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 02-19-2016, 01:46 PM   #21
Bus Nut
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 722
Year: 1998
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: TC2000 RE
Engine: 8.3l Cummins
Rated Cap: 78
If anything you'll only be leaking a little bit of coolant. Pinch off the two lines before you disconnect, and pull it apart. Use a 1" hose barb to loop stuff together. Remember this coolant loop feeds the windshield defroster heater core up front too.

Quote:
Originally Posted by EricW View Post


I really don't want to drain the coolant but it appears to be the only way to get this little heater off to access the floor as it is attached under the bus. I'm really thinking about just cutting around it and cutting plywood to fit around it. My gut tells me I should probably just drain the coolant and do it but it's so small and the cockpit area isn't as important to me. Anyone else run into this personal dilema?
On a better note I did get the ceiling down yesterday night. Used air chisel to punch out the middles of the rivets then a normal her and cold chisel to smack the heads off

aaronsb is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-19-2016, 01:47 PM   #22
Bus Nut
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 722
Year: 1998
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: TC2000 RE
Engine: 8.3l Cummins
Rated Cap: 78
That vent is probably the engine air intake. Lots of noise comes out of that hole.


Quote:
Originally Posted by EricW View Post


Also the back walls seem somewhat integrated to window functionality. How much or little of this should I remove? The area where there's a vent up top... does that vent motor heat and is in necessary? I noticed there was no insulation in that wall.

aaronsb is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-19-2016, 06:05 PM   #23
Skoolie
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 153
So if that is air intake for the engine I should insulate around it?
EricW is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-26-2016, 06:38 AM   #24
Skoolie
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 153
Do people typically leave all the back paneling and just cover it? If so how do you attach your insulation and wall to that?
EricW is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-26-2016, 06:51 AM   #25
Bus Nut
 
superdave's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: hills of sw virginia
Posts: 889
Year: 1996
Chassis: thomas
Engine: 8.3 cummins
Rated Cap: 11 window
i took both mid way heaters out and ran new coolant lines from pump/motor to the front of the bus to feed heater/ defroster. i ran them under the bus to get them out of the way. got 60' of heater hose off ebay for 55 bucks
__________________
living in a bus down by the river.
my build pics
https://www.skoolie.net/forums/membe...albums942.html
superdave is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-26-2016, 07:18 AM   #26
Skoolie
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 153
Very nice! I don't think I'm too concerned about the hoses being inside the bus but idk? I have already removed both mid heaters. This is a little one that goes between the drivers seat and wall. The hoses going into it are under the bus. I don't think I can pinch them off like I did with the thicker black hoses. I'll probably have to drain the coolant if I want to detach that little heater
EricW is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-27-2016, 03:53 PM   #27
Skoolie
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 153



Tsp scrubbed and sprayed ospho. Worked out of a fertilizer sprayer. May even try that sprayer to lay primer. Any thoughts?
EricW is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-29-2016, 06:40 AM   #28
Skoolie
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 153


First coat of rustoleum primer. Have enough for a second coat. I may use the primer on the back and front area that I didn't spray. I used a $13 air compressor spray gun to lay the primer but the other areas I will probably just brush on. I think I'm just going to go ahead and primer all the areas that are currently painted that I was planning to leave alone for now (cockpit area around window and switchboard)
EricW is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-29-2016, 07:30 AM   #29
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
You're using the system I recommend! Good stuff! That red oxide color is addicting once you start putting it down, eh?

Looks good, keep up the good work. Your bus looks solid and clean!
EastCoastCB is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-29-2016, 02:54 PM   #30
Skoolie
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 153
Thanks! Threw on a quick 2nd coat this morning. Going to do silicon and aluminum tape on the holes once it's dry and then the rustoleum paint. Temps are about to be back down below freezing tho so I may hold off on the paint
EricW is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-01-2016, 07:14 AM   #31
Skoolie
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 153
When making the Floorplan what things do I need to take into consideration? I assume I will me working the floor plan around plumbing? I need to figure out where I can mount a grey water tank under the bus and probably put a composting toilet there with the sink backed up to the bathroom wall so all grey water things are close together?

Is there an order at which these things are most easily done? I've been focusing on one step at a time. If there was a most practical order that may help. Frame, plumb, wood stove, electric?
EricW is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-12-2016, 06:55 AM   #32
Skoolie
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 153
Got the flor painted! Going to put on a second coat after work if I have time. Excited to get the subfloor down



EricW is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-12-2016, 08:44 AM   #33
Bus Crazy
 
Scooternj's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: EHT New Jersey
Posts: 1,134
Year: 2003
Coachwork: AmTran
Chassis: International 3000RE
Engine: T444E/AT545
Rated Cap: 75
Quote:
Originally Posted by EricW View Post
When making the Floorplan what things do I need to take into consideration? I assume I will me working the floor plan around plumbing? I need to figure out where I can mount a grey water tank under the bus and probably put a composting toilet there with the sink backed up to the bathroom wall so all grey water things are close together?

Is there an order at which these things are most easily done? I've been focusing on one step at a time. If there was a most practical order that may help. Frame, plumb, wood stove, electric?
One advantage to an RE is you can put your tanks between the frame rails. And what you may want to do after your frame, but before you panel, is run your water and electric, then worry about the wood stove later.
__________________
Hey! That's not an RV, that's a school bus.
Well thank you for noticing, Captain Obvious

Captain Obvious on deviantArt
Scooternj is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-12-2016, 12:09 PM   #34
Skoolie
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 153
Thanks! That helps a lot. I thought there was something going on between the frame rails but I'll check it out tonight
EricW is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-16-2016, 07:38 AM   #35
Skoolie
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 153
I was thinking of putting a frame to the floor to help support the weight of everything to not crush the foam insulation. I've decided on 1 inch 25 psi foam board. I was going to put the floor frame butted up against the wall and down the middle and under each seam. I will be using those TEK screws to attach to the metal floor. Is this overkill to support the weight of everything? Do I need that much support if in going with 25 psi board? And for the frame I was just going to cut strips of half inch plywood to have a true 1in to be flush with the foam board. I think I will then attach the plywood to the strips with either screws, liquid nails, or a combination of both. Likely have the 30# felt between either floor and foam or foam and plywood. Anyone have any advice? Should I use less wood to frame? How many screws would one recommend? And better advice for attaching or adhering this stuff?
Thanks for all the help as most of the info I got to devise this plan is right from you guys
EricW is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-16-2016, 08:18 AM   #36
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
Quote:
Originally Posted by EricW View Post
Got the flor painted! Going to put on a second coat after work if I have time. Excited to get the subfloor down



Thats GREAT!!!!
EastCoastCB is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-23-2016, 05:33 PM   #37
Almost There
 
Join Date: Jul 2016
Posts: 98
Eric,

It's bread from UP north. Your bus looks great. Hope to see ya at the next fest
bread519 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-30-2021, 10:47 PM   #38
Mini-Skoolie
 
1catlady's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2020
Location: michigan
Posts: 37
Year: 2003
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: Allison
Engine: 3800 466e international
Rated Cap: 35
Quote:
Originally Posted by EricW View Post
Hehe so I bought the 97 bluebird 8.3 Cummins md3060 from Seattle area and its very rust free. I live in Kalamazoo Michigan and plan on living in the bus full time starting this fall with my lady friend and 9 mo old Australian Shepherd. We want to have a wood burning stove, probably propane for backup heat\electric. Solar paneling on roof preferably removable for traveling and parking. We want to spend a few months traveling the west side of the US backpacking national parks and adventuring about. We also plan on a sink, composting toilet and shower but am unsure about hot water. We will live out of the bus and work temp jobs to save for what we need once we run out of money (less emergency fund).

So that's what the plan is... So far I have enjoyed what we have done. Unbolted the seats I could access under the bus and angle grinder to the rest. Have all the floor up except where the driver seat was. Pulled the 2 rear heaters. I gave all the seats away to someone on CL. Now I'm running into questions and am pretty sure I've read most if not all threads pertaining to flooring. Now I have no experience with anything construction related so the way I'm doing this is by trying to find someone who has done something similar and just copying that project. I'm just not quite grasping how the floor\wall framing\ceiling all go together or is the floor a separate entity? Do I plan. All 3 out at once? If I use self tapping screws to screw anything to the floor doesn't that create a thermal\moisture bridge that seems to be very desirable? It seems I need to keep that bottom part of the wall intact? Does people seal walls with any rustoleum? Can I run the bus with my air ride seat detached? The air line that pumps air to the seat is disconnected and might just start pumping a lot of air? Is anything done to attach floors to walls? I was thinking floating floor to avoid screws. I figure if I do a good job with the rustoleum for sealing off the already pretty rust free floor I could just use adhesive to attach everything together and still have some floor to maybe toenail a little bit down.

I am trying to take this one thing at a time and currently working on getting rivets out of walls and ceiling but the floor is coming up and although I've spent several hours trying to figure out what and how to do it all I still feel a little unsure. I know everyone does things a little differently but I would really like to have an instruction manual on how to get the floor and framing done. The tentative plan is to frame with 2x4s or 2x3s. Do those just get bolted to those ribs of the bus. I think I've been over thinking but was wondering if anyone had a lot of free time and wanted to help me without advising me to read more build threads. I have gone through quite a few but I think I over think things and confuse myself.

How the floor gets attached and how it corresponds or attached to the walls and if I can run my bus with the air ride seat detached are my big ones right now. Pm me if you want to help and I can give out my phone number too
I also live in Kalamazoo. Did you finish your bus?
__________________
I do what I want, 1catlady
1catlady is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-30-2021, 11:11 PM   #39
Traveling
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Virginia
Posts: 2,302
Year: None
Coachwork: None
Chassis: None
Engine: None
Rated Cap: None
Quote:
Originally Posted by aaronsb View Post
If anything you'll only be leaking a little bit of coolant. Pinch off the two lines before you disconnect, and pull it apart. Use a 1" hose barb to loop stuff together. Remember this coolant loop feeds the windshield defroster heater core up front too.
Something to be aware of -- coolant leaks from interior heaters or coolant lines are dangerous. Breathing fumes from hot antifreeze can make you extremely sick -- if you're lucky. It has been known to kill. If you have a metallic taste in your mouth while inside a vehicle with the engine running, coolant leaks could be poisoning you. And it doesn't take a lot of exposure to make you extremely sick or even kill you.
CHEESE_WAGON is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-30-2021, 11:33 PM   #40
Bus Crazy
 
Rwnielsen's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2020
Location: Long Beach, CA
Posts: 1,075
Year: 1998
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: TC2000, 40' MPV
Engine: 5.9 Cummins/B300 trans
Rated Cap: U/K
I seem to be constantly sucked in to 5 year old threads. I'm just about to add my $.02 of questionable wisdom and realize it.
Rwnielsen 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 06:09 AM.


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