Entryway Steps

[taraandchris]

Hello fello skoolie fam!

My partner and I just bought a bus!! Something that I haven't found many resources online about are replacing or repairing the entryway steps. The steps are not in the greatest condition. The idea, in my head (no idea if its possible) is that we could replace the steps with compartments below for shoe storage. But I don't know if anyone has any advice or experience with this!

Thank you!!

[Meathead]

Welcome!
That’s a good idea. At least the two middle steps could have hinges. I haven’t seen anybody do that yet.

I bought a welding machine for my bus project and taught myself how to weld. I would advise that, if you are a beginner, start with smaller projects.

Now that I think about it, i have space for storage on the left side of my steps. Hmm. [emoji848]

[musigenesis]

A few users here have rebuilt their steps or moved them to a different location, and perhaps they can chime in on some of the potential pitfalls. But if you get under your bus and looks at the steps from underneath, you'll be able to see exactly how they're constructed and how they're attached to the floor. It's basically a square opening in the floor and a sheet metal structure that is exactly the shape of what you see in the stairs. You can cut out the old structure, build a new one (perhaps with hinged storage space under each step for shoes - there's definitely room for that on the underside) and weld it in place of the original.

You may also find that your original is not that bad and can be repaired with less effort than building new steps, albeit without the handy shoe storage.

FE (front engine) buses may be a bit more complicated for this.

[Mountain Gnome]

somewhere on this website I saw factory replacement steps for my BlueBird. Don't know what you've got. Fill out your user profile so we can help you better.


https://midwestbusparts.com/

[musigenesis]

Originally Posted by Mountain Gnome

somewhere on this website I saw factory replacement steps for my BlueBird. Don't know what you've got. Fill out your user profile so we can help you better.


https://midwestbusparts.com/

Oof, $1200 for the whole deal: https://midwestbusparts.com/index.ph...&cPath=750_763. You could get a whole other scrapper bus for that.

[Mountain Gnome]

OOFFF!


more characters here...

[dzl_]

I've been enamored with the vaguely formed idea of using the entry way step area as a shower area as well. Remove the middle step, so its just an entry trough, the a little portable step or stepping stool that can be removed for showers to create a nice deep shower pan.


Would be an efficient use of space if you will only be showering in the bus occasionally.

[Booyah45828]

I removed and replaced mine. You can read the post here

I bought the steel from a weld shop that lasered it from 1/8" sheet. I simply gave them the dimensions of the pieces, welded them together, and then installed whole unit with self tapping bolts.

It wasn't the easiest job in the world, but is way better then what was there. Anybody with steel fab skills can do it. I removed the step well light as well, but it wouldn't have been hard to install something in place of it if I want to.

[Brad_SwiftFur]

My Blue Bird lower step had rusted out and I bought a repair kit from busandtruckpanels.com . It is *NOT* a Blue Bird factory part, or kit! It is fabricated by the seller (having spoken to him by phone a couple times). He offers plenty of repair kits at very reasonable prices.

[T-Bolt]

Very interesting idea of adding storage. My RE bus needs the steps rebuilt and there is a ton of extra space under the front end. I've been trying to find a way to utilize the space without going through the front bumper. Now my wheels are turning with all kinds of options.

[cushionhead]

I was under my bus today and was thinking the same thing. My idea was re-fab the stairs with space behind each riser and use that space to put the batteries for my solar. Does that make sense?

[Mountain Gnome]

Originally Posted by cushionhead

I was under my bus today and was thinking the same thing. My idea was re-fab the stairs with space behind each riser and use that space to put the batteries for my solar. Does that make sense?

There was a super-cool guy named Tango on this site who was fabbing the ultimate bus practically from scratch. He had batteries under his steps.


Alas, the space under my steps is already taken.

[cushionhead]

(hmmm, maybe I could be super cool, like Tango?)

Thanks, glad to know it worked for someone.

[musigenesis]

FWIW I think putting a shower in the step well has a certain usefulness, but with basically the same level of fabrication effort you could put a shower stall that extends below the floor line in a number of other spots in the bus (like I'm doing behind my wheel well) and perhaps end up with a shower in a more convenient location - and still have your step well unimpeded. The same kind of thing would be true of storage compartments underneath the steps; you could do it and it would work (there is room under there) but there are also lots of other places in the bus where you could do sort of the same thing, possibly more easily and with more flexibility.

[dzl_]

Originally Posted by musigenesis

FWIW I think putting a shower in the step well has a certain usefulness, but with basically the same level of fabrication effort you could put a shower stall that extends below the floor line in a number of other spots in the bus (like I'm doing behind my wheel well) and perhaps end up with a shower in a more convenient location - and still have your step well unimpeded. The same kind of thing would be true of storage compartments underneath the steps; you could do it and it would work (there is room under there) but there are also lots of other places in the bus where you could do sort of the same thing, possibly more easily and with more flexibility.

Yes this is true, my primary interest in the shower entry combo, is square footage efficiency for a short bus, so avoiding the conventional locations is part of the idea. There are other potential locations for this dual/use shower space as well. One I've seen used in truck campers is locating the shower pan beneath the dinette table and putting a track for a shower curtain above this. If showers in the bus would only be an occasional luxury, one of these options might be a good tradeoff



On the other hand there are many advantages to devoting the square footage to a dedicated shower if you have the room. Everything is a tradeoff in these small spaces!

[dzl_]

Back to the original topic, I think shoe storage in or near the front steps would make a lot of sense.

[Doktari]

Shoe or battery storage makes great sense to me. My batteries are just in front of the original steps on the floor. In that seldom used front corner. If I rebuild the steps maybe I could hide them under the steps. But they aren’t in the way where they are and they are easier to work on and closer to the inverter.

[Dirtdoctor]

Great idea- check out the polished aluminum steps / storage boxes that semi trucks have. Find the aluminum box company that makes the stuff for Demi’s and you’ll find the step. Excellent use thoCheers

[powderskier]

It works well I cut the 2nd step out leaving a lip. I used 16 ga. Sheet tin and angles for framing. Then used self tapping tek screws to hold it together and join it to the body. Pre siliconed all joints and framing. Then couple layers of roofing tar over everything. The step was replaced with plywood covered with glued tile.it works well as a safe box as well it's basically invisible.

[cushionhead]

Thanks Powerskier, I hadn't thought of having the tread be the part that opens, I was thinking the riser would flip down. And great idea Dirtdoctor, I'll look at truck steps.

(I love this place