Our second bus build, WanderLounge

[brokedown]

My bus has a spare tire compartment, so storage isn't an issue! Plenty of room to also keep the bottle jack and wheel chocks in there too. All the tires on this bus are "all position" as well.

If you followed my short bus thread, you already know I blew out both rear tires on the passenger side of that bus on our first highway trip, and were stuck on the inside shoulder of a very busy highway waiting for a roadside tire service to rescue us. THat sucked and I intend to avoid it if possible!

Plus having this equipment allows me to service my own brakes and steering components!

[brokedown]

Spent some time on the roof today! There were some rusty spots I discovered underneath the vinyl wrap, Cleaned them up and applied Ospho. Hoping to paint the center of the roof tomorrow, between the rub rails. The edges of those rails were a little orange so I put Ospho in a squirt bottle and sprayed a bunch of it into the seam. Hopefully that does the trick, I don't plan on pulling those up!

My marker lights in the front and back seem to have holes in the top on the lenses. They kind of look like they melted through. Weird stuff, but it's an excuse to replace them all with LED units.

Bus is still running great! My brakes actually got better in the last month or so. Really weird, they felt awful and wooden and there was no real travel on the pedal, just more pressure meant more brake. Now the pedal moves and the brakes are pretty linear. Still don't feel as good as the Sport BUs but much improved for sure. Maybe my excessive use or air blew some dirt out or something.

Most of the wrap is removed, but what's left will take time. That really is a big job, and i can see why people would just paint over it! We've probably spent as much time on wrap removal as everything else we've done combined. We have our paint scheme and colors chosen so I'll be painting as I get areas ready for it. The roof must be done first so I can start attaching things to it!

We also took down some more ceiling panels. I think there are 3 remaining.

So our plan was to delete 16 of the 22 side windows, but the level of effort involved i doing that is a lot higher than I anticipated. i have 2 of them deleted and am on the fence about doing 2 more... Mostly because if I do I can swap them around so that all the emergency side windows are removed, and I can have window screens on every window. But as easy as the inside rivets are, the outside ones are a different animal entirely.

Once the roof is done and rails mounted, I'll do a leak test.. Any issues there will be fixed, and then we officially switch from removing bus parts to adding skoolie parts! Insulation!!!!

Some pics in the next post.

[brokedown]

Some pics.

[Twigg]

You bought the "Boeing" bus, right?

What is its overall condition?

[brokedown]

Yep that's the one.

Overall I'm very happy with it. Everything works, the level of rust is well below the point I would call interesting, and my list of actual repairs that weren't upgrades or part of the conversion is pretty darn short. Off the top of my head, just the one tire.

[cadillackid]

how do you re-torque the lugs and know they are at the correct amount?
-Christopher

[brokedown]

Originally Posted by cadillackid

how do you re-torque the lugs and know they are at the correct amount?
-Christopher

Given the circumstances in which you'd be changing a tire, use the impact and estimate it and have it corrected when you get to the tire shop. The tool box still needs a few more things to be complete!

[dbhost]

Originally Posted by brokedown

Given the circumstances in which you'd be changing a tire, use the impact and estimate it and have it corrected when you get to the tire shop. The tool box still needs a few more things to be complete!

What size are the lug nuts? Take a look at Harbor Freight Tools for a torque wrench, extension and deep well impact sockets for the lug nuts... You'll probably want a breaker bar as well...

I know HF isn't top tier stuff, but the Pittsburgh tools have proven pretty reliable for me over the years, and I know a few guys at least doing automotive work, where they are hanging in there right along side Snap On with no real issues...

[Twigg]

Originally Posted by dbhost

What size are the lug nuts? Take a look at Harbor Freight Tools for a torque wrench, extension and deep well impact sockets for the lug nuts... You'll probably want a breaker bar as well...

I know HF isn't top tier stuff, but the Pittsburgh tools have proven pretty reliable for me over the years, and I know a few guys at least doing automotive work, where they are hanging in there right along side Snap On with no real issues...

The problem is the 450 to 500 ft lb.

Getting it accurate requires a torque multiplier or accurate air-impact wrench.

Getting it close enough to drive to a tire shop can be done by marking all the nut positions, and the wheel orientation before you remove them.

One of the cheaper nut-lug removal tools can be use with a regular torque wrench if you know the multiplication factor of the tool.

[brokedown]

Short bus lug nut is 1 5/16, big bus is 1 1/2 inch.

I use an adapter from 1/2 drive wrench to 3/4 drive socket.

I got a Pittsburgh set of 3/4 drive SAE sockets, but they're not quite deep enough for the big bus. Two of my lugs per wheel are a couple inches longer for purposes of holding the hubcaps on. I do not yet have a working setup for those but I'll report back when I do.

[dbhost]

Originally Posted by brokedown

Short bus lug nut is 1 5/16, big bus is 1 1/2 inch.

I use an adapter from 1/2 drive wrench to 3/4 drive socket.

I got a Pittsburgh set of 3/4 drive SAE sockets, but they're not quite deep enough for the big bus. Two of my lugs per wheel are a couple inches longer for purposes of holding the hubcaps on. I do not yet have a working setup for those but I'll report back when I do.

Okay THAT might require a specialty socket. Plenty of regular deep well sockets in 1-1/2" all over the place, but extra deep can be problematic...

[brokedown]

The roof is now painted, and one side is ready for the upper corners to be painted. The wrap is SO MUCH WORK I spent all day on this side above the windows and several hours before today... I think I need s third gallon of white paint too.

We will be white from the bottom of the windows up, except the front which will be a solid color.

[Tango]

Need an really deep socket? Make one!



Had a similar issue with my U-Bolt nuts on the rear and had to cut and weld two sockets together. WaaLaa...extra deep.

[brokedown]

I tried welding the other day and even though it's been like five years since the last time I tried it I haven't gotten any better at it!

[Tango]

Too funny! I have only recently gotten beyond my "mud dauber" beads with practice. But hey...I doubt that sucker will ever let loose!

"How do you get to Carnegie Hall?

Practice, practice, practice."

[brokedown]

I broke it loose pretty easily unfortunately. But then I watched some YouTube videos so next time I think I will be a pro. I am planning to develop basic ability and weeks a few things for the bus... Lots of practice steel that came out!

[Twigg]

Originally Posted by brokedown

I tried welding the other day and even though it's been like five years since the last time I tried it I haven't gotten any better at it!
Attachment 20800

Well you did keep the arc going long enough to make a bead.

Now all you need to do is move it side-to-side as you weld.

It'll come easily with practise.

[brokedown]

Big update today!

I reached the point of diminishing returns with the vinyl wrap. It was evident that I could take spent the rest of my life removing it and still have some left. We used stripper, heat, razor scrapers, rubber eraser wheels, wire wheels, and lots of curse words. I got to the point where I needed to move to the next stage and instead of removing paint I started adding it. I did a thick and rough layer of white all over for now.

Then I got back to removing ceiling and wall panels. Air tools ftw. You really need ear protection when you do the walls.

I pulled out the wiring for lights and speakers and interlocks, so now the only wires running back are for the tail and market lights.

I mounted the nice rails from inside the bus to the roof, and have a nice looking rack to mount my solar panels and whatever else I put up there.

I finished the back window deletes and the rear most side windows, riveted and sealed them up nice.

Finally, today I got closed bell spray foam insulation in the ceiling and walls. It cost a little more than I hoped but you can tell a difference right away.

Next steps: put the windows back in and seal them, and start on the sub floor!

[PNW_Steve]

Looking awesome!

[EastCoastCB]

Man- you shoulda let me help yall strip it!

Looking good, you're doubling your living space!!!