^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I won the bid for a bus that appear to be in good condition. I know what to expect for a bus from the north (rust), the possible mechanical conditions problems (bad tires, no A/C, engine may be require some serious service), so buying without seeing wasn't too much as risk.
After delay and delay (schedule, no license, holiday conflict etc), after 1 year and 3 month I went north to pickup the bus. The bus had been parked in the same spot for two years, same diesel fuel - not sure it is still good or not, 2 8D battery packs were dead, and re-charged and it wasn't working either. I hired a truck service to jump start the bus, sort of get it running. Not realizing it has been sucking juice from the service truck, we couldn't get it to run after put in back to right configuration.
Good news - excellent AC, it ran. Engine didn't smoke at all, one would except loose ring everywhere in that DD 6V92 turbo, all air bags hold up, windows were free of frost; and it has low miles 420,000.
Bad news - didn't move the bus to test transmission, tires were badly needed for replacement, door controls wasn't working right, the air compressor were a bit slow to build up pressure (7-8 minutes to build up to 90 psi).
After considering what were the unknown, the expect expenses (tune up, fuel costs, tires) -that calls for a budget of $4500 plus unknown just to bring the bus down to Texas.
Around Christmas, someone wanted to buy my bus, so I left him have it. It's just too much work/money to make the bus run properly.
Bus Tire - August 2010
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I phoned many freeway/ road side commercial truck service stops like Pilot, Flying J, Petro, looking for my transit bus tires.To my surprise, that (1) - They don't know much about the metric tires, (2) they only carry inventory for the 11R, or truck/trailer tires. The bus tires or 12R tires are special order items. The lead time varies from 3 days to 10 days.
Well, where do I go for the RV/Bus tires then?
photos: 2010 Germany Berlin
plugs: 782sa.blogspot.com
Update: 2010.08.12
Well, there is no such thing as 305/80R22.5
There is 305/85R22.5
and 315/80R22.5 Tires
I was shooting for tires that don't exist ! Err
Update: 2010.08.18
Suitable Highway Tires (from Michelin)
XZA1 315/80R22.5 75mph, 42.5 dia, 489 rpm
XZA2 315/80R22.5 75mph, 42.3 dia 492 rpm
XZU S 305/85R22.5 65 mph, 42.9 dia 486 rpm
June 2009 - I did it - bought a bus
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I did it.
I wanted to buy a bus to be used as conversion for sometime now. After 12 years, I jumped into action and purchased a bus over the Internet.
5-6 years ago, I went online and started bidding on bus auctions. But I was not daring to put up high bids to "make sure" I could win the auctions.
I bid low - on buses in bad condition; I didn't get it.
I bid higher than I was planned on buses with highway gearing; I didn't get it.
I watched good buses auctioned off for reasonable prices; I wasn't in the mood to do it.
I saw the RV piled up in the dealers lots, RV workers lost jobs when the gas price hit over $4.00 a gallon; I thought the RV was too expensive for average Joe's.
Now, I am getting older now and a bit more disciplined, or I am better at managing expectations. I always though having a bus and working on the bus will make me happy; as others have enjoyed theirs.
I read many failed conversions, unfinished projects - it also made me feel unease about getting into this bus conversion project. I admire the bus owners for their passions, envy of their skills and have sympathy toward their financial challenges in funding conversions.
After 12 years of on the sideline, and endless of on-and-off “dreaming & planning”, I bought a 40-ft RTS bus on eBay over the Memorial Day weekend.
I wanted to buy a bus to be used as conversion for sometime now. After 12 years, I jumped into action and purchased a bus over the Internet.
5-6 years ago, I went online and started bidding on bus auctions. But I was not daring to put up high bids to "make sure" I could win the auctions.
I bid low - on buses in bad condition; I didn't get it.
I bid higher than I was planned on buses with highway gearing; I didn't get it.
I watched good buses auctioned off for reasonable prices; I wasn't in the mood to do it.
I saw the RV piled up in the dealers lots, RV workers lost jobs when the gas price hit over $4.00 a gallon; I thought the RV was too expensive for average Joe's.
Now, I am getting older now and a bit more disciplined, or I am better at managing expectations. I always though having a bus and working on the bus will make me happy; as others have enjoyed theirs.
I read many failed conversions, unfinished projects - it also made me feel unease about getting into this bus conversion project. I admire the bus owners for their passions, envy of their skills and have sympathy toward their financial challenges in funding conversions.
After 12 years of on the sideline, and endless of on-and-off “dreaming & planning”, I bought a 40-ft RTS bus on eBay over the Memorial Day weekend.
