If I'm attaching single solar panels directly to the roof panels and bring the bolt all the way through with a lock nut or two on the other side, can I go through the normal panel or do I still have to go through the cross beam?

Basically at highway speeds would attaching to just the sheeting cause it to rip loose?

Anyone have any suggestions on how to mitigate window condensation? We aren’t deleting any of them, and the guy that installed our a/c told us to spray foam them on the inside- that seems a bit cumbersome to me.. hoping for a better option. For context, we are building a library bus, not the typical RV. Nothing but shelves and books in it

$85,000

Posting for a friend. Amazing build. Contact Info: Jeff - jeff@jcsadvisors.com

https://preview.redd.it/uilm1m8uk2yc1.jpg?width=1280&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=eba924c106b71d86d77a8e09aa5db53b5a8fd874

Cross posted at the following markets:

• https://tinyhouselistings.com/listings/clark-the-skoolie
• https://www.skoolielivin.com/classified/2002-international-3800t-diesel-mid-size-for-sale-idaho/
• https://buslifeadventure.com/classifieds/ad/school-buses,2/clark-the-skoolie,680

No expense was spared to build Clark the skoolie!  Best materials and professional help from experienced craftsmen. We have over $145,000 into this build and will provide receipts upon request to the new owner.  We have driven over 5,000 miles with Clark with no mechanical issues (except the thermostat going bad).  Tough to let go of Clark for ~50% of the cost to build, but we just don't have room in the shop for Clark.

Clark has 125,000 miles on a Turbo 444E diesel engine with an Allison 545 transmission and mid-size bus, only 26' long. This Eastern WA bus has no rust!  Mechanically, Clark has had everything redone from wheels to injectors.  We tapped professionals for help with painting, carpentry, mechanical, electrical, and fabrication, plus we put in over 1,000 hours of work (labor not counted in cost of build).  Everything is top of the line, examples include: Isotherm fridge/freezer, Huntwood cabinets, Victron components, Focal speakers, etc.

Custom designed electrical system by AM Solar: 1200 amp hours of lithium, 1000 watts of solar, and 3000 amp inverter.  Safety is paramount with 4 JMG (DOT approved) leather seats with safety belts, driving cameras and lights on all sides, smoke alarms, gas detectors, and fire extinguisher.Clark has a full bath with nature's head toilet, along with Froli queen bed sleeping system, his and her closets, reading lamps, and night shelves.  Keep cool with Nomadic 3000 AC and fans. Stay warm with Espar high-altitude diesel air and hydronic water heater. 

Too much to cover in this ad, see https://clarktheskoolie.com for details, video, and photos.

If you have to fly out to see Clark and you buy our skoolie, we will refund your cost of flying.  Moreover, we will deliver Clark if you live west of the Rockies (you cover the fuel costs).

I'm a newbie and I'm I'm looking for tips (like a few others probably)

https://discord.gg/Tr8PcqY7

I’m looking for a site that I can put in the size of bus and get ideas for floor plans I’m looking at a 10 window bus from what I’ve seen it’s got about 25 ft of building space behind the seat so just looking for floor plan ideas.

How many of you are on the road? Do you do your own maintenance? Do you have a tool box?

Does anyone stock their own filters?

I lived in a bus for a couple years and now work as a diesel mechanic. I’d move back into it if I found land nearby but never really hit the road. I’d like to some day.

This stuff is rarely discussed. Tell me your horror stories. Tell me how overly prepared you are. Tell me stuff.

Hello there, you fine creative MacGuyvers and mavericks!

Can you please help me problem-solve?

So my beautiful converted skoolie is in California with expired Maryland license plates.

I’m currently a resident of Illinois.

How can I get it across the country safely and legally and quickly?

(I’m a BIPOC woman, so I’m extra nervous plus it’s 40 ft long with air brakes!)

There was an issue with the title being in South America, but it’s been located and I will have it in my possession.

Also, is there any way to get it registered in Vermont? I heard that loophole ended but would it count to have ties to VT if I registered for online classes at a Vermont Community College?

Thanks so much for reading and for any advice and suggestions! Happy Trails!

I insisted that my husband put hooks for my hammocks, hammock chairs, clotheslines, plants, cargo, and decorations. I bought these on closeout on a yachting website for $2.50 each. They are mounted from the ribs of the bus and rated for 1000 pounds each.

NO REGRETS, Y’ALL.

Don’t think I want to do any window deletes as this will not be our full time living situation, what’s the best way to keep the windows from leaking? I think I need new sealant all around but not sure the best type or method.

Also they can be really hard to close all the way. Any tricks to improving that?

Hope y'all are doing well! Long story short, I have a skoolie that was built out by someone else, including the electrical system, so I'm still getting myself familiarized with it.

There's a battery monitor installed to keep track of the battery's charge level, but it seems that it wasn't properly wired in: The inverter and solar charge controller both are wired directly to the battery, bypassing the battery monitor's shunt, so it can't keep track of the incoming charge from the solar controller, or the load pulled through the inverter.

My idea is just to rewire the ground connections for the charge controller and the inverter so that they pass through the shunt, like everything else in the system. But I'm a bit nervous to touch it since I don't have a huge amount of experience with 12v electrical systems, and I want to make sure that I'm not going to zap myself or melt any wires.

I attached a simple electrical diagram I drew up, as well as a video I recorded in order to show what the system currently looks like.

The system consists of a 400Ah AGM battery bank, 600w of solar panels going through a PowMr charge controller, a 3000W Renogy inverter (connected to an AC breaker box that goes to the outlets throughout the bus), and numerous DC loads (fridge, lighting, fan, fridge, etc.) which all connect to a DC fuse box.

If anyone with electrical experience has any insight on what my best course of action here is, I'd be really grateful! Let me know if I can provide any more info, thanks a lot.

Video: https://v.redd.it/4qow6vvwo9xc1

https://preview.redd.it/cbswf2kxt9xc1.png?width=1495&format=png&auto=webp&s=215ac01185dc921fb95cacef12e826e8233ba432

Working my way through the country in a Blue Bird All American Re 300. Has a cummins ISC and Allison md3060. I was having some troubles with overheating through the mountains but learned to keep it cool.

Once about 1000 miles into the trip, I started to feel a slight rock when the bus was accelerating. I couldn't tell if it was the rough roads of NM or the transmission so I played around with it a bit. There seems to be a problem with every gear (except first tdb) where as I accelerated down hill anytime the transmission went to shift I would feel a forward and backwards rock in the bus and it refused to shift. I could get into higher gears if I coasted through the speed needed to shift.

Currently on the side of the road for the night, hoping no issues getting moving in the morning, but any advice/insights?

EDIT: Forgot to mention, when I pulled off, I revved to about 1900 rpm no issue

I’ve got a small rusted section, and it has a small hole about a quarter size, and unfortunately is right on a seam … which is making it more difficult in my head to repair. Advice to resolve this issue?

Hey yall!

I need some advice on what flooring to use in my skoolie.

Right now we have a wooden subfloor and we need to put some actual flooring in.

We need it to be some easy cleanup style flooring so I was thinking some peel and stick vinyl tiles but I’m worried about the adhesive peeling because of the heat in the bus. (We are in South Carolina)

What do yall use and what works well? Not interested in serious hardwood flooring.

Thanks in advance, pic for attention!

Thinking of buying a cutaway and converting it after college and renting a small part of someone’s land to park it on, driving to and from work in my car. Is this a good idea? Probably saving money rather than renting an apartment—also if I move I wouldn’t have to be concerned about moving furniture + all the benefits of a skoolie.

How often does a diesel bus, like a pre-2003 7.3 Ford (basically the one everyone wants) need to be driven for optimal health? They’re easier to park, so just weighing my options… should I bother trying to find land “out in the county” to rent, or just frequent an RV park?

Anyone want to chime in if I'm missing anything on my subfloor build? My floor is stripped and covered with rustolem paint. I'm planning on laying down 2x4 into squares and filling it with 2x4 foam board r10 and subfloor glue and screws in on the 2x4 frame. I'm worried about loosing headspace with the 2x4 and LVP. Maybe going 1x4 and lighter on insulation.

I bought a semi converted short Skokie and it currently has 1200 watts (4x400W panels. It takes up the whole roof and I really want a roof deck so I ’m considering taking 2 panels down.

We will be powering some laptops, a water heater, a water pump, a 12v fridge, some led strips and maybe a TV and ps4.

I’m thinking 800watts of solar should be fine but I’m VERY new at this and would like some advice, thanks!!!

In between projects in the bus, it's nice to have a good view when you're taking a break.

Hi everyone, I’m looking for tires for the skoolie my wife and I just bought. We are in Ontario, Canada. From what I’ve found, the tire sizes are 315/80R/22.5 or 10.00R20. Are there any other options out there? I was looking at 295/75R/22.5, but I have no idea anything about tires. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Okay, so, I'll be living in my skoolie full time in some pretty extreme weather during the winters. Because if this, I obviously won't be keeping my stock windows, which is honestly heartbreaking. I looked into the custom RV windows that look like school bus windows but that's just too exorbitant of a cost to be realistic for me.

So here's my thought. Buy dual pane rv windows that open like bus windows (or similar) and paint a metallic silver on the exterior frame of the windows to mimic the look of bus windows from the outside. Has anyone done this? How did it hold up? Is this a reasonable compromise for the look I'm trying to achieve while staying within my budget?

Let me know if you’re looking for window deletes from Skoolie . Com …. I have 7 I believe. I’ll see at discount because I’m not going to use them. Would love to get rid of them. Hopefully someone needs the same size

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1163986534599568/

I have an older truck. It’s a 1984 f250 and I know the whole history from when it was bought originally in 84 to how I got in in 2019. It’s only got 56k miles and I do know the truck. I’m looking to trade for a Skooklie or larger rv of the sorts and I don’t want to prematurely pull the trigger. I also know I won’t get this opportunity again.

Is this bus a solid looking bus to use as a platform? Does anyone here know anything about our buses or could you link me where so?

I am installing my 12,000 Btu 110-120v Pioneer Mini-split and would like to know of what would be the best 3 way Transfer Switch to use for plugging it up to my 2000w Champion inverter generator ( it only has the 120v plug in on the generator), my battery bank, and if I am ever around anywhere with it to also be able to run off of shore power ( very rare ).

I am undermounting my Outside unit of the Mini split so I will want the transfer switch to be very robust to weather ( heat, cold, water, ice, etc ).

The 12000 btu Pioneer minisplit says 20 amps for 12 Awg which I have been using so 20-25 amps. So the transfer switch has to be able to hold 20-25 amps I think.

Thank you in advance!