Thinking about converting a bus to an RV

[ButchS1066]

+1 to what RIR said just above. Until he passed away my uncle ran a commercial construction company, and the four pieces of heavy equipment they used enough to justify owning were a backhoe, a smallish dozer, a skid steer loader, and a jobsite forklift.

[Aglifter]

+1 for the small backhoe loader -- and, that clearing and grading is really a bulldozer job. Much of that is site-specific, though. Clearing might be better done by a Hydro-Ax (amazing good piece of equipment) if you're mostly clearing small trees -- likewise, you might be better off renting a large dozer to do the airstrip and the foundations.

Personally, I think you might be best served by getting some big equipment to do your heavy stuff -- clearing the landing strip, etc, then selling it and picking up a good tractor for maintenance/general chores -- as cheap as that backhoe/loader combination was, that's also probably something to keep.

You may also want a dump truck while you're doing the heavy stuff -- again, depends on what you're doing.

On the old ranch, we had the smallest articulated 4WD loader Kubota made, which we used quite a bit for clearing cedars -- we'd use the hydro-ax to cut and stack the bigger ones, and chainsaws, and a brush saw to cut the smaller ones, then use the loader w. a special bucket to pick up the smaller stuff.

For building roads, etc, we'd rent a big dozer, but the land had quite a few large rocks.

Now, if you plan on terracing, etc, you might want to buy a bigger dozer.

IMO, I think the best plan would be to find the land, then go talk to the local diesel mechanic/other ranchers in the area, and see what kind of equipment is used in that country.

I'm sure you're already aware of it, but remember to log your hours, and to keep strapped in. If you will be in heavy brush, see about getting some mesh added to your loader/backhoe, etc so that if you go over, you won't get impaled.

[Combat Controller]

I lived in a small trailer as a kid (it was my bedroom) and an airstream for a few years as an adult.

Get a double wide. It is cramped and inefficient, there is no room to pass each other and noise travels. In the long run you will get it just right and one month later buy a trailer anyway. So what if you haul it off? Go for cheap and livable first, worry about building a cool RV later.

[HTRN]

Yeah, a forklift was always high on my list of priorities.

After working in shops for 10 years, one of the first things I plan on buying after I move is a forklift. You can get them used at industrial auctions incredibly cheap - usually under 3 grand for a 5K solid tire lift in very good shape. If you want a larger pnuematic tire model, it's going to cost more - the riggers usually snap them up.



HTRN

[TheIrishman]

Stay away from the school buses. I worked for Laidlaw transit for 5 years as a mechanic and maintenance supervisor. The electrical systems are nightmares even when the bus is brand new. Electrical connections made with wire nuts, wires that change color half way through a run down the side panel("not enough red...screw it and hand me what ever we have"), and the suspensions/brakes don't really have what it takes for the added weight of a camper conversion. Add in that at 5' 10" I can't even stand up straight in a school bus and you are quite larger than me. There is also no way to really raise the roof without having clearance problems because you'll notice school buses sit higher than motor coaches and even transit buses. The most like one you would find would be International Genesis chassis coming off of there service limit(most states have limits as to how long they can be run as school buses regardless of mileage). The motors (IH DT466 most likely) doesn't have the legs for long highway runs and neither does the Alison AT545 auto. And don't even look at a Genesis RE(rear engined using a souped up ford powerstroke) they a maintenance whores.

I would like to add, don't use Conex boxes for long term food storage. There are more chemicals leaching out of the wood floor than you can imagine. The boards are pretty much SOAKED in insecticide to prevent foreign bugs from getting free rides around the world. We dropped a twenty footer in the woods on my sisters property for my BIL to use as a hunting cabin and the guy at the yard in Elizabeth clearly stated to swap the floor out because the stuff is seriously toxic. Also don't bury them. Not only is the top not able to handle the weight but the sides are also unable to take the pressure. If you want a below ground shooting range, use some 8' culvert pipe. It's galvanized though so be sure to use protection from the fumes if you need to weld it.

As to the equipment, I can only go by what I have seen done as I don't run the machines at work I just transport them(and occasionally load a dump truck with a small back ho like the JD310 you mentioned). My employer has however dug basements with a back ho when the lot was too small to fit one of our large excavators. It takes longer and you need to be careful where you position the machine, but it will do the job even digging through the packed clay soil here in north jersey. One friend even dug a 20' foot deep pond up in Rome PA with a smaller Kubota back ho. As you can see in the pic it isn't small either.

[Aglifter]

A loader might be a bit more useful than a forklift in a rural setting -- we have forks for our loader, they have to be manually set, etc, but we only rarely need them, and the loader is much easier to drive around rough terrain than a bobcat or forklift.

[Netpackrat]

We had a couple of "Liftall" rough terrain forklifts that worked pretty well. You can get forks for loaders, bobcats, etc, but it takes a smooth hand to use them and not damage cargo and/or delivery vehicles. I always hated making a delivery someplace where they would be using a bobcat to unload me, because the potential for damage to the truck was much higher.

[HTRN]

The motors (IH DT466 most likely) doesn't have the legs for long highway runs

That's the first I've heard that about the 466s - they're one of the most common mid sized truck engines around. I see Internationals with 5-7 yard dump bodies, and 16-20 foot flat decks. What specifically have you heard/seen that they have problems with?


HTRN

[ButchS1066]

We had a couple of "Liftall" rough terrain forklifts that worked pretty well. You can get forks for loaders, bobcats, etc, but it takes a smooth hand to use them and not damage cargo and/or delivery vehicles. I always hated making a delivery someplace where they would be using a bobcat to unload me, because the potential for damage to the truck was much higher.

One of my uncle's employees wrecked the company's concrete saw beyond repair while trying to set it off a truck with the Bobcat.

[TheIrishman]

The motors (IH DT466 most likely) doesn't have the legs for long highway runs

That's the first I've heard that about the 466s - they're one of the most common mid sized truck engines around. I see Internationals with 5-7 yard dump bodies, and 16-20 foot flat decks. What specifically have you heard/seen that they have problems with?


HTRN

I have a 12 yard 50k single axle dump at work with the 466. They're great motors but not something for long trips when paired with the auto(which almost all newer buses have). It is much better than the 444e(powerstroke) just not ideal. The auto is always searching for the right gear even with half a load on most hills. The ones in school buses are also de-tuned from the ones in heavier trucks(most school buses have a max gvw of 32k).

The 444re has constant cooling problems caused by oil and breather vent blow by clogging the radiators and intercoolers. The control cables for the electronically controlled fan clutch always snap(also happens on the 466e). Teamed with a 6 speed(or better 8) and keeping the weight down a 466 would be OK but there are better drivetrain combos out there and who wants a stick in an RV. Building a school bus into something to live in would easily over weigh the chassis.

I say over weigh the chassis because actual RV's use much thinner skin to allow for insulation to keep the interior warm. The school buses are meant simply to run kids to school and home and the occasional sports events.