Roof-raisers, I have a question for you...

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by Brewerbob

True but a foot of square (or whatever) would work. Then I wouldn't have to have stuff custom bent and the flanges would be exactly the same.

Yeah, I've bought some flat stock before when I went in with a credit card for $5 worth of metal (shelf brackets) and had to spend a minimum of $20.

A foot? how high are you raising it? YOu need the extensions to have at least SOME overlap.
If raising it, say 12 inches- You'd probably want at least 4-6" overlap on each side of the cut. Mine has nearly a foot of overlap on each side of the cut.

[Brewerbob]

Originally Posted by EastCoastCB

A foot? how high are you raising it? YOu need the extensions to have at least SOME overlap.
If raising it, say 12 inches- You'd probably want at least 4-6" overlap on each side of the cut. Mine has nearly a foot of overlap on each side of the cut.

Not that I'd do it but I meant two 12" pieces of square. One bridging the old hat with the new hat at the top and one at the bottom.

I think an 18" raise will be about right for me. The current roof is about half inch too short. Raise the floor 2 or 3" with insulation. That drops it to 14~15" from where it's at. And 18+windows+overlap is a full sheet so it works out nice. 18"+ stock height still keeps me under 12' overall.

[EastCoastCB]

To each their own, Bob. But I'd definitely rather have one solid piece of rib extension. I'd just run the sq tubing the whole span of the rib. What another fifty bucks, right?

[Brewerbob]

Originally Posted by EastCoastCB

To each their own, Bob. But I'd definitely rather have one solid piece of rib extension. I'd just run the sq tubing the whole span of the rib. What another fifty bucks, right?

Logistically it would be easier just to avoid making all the cuts so yeah I'd do that too. The only worry would be torque and with the skin on there, it can't torque much.

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by Brewerbob

Logistically it would be easier just to avoid making all the cuts so yeah I'd do that too. The only worry would be torque and with the skin on there, it can't torque much.

HUH>??
What you mean?

[family wagon]

Originally Posted by Brewerbob

I need to measure my rivets but 40' bus is going to need 5 sheets per side plus 1 front and 1 rear so 12 sheets total.

I may get lucky and only need 4 sheets per side depending on where I start the raise. Metal Supermarket is $831.43 for 12 sheets, 48x96, 16 gauge. Does this sound right?

I don't know about the Metal Supermarkets in your area, but I don't even bother calling the franchise here in Salt Lake City anymore. For the same price they'll ask for one foot of material I can buy the whole 20 foot stick at any of four other suppliers. (I exaggerate, but not by much.)

As for overlap of the extension: I sized mine to be about the same as the overlap (height of) the chair rail. Something like 10 inches at each end as I recall.

Custom-made hat channel does cost more than piecing together square tube and flat bar, but it sure makes the assembly go faster and the cost isn't that bad. I had a sheet metal fab shop fold two 4x10 sheets into 10 foot long hat channels which I then cut to size at home. These were sized so they fit as a cap over the top of the original hat channels, kind of the opposite of what ECCB showed in the earlier pictures.

[EastCoastCB]

I know one thing I've learned about raising roofs... Its hair raising at first, but its totally not bad and now that its all done I fee really AWESOME. Its been a huge victory for me. Loving the bus like never before!

[aaronsb]

Sounds close. I bought 10' panels from a steel supplier.
One thing I'd do different is get "pickled" galvanized or electrogalv steel. It's got a green coating. I had to go to some heroic lengths to do my panel overlap as best I could with coldgalv spray or tactical application of epoxy primer or etching primer.

Originally Posted by Brewerbob

I need to measure my rivets but 40' bus is going to need 5 sheets per side plus 1 front and 1 rear so 12 sheets total.

I may get lucky and only need 4 sheets per side depending on where I start the raise. Metal Supermarket is $831.43 for 12 sheets, 48x96, 16 gauge. Does this sound right?

[aaronsb]

I cut cold roll rectangular tube that was an inch or two taller than the open span that the roof was raised,
so basically 48". I tapped one end on the bottom so it was tucked behind the bottom skin, pushed it in at the top, and hosed the whole hat channel down with cold galv spray paint. Let that dry, and tapped in two hot roll shims of flat bar stock painted with cold galv spray between the hat and the new steel tube. Tack those in place, and weld two angle iron ears to form an unbroken flange for the new "rib"

Some more welding held everything in place. One thing that was neat about this technique is it pressed all the ribs back into shape. Some of them went a little "sproing" after cutting them.

Somewhere I have a good photo of this process. I'll find it.

Originally Posted by EastCoastCB

To each their own, Bob. But I'd definitely rather have one solid piece of rib extension. I'd just run the sq tubing the whole span of the rib. What another fifty bucks, right?

[Brewerbob]

Originally Posted by aaronsb

Sounds close. I bought 10' panels from a steel supplier.
One thing I'd do different is get "pickled" galvanized or electrogalv steel. It's got a green coating. I had to go to some heroic lengths to do my panel overlap as best I could with coldgalv spray or tactical application of epoxy primer or etching primer.

Yeah, I'm nowhere near ready ti be trying to spray paint things just yet. Not all that ready for the roof raise either. I don't think the base RV lot people would like seeing the roof off my bus!! I gotta find a spot to park it, level it, cut it, relevel it, weld/rivet it.

Somewhere I have a good photo of this process. I'll find it.

YES!!, plese do.

[BusT]

Originally Posted by EastCoastCB

Here you can see the channel is put INTO the rib. The channel I had made was 33" long, so I had PLENTY of overlap and room to raise as high as I wanted.

The channel had to be checked a time or two and they had to make a few adjustments to make em perfect, but it was worth it. A good, snug fit is what you want here.


I cut out a section of rib and took it to the fab shop so they could have it to test fit.
The channels are 14ga, since that's what the factory used to make the ribs.

Cb when you cut a peice and took it to a fab shop....
Did you support that piece first with all thread a raisers ....
or did you just cut out a peice of hat channel that looked like it wasn’t supporting as much weight ? Like a peice near a door frame or something ?
I’m about to cut one and take it to the shop tomorrow ... not sure if I should weld up the raising mechanisms to support it first ... it should be okay right?

[BusT]

Well I just cut my hat channel to be brought to work.... it seems like after the cut the gap opened up by 3/16

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by BusT

Well I just cut my hat channel to be brought to work.... it seems like after the cut the gap opened up by 3/16

Which gap?
I cut a piece out with either a sawzall or angle grinder. I think it was a grinder. I didn't use any all thread for that. I just used all thread to hold the roof up for when they were ALL cut.

[BusT]

If I try to put the piece I cut out back in there’s a 3/16 gap

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by BusT

If I try to put the piece I cut out back in there’s a 3/16 gap

What did you cut with? There's usually material removed when cutting- its called the "kerf".

[BusT]

Originally Posted by EastCoastCB

What did you cut with? There's usually material removed when cutting- its called the "kerf".

A 3/16 In
disc on a grinder.....
No jk. I think an 8th in disc.... haha

Man I freestyled it so .... maybe that’s it...
before raising I also will level as much as I can sooo should be no harm done ....
Man if you could check out my thread please I have a question and wrote a lot about materials .... it under roof raise something

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by BusT

A 3/16 In
disc on a grinder.....
No jk. I think an 8th in disc.... haha

Man I freestyled it so .... maybe that’s it...
before raising I also will level as much as I can sooo should be no harm done ....
Man if you could check out my thread please I have a question and wrote a lot about materials .... it under roof raise something

I'll check it out.

[alpine44]

Originally Posted by Brewerbob

Yeah, I'm nowhere near ready ti be trying to spray paint things just yet. Not all that ready for the roof raise either. I don't think the base RV lot people would like seeing the roof off my bus!! I gotta find a spot to park it, level it, cut it, relevel it, weld/rivet it.

Hi Bob,

I have a property in Elkton, about 1 hour from you, where we could do the roof raise. Have power, water, air, welders, and all tools needed there. I have not raised a skoolie roof yet but done a ton of sheet metal on aircraft, cars, and industrial equipment. After studying MuddaEarth's videos extensively, I am confident that we can pull this off nicely.

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by alpine44

Hi Bob,

I have a property in Elkton, about 1 hour from you, where we could do the roof raise. Have power, water, air, welders, and all tools needed there. I have not raised a skoolie roof yet but done a ton of sheet metal on aircraft, cars, and industrial equipment. After studying MuddaEarth's videos extensively, I am confident that we can pull this off nicely.

Bobs already raised his.

[alpine44]

Originally Posted by EastCoastCB

Bobs already raised his.

Is there anyone else close to Northern MD or Asheville, NC that wants to do a roof raise?

I bought my box truck with 7' headroom to avoid a roof raise but after seeing MuddaEarth's creations, I am actually itching to do one.

BTW, MuddaEarth is very fond of the hat sections from Colorado Custom Coachworks to extend the sidewall ribs.