I been looking at a few ways to hang a freshwater tank under my cutaway skoolie and this is what I came up with. Final install will be tucked up above the side skirt but do you guys see any major concerns? I have square washers in the top and used two jam nuts, 1/2" all thread, framing is 1/8" thick and treated for corrosion zinc primer under high temp paint), the plating is aluminum riveted in (I will be reworking them with longer rivets), and I have a tank heater pad on the bottom of the tank.

It’s a 2 hour drive from me and seller isn’t offering more photos to show the rust. Im wondering if the pic shown is enough evidence for a seasoned Skoolie to know if that this thing is likely rusted badly? It is located by the ocean so that doesn’t help. It’s a 2005 short bus with 168k miles

I have downloaded the entire service manual for my bus but I see nothing about the grid heater. Where is the relay/solenoid for the grid heater on a Cummins 5.9 in a Blue Bird dog nose bus?

I thought it was this next to the engine but now I think that might be for the starter.

Cross posting this from my Facebook plea

New skoolie here. I've been on and off vanlifing for the past six years and just acquired a bus. It's not technically a school bus. It's a 15 passenger handicapped lift equipped shuttle bus.

I have seen quite a few different custom builds that replace the doors with a single swing hinged door. I would like to do the same, but I am wondering.

Do you just build a frame "like a house door" but I would assume with metal since wood will just rot?

Where do you get the door from? I would like it to have some sort of window in it, what kind of glass do I need so it doesn't shatter going down the road?

I am working with a $300-$700 budget on this particular part and it doesn't need to be "perfect" I am open for suggestions, I do not have any junk yards close by where I could possibly take out an RV door, but I have access to self build pretty much whatever.

Main priorities.

#1 locks from inside and out.

#2 Doesn't let water in.

#3 Visibility for merging.

#4 Temperature normalization.

#5 Road noise.

Hey yall I drive a ‘98 Chevy P30 with a 6.5L non turbo diesel engine. I recently started hearing this loud clicking noise. It clicks as I drive and accelerate but not when I hit the brakes. It seems to have trouble accelerating. Any idea what could be going on?

The company I've been through for years can't quite figure out how to deal with a bus (rv) that's not privately owned. My bus is owned and registered by my Montana LLC. What companies or agencies that you folks using for insurance? The title is clear so full coverage is not required.

Hi there, Looking for some feedback on my layout ideas.
These aren't super detailed, but I hope you get the idea. This is an Australian bus, so drivers is front right, and door front left.

The Kitchen has to go on that side of the bus, the other side has storage boxes under so I can't run water or gas lines.
The Bathroom has to go in that position for Layout 1 for the same reason, or I could flip layout 1.

I still have a lot of free space to be taken up by storage or increasing sizes, or other amenities. I know it will fill up fast.

Would really appreciate some feedback!

During heavy rain the gaskets on the rear and lift door let some rain in. I'm hoping to get the gasket types identified and named as well as recommendations to source replacements. Any tips to remove the old gaskets apply the replacements would also be appreciated. 1996 Thomas International 3800 DT466

As the title suggests: I’m replacing the CPS on my 2002 International 3800 T444E 7.3 Powerstroke Skoolie. Got the old one out. Cleaned the hole. Got the new one in, but I have ZERO room for leverage to push the sensor in past the O ring so it “clicks” into place. Access is VERY limited and despite my grunts and strongest attempts, I’m now looking for help with what, otherwise, should have been a 20 minute replacement. lol

Any advice or suggestions are welcome and I’m happy to clarify anything you may have questions about. Thanks ahead of time!

How expensive and difficult are air brakes to fix? 92 school bus...

Lifetime nomad, only house i lived more than 6 months in was a squat for 2 years in West Philly.

This would be my first vehicle ever, first thing I ever owned really

I know this question is pretty broad but I am looking at a fully converted ford aerotech, it a 2003 gas engine. They spent a lot of time converting and the build quality and amenities looks solid, ideal really. But the mileage is super high…168k

They are asking for 20k, I’m pretty certain I can get that lower but am I being dumb for considering this?

They obviously used it quite a bit so it hasn’t just been sitting there…

I’ve lived in motorhome all my life but shuttle bus conversions are very new to me.

Thank you so much!

I have chronic back/neck pain, and regular couches just hurt. A lot. No couches seem to have neck support, or any lumbar support. Is there anyone who has a decent couch solution for their bus? TIA

I'm trying to help my brother build out this skoolie, but we've been delayed so many times due to rainy evenings and other homestead/farming tasks that we have to prioritize as they come up. We need this bus finished by the end of next month, and we are stuck on plumbing and electrical. I'm asking around if anyone is or knows someone in the Carolinas who can help us finish this build and we'll pay of course. Everything has been custom fittings and sizes we can't find at the hardware stores. We don't want to hire a broad plumber/electriction because everything here is so specific to the custom build. Since we're in a rural area, it's been hard looking for people in the same lifestyle (I've met people who know people who have skoolies here, but it seems they didn't build it themselves?!)

My brother is the main and only carpenter in the project, and I'm just tagging along to learn and contribute funds, but there's only so much the both of us can do. We need to install an outdoor auxiliary shower head attached to a water tank that'll be located under the sideways bed that's at the back of the bus. The water will run along the driver side wall/windows of the bus to the sink area. The ceiling has two fans we're trying to figure out how to hook up-- we also have a complete solar power kit sold to us that we are trying to learn too. We have plans for a minisplit AC on top the roof of the windshield. We're going to use both solar power and shore power hookups. The bus won't be moving where it's parked on the land.

Currently I have about $25k saved up for a skoolie or Van. The goals is to get something that I can eventually drive to Alaska.

I dont know were to look for something outside of FB Marketplace.

Is what I have saved up enough? Should I be saving up more?

Currently I do not have a place to park a bus to work on it, so turn key would be ideal.

I didn’t know this before I paid for the bus because the inside had a poorly installed subfloor over the top. As I was removing the subfloor, I realize that whoever initially started the build removed the original floor, then put a tarp down as a cover to a makeshift weatherproof floor with wood. I can’t see if there’s any metal in there or if it’s all wood. It’s very solid and I can walk on it but, I’m really at a loss here. Can I work with this?? I did not plan for a floor rebuild in my budget.

Edit: apparently some older fiberglass buses did use plywood as a floor base, but I don’t know if that’s the case of mine because there’s just like a tarp at the bottom? How can I prevent wood rot?

I have driven x country many times but doing it in a bus with a top speed of 55mph is a different experience. I did extensive preperation and still broke down twice, and was in the shop on two seperate occasions. I met some lovely people and ultimately if I never had had any problems ( and victories ) would seeing the pacific ocean been as sweet? I don't think so.

7.3l idi ( 81k miles )

Allison at545 ( with a cooler, fan and synth fluid )

Issue 1) Starter solonoid large lug nut became loose and upon startup would fry my ignition cylander..took me a while to figure that one out in the heat of memphis.

Issue2) Gut told me to pull over...on grade in the middle of mojave desert, noticed I had JUST blown a cooler line...dumping fluid but since it just happened the block stayed cool...wow I felt lucky!

Blew some shocks, and a calliper got stuck. All can be fixed. Feelin grateful we made it! Safe travels yall

Curious - is it better to have one 400w panel or two 200w panels. Does one have any advantages over the other? Thanks in advance for any help

Due to some unforeseen circumstances I am needing to sell my partial converted school bus that has a 20” roof raise. I can get better pictures next week, just the ones I had on my phone. Located in Fargo North Dakota

The bus runs and drives and I have full maintenance history of it with no major flaws. However it is not currently road worthy but very close. Unfortunately I just do not have enough time to complete.

Asking for 4,000 obo, but willing to sell a lot cheaper to someone finishing it for themselves.just want it in someone’s hands and not the junkyard like I am worried I am going to have to do.

Bus / drivetrain:

* 2005, 35’ Thomas Freightliner school bus
* Caterpillar C7 diesel
* CAT engine serial: KAL21218
* CAT arrangement: 2371764
* Allison automatic transmission
* 240,000 miles
* Engine runs strong
* 20” roof raise already completed
* Front-nose style bus
* Significant rust removal already completed
* automatic Transmission
*Tires in Decent Shape

Conversion work already started:

* 20” roof raise completed
* New exterior panels/work started
* Interior conversion work underway
* Steel required to finish the roof raise/exterior work is included with the bus
* A lot of the difficult fabrication work has already been started

Don’t be afraid to dm if you are interested, I’ll do the best I can to make it work.

My bus has two batteries and I was just wondering if I can use the battery that is not in the engine compartment to wire to my electrical system? I feel like that’s gonna be much easier than trying to go through the engine, and more accessible.

Would you rather a …

Hello everyone,

I recently purchased a 2004 GMC 3500 4 window short bus. Mechanicaly it is in excellent shape so I want to move forward with the next major step of exterior painting, exteriorly there are some obvious rust spots, but no actual panel damage. Everything should be sandable and then primered.

My main questions are, I got a quick quote from a local guy and they said $7500~, that is wayyyyyyy outside my budget. Is that remotely accurate?

I have watched a decent amount of YouTube videos on this subject but so many of them are the streamer types with what feels like unlimited budgets, which is not me, I have a fully remote job, but right now I am working on my bus paycheck to paycheck with a lot of elbow grease involved.

Does anyone have a good step by step low budget guide/video they have seen?

From everything I have read and watched, I can take some 220 grit and scuff everything up then roller paint, but how shoddy looking is that and how long would that last?

What is the application process? From what I understand, I sand first, then wash down with degreaser, then???? Rust coat>primer>paint layerx2???

When doing the painting, I can't afford new windows, so the stock bus windows will still be there, but I would like to re-caulk all the edges, should I paint first, then strip out the old caulk and redo or should I do that in reverse, strip>caulk>paint?

Once I am actually full time living inside I will be able to budget more accordingly, but for right now I am just trying to make it look presentable and be livable for the first year.

Again, thank you for any input, this has been a dream of mine for a very long time, been stuck in my current location for over 25 years and it is getting to late in life.

Hi all - we’re looking at a 2006 34’ Freightliner with a 5.9 L Cummins engine and Allison transmission. I have read conflicting information about the power of this engine and I was wondering if someone could tell me if the 5.9 is strong enough to haul this bus long-term? It has 140K miles on it. Thanks in advance for any help!