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Old 10-16-2015, 10:41 AM   #1
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
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Year: 1989
Coachwork: Thomas Saf-T-Liner
Chassis: Thomas Saf-T-Liner
Engine: Cat 3208
Rated Cap: 72
Holes in Floor?

Hey bus world! Been scanning the forums for advice on our tiny home project. We are at the empty shell phase. 1989 Thomas, Cat engine. We aren't doing the ceiling and walls because of time restraints. We are gonna ospho and rustoleum the floor. But We are having a hard time knowing what to do with the seat holes in the floor. I've read some quick advice about aluminum tape and car windshield sealant, but not how it was applied. I've dug thru a few conversion thread, but we are held up at this point so just asking for HELP seems like the best plan. We really don't wanna mess this part up and rot out our floor. Trying to live and travel in it for 5-10 years. We have a product Sikaflex 221 that is a non latex caulk for metal that has more flexibility (for going down the road). We got it for our windows, hoping it might work for th floor. Any advice is welcome, please tell us what's worked for you.
~Smuj and Starshine

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Old 10-16-2015, 11:01 AM   #2
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
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Year: 1978
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Chassis: IH Loadstar 1600
Engine: 345 v8
My process was angle grinder for cleaning/scarring surface. Wiped with acetone to further clean. Applied a 2 part epoxy around the hole, then caped it with little 1"x 1" metal cutout. On the smaller holes I just used epoxy.

Plan on covering/Insulating the floor down the road. So the little metal cutouts wont even be noticed.

FYI I am a complete skoolie noob as youself. So take as much or as little weight in my technique as you want.
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Old 10-16-2015, 11:07 AM   #3
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Engine: Cat 3208
Rated Cap: 72
Have you driven your bus with these attachments? Worried that Bondo will crack with too much movement.
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Old 10-16-2015, 11:10 AM   #4
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OK I'll get flamed by the usual suspects for asking this, but why can't you put the original bolts back in the holes with some locktite and grind them flush?
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Old 10-16-2015, 11:20 AM   #5
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Took it on a short road trip last weekend. city/highway/gravel roads. Everything seems to have held. Time will tell though. Like I said, just getting started on this project myself.
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Old 10-16-2015, 11:23 AM   #6
Mini-Skoolie
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by OMGIBoughtABus View Post
OK I'll get flamed by the usual suspects for asking this, but why can't you put the original bolts back in the holes with some locktite and grind them flush?
Seems like a practically good idea but we don't have the bolts. We were lucky enough to buy it already empty.
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Old 10-16-2015, 11:45 AM   #7
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i was at your point a month ago. I had bought a welder for various repairs ($299) it is a wirefeed flux cored welder so very simple to use. Do not be afraid to weld, it is not as hard as you may think it is. So with that being said i welded ALL of the floor holes in my bus and was easier than putting glue or tape down. Honestly might have been 10 seconds a hole, if that. I turned my welder to the lowest amps for thin metal, put it on the edge of the hole and dragged the pool around until it filled the hole, it was molten hot so it expanded right ibto the hole. Did 200+ holes in 2-3 hours. Also ospho is a touch expensive compared to what i used. Brand was kleen strip phosphoric cleaner that converted rust and prepped metal for paint it was $15 for a gallon at home depot, couldve did 3 buses with it, also bought a hand pump aprayer people use for fertilizing and stuff for $9 and you honestljy cant get much better. My build is the 1992 thomas international, just got done doing it so check it out. I also typed this on my cell phone so sorry for the typos as i was too lazy to correct them.
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Old 10-16-2015, 11:53 AM   #8
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Quote:
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Also ospho is a touch expensive compared to what i used. Brand was kleen strip phosphoric cleaner that converted rust and prepped metal for paint it was $15 for a gallon at home depot, couldve did 3 buses with it, also bought a hand pump aprayer people use for fertilizing and stuff.
Did you do rustoleum over this? Would you recommend it?
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Old 10-16-2015, 12:21 PM   #9
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Yep i did used professional rustoleum was oil-based and we choose gloss black but there was anything from green, white, red, black and more at hone depot was $26 a gallon so we got two and it did the whole floor, back, and side panels with about 1/4 left in the second gallon when all done. The paint and phosphoric cleaner were in the same section just the next aisle it was all pretty easy to find.
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Old 10-16-2015, 02:16 PM   #10
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Like BurlKing I welded all the upteen jillion holes in my floor. That way I know the fix is permanent and not going to let go or fall out like tape or Bondo.
And definitely yes on a good quality rust inhibitor or converter.
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Old 10-16-2015, 03:08 PM   #11
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the rust converter i got also said it prevents flash rusting as well, as long as you apply the paint 48 hours after your spray it and let it dry. if you've read on here too the best time to use it is at night, the product needs to stay wet as long as possible, so i sprayed it on at about 8pm and was wet all through the night and dried around 10am, the results were unbelievable, every single speck of rust was gone. i did have to power wash and sweep the residue left over several times though, but was well worth the money.
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Old 10-16-2015, 08:46 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Trask97140 View Post
My process was angle grinder for cleaning/scarring surface. Wiped with acetone to further clean. Applied a 2 part epoxy around the hole, then caped it with little 1"x 1" metal cutout. On the smaller holes I just used epoxy.

Plan on covering/Insulating the floor down the road. So the little metal cutouts wont even be noticed.
I did this on my first bus.

This is the best overall method for durability and longevity short of welding.

The epoxy and metal patch method in some ways is better than welding. It is a complete bond between the two layers of metal. No gap for rust to get between and cause a issue.
Welding done wrong can also cause a porous mess on small holes, and runs the risk of warping the metal.

The use of flux core wire in a mig welder is a big no no. It causes nice little spots of impurity's in the weld, just welcoming new rust to start nearly immediately after the repair.

Nat
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Old 10-16-2015, 09:07 PM   #13
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How about fiberglass and bondo? Doesn't rust...we have scraps leftover from our window project...has anybody had experience using fiberglass patches? Its also a better thermal conductor
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Old 10-16-2015, 09:18 PM   #14
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Fiberglass will work, but I like epoxy better.

I find it sticks to steel better.

Nat
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Old 10-16-2015, 09:21 PM   #15
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I mean using epoxy to bond a fiberglass patch rather than a metal patch.
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Old 10-16-2015, 09:23 PM   #16
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Sounds like it should work.

Nat
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Old 10-16-2015, 09:53 PM   #17
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My Hobart mig came with flux core wire...
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Old 10-16-2015, 10:53 PM   #18
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Quote:
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My Hobart mig came with flux core wire...
So did my Hobart 210. The 140 is able to run solid core and gas with a few minor adjustments just like my 210.

I have been using my 210 in a shop setting for the last few weeks building a hopper feed for the half million BTU coal boiler. We have it running off 20 amp 120 volt coming from the solar power. I love it, works vary well.

We are the only school bus shop in western Canada running completely off grid.

Nat
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Old 10-17-2015, 01:22 AM   #19
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I covered the holes in my bus with aluminum tape (after grinding all the rust off and phosphate coating it), and then painted the floor with Deck Restore type paint. It is 10 times thicker than regular paint (seems to have a lot of sand mixed in with it). Can't even tell where the holes used to be, but I will be putting carpet runners down over the center to protect the spots that I know are weaker than the rest of the floor. The deck coat makes a coating about 1/8 inch thick. Doesn't cover much though - only about 40 square feet per gallon - took 4 gallons to do my whole floor.
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Old 11-12-2015, 03:22 PM   #20
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
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Year: 1986
Coachwork: Ford
Chassis: B7000
Engine: 10.4 L Caterpillar "3208" V8
Hi Trask97140 and Nat_Ster:

What exactly is the "1x1 metal cutout? What kind of metal. Sourced from where? Also, any specifics on the epoxy that works best, or are they all the same? I have been looking at POR 15 putty products that have a good reputation. Any experience with the POR 15 products?

Thank you,

Chrissy
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