Floor prep questions

[FuzzWantsABus]

Love all the discussion on here as to various methods. Thanks for chiming in, everyone! I also wish I had thought of that idea with the plastic plugs. I bet that'd work great.

I ended up getting a box of 100 1/4" diameter 3/4" carriage bolts for $9 at Ace. They fit perfectly in the old bolt holes. Glued 'em down with Liquid Nails. Took about 30 minutes. There are a few I need to go back with caulk because they were right in the seam between floor plates, but otherwise, they're good and solid. And guess how many holes there were? 100!

Since I'm insulating the floor anyway, I wasn't worried about the rounded heads of the bolts. If you're not, this method probably wouldn't work as well.

[Brewerbob]

Originally Posted by FuzzWantsABus

Love all the discussion on here as to various methods. Thanks for chiming in, everyone! I also wish I had thought of that idea with the plastic plugs. I bet that'd work great.

I ended up getting a box of 100 1/4" diameter 3/4" carriage bolts for $9 at Ace. They fit perfectly in the old bolt holes. Glued 'em down with Liquid Nails. Took about 30 minutes. There are a few I need to go back with caulk because they were right in the seam between floor plates, but otherwise, they're good and solid. And guess how many holes there were? 100!

Since I'm insulating the floor anyway, I wasn't worried about the rounded heads of the bolts. If you're not, this method probably wouldn't work as well.

You need to go back and get the box of 100 nuts. You don't want to miss out on the fun of trying to reach them all from the bottom side do you?

[AKshortbus]

Originally Posted by Brewerbob

I'm going to get away with $20 in metal but I would still like to replate the entire floor just as overkill. But I won't.

Next step is Dollar Tree and some buckets to drain the coolant from the heaters.

If you're going to go overkill on something make sure its buckets. I was not prepared for the amount of coolant that drained out when I removed my underseat heating block from the back of the bus! Needless to say it was exciting.

I think for flooring you'll be fine as long as you treat the under-carriage with rust prevention. Maybe lay down some visqueen between the floor and foam/plywood? It would certainly isolate the materials you lay on top of the floor!

[FuzzWantsABus]

Originally Posted by Brewerbob

You need to go back and get the box of 100 nuts. You don't want to miss out on the fun of trying to reach them all from the bottom side do you?

Bob, you are SUCH a pot-stirrer.

[Brewerbob]

Originally Posted by AKshortbus

If you're going to go overkill on something make sure its buckets. I was not prepared for the amount of coolant that drained out when I removed my underseat heating block from the back of the bus! Needless to say it was exciting.

I'm hoping water only flows downhill. If it draws a siphon I'll be pissed. The heaters and lines should be less than a 5 gallon bucket. The bad news is I don't have any shut-off valves on the bus, engine, or the lines that I've been about to find. I think whomever did the heater routing on my bus was related to Billy in Family Circus cartoon strip.

Coolant comes out of the engine on the left side, crosses to the right side while still in the engine compartment, goes thru a pump roughly the size of 2 fists vertically, crosses back to the left side past where it came out of the engine, then goes thru the rear bulkhead, rear heater, then thru the floor under the emergency door, back up thru the floor immediately after the e-door, front heater, back under the floor behind driver's seat, then finally thru the dash and making the round trip back to the radiator. There's possibly a second pump as well. Not sure if it's heat, engine, or radiator.

I need to look it up in the shop manual.

Originally Posted by FuzzWantsABus

Bob, you are SUCH a pot-stirrer.

Who me?

[chev49]

you get the different size plastic plugs in boxes from the auto body paint stores. they come in boxes... such as the industrial finishes stores...

[Brewerbob]

Holy crap, (RIP) Batman!! .17 quarts per foot of hose * 80 ft front to back without the engine/floor jogs = 13.6 quarts. That doesn't include the rear heaters, driver's heater, dash heater, or radiator. 31 to 32 quarts in the entire system.

[Robin97396]

Sorry, um... we're metric.

[Brewerbob]

Originally Posted by Robin97396

Sorry, um... we're metric.

115~119L smartass.

[Robin97396]

Bob, your responses are getting shorter and shorter. You used to be more descriptive.

[Brewerbob]

Originally Posted by Robin97396

Bob, your responses are getting shorter and shorter. You used to be more descriptive.

I wanted it quick. I'll go back later and convert it to cubits for you later.

[studdz]

Im ready to get this floor going. I'm planing 1 inch thick instulation with t&g plywood all being sprayed with adhesive and liquid nails. My question is the flooring itself. I want the snap together wood flooring kind. It looks good and should work for what I want. The only thing i'm scared of is if it will come up while driving

[Hobotang]

Great info here!

I'm about to start on rust repair (not much, thank goodness), and I've been preparing for this decision for a while....

Something I haven't seen yet is 3M's Marine Sealant 5200 - we used this stuff at a company I used to work for.

http://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/company-u...3241623&rt=rud

Any thoughts?



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[Brewerbob]

Originally Posted by Hobotang

Great info here!

I'm about to start on rust repair (not much, thank goodness), and I've been preparing for this decision for a while....

Something I haven't seen yet is 3M's Marine Sealant 5200 - we used this stuff at a company I used to work for.

3M™ Marine Adhesive Sealant 5200

Any thoughts?

No mention of bonding to metal but it sounds ok. Being 3M and marine it probably isn't cheap.

[Hobotang]

Originally Posted by Hobotang

Great info here!

I'm about to start on rust repair (not much, thank goodness), and I've been preparing for this decision for a while....

Something I haven't seen yet is 3M's Marine Sealant 5200 - we used this stuff at a company I used to work for.

http://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/company-u...3241623&rt=rud

Any thoughts?



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~$20 for the 10oz tube.

If I decide to pull the trigger on it I'll share the results.


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[Hobotang]

Originally Posted by Brewerbob

No mention of bonding to metal but it sounds ok. Being 3M and marine it probably isn't cheap.

~$20 for the 10oz tube.

If I decide to pull the trigger on it I'll share the results.


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[Megs_PB]

I know this is about a month old, but if you're looking for a good resource to help with building your skoolie to help alleviate your girlfriend's chemical sensitivities check out mychemicalfreehouse.net

[Hobotang]

Thank you very much!

[Hobotang]

Spoke to a few folks in the marine/manufacturing industry, as well as a 3M rep. -- They all stand by this 5200 stuff. Bonds to everything permanently, even metal.

[FuzzWantsABus]

Originally Posted by Hobotang

Spoke to a few folks in the marine/manufacturing industry, as well as a 3M rep. -- They all stand by this 5200 stuff. Bonds to everything permanently, even metal.

Interesting! If you use it, let us know how it went.