| Author |
Message |
InfoSeeker
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, December 22, 2004 - 4:36 pm: | |
Hello,
Wondering if anyone out there would like to comment on the similarites and differences between a Bus Conversion like an MCI-9 and an average Truck Conversion, like a Class 8.
Topics like, cost, measurements/weights of vehicles, towing capacities, maintenance costs/ease, driving ease, floor plans/living spaces...etc etc.
Thankyou. |
Jon W.
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, December 22, 2004 - 4:50 pm: | |
I can make several comments, but so you understand my bias, I have a bus conversion. With a bus conversion you have a driveline, engine, and all systems similar to or identical to a truck. The reliability is therefore comparable.
A bus can offer more useable space. Due to the construction such as the lack of deep frame rails a bus has a lot of underfloor space for storage, holding tanks, generator, etc. These spaces are easily heated.
The above floor space is greater. A truck conversion automatically loses the length of the hood as livable space for living or storage. A bus has the potential living space extend right up to the dash, especially if the co-pilot seat can swivel to become a part of the living room furniture.
A truck has advantages in that you can get almost any kind of engine or transmission combination. On a bus conversion the choices are very limited. If it is done right, regardless of whether it is a truck or bus they still beat the fiberglass boxes. |
Henry R. Bergman, Jr. (Henryofcj)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, December 22, 2004 - 5:02 pm: | |
I suppose it also depends upon the $budget$ one has. My Crown Super Coach only cost me $3000.00 and if I do the conversion, will PROBABLY (hopefully) have less than $25K in the thing.
However, one can buy an excellent condition class 8 tractor for less than $25,000, then do the conversion himself, saving even more along the way, plus have fun doing the conversion.
Bottom line is that it seems we may be just comparing apples and oranges. Both good and sweet, but with entirely different flavors and textures. The choice is yours, which also makes it very fun. |
Don/TX
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, December 22, 2004 - 8:07 pm: | |
Always one to play devils advocate, I will add a few things also in favor of the class 8.. You will not have the lost space of the engine hood if you choose a "stub nosed" truck. The pluses are that from that perch you have a far superior view of other traffic and dangers. The choice of engine and transmissions are not only endless, but cheap and available also. It is hard to work on most buses engines, while the truck will be a breeze. Most truck shops do not choose to touch a bus mostly because of this, and when they do the labor is of course much more. You can buy one heck of a truck for FAR LESS than any $25,000, and what you get is a vehicle designed to tool around all day with 80,000 lbs dragging behind, and lots newer than the bus probably also. Having to build the living quarters and probably stretch the wheelbase of the tractor would be more work of course. |
John that newguy
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, December 22, 2004 - 9:09 pm: | |
Since the cab is usually an integral section of most Class 8 chassis,
building a body will involve more problems with design. While
it's true that any truck garage prefers to work on a truck, how
will they feel when you roll in with that Brockway with the
transmission someplace under your living room?
Almost all motorhomes are built on truck chassis, and all have
the same problems with accessing the engine, drivetrain and
suspension system. Making a motorhome out of a truck isn't
a new invention or design innovation, it's the promotion of
complications.
Actually, it's one of the main reasons guys decide to convert buses. |
Don/TX
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, December 22, 2004 - 9:45 pm: | |
True, but: I know of NO motorhome that is built on a class 8 truck chassis (far, far different from a P30 Chev chassis). You don't have the same access problems as a motorhome, no motorhome that I know of raises the whole cab to easily access the engine. Access to tranny is almost ALWAYS from underneath, very easy access, unlike the bus that you have to pull the engine to access it.
I am not completely sure what you mean by "Since the cab is usually an integral section of most Class 8 chassis". They are a SEPARATE part from the chassis. |
Tim Hoskinson (Tdh37514151)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, December 22, 2004 - 9:46 pm: | |
It sure makes it interesting when everyone has their own idea of a great motorhome. I started out with a Mack fire truck sripted off the pumper body and was going to put on a box body to make into my motorhome. Then I saw my first 1948 silverside GM and that was the end of the fire truck. The nice thing about this is the folks that like the Eagles,prevost,MCI,GM,CROWN or modified truck old and newer all share information and good times. Hope you all have a very nice and safe christmas. Tim |
TWO DOGS
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, December 22, 2004 - 9:47 pm: | |
Interesting question..Don has a point & with a cabover...they are DIRT cheap...buyers market...make sure to get a late model one with either a big cam cummins,or a 3406B cat...do not get one with a 3406A engine,or get the nice dettoit series 60 engine..all of these engines are about the same cubic inch,but,are 4-stroke....stretch the frame & ad your living quarters...whatever your dream on back....there is a fellow in Amarillo has an airstream trailer mounted to the truck rails,he did a neat job,skirted it all with deckplate...you will have a choice of horsepower from 250 to 500 |
John that newguy
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, December 22, 2004 - 10:18 pm: | |
Don (& T D)-
By "integral", I mean the cab (and engine cover) are made by
the chassis manufacturer and designed as to be part, not apart...
That is... If I were to make a motorhome out of one, I wouldn't
be able to easily use the cab that's already there... unless I wanted
to get out and walk to the "motorhome" section.
If he buys a cab over unit, he's limited to leaving the cab over
intact and building a separate section behind it. With any
other type cab, the modifications will be nearly as involved.
Doing away with the original cab section and building out,
using the "motorhome" section as part of the cab, defeats
any ease of access to the original truck's design.
That's not to say it's not possible to do it, there are companies
already making them... But I'd be willing to bet, that the ease
of accessing the truck components are not as easy after conversion,
as it was before.
Driving and riding in a truck, is also a bit more harsh than in
a bus. I doubt there's any argument there? You do not need
an "air ride" driver's seat in a bus to keep your kidneys in place.
The turning radius of a bus vs the turning radius of a Class 8?
Consider the thought of an extended chassis and the turning
radius...
Building a motorhome on a truck chassis is going to involve
building a building before he designs the interior. Storage space
will be a premium, since there is not a "bay" area built into the
chassis.. Building under the chassis may involve some involved
strategy, since there's a drive shaft, etc to work around.
It's easier, quicker and more economical to make a motorhome
out of a bus. All the provisions for design are already there. Just
empty it out and build away. Undercarriage compartments galore
and room to spare.
And I'd bet the resale of the unit would be a whole hell of a lot
easier.... if you change your mind 1/2 way through..
Just another opinion..... That's what the guy's looking for... |
Don/TX
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, December 22, 2004 - 10:30 pm: | |
Hey ask the guy that owns one! Would you believe a US Senator that drives and owns one? Go here to hear him tell all about it: http://www.etrucker.com/apps/news/article.asp?id=44406 |
Don/TX
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, December 22, 2004 - 10:39 pm: | |
OK John, I understand what you meant there. I was just assuming that the cab would be left intact of course since it usually is.
Don Walworth of these boards did an interesting one a year or two ago, bouht an old Schneider Freightliner with a DD 60, took off the second rear axle, and pulls his Airstream with it! Buses, yep, he has an MCI but was tired of those weeny 770 lbs of torque crawling up hills. He reports NO problems now! I rode in it, the ride is certainly comparable to any bus for comfort. |
mel4104
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, December 22, 2004 - 10:41 pm: | |
does any one rember what the name of the outfit that put together a class 8 truck front end and streched the rear end back to where it normally sat in the rear of a MCI bes shell they toke every thing from the bus windshield back and joined it to the truck cab, when looking underneith it it hac a drive shaft super long and steady bearings all over going along the shaft, the builders liked it however every one else just said thanks but no thanks to the idea, it was at an rv show in Yuma about 10 years ago |
John that newguy
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, December 22, 2004 - 10:44 pm: | |
Don-
I really have to laugh...
From that web site regarding Ben Nighthorse; Campbell
Colorado, U.S. Senate:
"The added feature of a tractor-trailer is that I can use the tractor
alone if I don’t want to go on extended trips, as it is equipped
with double bunks, refrigerator, television, microwave and a
bathroom, as well as a 10-foot bed. The trailer is a 50-foot Cargo
Express with self-contained living quarters and a 22-foot cargo
office shop area. It has a viewing deck roof and ramp rear door for
drive-in loading.
The total cost of my Class 8 RV was $165,000, which was a lot"
I can see pulling into a campground with a 50' trailer on the back
of a tractor the size of the average class A......
That's $165,000 of taxpayer's dollars... Not bad. I would have
opted for a new fire truck, if I were from Campbell..
I don't know, Don...... whatever beats the drum.... Why not buy
the tractor and a mobile home to tote around? Egads... what's
next, a motorized double-wide?
(I'll stick with my puny 40' MC9) |
Don/TX
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, December 22, 2004 - 10:58 pm: | |
Yeah, I would like to see a photo of his "rv". Now you really got me thinking there with that new thought. I used to haul mobile homes around the country with a Class 8, it wasn't that bad really, people get out of your way, and you get to have an escort lots of the time too. Hmmmm, deserves more exploration! You realize a 16 by 80 is FOUR TIMES the space of a puny little 40 footer. |
John that newguy
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, December 22, 2004 - 11:11 pm: | |
Haaa... yeah.. Don.. It'd sure raise hell at the KOA..
"you got 100amp connects?"..
2,000 gal black tank... But draggin' that leach field is a bear..
That $165,000 figure really tossed me. I guess for a Senator
that's raping...errrr -reaping- a paycheck double that, it's not
too bad.. I would prefer to keep my cost down a bit lower..
Cheers! |
Jayrjay
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, December 23, 2004 - 12:16 am: | |
Bus-conversion? Class 8? Hmmm... why not do one of each? His and Hers??? Get back to us in a couple of years and let us know which you like best. Let |@n sell the other for you. BTW How do you handle the "no class C" campgrounds if you have 50K in a Class 8 that they see as a Class C? Seems to me one of the female country western singers had a public spit'n match over her $400K Freightliner not being allowed in a camp because it was a "C"! ...JJ |
Johnny
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, December 23, 2004 - 1:36 am: | |
No C's? I've seen some stupid rules, but that's a first.
And, $165,000 for a motorhome doesn't seem that high, especially for one that will probably run 1,000,000+ miles.
I have to say that the cutaway Freightliner FB65 & the new International 3800's at work would make pretty nice motorhomes. |
Lin
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, December 23, 2004 - 2:20 am: | |
I'm sure everyone here has seen what Kingsley does with truck motorhomes. They do look impressive. |
FAST FRED
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, December 23, 2004 - 5:15 am: | |
Trucks were built to carry STUFF.
Busses were designed to carry PEOPLE.
There IS a difference in the ride.
FAST FRED |
Ed Skiba (Ednj)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, December 23, 2004 - 6:15 am: | |
To=Mel 4104.
here's one but its a Prevost & Pete,Not MCI
http://www.customlandyachts.com/ |
Don/TX
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, December 23, 2004 - 7:39 am: | |
OK Fred, is that because they use "harder air" in the airbags on a truck? With the cab suspended separately from the frame, the entire truck suspended on air, and the seat suspended on air, from my experience the class 8 truck was built for someone to live in and drive for weeks at a time. The bus was built to have a fresh driver every few miles with a long rest between shifts. Don't knock it til you try it. My wife was a passenger for a half million miles in our Kenworth W900L, and thousands of miles in the bus. She prefers the Kenworth. |
TWO DOGS
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, December 23, 2004 - 8:28 am: | |
As far as comfort...given a choice of driveing cross country,I would rather drive a big truck than a Cadilac or Mercedes |
jimmci9 #2
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, December 23, 2004 - 4:56 pm: | |
www.kingsleycoach.com 'nuff said.. |
Johnny
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, December 24, 2004 - 9:39 am: | |
Air-ride semis are comfortable--even the last one I rode in, an old GMC General, had little trouble with Boston's awful roads. It was bouncy with an empty trailer (I didn't have an air-ride seat), but pretty comfortable loaded.
The IH & Freightliner MDT-chassis buses at work are stiff in front...but I LIKE that, compared to the constant swaying & rocking of an air-suspension coach. |
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