Is it legal to drive a DL3 without the back bumper?

Jim Blackwood · November 18, 2018, 04:29:06 PM

Not sure why it isn't on the bus.

Jim

buswarrior · November 18, 2018, 04:48:07 PM

If it was your car,would you be asking?

If you get stopped, how many other things are wrong?

You only get one freebie...

You're asking this bunch of godless heathens?

Happy coaching!
Buswarrior

luvrbus · November 18, 2018, 04:52:15 PM

You are required to have a rear bumper ,just buy some old guard rail or a piece of channel and bolt it on that works BTDT,maybe the bumper is in a bay

Jim Blackwood · November 18, 2018, 06:21:53 PM

Right. So best not leave it as-is. One way trip though, I suspect a pressure treated 2x10 painted black might serve. Or 2x12. Opinions?

Jim

Dave5Cs · November 18, 2018, 06:29:34 PM

I vote for the 2 x 10 in a nice Blue with reflectors on the ends!

windtrader · November 18, 2018, 06:57:43 PM

Quote from: Jim Blackwood on November 18, 2018, 06:21:53 PM
Right. So best not leave it as-is. One way trip though, I suspect a pressure treated 2x10 painted black might serve. Or 2x12. Opinions?

Jim

You bought a bus??

Jim Blackwood · November 18, 2018, 09:43:49 PM

Not yet but working on it.

Jim

bevans6 · November 19, 2018, 05:59:14 AM

Only two reasons to take the back bumper off, in the normal course of things. Bus got hit from behind, or someone was getting ready to take the engine out. If you are working on buying this bus, those are questions I would ask myself...

dtcerrato · November 19, 2018, 06:05:04 AM

In my younger years I had a 66 VW Kombi Van with 4x6 CA redwood front & rear bumpers pinstriped in white under many coats of Crystal clear resin. Got lots of good words on them beauties. My favorite was in the Cheech & Chong movie "Up in smoke" they had bumpers made of hashish brick!

buswarrior · November 19, 2018, 06:10:32 AM

Heed Brian's warning...

What did they find, to trigger the sale, and they aren't even mentally competent enough to put the bumper back on to hide their efforts?

In a collision, the bumper typically caves in the centre, striking the crankshaft pully, and shocking the entire drivetrain, mounts and structure, depending on the force.

Very suspicious...

Happy coaching!
Buswarrior

luvrbus · November 19, 2018, 06:22:20 AM

Lot people remove the rear bumper on a DL because they don't like the ugly @$# transit bumper and with those bumpers the DL3 is 45'6" long and some by the book inspectors at the local DMV frown on it when changing the plates over to a RV BTDT in AZ

Jim Blackwood · November 19, 2018, 07:36:06 AM

So you guys are saying I need to specifically ask why the bumper was removed in the first place. That's fair. An engine that runs but is headed south would make it not so good of a deal to be sure, and I was wondering why the owner is dragging his feet on his asking price. That could be it. Hopefully I'll find out today. If it's a problem I can pass. As Grampaw always said, there's never so good a deal but what an equally good one isn't right behind it. I try to remember that. Those Houston buses look pretty fine, but winter's hardly begun and they are far away. Plenty of time to look, cash in hand. Something will come up.

My thinking is that if the Houston fleet is selling off their old stock with 500-700K miles on them that should be fairly typical and I should see that elsewhere. Just what I'm looking for. $6500 is right in my price range too.

Jim

luvrbus · November 19, 2018, 07:55:52 AM

As anything on these boards think the worst and hope for the best there could be a number of reason for the back bumper to be off it only has 6 -1/2 bolts holding it on

richard5933 · November 19, 2018, 10:27:08 AM

Don't know the bus, but could this be a rust issue?

tuccitown · November 19, 2018, 10:49:57 AM

My dad caught the the bumper on a pole at the fuel station. He didn't hear it getting ripped off the back of the coach during a hard turn out of the station. The scenics with 8 rear tires actually have a lot of tail whip. As the bumper got taco'd it took out the rear taillight panel battery door and AC condenser door.

I have managed to repair all but the rear bumper and have put about 2100 miles on it last year without the rear bumper, although the scenics muffler configuration kind of looks like a rear bumper and would probably act like one more then the original aluminum bumper. This was replaced with what looked like a steel truck bumper and I didn't care for that look. I have a 4905 bumper I am planning to use.

Long story short I have been passed by many WSP and OSP knock on wood without any issues.

Jack