Roof raise (no welding)

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by musigenesis

Here is the NHTSA advisory on Carpenter buses: https://icsw.nhtsa.gov/people/injury.../carpenterbus/

Instead of forming the walls and ceiling from a single piece of channel, Carpenters had separate wall posts and roof beams, joined with longitudinal rails and all welded together. Buses built at the Mitchell, Indiana plant were prone to weld failures while those built at the Richmond plant (to almost the same design) were not. Were the Mitchell welders less experienced and competent? Unknown. Did they use different welding processes at the two factories? Unknown. Did the welds fail quickly or over time? Unknown.

It's interesting that when considering the strength of a roof raise, we usually seem to characterize it in terms of how well the structure would survive a serious accident that stressed the structure much more than ordinary usage (e.g. a rollover or a collision with another large vehicle). But the Carpenter buses out of Mitchell showed serious weld failures just from ordinary usage (the structural failure that precipitated the investigation occurred because some of the welds had already failed before the accident).

A weld is bad from the time its made.
You should see the welds in my old Ward. They literally looked like a 5th grader's first day in shop class. But they were factory. I can weld better with my $500 buzz box than those factory workers did!

[Mudhutwarrior]

Originally Posted by E450Shorty

Sorry to say but doing stuff like that is probably the main reason why insurance companies are dropping skoolies...

Agreed. The internet and youtube killed skoolies. They are going the way of wooden boats 20 years ago. Could not insure them and marinas all over would not accept them. Not because they were unsafe but every wanker with zero sense bought the worst ones and they sunk at the dock or were abandoned leaving marinas to pay for their being scrapped.

Same is happening here.


I was going skoolie twenty years ago but I talked to many knowledgeable people first and thought better of it and bought a coach. Way better but still a hassle. Sold that and now have a one ton van and a simple trailer. Fema one never used. Stripped it and built it out right. Does every thing a Skoolie can and more. Can hit any campground with no hassle.


Helped four buddies set up their skoolies over time and all of them have since sold out and quit it. They all saved a lot doing it but they learned how skoolies are looked down on over time and for good reason. All of it not the fault of responsible owners. Soon it will be near impossible to own one as they will be regulated out of existence.


I still love the concept but they are too popular for the wrong people.

[2kool4skool]

Originally Posted by HazMatt

I'm simply grateful that I'm not another inch taller, or that the ceiling isn't another inch lower, rendering the entire expensive exercise, for me, moot.
No slouching needed or danger of concussing! But if it's super humid, and I'm having a Big Hair day, then all that means is that the ceiling panels get dusted off early...

YES! Our 77 inch center with my 5-11 bod, get along very well. We even have a CEILING FAN!

[HazMatt]

Originally Posted by 2kool4skool

YES! Our 77 inch center with my 5-11 bod, get along very well. We even have a CEILING FAN!

hmm...
I'm starting to think that I don't like you very well...
[emoji6]

[trx]

The roof I built on my bus is bolted inside the window channels. That was done in 2003 and it hasn't fallen off yet.

Chad