Finding a mechanic

[Zephod]

How do I find a bus mechanic for my school bus? All I see are car mechanics advertising. A diesel mechanic introduced himself to me but never seems to be available when I am or consistently no-shows to all bookings. So, I'm looking for a professional business n the Columbia South Carolina area.

[RJ]

Zephod -

Since you have a skoolie, have you checked with one of your local school district's fleet office?  You might find one of their technicians who'd be willing to moonlight to help you.  Ask for the shop foreman when you stop by.

If the foreman can't really help you, ask him for a referral.  Most folk in the industry know of others who are willing to do outside work.

FWIW & HTH. . .

[Zephod]

That does sound a possibility

[moosemanusa]

Not sure how the schoolies work but the transits are a nightmare..

1 - team of guys for air
2 - another for engines
3 - electrics..

and so on.. Well its that way from the locals..

Moose

[eagle19952]

Not sure how the schoolies work but the transits are a nightmare..

1 - team of guys for air
2 - another for engines
3 - electrics..

and so on.. Well its that way from the locals..

Moose

Caterpillar (as are most dealerships), has it where everyone is "specialized"...undercarriage guys don't work on transmissions and hydraulics guys don't work on engines.

that's why I went into field service.

[chessie4905]

   It is just a medium duty truck with a long back seat. Check any medium duty truck repair center. Stay away from heavy duty truck centers.$$$

[moosemanusa]

Its always smart to be the Jack of all trades

[TomC]

What is the make and model of the bus chassis? Take it to any heavy duty truck company. I know Freightliner works on lots of buses. Granted it isn't cheap, but then heavy duty vehicles are expensive. Medium duty trucks are heavy duty trucks just with a smaller engine. Typically everything else is identical to a heavy duty truck. Good Luck, TomC

[Jon]

Even though I have a store bought bus I have spent a lot of hours learning all I could about it. I have spent many, many more hours over the years repairing, maintaining or modifying my coaches over the years.

I have learned a few things in my 25 years of ownership.

You will not always have access to mechanics, and when you do have access to them, they might not know as much about your bus as you.

If you rely on others to maintain or repair or modify your coach you need bundles of cash. Maybe bales of cash.

If you rely on others to maintain or repair or modify your coach the cost might exceed the value of the coach.

If you learn your coach well enough to make most repairs, your confidence level will soar when you travel in the coach.

Nobody is likely to take the care required for maintenance, repairs or modifications as you will.

Coaches are not very complex if you try not to look at them as a whole, but as a collection of relatively simple components and systems that share the same space going down the road. Focus on single systems and if you have to make sketches, pull information off the internet, or post questions on bus forums.

[boxcarOkie]

A well written and informative comment Jon, thanks.  A bus can often be intimidating, no matter what type it might be.  Same with computers, people get turned upside down fairly quickly.  But it is just an information processing appliance, if you look at it like that, sorta like a toaster, it isn't such a big deal.

With the bus it is "Gitcha S.O.M.E." ...

Think of the acronym "S.O.M.E.," which stands for: storing, operating, maintaining and exercising.

Works for me.

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[Zephod]

Hmm... Yes... Fear of the unknown is usually greater than the unknown. I'm working my way through the bus. I'm working on Carpenter's wonderful electrics right now. The switch box beside the drivers left elbow takes a cable from the battery compartment (or sdo it appears) and feeds it to a hot panel. There's a cold panel too. The intereir lights, fans etc all feed off that panel and nowhere does it appear to be fused.