school bus scoop - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

robby · 02-12-2003, 11:46 PM

Whats the scoop on school bus tow hooks? Do they work? Do they look similar and bolt up? Do you have to drill new holes in the frame? Help.

Rod · 02-13-2003, 10:30 AM

School bus tow hooks bolt on the bottom of the frame while truck tow hooks bolt on the side of the frame. Bus hooks themselves are about the same size but I', not sure how the would position themselves being that the mount underneath.

ChevLoRay · 02-13-2003, 12:41 PM

I drive a school bus. Tow hooks are for the drivers who foolishly try to drive their busses where they should not attempt to go. You'd be amazed at how things happen. As for their placement, I don't believe that any place that the factory chooses to install them, will be their "final resting place". They are frequently the first thing to drag, or be knocked-off. They get bent and they get broken. Dips in the road, with "Dips" for drivers, can also knock the tow hooks off of their mounts. My bus is a flat-nose and was driven by another driver for 13 years before I started to drive one for the schools. I have NO tow hooks. I don't know where they went, nor do I intend to look for them. I like to think I would not foolishly choose to get stuck, unless ALL of the kids are off. There is no way that I want to have 40 screaming kids going ballistic at my back.

That is why they sell ear plugs.

**Desert Rat** · 02-13-2003, 01:10 PM

I was a school bus driver of 84 screaming little kids,the bus i drove was a flat nose,it had tow hooks it was a Blue Bird,and then i drove a Amtran Bus next it had the same tow hooks,then i got a 77 GMC Bus with a Nose,has all AC gauges,similar column,etc and it has tow hook,i no longer drive but unfortunately spend 12 hours of my day at the bus yard,and bus number 10 through 60 all have tow hooks front and rear bolted on the sides of the frame rails and a couple new ones have them on the bottom,alot are damaged because of the bad roads and washes you drive through and the reservation roads.but some are good just depends on the route the bus is on,they are handy just this morning so far theres been 2 buses stuck it rained here all night and in AZ the water dont soak in right away and the dirt and sand turnms into a liquidy cement,quick sand type of muck,thats very easy to get stuck in trust me,i got stuck turning around in the vacant lot infront of my house in the 61 Impala i had,i got in my truck and backed up to it with tow chain,got it stuck too,then.the 68 burb i had,kept it on road got truck out,car too far back,it sat there for a while.while walking back and forth the mud sucked my shoes off,i slipped in it,cut my arm on broken glass,i said hell with it,couple days later.i dealt with it again and used wood,block jack,2 tow chains put together,wife in it rocking it back and forth while i pushed,she didnt hear me yelling as i was eating flying mud !!! Oh then i got back up to huse and had to be hosed off,she enjoyed that.i needed it to cool off anyway trust me.if i can remember ill try to get pictures.my boss wonder whys he out there taking pics under the buses,ill try to be descrete or ill hear about it,i work with about 50 woman and theres only 4 of us guys.

robby · 02-13-2003, 08:48 PM

ttt

robby · 02-13-2003, 08:50 PM

Great. Now, do they fit or work on our trucks? I have seen some on the side and some on the bottom of the bus frames. Anybody know?

Jackal2k9 · 02-13-2003, 08:57 PM

im 154 and i walked through the ice and snow and rain and blizzards and torandos and hurricanes and avalaches and stampedes and jackelopes to get to school and i say we dont need no stinking busses STEAL the tow hooks. thats why they're all gone. use a z-71 hook.

**Desert Rat** · 02-13-2003, 09:05 PM

I dont know if they are the same ive only had 1 set and left them on truck frame when i chopped it up.There was no such thing as a tow hook hype then.they look about the same by glance,worst you might have to do is drill a hole,ive never attempted to grab a set from a bus im sure they wouldnt be happy since with all the rain today about 4 buses got stuck,if i did take i could say i have 100 pairs for sale and retire,i have no intrest in them if i did id go buy the 10.99 ones at Checker they looked similar almost ,just chromed.theyd still do the same function and for how often i used i couldnt justify them,i have a set from my 79 Blazer, i took them off.now their in a swap meet pile.

robby · 02-14-2003, 12:42 AM

great. The question remains unanswered.

robby · 02-14-2003, 09:00 PM

24 hours and the question remains. How about some seasoned veterans out there? Hello?

robby · 02-14-2003, 09:01 PM

ttt

72MARIO · 02-14-2003, 09:14 PM

Holy Crap Your luck sucks because I dont know either !

**Desert Rat** · 02-14-2003, 09:44 PM

Ive worked in the bus yard for little over 3 years,i told you what i could,alot of "seasoned"veterans probably wont know,unless they have a bus in their backyard.best suggestion try a boneyard for a bus.even if they arent 100% exact worst youll have to do is drill 1 or 2 holes.theres several yards here with buses from the 40's upto the 80s.if i can remember ill take my digi cam to work to snap a pic.

02-12-2003, 11:46 PM	#1
robby Semper Fidelis Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Cedar City, Utah Posts: 654	school bus scoop Whats the scoop on school bus tow hooks? Do they work? Do they look similar and bolt up? Do you have to drill new holes in the frame? Help. __________________ 72 Chevy C 20 with 402 For sale 85 GMC K2500 83 Trans Am Cedar City, Utah (Missouri Native)

02-13-2003, 10:30 AM	#2
Rod Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Eastern - Manitoba Canada, Winnipeg Posts: 4,369	School bus tow hooks bolt on the bottom of the frame while truck tow hooks bolt on the side of the frame. Bus hooks themselves are about the same size but I', not sure how the would position themselves being that the mount underneath. __________________ Senior active founding member. 70 3/4 ton GMC Suburban 4x4 250/4 spd. 71 1/2 ton Suburban Chevy 4x4, 350/350 72 Chev 1 ton tow truck 402BB w/Holmes 440 wrecker on propane 2005 FLSTSCI Harley Springer 85 FXSB Harley Lowrider 72 Triumph 650 Bonneville 5spd "Poor people don't have hobbies" Quote from wife.

02-13-2003, 12:41 PM	#3
ChevLoRay Old Skool Club Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Benton, AR "The Heart of Arkansas" Posts: 10,880	The REAL scoop on bus tow hooks.... I drive a school bus. Tow hooks are for the drivers who foolishly try to drive their busses where they should not attempt to go. You'd be amazed at how things happen. As for their placement, I don't believe that any place that the factory chooses to install them, will be their "final resting place". They are frequently the first thing to drag, or be knocked-off. They get bent and they get broken. Dips in the road, with "Dips" for drivers, can also knock the tow hooks off of their mounts. My bus is a flat-nose and was driven by another driver for 13 years before I started to drive one for the schools. I have NO tow hooks. I don't know where they went, nor do I intend to look for them. I like to think I would not foolishly choose to get stuck, unless ALL of the kids are off. There is no way that I want to have 40 screaming kids going ballistic at my back. That is why they sell ear plugs. __________________ Member Nr. 2770 '96 GMC Sportside; 4.3/SLT - Daily driven....constantly needs washed. '69 C-10 SWB; 350/TH400 - in limbo The older I get, the better I was.

02-13-2003, 08:48 PM	#5
robby Semper Fidelis Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Cedar City, Utah Posts: 654	ttt __________________ 72 Chevy C 20 with 402 For sale 85 GMC K2500 83 Trans Am Cedar City, Utah (Missouri Native)

02-13-2003, 08:50 PM	#6
robby Semper Fidelis Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Cedar City, Utah Posts: 654	Great. Now, do they fit or work on our trucks? I have seen some on the side and some on the bottom of the bus frames. Anybody know? __________________ 72 Chevy C 20 with 402 For sale 85 GMC K2500 83 Trans Am Cedar City, Utah (Missouri Native)

02-13-2003, 01:10 PM	#4
Desert Rat Senior Member Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Darrington, Washington Posts: 3,963	I was a school bus driver of 84 screaming little kids,the bus i drove was a flat nose,it had tow hooks it was a Blue Bird,and then i drove a Amtran Bus next it had the same tow hooks,then i got a 77 GMC Bus with a Nose,has all AC gauges,similar column,etc and it has tow hook,i no longer drive but unfortunately spend 12 hours of my day at the bus yard,and bus number 10 through 60 all have tow hooks front and rear bolted on the sides of the frame rails and a couple new ones have them on the bottom,alot are damaged because of the bad roads and washes you drive through and the reservation roads.but some are good just depends on the route the bus is on,they are handy just this morning so far theres been 2 buses stuck it rained here all night and in AZ the water dont soak in right away and the dirt and sand turnms into a liquidy cement,quick sand type of muck,thats very easy to get stuck in trust me,i got stuck turning around in the vacant lot infront of my house in the 61 Impala i had,i got in my truck and backed up to it with tow chain,got it stuck too,then.the 68 burb i had,kept it on road got truck out,car too far back,it sat there for a while.while walking back and forth the mud sucked my shoes off,i slipped in it,cut my arm on broken glass,i said hell with it,couple days later.i dealt with it again and used wood,block jack,2 tow chains put together,wife in it rocking it back and forth while i pushed,she didnt hear me yelling as i was eating flying mud !!! Oh then i got back up to huse and had to be hosed off,she enjoyed that.i needed it to cool off anyway trust me.if i can remember ill try to get pictures.my boss wonder whys he out there taking pics under the buses,ill try to be descrete or ill hear about it,i work with about 50 woman and theres only 4 of us guys.

02-13-2003, 08:57 PM	#7
Jackal2k9 Registered User Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Katy, Texas Posts: 171	Look here sonny im 154 and i walked through the ice and snow and rain and blizzards and torandos and hurricanes and avalaches and stampedes and jackelopes to get to school and i say we dont need no stinking busses STEAL the tow hooks. thats why they're all gone. use a z-71 hook.

02-13-2003, 09:05 PM	#8
Desert Rat Senior Member Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Darrington, Washington Posts: 3,963	I dont know if they are the same ive only had 1 set and left them on truck frame when i chopped it up.There was no such thing as a tow hook hype then.they look about the same by glance,worst you might have to do is drill a hole,ive never attempted to grab a set from a bus im sure they wouldnt be happy since with all the rain today about 4 buses got stuck,if i did take i could say i have 100 pairs for sale and retire,i have no intrest in them if i did id go buy the 10.99 ones at Checker they looked similar almost ,just chromed.theyd still do the same function and for how often i used i couldnt justify them,i have a set from my 79 Blazer, i took them off.now their in a swap meet pile.

02-14-2003, 12:42 AM	#9
robby Semper Fidelis Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Cedar City, Utah Posts: 654	great. The question remains unanswered. __________________ 72 Chevy C 20 with 402 For sale 85 GMC K2500 83 Trans Am Cedar City, Utah (Missouri Native)

02-14-2003, 09:00 PM	#10
robby Semper Fidelis Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Cedar City, Utah Posts: 654	24 hours and the question remains. How about some seasoned veterans out there? Hello? __________________ 72 Chevy C 20 with 402 For sale 85 GMC K2500 83 Trans Am Cedar City, Utah (Missouri Native)

02-14-2003, 09:01 PM	#11
robby Semper Fidelis Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Cedar City, Utah Posts: 654	ttt __________________ 72 Chevy C 20 with 402 For sale 85 GMC K2500 83 Trans Am Cedar City, Utah (Missouri Native)

02-14-2003, 09:14 PM	#12
72MARIO Registered User Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Huntsville Ontario Canada Posts: 4,052	Holy Crap Your luck sucks because I dont know either ! __________________ 1968 Suburban numbers matching all original truck now equipped with 6.0/4L80 on Accuair http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=625017 1967 C/20 6.0/4L80 Roofing Truck 1990 V2500 Suburban "Plow Truck" 2005 TAHOE DD

02-14-2003, 09:44 PM	#13
Desert Rat Senior Member Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Darrington, Washington Posts: 3,963	Ive worked in the bus yard for little over 3 years,i told you what i could,alot of "seasoned"veterans probably wont know,unless they have a bus in their backyard.best suggestion try a boneyard for a bus.even if they arent 100% exact worst youll have to do is drill 1 or 2 holes.theres several yards here with buses from the 40's upto the 80s.if i can remember ill take my digi cam to work to snap a pic.



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