One aspect of living in a skoolie is that most of us did all, or at least most, of the build and know every system. Not everyone living in a house can say that
The major majority of us will never be a pro at many parts of the build /engine/ transmission/ suspension....etc. But I go to youtube university and learn from the pros.
It’s given me great peace of mind too, as I plan for my skoolie/box van/step van, to know that very helpful vids are all over UA-cam and that the community is very helpful as a whole. I love the mindset.
Michael, strong work on these vids. So glad you started this channel so we get to see all the sucky, real parts before the rainbows and pretty stuff shows up.
OMG!!! You have a half page "to do" list. DUDE! I'm 64, work a real corporate career & operate a farm. Maintaining a house, 2 vehicles, tractor, farm imlements, ... My to do list is around 10 PAGES at all times. Complete one task, 2 more usually get added. YOU GOT IT FREAKING MADE!
Do you have a place where an older retired guy could live in? If you were willing to do it you could have a person to help with that list. Even mowing the lawn so you don't have to do it when you've got more important things to do. And you'd have extra security. Free rent should bring whatever number of hours worked you want. I'm far north but that's the place I'm looking for.
honestly your videos are a huge inspiration to me especially right now, my friends and i came together and decided we wanted to do a big road trip with our own bus and while ive been looking into it, youre videos have been the most informative and i cant wait til im able to travel with my friends in our own "tiny home" school bus
I loved going back to this early vid after watching a lot of your more recent ones. It gives a little perspective. My E350 Handi Dart build has been a blast, mixed with intense study, and confusion. Cheers.
Dude you have helped me so much. I bought a 40 foot bus and definitely over did myself but I wont give up. Im in nc and putting everything I have into the build. You have given me endless hope and inspiration to keep going regardless of the hardships.
NN---------When you paint have a damp rag in yer pocket to whipe up paint drops as you go. Much easier and leaves almost no trace. Also consider a roller with a smooth nap if you got a large area. Also use tape sos you don't get paint where you don't want it. Great video.
Another awesome video Michael.........very true.....everything takes work but the fun part is worth the effort/cost.....safe travels Thanks for sharing!!!
One thing most seem to over look is how to "winterize" your schoolie! When building it,keep in mind that you'll need to blow out all water pipes,drains,and tanks! This will save you trouble down the road!
Just subscribed! Your awesome, and your bus is hands down the best build I've seen! What a fun life you lead! I'm eventually going to get out on the road, right now I'm my mom's caretaker! But until then I will share your adventures with you through your eyes! Be safe, live free!👍🤗
Thanks, hope your mother is doing well. Thats awesome of you to act as a caretaker. Hopefully you will one day be able to travel on the road. Thanks for watching.
i had the idea to use brushless 12v computer fans for power generation. the idea is to use as many of these fans as you can get and stack them all in a long string of fans, then use a larger cone shroud to funnel as much air into the "generator as possible. set up on the roof of the bus you could get a decent amount of power generating simply from the airflow through the generator as you drive! id like to see someone try it and determine whether its worth it or not
Great content Michael! I just watched a few of your videos & will watch the rest of them very soon. Even after being IN your living room & discussing it with you, your living area video really cleared up some confusion I had about how to do some designs in my short bus. As soon as I get back from Cannonball, I will be making some changes to my seating area. THANKS AGAIN!
Buslife is hard. We moved our bus yesterday. Had a tire explode breaking our water and meant we didn’t get sleep before 4. Had to get up at 8 to go to work. It is amazing life but omg all the things.
1:08 *Did you ever convert a dog-nosed shortie, like you were pointing at???* I'm looking for one! It's gotta have wheelchair-accessible access tho. If you did, where is it? Would love to see it! 😊🚌😊🚌😊🚌🚌😊🚌😊🚌😊
I live by the code...Always try...TRY...to have spares parts,back ups...and those just in case something happens spare change.....which doesn’t leave me too much Mad money...yeah I know.I think like a old person...which I am..lol
not gonna reveal ur batcave location, but that home depot is def. on rt 23 w/ all thos' them thar hills an' trees!! :))) Good stuff, i grew up a few towns away from ya, hopefully see u on tha road..
Glad to see more videos like this thanks for the video it is Definitely it's own animal and I love it but I have learned to be Macgyver when on the road and to not sweat the small things when on the road except in California man those are some big holes lol. Thanks for sharing
One of the benefits of living in a Skoolie is the fact that you get a lot of hands on work knowing all of the bus's systems and maintaining them with many different techniques using hand-eye coordination in order to ensure that the adventure is one worthwhile
Such great videos on bus life! I’m a retired transportation director for a school district and I’m enjoying watching you work on your bus. I assume diesel is your highest expense?
It was definitely not easy at times. But my reasons were different for choosing Skoolie life. It was never intended for a lifelong journey; rather a new experience. I fully recommend buslife for anyone that is considering it. 😁
Think about everything that Could go wrong, make a plan for each and you will experience much less stress. You just think, "Here it is!" You have parts, you know where to get them, you know the types of places you can have them shipped to if you are on the road, you have a list of phone numbers, e-mail addresses, web sites etc. Spend the money up front to do preventative maintenance so you eliminate as many potential problems as possible. If you have always lived in "nice" places and never thought of living permanently in a bus or RV, put the Fun and Adventure right out of your mind, close your eyes and Live and Experience every minute, year round to See Reality. Don't dilute it with fun because bad things will destroy fun real quick. Imagine Only the Bad things that you could physically and emotionally experience. Compare those things to what you had in your stationary life and imagine how you could make the adjustments. If you Planned a good stationary life but work or finances or emotions changed to the point that you Have to live on the road, Get Your Head Into Prospective before making Any plans. Realize that you did the best you could and not everything was in your control. Recession, Health, Divorce, Whatever. Wrap your mind around where you are now so you can embrace it and think about the reality of your future and what you are going to do with it.
Great videos as always. Your meticulous nature is amazing. Great to see you keep that engine pristine clean. I do the same. BTW, can you tell us what type/make of diesel engine, transmission and your new gear ratio for highway in the differential is???
I just saw a truck stop advertising $199 oil changes. now we know why. Don't think I would drive a school bus simply for the difficulty of finding a diesel mechanic, especially in the middle of know where. Also I don't know if AAA covers buses, or if most trucks can even tow it.
I am living in a bus in europe. Anyone else? :P I can only say I agree so much. Nothing is perfect, but I am still happy with my choice off living this way. Finding work along the way is one off the things who scares the crap out off me and my partner though.
I'm actually not allowed to fix/maintain anything in my apartment, that's the landlord's job. Though I do have a hazy idea of what needs to be done from prior education.
Wait a sec! I thought van/bus life was all about the hot chick taking an outdoor shower? If someone gets life's experiences from social media they aren't living. Damn 20 something's.
Don't worry about it. "Real Life" is going to sneak up on these children sooner or later. While they are in retirement now they probably will have to work a real job until they die. No bad wishes on anyone, but there's more than one kind of karma.
Diesels can run on wastes oils as well, I prefer the engines that use the HEUI injection as they can take real dirty oil and not complain about it... I run 80% waste oil to 20% diesel in my 7.3 PSDs the T444E and DT466E both are exactly the same as far as injection goes. Real cheap to run them. IF a person is going to live on the road they are stupid if they don't know or learn how to fix the majority of their stuff, especially the mechanical, being broke down on the road can get real expensive when you won't do it yourself. Then again don't learn, I also make a living being a roadside mechanic LOL.
Thanks for that! Awesome introspective!! It would be easy to presume life on the road is all rainbows and puppies - all of the time. Evidently not so. That said, I cringed when you were painting without covering the floor. Next time, let me know and I will send you some cardboard to cover your floor! 😀
Do you respond to comments? If you do, I have a one, BIG, question: How do you receive the stuff that you ordered online, since you don't live in a permanent location?
You have some some of the most informative video out there, I always feel so much more prepared for our bus build after watching one! We Just posted a video announcing buying our school bus! If you can please go check it out, we are so excited to start this journey! You have been one of our inspirations to start this crazy skoolie ride so thank you!!
I really hope that no one is that dumb. Stuff just breaks down, wears out eventually. Usually at the most inopportune times whether it’s a house a bus a car whatever.
Nothing is ever perfect. Having skills is a must.
One aspect of living in a skoolie is that most of us did all, or at least most, of the build and know every system. Not everyone living in a house can say that
That’s very true. Most DIYers know every screw and bolt on their rig!
LOL...
The major majority of us will never be a pro at many parts of the build /engine/ transmission/ suspension....etc. But I go to youtube university and learn from the pros.
I have to disagree. Many homeowners know every single inch of their homes.
I never said that ALL homeowners don't know every system in their house.
Bro said $2 for diesel and I immediately looked at the date...what a time to be alive.
Reality is a good thing, marketing spin is bad. Thanks for your honesty
Reality is a great thing! Thanks for watching
I wish we have this lifestyle in our country, Malaysia. Love your channel.
LOL, I AM CONVERTING THAT NEXT! He melts me.
Helps to be mechanically inclined...great video...🙃
Totally does help, but not necessary.
Look where you have grown & discovered & accomplished 3 Years Forward 2021! Amazing & Great! Always, Tommy :-)
It’s given me great peace of mind too, as I plan for my skoolie/box van/step van, to know that very helpful vids are all over UA-cam and that the community is very helpful as a whole. I love the mindset.
It has been the best community. Everyone is so open to support one another.
One thing I learned when I started living on the road: I had to become a Jack of all Trades!
It can sure be helpful to know something about everything!
Michael, strong work on these vids. So glad you started this channel so we get to see all the sucky, real parts before the rainbows and pretty stuff shows up.
Rainbows are a true thing but .... they are not everyday. Haha
you have done the most wonderful job on your bus! it has great colors inside & out. it's absolutely beautiful! many happy travels & God bless!
Thanks, I really love my home and could not think of anywhere else to live!
You are amazing. Always smiling, good grammar, good continuity.
Enjoy your info, delivery, honesty, and spunk. Entertaining and informative videos are your niche.
Thanks, I have been trying to find a niche or style. Thanks for pointing that out.
I think you found it, for sure!!
OMG!!! You have a half page "to do" list. DUDE! I'm 64, work a real corporate career & operate a farm. Maintaining a house, 2 vehicles, tractor, farm imlements, ... My to do list is around 10 PAGES at all times. Complete one task, 2 more usually get added. YOU GOT IT FREAKING MADE!
Do you have a place where an older retired guy could live in? If you were willing to do it you could have a person to help with that list. Even mowing the lawn so you don't have to do it when you've got more important things to do. And you'd have extra security. Free rent should bring whatever number of hours worked you want. I'm far north but that's the place I'm looking for.
honestly your videos are a huge inspiration to me especially right now, my friends and i came together and decided we wanted to do a big road trip with our own bus and while ive been looking into it, youre videos have been the most informative and i cant wait til im able to travel with my friends in our own "tiny home" school bus
when rolling I found that more things need "adjustment" then with a house that just sits.
You make some great Videos, thank you.
I loved going back to this early vid after watching a lot of your more recent ones. It gives a little perspective. My E350 Handi Dart build has been a blast, mixed with intense study, and confusion. Cheers.
Dude you have helped me so much. I bought a 40 foot bus and definitely over did myself but I wont give up. Im in nc and putting everything I have into the build. You have given me endless hope and inspiration to keep going regardless of the hardships.
NN---------When you paint have a damp rag in yer pocket to whipe up paint drops as
you go. Much easier and leaves almost no trace. Also consider a roller with a smooth
nap if you got a large area. Also use tape sos you don't get paint where you don't want it.
Great video.
your alot further down the road...when you have a can do attitude...thanks so much for this awesome reminder...
Another awesome video Michael.........very true.....everything takes work but the fun part is worth the effort/cost.....safe travels Thanks for sharing!!!
Totally true. Everything is in a balance.
Great Video. It is good that you add that there are difficult times out on the road along with the good times!
very good communicator, good insight and tips. I find it very valuable. thanks.
One thing most seem to over look is how to "winterize" your schoolie! When building it,keep in mind that you'll need to blow out all water pipes,drains,and tanks! This will save you trouble down the road!
You've made even the hard stuff look simple! Great, honest video about life on wheels! 😎💚😎
@6:10 nailed it! Love your videos. Super inspiring
Mike,
You're the man of bus life. Very informative and the videos are such a eye catcher. Thank you.
Just subscribed! Your awesome, and your bus is hands down the best build I've seen! What a fun life you lead! I'm eventually going to get out on the road, right now I'm my mom's caretaker! But until then I will share your adventures with you through your eyes! Be safe, live free!👍🤗
Thanks, hope your mother is doing well. Thats awesome of you to act as a caretaker. Hopefully you will one day be able to travel on the road. Thanks for watching.
Looks like a wonderful way of life! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for watching and hanging out on my channel !
Thanks, man. Excellent piece of work. - C
Great videos. At this point only curious about a bus conv and your insight is appreciated.
another informative vid navi , looking forward to your drive , hell i was a painter could have helped!
Haha, could have used the help. I think I moved a little too quick. But, it’s all good 👍
I just seen you pick out your new bus a year ago. Lol
keep up the good work AND good attitude. bravo!
Thanks, I am really enjoying making videos for you.
Definitely win the cutest on the road contest.
Right? He is mine. OK, I can dream.
i had the idea to use brushless 12v computer fans for power generation. the idea is to use as many of these fans as you can get and stack them all in a long string of fans, then use a larger cone shroud to funnel as much air into the "generator as possible. set up on the roof of the bus you could get a decent amount of power generating simply from the airflow through the generator as you drive! id like to see someone try it and determine whether its worth it or not
Great content Michael! I just watched a few of your videos & will watch the rest of them very soon. Even after being IN your living room & discussing it with you, your living area video really cleared up some confusion I had about how to do some designs in my short bus. As soon as I get back from Cannonball, I will be making some changes to my seating area. THANKS AGAIN!
The Cannonball, I already looked it up to see the route. Thanks for checking out my videos!!
Buslife is hard. We moved our bus yesterday. Had a tire explode breaking our water and meant we didn’t get sleep before 4. Had to get up at 8 to go to work. It is amazing life but omg all the things.
And 8 hours earlier we got our yearly check where the tires did get good words. Life happens
I couldn't do it
TY for this vid & info. Michael you are such the cutie, a pleasure to look at (relax Dean so are you)! Thx for sharing!
1:08 *Did you ever convert a dog-nosed shortie, like you were pointing at???* I'm looking for one! It's gotta have wheelchair-accessible access tho. If you did, where is it? Would love to see it!
😊🚌😊🚌😊🚌🚌😊🚌😊🚌😊
I live by the code...Always try...TRY...to have spares parts,back ups...and those just in case something happens spare change.....which doesn’t leave me too much Mad money...yeah I know.I think like a old person...which I am..lol
Having the right spares is hard to know sometimes haha. Sometimes you are on the side of the road with every part but the one you need.
Love your videos. Wash that paint of your hands. You got white paint on the front of your kitchen drawer. Or your buddy did.
Yeah, it was a quick paint job haha. The paint is water based and came off everything fine. Navi is safe.
not gonna reveal ur batcave location, but that home depot is def. on rt 23 w/ all thos' them thar hills an' trees!! :))) Good stuff, i grew up a few towns away from ya, hopefully see u on tha road..
Haha, yup! I grew up in NJ just off RT 23. I was visiting my parents during this video.
What parts of the bus do you have to replace most often?
Glad to see more videos like this thanks for the video it is Definitely it's own animal and I love it but I have learned to be Macgyver when on the road and to not sweat the small things when on the road except in California man those are some big holes lol. Thanks for sharing
My favorite part is always getting to learn new skills.
@@navigationnowhere true that because it would give you more experience, at less for me but awesome brother glad to see you having fun
One of the benefits of living in a Skoolie is the fact that you get a lot of hands on work knowing all of the bus's systems and maintaining them with many different techniques using hand-eye coordination in order to ensure that the adventure is one worthwhile
Totally, I love buses because you get to work on engines, metal and wood. Best of all worlds.
We've got 81 international. I did the exact same thing in the cab area for storage and speakers.😁
Awesome bus build. What kind of bus do you have?
Such great videos on bus life! I’m a retired transportation director for a school district and I’m enjoying watching you work on your bus. I assume diesel is your highest expense?
You definitely know your way around a school bus
1986-2013. Lol
A lot of people try Bus life and bail out like Dean The Schoolie and many more it's not easy
It was definitely not easy at times. But my reasons were different for choosing Skoolie life. It was never intended for a lifelong journey; rather a new experience. I fully recommend buslife for anyone that is considering it. 😁
where are places you can normally park overnight if you're not at a campsite?
Think about everything that Could go wrong, make a plan for each and you will experience much less stress. You just think, "Here it is!" You have parts, you know where to get them, you know the types of places you can have them shipped to if you are on the road, you have a list of phone numbers, e-mail addresses, web sites etc. Spend the money up front to do preventative maintenance so you eliminate as many potential problems as possible.
If you have always lived in "nice" places and never thought of living permanently in a bus or RV, put the Fun and Adventure right out of your mind, close your eyes and Live and Experience every minute, year round to See Reality. Don't dilute it with fun because bad things will destroy fun real quick. Imagine Only the Bad things that you could physically and emotionally experience. Compare those things to what you had in your stationary life and imagine how you could make the adjustments.
If you Planned a good stationary life but work or finances or emotions changed to the point that you Have to live on the road, Get Your Head Into Prospective before making Any plans. Realize that you did the best you could and not everything was in your control. Recession, Health, Divorce, Whatever. Wrap your mind around where you are now so you can embrace it and think about the reality of your future and what you are going to do with it.
Great videos as always. Your meticulous nature is amazing. Great to see you keep that engine pristine clean. I do the same. BTW, can you tell us what type/make of diesel engine, transmission and your new gear ratio for highway in the differential is???
Thanks. my engine is a MBE 900, Transmission is a Allison 2000, and rear is a Rockwell 4.33 Originally, my bus had a 5.57 rear
Thank you for the reply. I hope to see you for a cold beer and food in 2019 with my bus and family.
I just saw a truck stop advertising $199 oil changes. now we know why. Don't think I would drive a school bus simply for the difficulty of finding a diesel mechanic, especially in the middle of know where. Also I don't know if AAA covers buses, or if most trucks can even tow it.
"It's 2.93 there, see it" lol I'm in California and diesel is $7 a gallon here. I'm getting out of here soon
I am living in a bus in europe. Anyone else? :P
I can only say I agree so much. Nothing is perfect, but I am still happy with my choice off living this way. Finding work along the way is one off the things who scares the crap out off me and my partner though.
Why did you pick brush or a roller for th large area? Thanks for the reality check vlog!!!!
I just used what I had. Haha Plus, I typically brush over it anyway to give brush strokes.
Who made your curtains...cute, cute!!
Use goof-off to dissolve the paint on your floor.
Excellent advice! If you want to live in a bus you better be a bus mechanic or know one. Hahaha
Were in Jersey are you from ? I’m from Ocean County !!
Everyone should expect the unexpected
This one used to be rule number one in the 80’s in my country
El Salvador
I'm actually not allowed to fix/maintain anything in my apartment, that's the landlord's job. Though I do have a hazy idea of what needs to be done from prior education.
1:05, he's actually doing it now.
That’s so funny I said that so long ago 😂
is it even worth getting a bus without a diesel engine ? I may have access to getting a gas shuttle bus relatively cheap
Dang Mike! paint on your hands,face, arm, hat, pants, and floor forget hiring a diesel mechanic hire a painter! SLACKER stay safe!
Dale, where were you to help me out man! Haha.
As the official channel troll I do what can next time I go to Harbor Freight I'll pick you up a drop cloth!
My first troll. Thanks dale ! See you on the road!
I was going to say your hired to paint with no drop cloth but second thought 💭 lol 🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦
Haha, It all cleaned up quick. 😂
Wait a sec! I thought van/bus life was all about the hot chick taking an outdoor shower? If someone gets life's experiences from social media they aren't living. Damn 20 something's.
Haha, if that’s what it is about... I am doing this whole thing wrong.
@7:53 Somebody recently had a guest with long hair that needed an indoor shower! ;^)
damn Kerry grow up
Don't worry about it. "Real Life" is going to sneak up on these children sooner or later. While they are in retirement now they probably will have to work a real job until they die. No bad wishes on anyone, but there's more than one kind of karma.
Where do you park the bus????
Where do you park??
What if we want to buy one ..
How come we buy on and from where ..
What motor does ur bus have?
Why can't I find the tour of this build??
what water heater do you use?
I have an excel ventless unit
Diesels can run on wastes oils as well, I prefer the engines that use the HEUI injection as they can take real dirty oil and not complain about it... I run 80% waste oil to 20% diesel in my 7.3 PSDs the T444E and DT466E both are exactly the same as far as injection goes. Real cheap to run them.
IF a person is going to live on the road they are stupid if they don't know or learn how to fix the majority of their stuff, especially the mechanical, being broke down on the road can get real expensive when you won't do it yourself. Then again don't learn, I also make a living being a roadside mechanic LOL.
Thanks for that! Awesome introspective!! It would be easy to presume life on the road is all rainbows and puppies - all of the time. Evidently not so. That said, I cringed when you were painting without covering the floor. Next time, let me know and I will send you some cardboard to cover your floor! 😀
Bruh...where do you get your skrill from gat damn
Which state on the East coast do you live?
I live in the East coast in New England.
Would like to see your bus and meet you.
I grew up in NJ. However, I am currently on the west coast.
Did ya not see the license plate? Helloooo? lol j/k ;^)
If you cruise through Seattle be sure to post! It would be great to meet!
It's called maintenance. The thing I've noticed that yall have missed more than a few problem areas.
In Germany diesel is actually cheaper than normal gas
1:07 he foretold the future!
Funny! Diesel is cheaper than gas (benzin) in germany
Haha, yeah prices are different all over the place. 😂
Do you respond to comments? If you do, I have a one, BIG, question:
How do you receive the stuff that you ordered online, since you don't live in a permanent location?
You can do it you have to be able to figure out every thing about the bus
I never ever joined in on the idea you opened this vid with.
When I did this, I only had the bus, so I had to drive the bus every where I went.
That’s my situation right now. Not the best but all good. 😊
Big problem
How do you make money bro
Ya but if you had a gas engine you wouldn't be able to go anywhere because a diesel gets way more mpg over gas
You have some some of the most informative video out there, I always feel so much more prepared for our bus build after watching one! We Just posted a video announcing buying our school bus! If you can please go check it out, we are so excited to start this journey! You have been one of our inspirations to start this crazy skoolie ride so thank you!!
Glad to hear your buying a bus! Best decision ever! I’ll check it out!
Watching the part about the less than $3 gas prices while living in 2022 😭
Life is work', the only difference is ,'when you live on a bus; you don't have to go to work', you get to go to work'. KEEPonRollin'.
So true! Also, I don’t ever have a commute. No traffic for me! Haha
No work means no money
I would kill for $2.93 diesel right now… 🙄
But will it hoon?
If u don't cut corners on supplies then u would spend less time fixing stuff
I really hope that no one is that dumb. Stuff just breaks down, wears out eventually. Usually at the most inopportune times whether it’s a house a bus a car whatever.
Very true, things do break over time. But, sometimes we can forget about the little things. Thanks for coming by.
My house doesn't break down
Ah the days when diesel was $2.93
Right!
I'm a male... no regret... your eyecandy.... thanks for the videos...
Do you ever respond to questions posed to you through navigationnowhere.com?
Yes, I just saw your email! I am just off grid and will be in a town soon! Haha.
👍✌