Those metal tracks are no joke. I had to remove 5 out of my van. Lots of grinding. Smart, repurposing the saw blades. ✌️

My bus had at least 60 feet of these stupid rails. I took a week off of work and it took me the full 7 days to get them out on my own! Seriously such a pain and had to visit the chiropractor after. I ended up using the angle grinder and slicing at each bolt like your have detailed.... but I found perpendicular worked better? I tried cutting below but there was some sort of rubber that burnt up my grinder. This was seriously the worst part of the whole build so far... SO SMART to make a new shank. Anyway, I feel your pain. It will be a faint memory soon!! You’re doing great!!

@BasicallyNomads

3 жыл бұрын

I completely understand your pain! It really has been the absolute worst part. I was actual doubting my abilities to even finish the job because of those stupid rails 😂. I cut a line in the video that I should have kept detailing how these are almost always different in every bus. So just like you said you could grind them off from below, I totally understand that too because I watched 5 videos on how to remove these and they were almost all different 🙄.

IL in the house really cool to see someone from my home state doing a build!! My wife and I want to start ours soon and think we will take some notes from you bus layout is amazing!

Can't wait for your next video. Learning a lot.

Hey man im watching, I knew it was something about ya man the talent is there for a fact! Keep doing what you doing man nothing but success...

@BasicallyNomads

3 жыл бұрын

Hey thanks man!! Hope all is well on your side, but yeah I'm really enjoying life over here 😁.

Awesome fantastic video! Picking up my bus Friday!!!!

@BasicallyNomads

2 жыл бұрын

Woooo! That’s awesome!! Good luck with the build!

brooo... you are the man!!! very good job...

Got one of these busses, he is not liking about those rails, I used grinder for all, but the old floor is out. At the rust grinding stage. So much fun, but will be worth. It when the floor is in. Local stores are out of 1 1/2 inch insulation. Waiting on restock

@BasicallyNomads

Жыл бұрын

Glad you got those rails off! What a pain lol. Good luck getting the insulation! I'd do 3 inches if you can, but that's only possible with a higher ceiling height.

Just found your channel. Subscribed. Looking forward to watching the build.

@BasicallyNomads

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for following along. Working on the next video right now!

awesome video. question - why use Polystyrene instead of higher R value Polyisocyanurate

Why possible handy talented people about building buses and more only in the USA, Canadian y’all need to come through

Great job!

@BasicallyNomads

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you!

Looking good ! Finished converting a 2008 ic ce300 7 windows bus 3 months ago after 3 months of work. Very similar to the one you are working on. Did not have those aluminum rails because mine was not a special needs bus. Even though you have already converted a bus before, if you have any question about that particular bus model, maybe I could help.

Hi man, I loved your video and I'm planning to get a school bus and convert to my home. I would like to know how do you get the idea for layout everything. The type of bus I'm planning to get is a Thomas 2001, 84 passenger. And the engine is CAT 2136, I have read bad thing about it. What do you think?

I am at the point of pulling those railings out what a nightmare. And I've got a short bus. My railings will not Bend, it breaks very easily

Is there a 2nd follow up video?

With your tracks did they have rubber underneath them?

You should get a small sand blaster that hooks to an air compressor. That would save you time instead of wire brush maybe? The granulite isn't super pricey either.

@BasicallyNomads

3 жыл бұрын

Good idea! I could probably actually get down to bare metal too. I didn't spend TOO much time with the wire wheel so idk if the cost would offset the time.

The simplest way is to keep the rails.

I just installed those “freakin aluminum rails” haha 😂. They are expensive. Too bad those weren’t able to salvaged.

@BasicallyNomads

Жыл бұрын

😂 I still have nightmares about them! Haha. At least they were aluminum so the scrap value wasn’t terrible 😅

This must be a 2009 model year bus that you're converting in this video, since the unit number starts with 9, as in some states, they use the model year as part of the unit number. I see that you're converting an IC CE300 with an International 3300 cowled chassis, powered by the 7.6 liter MaxxForce DT I6 diesel engine, that was used as a special needs school bus with a flat-floor interior.

Holy Smokes! SO sorry about those beastly rails! But that time-lapse photography makes it look like snap & it's done! Everyone be sure to tune in for updates because the bus looks great so far...

@BasicallyNomads

3 жыл бұрын

Haha, yeah I wish it was as easy as it looked! Cutting from below with the grinder helped immensely! But I couldn't reach them all that way unfortunately 😭. Just glad that part is over and done with 😂

Where's part 2

Too late to be of any help, but there are drill bits made especially for drilling out spot welds that would make short work of those track bolts.

@BasicallyNomads

3 жыл бұрын

I'll keep it in mind, but my preference is to never touch a bus with those rails again 🤣🤣

@kenandgia3742

2 жыл бұрын

I am currently dealing with this. What kind of drill bits are they? Like what are they called?

So Im doing a build as well Im at the same point but my question is. And its prob dumb but why even mess with the tails or pull the wood ? Wouldn’t it be extra insulation if left ? Just make sure you miss the rails when having to drill anything…..

@BasicallyNomads

2 жыл бұрын

There's a few reasons I wouldn't personally want to do that. The first being that you don't really know the condition of the subfloor unless you pull the wood up. That old obs holds moisture which leads to rust. Almost all bus floors have some rust, but it's good to see how much. Secondly, it's not an effective insulation, especially if it has these aluminum rails which would be a conductor and help to transfer the outside temp in to the bus. The last reason is more personal, but I feel like it's the more professional practice to rip everything out and have a bare frame to start with. I wouldn't be the end of thr world if you left it, but I wouldn't count it as insulation so it would be taking space from your headroom.

What would you normally use on the holes if you did not use the foil tape in your own build?

@BasicallyNomads

2 жыл бұрын

Welding them up would be the absolute best I’d assume. Nothing wrong with the foil I guess, It’s just so thin that it could get punctured if something hit it from underneath.

@dockledoo

2 жыл бұрын

@@BasicallyNomads what did you use on your build? Did you weld?

What were you framing for at 10:40?

@BasicallyNomads

Жыл бұрын

For the diesel tank access port.

Oscillating cutter tool with a carbide blade would have take this down in minutes.

@BasicallyNomads

3 жыл бұрын

Wish that were the case! I have one and I can't see a scenario in which it would have out performed a Milwaukee torch blade on a Sawzall. It takes minutes to cut through sheet metal.. with mine anyway. Maybe I need to upgrade my multitool 🤣

Lmfao im doing this now atm and it sucks! Im just grinding the rails in front of the bolts then sawing under the small piece of rail left

@BasicallyNomads

2 жыл бұрын

It was the absolute worst! Did yours have the plywood under the railing as well? I heard some people had a better experience because the ply was only on the sides of the rail. Sure would have made the job easier!

@The.juan.fernandez

2 жыл бұрын

@@BasicallyNomads bro its even worse its rubber strips under it so i can't even cut under just the rail. I have to chisel out the rubber then cut

@BasicallyNomads

2 жыл бұрын

@@The.juan.fernandez if anyone understands your pain.. its me 🤣 Good luck on the build.. at least you're getting the hardest part out of the way now LOL

@The.juan.fernandez

2 жыл бұрын

@@BasicallyNomads agreed lol

Zero purpose in framing the floor. Waste of money and insulation value.

@BasicallyNomads

Жыл бұрын

I’ve learned that since. Videos a bit old at this point.

American culture is always to avoid hard work. Sad. Those rails is not a good reason to avoid a good bus. Just do what it takes to remove them and move on with your life. It's just a little hard work that doesn't last forever. Good grief.

@BasicallyNomads

2 жыл бұрын

Go buy em then. Clearly you don't build buses for a living 😆😂 for everyone else, just avoid these if you can to save yous time and money. No reason to make something purposefully difficult 🤣 what a negative mindset...