Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 01-11-2016, 09:54 AM   #1
Skoolie
 
rossfree's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Fairfield Bay, Arkansas
Posts: 163
Year: 1990
Coachwork: Chevy
Chassis: Ward?
Engine: 8.2 liter ?
Rated Cap: 24 Passenger
How to remove windows from 1990 Ward Skoolie

I'm struggling here. They went rivet crazy in this bus! Started removing the lower side panels thinking that would give me access to removing the windows. Nope! And the side panels are spot welded to a lower lip at the bottom of the window. The lip prevents removing the window inwards from the bottom.

So now I'm looking at the upper metal hem that runs the length of the windows on one side. The metal hem wraps around the bottom edge of the ceiling panels and is then riveted over the top edge of the upper window frame. I can't tell if removing this hem and it's billion rivets will allow me access to the top edge of the window frame!

I would really like to remove, clean, reverse and repair these windows. I have reviewed the video on reversing them but it does not detail removal. Can anyone point me to window removal details for a ward bus?

Thank you!

Ross

rossfree is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-11-2016, 10:43 AM   #2
Bus Geek
 
EastCoastCB's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Eustis FLORIDA
Posts: 23,764
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freighliner FS65
Engine: Cat 3126
Rated Cap: 15
I have a 92 Ward. Check out my build thread "Roll your own" for pics.
I have the interior gutted.
I haven't removed any windows yet. To take them out all I have left to do is remove the little screws on each side of the window and tilt back then lift em out.
The windows in mine are so crappy I have no dreams of re-using them.
If you weren't so far, I'd say come take them for parts.
I can go out and remove a window in the next few days or week, but my camera is broken and I don't have a smartphone.
EastCoastCB is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-11-2016, 11:06 AM   #3
Bus Nut
 
austin1989us's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Tomball, TX
Posts: 313
Year: 1988
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: TC/2000
Engine: Cummins 5.9TA
Quote:
Originally Posted by EastCoastCB View Post
The windows in mine are so crappy I have no dreams of re-using them.
If you weren't so far, I'd say come take them for parts.
I can go out and remove a window in the next few days or week, but my camera is broken and I don't have a smartphone.

Any chance those windows will fit a 1988 blue bird? Mine are 4 little screws too.
austin1989us is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-11-2016, 11:10 AM   #4
Bus Geek
 
EastCoastCB's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Eustis FLORIDA
Posts: 23,764
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freighliner FS65
Engine: Cat 3126
Rated Cap: 15
IDK if they'd fit a BB, but I can measure them.
EastCoastCB is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-11-2016, 11:13 AM   #5
Bus Nut
 
austin1989us's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Tomball, TX
Posts: 313
Year: 1988
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: TC/2000
Engine: Cummins 5.9TA
If you're gonna throw them out soon then go right ahead. It may be the end of January till I get my bus back and can measure mine.
austin1989us is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-12-2016, 07:20 AM   #6
Skoolie
 
rossfree's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Fairfield Bay, Arkansas
Posts: 163
Year: 1990
Coachwork: Chevy
Chassis: Ward?
Engine: 8.2 liter ?
Rated Cap: 24 Passenger
Thanks for the reply EastCoastCB. I can't tilt mine back because of the metal hem above the windows. The hem wraps around the bottom edge of the ceiling panels. If I remove the hem, will the bottom edge of the ceiling panels still be in the way of removing the windows??? Would love to see a close-up picture of the top of your windows.

Thank you!

Ross
rossfree is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-12-2016, 08:00 AM   #7
Bus Geek
 
EastCoastCB's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Eustis FLORIDA
Posts: 23,764
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freighliner FS65
Engine: Cat 3126
Rated Cap: 15





all I could find, sorry.
I think if you get the trim/light panel off, the windows can be removed. I'll take a look again this afternoon.
EastCoastCB is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-12-2016, 06:25 PM   #8
Skoolie
 
rossfree's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Fairfield Bay, Arkansas
Posts: 163
Year: 1990
Coachwork: Chevy
Chassis: Ward?
Engine: 8.2 liter ?
Rated Cap: 24 Passenger
Thank you. Yes, it doesn't quite show me what I would like to know. I admit it... I DO NOT want to remove the ceiling panels. I'm a dedicated wimp and proud to say it!

If you have a picture with the hem removed but the ceiling panel still mounted that would tell me what I would like to know. Those pics are gnarly!!!

Thank you!

Ross
rossfree is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-12-2016, 07:42 PM   #9
Bus Geek
 
EastCoastCB's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Eustis FLORIDA
Posts: 23,764
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freighliner FS65
Engine: Cat 3126
Rated Cap: 15
There are a few more similar to these on my thread.
Just pull one of the small hem panels and see, you can always replace it.
EastCoastCB is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-23-2016, 10:50 AM   #10
Skoolie
 
karrlot's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Manitou Springs, CO
Posts: 219
Year: 1991
Coachwork: Ward
Chassis: International 3800
Engine: DT466
Rated Cap: 65 passenger
Check out my blog in a post dated 11/29/15. If you want more pictures let me know so I can post them.

What model is your Ward? Eastcoast has a flat nosed bus (I think it is a Senator) I have a dog nosed bus. It is a Volunteer. His ceiling panels were different than mine.

His ceiling panels did not go all the way to the windows. There was an angled valence that covered the gap between the too of the windows and the ceiling panel. My ceiling panels went all the way to the window. That valence on my bus hid all the wires, lights, and speakers. It was attached to the ceiling panels.

I have a 91 Ward. I assume they are similar if not the same as yours .

I don't think removing the ceiling panels is going to help you. On my bus, there is a lip that wraps under the end of the ceiling panels. It goes the length of the bus. The lip starts against the outside skin, then it comes towards the center of the bus on top of the windows, drops down about an inch and then wraps around the bottom of the ceiling panel, then back up. The rivets go through the front of the lip, the ceiling panel, then the back of the lip. That lip, or hem, is welded in place.

I can't tell you how to the get the windows out, but if your bus is like mine, taking the ceiling panels down will not help.

Let me know if you want more pictures that show anything in detail.


(24 rivets above each window) X (11 windows) X (2 sides of the bus) = 11 cutoff wheels + (2 sore arms X 6 hours)
karrlot is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-23-2016, 11:57 PM   #11
Skoolie
 
rossfree's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Fairfield Bay, Arkansas
Posts: 163
Year: 1990
Coachwork: Chevy
Chassis: Ward?
Engine: 8.2 liter ?
Rated Cap: 24 Passenger
Thanks for your reply Karrlot! That answers a lot! Hadn't counted on the hem being welded to the bus frame. That sucks but confirms my fears.

I read your blog from November on. I swear bus converters have some really weird things in common. Reading your blog was like reading something I wrote. Would love to keep up with your journey.

We appear to have very similar buses though mine is smaller at 26 Passenger. Do you have any wiring diagrams?! I've started into investigation of wires in the drivers lights panel. Tried starting the bus today but it made a lot of buzzing sound from one of the relays in there. I only have a single battery and do not know its age. I just want to rip out the panels and retire all of it. I also want to get to the heater core and clean and inspect it.

I'm converting this bus for camping across country. Would like to start making some loops around the country.

Keep up the hard work. I can't bring myself to rip out the ceiling. No way. The side panels ar enough!

Best of luck!

Ross
rossfree is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-24-2016, 01:01 AM   #12
Skoolie
 
karrlot's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Manitou Springs, CO
Posts: 219
Year: 1991
Coachwork: Ward
Chassis: International 3800
Engine: DT466
Rated Cap: 65 passenger
Yea I didn't count on the hem being welded in either, which is why I cut it through in one spot. Now I just hope its not structurally important! I'm excited to find someone with a similar bus!
I don't have any wiring diagrams. I did discover that the wires that go to the back of th
e bus through the harnesses are all numbered. So if you disconnect the tale light on the outside you can look at the wire and see the number on the wire. Then go to the front of the bus and find the wire with the same number. That is the extent of my wiring knowledge.
karrlot is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-24-2016, 12:20 PM   #13
Skoolie
 
rossfree's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Fairfield Bay, Arkansas
Posts: 163
Year: 1990
Coachwork: Chevy
Chassis: Ward?
Engine: 8.2 liter ?
Rated Cap: 24 Passenger
Thanks for your reply.

I'm not sure what I will do about the windows at this point. Pulling the lower panels does not give me access because there is a lip that the lower panels are spot welded to. I could cut the lip off but I think it serves to catch any water or condensation and keep if from dripping down into the walls. Don't want to remove that lip.

The upper hem will have to go. I'm thinking that I will use a cutting wheel and cut the upper panels horizontally just above the hem all the way down. Then grind and punch out the rivets, remove the cut-off pieces of roof panels from inside the hem, bend the hem open to allow access to the spot welds and then grind the spot welds. That should allow me to remove the hem.

I am assuming the hem is spot-welded? I'm starting to wonder. How would they fold the hem over the roof panels while welded to the bus? I would think they would form the hem, slip it over the roof panel edge, drill and rivet all together. Or, before the roof panels are on, tack weld the hem in place, buckle and insert the roof panels into the hem and the drill and rivet the hem and panels.

It's too much to write all of this down.

Can you answer whether the hems are spot welded or tack welded?

I'm a mechanical design engineer by trade. Also consider myself a jack of all trades. I don't know it all but not afraid to dive in. I saw pictures where someone just disconnected all of the wires from the panels on the bus and removed the panels. He then figured out which wires were still needed and removed those that were not. That may be how I will go. First I want a handle on what wires if any are required to run the engine.

I have only one battery in the battery compartment. Is it normal to have three? I was gonna put two deep cell batteries next to the one for bus electrics. Would like to know your thoughts on how many you think are required for the engine. Your bus is considerably larger than mine (26 passenger). You probably have a larger engine? I have the GMC 8.2 Liter (everyone is saying is a trouble prone engine - razz berry). I hope mine is not! I'd hate to put all this time and money into a lemon!

I just found a service manual on ebay and ordered it. It will cover the engine but don't expect it to cover anything else.

I just learned about how a diesel engine works (without glow plugs or spark). I didn't know they self-combusted! That should make electrics way simpler.

I'm working up my nerve to start disconnecting wires in the console. This could be a three six-pack job!

I'm not too far behind you in progress... I won't be taking down the ceiling panels. It will be fun to follow your progress. Keep going!

May have to stop in when we make our trip out west!

Ross
rossfree is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-24-2016, 02:24 PM   #14
Bus Geek
 
EastCoastCB's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Eustis FLORIDA
Posts: 23,764
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freighliner FS65
Engine: Cat 3126
Rated Cap: 15
I'll shoot a quick video of mine soon. Removing windows this week.
I sheered off the lower panels that run under the windows. I removed the ceiling panels. The windows are almost ready to fall out!
EastCoastCB is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-25-2016, 07:22 AM   #15
Skoolie
 
karrlot's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Manitou Springs, CO
Posts: 219
Year: 1991
Coachwork: Ward
Chassis: International 3800
Engine: DT466
Rated Cap: 65 passenger
This is how I think it was put together:
, before the roof panels are on, tack weld the hem in place, buckle and insert the roof panels into the hem and the drill and rivet the hem and panels.



Can you answer whether the hems are spot welded or tack welded?

Sorry, I don't know the difference.
karrlot is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-25-2016, 07:34 AM   #16
Skoolie
 
karrlot's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Manitou Springs, CO
Posts: 219
Year: 1991
Coachwork: Ward
Chassis: International 3800
Engine: DT466
Rated Cap: 65 passenger
I don't know a thing about engines or busses so I am learning as I go also.

My bus has an engine coolant heater that uses the batteries to pump and an electromagnetic retarder that draws significant power off of the batteries when it is used while I'm driving. I think that is why it has three. I've been able to jump it with a single car battery. Again, I know nothing, but I'm learning!

I haven't decided what to do with wiring yet. I know that the wiring harnesses that go from the front to the back control flashes lights, plus brake lights, reverse lights, and blinkers.
karrlot is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-26-2016, 04:20 AM   #17
Skoolie
 
rossfree's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Fairfield Bay, Arkansas
Posts: 163
Year: 1990
Coachwork: Chevy
Chassis: Ward?
Engine: 8.2 liter ?
Rated Cap: 24 Passenger
The video would be great!

Thank you!

Ross
rossfree is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-20-2016, 02:46 AM   #18
Skoolie
 
karrlot's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Manitou Springs, CO
Posts: 219
Year: 1991
Coachwork: Ward
Chassis: International 3800
Engine: DT466
Rated Cap: 65 passenger
Did you ever figure out how to get the windows out?
karrlot is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-20-2016, 05:07 PM   #19
Skoolie
 
rossfree's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Fairfield Bay, Arkansas
Posts: 163
Year: 1990
Coachwork: Chevy
Chassis: Ward?
Engine: 8.2 liter ?
Rated Cap: 24 Passenger
Yes on window removal! The hem is rolled around the bottom edge of the upper ceiling panels and riveted as you said. The secret is underneath.

There is about 2-1/2 inches of bus seat foam rubber sitting on top of the window frame between the hem and outside panel. It sits in a pocket. The window is not sealed in place. It is sandwiched against a thin rubber gasket. If you remove the thin aluminum strips inside the bus screwing the window frame sides to the posts on either side of the window you can insert a couple of screwdrivers under the window frame from the outside and pry the window frame upwards.

The foam rubber compresses allowing the bottom of the window fram to be lifted above the lower spot welded sheet metal lip and then it can be tilted to the inside of the bus and pulled downward to remove.

Get all that?

The rubber gasket is mostly stuck from years of contact with the window frame but the window can be "encouraged" to move with force and care.

Regardless, I'm cutting the bottom hem off with the angle grinder and a cutting wheel. I just place the cutting wheel against the top edge of the hem and follow it the length. It's clean and makes getting the windows out much easier.

Change of subjects... I purchased two 245 watt solar panels, a programmable charge controller, connectors, cables, a 2000 watt pure sine inverter, four 215 amp hour deep cell batteries... It's Christmas! LOL

I also picked up a nice driver's seat and two nice passenger seats from a salvage yard Chrysler Town and country van. Things are in full swing!

Ross
rossfree is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 12:42 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.