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Old 04-21-2012, 12:28 AM   #1
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Re: Purpose of Rub Rails?

My opinion they do add an "in the event of a crash" structural support. However just the bus sitting there, no I do not think they serve much purpose. Or maybe they help keep the bus sheet metal from "oil-caning".
Keep in mind I have no engineering experience at all. Although I did stay at a holiday inn once.

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Old 04-21-2012, 12:57 AM   #2
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Re: Purpose of Rub Rails?

from what i can gather on the busses that i have owned, the rub rails are mostly for protection. however, they are occasionally screwed or rivited on a panel that when one takes out the fastener, the panel has to be re-attached to the bus cause the screws or rivets for that seam went thru the rub rail. most of my rub rails from my thomas bus are in the pile that is going to the scrap yard next week. as well as furnaces, stove, frigs etc come to thinkof it.
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Old 04-21-2012, 08:37 AM   #3
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Re: Purpose of Rub Rails?

I'm guessing that its part support-and part damage protection. Picture the bus driver that cut a turn too tight and catches a pole-with the rub rails going down the bus horizontally, it wouldn't dig into the skin.
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Old 04-21-2012, 09:00 AM   #4
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Re: Purpose of Rub Rails?

My guess would be to help keep somthing from hitting the side of the bus, if it is a light impact like scrapinng a wall post, tree branch small cars people etc, the rub rails would get it first maybe giving you warning, and wont scrap the side of bus maybe breaking window? or it could be just for really strong pin stripping!

I left mine on just like the look
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Old 04-21-2012, 11:06 AM   #5
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Re: Purpose of Rub Rails?

On the Crown, the bottom rub rail is the drain for the windows, so if you are going to leave any of the standard windows in you will need to leave an open space for water to drain even if you remove the rub rails. I guess it's just a matter of taste, but I like them on mine and they are painted a differnt color than the body.
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Old 04-21-2012, 05:36 PM   #6
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Re: Purpose of Rub Rails?

This is how the Crown wall is designed. The window slides down between the inner and outer skin. In the up position, water flows down the window and channels out through the bottom of the third rub rail. Hope this helps. If you remove the rails, you might have extensive body work to do down the sides.
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Old 04-21-2012, 07:41 PM   #7
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Re: Purpose of Rub Rails?

Ok, now that I have re-read this thread, if it's a 97 model, don't know if I'm talking about the same body style you are...sorry about that. What I have described in design was for all the Crowns from the 50's until they ceased production in 1992 and were bought out by GE and Carpenter. Don't know if Carpenter used this construction. Oh well, sorry if I confused things.
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Old 04-22-2012, 09:28 AM   #8
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Re: Purpose of Rub Rails?

I would keep the rub rails (and we did). I had a huge "ding" in the section under the driver's window. I think they parked the bus in a tree. ANYWAY I had a heck of a time getting that rub rail pulled back out. It was bowed in about 2" on a 24" run.I used a couple of 2X4's on edge (shattered one) and 4 long bar clamps (the kind on long heavy pipes) and managed to pull most of it out over several days. Gave me a whole new respect for the rub rails. Those are some tough suckers. Gives the bottom side wall section (holding tanks, air compressor, generator, etc are behind there) a great deal of structure and protection from things that go bump on the highway.

We picked the rub rails out in hammered copper and hammered black paint.
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Old 04-22-2012, 09:40 AM   #9
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Re: Purpose of Rub Rails?

the holes left behind have to be filled with screws, rivets or mig welded and ground which is a 2 min job... i have a lot of them to fix as soon as it stope raining. it's a simple job prior to painting.. much easier than something like changing a cars quarter panel or something like that.
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