater if I find out I’ve made a mistake in removing the rear heater.
I like having that option.

 

[ACamper-SKO]

Thanks for the quick reply! I was originally thinking of leaving it in. Is it easy to work around or is it best to take it out during demo?

If you are not going to use them I would take them out. If the crack, break, leak they can make a huge mess especially if you bury them in your build.

When the bus is gutted they are easy to take out and clean up after.

 

[omasika]

Thanks for the tip, MH!

Yeah I have a front engine. The idea of building over the hoses and not being able to access them in the event of damage is not one I’m excited about. ��

When making the cut, do I cut the hose close to the engine and connect the ends together to make the loop?

 

[ACamper-SKO]

On my bus I had a couple of shut off valves in the engine compartment, I shut them off and looped the hoses together just after them.

If you cut the hoses in the engine compartment you should be able to drain most of the fluid out of your bus much easier. I placed a bucket under my cut hoses while lifting the hoses up to drain them.

 

[Drew Bru]

On my bus I had a couple of shut off valves in the engine compartment, I shut them off and looped the hoses together just after them.

If you cut the hoses in the engine compartment you should be able to drain most of the fluid out of your bus much easier. I placed a bucket under my cut hoses while lifting the hoses up to drain them.

Just FYI to the OP, doing this will eliminate the ability to defrost or heat the cab area (at least on mine). You could also free up a ton of room in the cab area, but you'll have no heat or defrost. We kept the front drivers and passenger side heat and ripped out the rear heaters.

 

[omasika]

Thanks for the tips! Got the heaters out which was relatively easy! Gonna install diesel heater so not to worried about heat in the back!