Bus # 9906

[musigenesis]

Originally Posted by cadillackid

School busses used to have a driver window deflector option .. on one hand I love them on the other hand they blocked the view somewhat.

Ah yeah, I didn't think about the visibility. Guess my Sea II is going back up on the rear cap.

[Oscar1]

Originally Posted by ewo1

So thanks to CadillacKid and Oscar1 for their input. I finally decided the stock OEM drivers window is staying in place.

What I dis, the rear pane I put on some Limo tint and on the front pane I put on legal window tint. I actually plan to use that mirror alot so I wanted to be able to see out the window fairly well...

Thanks guys, Chris... you were right, a bigger window would be better and I didn't think about the airflow to the driver. the ability to move both panes of glass was really helpful too...

OSCAR1, the pics you posted did it for me.

So here are the two window ideas, i've decided on the bigger one!

Looks awesome!
Glad we could offer some different perspective's for you.
Cheers

Oscar

[ewo1]

So I got a little bit of work down on the inside rear engine cover.
Back in post #28 & 29 I showed where water was still trapped inside between the rear engine cover panels. Looking at the design as a whole, I feel very strong that the water intrusion begins at the air dam's and creeps it way in the bus in between the walls.

So the framing for the rear seats still had water in them after the bus being inside the warehouse for a year now...

I cleaned up all the rust it left behind, fortunately it wall all surface rust!
I left the foam inserts in place. Looking at them closely I'm guessing their not for insulation value but because of their design I'm guessing it is more for sound deadening.

Those foam panels have a vinyl sheet in the middle of the foam pads. So the foam must be for "diffusing" or "Absorption" of sound while the vinyl insert helps block sound.

I'll be gluing foam insulation boards over the whole thing anyway so leaving the inserts can't do anything negative for the bus.

I also took care of a huge hole in the floor, right under the heater! Wonder how long that must have leaked!

Where the inside mechanis acces panel is, I modified it slightly. I'm ditching my original thoughts of re-working the whole box to make it more "Sqaure". Instead I'll frame it out with wood when it comes time to do the insulation work.

I also cut out the "arch" that was right over the valve cover. I did this so I can at least "Square up" that center piece with a separate but removable insulated steel cover.
My diesel mechanic theorized that the arch was there in support of the lifting plates on the engine house frame. So out it goes as we will never need to use those lifting points!

Also on my mechanics recommendation, we cut out 3 inches from the interior rear wall, right on top of the valve cover. The thought here is that it will provide for more clearance so if you had to, you can get your arm up and over the valve cover from inside the engine box hopefully reducing or eliminating the need to remove the bed when and if the time comes to remove the head.

So in short, rust remediated, slight metal body mods and reassembly.

This afternoon I break the bus piggy bank and go buy some insulation boards. going 2 inch on the floor and 1 inch on the walls and ceiling.

[ewo1]

It's been a while since I last posted on the progress of the bus, not that I stopped working on it, just pulled myself away from the computer for a while.

So I re-installed the foam mats that were found to be soaking wet all while the bus was inside the warehouse for at least 6 months....
Removed the arch in the center, cleaned all the metal, Ospho'd and rusty metal primered.

I re-installed the original sheet metal, glued down a 3/4 foam insulation board to the entire engine box and now covering with 5/8 plywood.

I also made the center "covers" fully insulated with sheet metal on both side, inside engine compartment and bus body. I designed this so that if access were needed for engine repairs, I could easily unscrew the cover plated and gain access without performing a major disassembly .

[ewo1]

I also went ahead and finally changed the door from a bi-fold to a single door and mounted it on a piano hinge. I also re-utilized the fabric hinge cover so as to help protect the piano hinge from the elements.

I recycled some used steel from a UTV shipping crate.
The pic of the Yamaha sitting in the frame is an internet pic and the other rusted looking frame is a spare frame that I got. I originally got 2 of these...for FREE !!!
It is mild steel, approx 1/16" thick, perfect for a door frame!

The pieces I used to make a door frame in the bus is approx 1" x 2" and the center piece I welded in between the bifold doors is appox 1" x 4".

I made a rookie mistake when welding, I overheated one side while welding so now is has a slight "Bow", not perfectly straight. I tried to prevent this from the beginning by clamping down angle iron , top and bottom but what I did wrong is welded up one side first then flipped it around to do the other. That is when I overheated the one side and it bowed.
I should have done small tack weld first, on each side and then alternate my welding so as not to overheat any one side.

Added a piano hinge, door does close real nice but dang, I will still know the door is bowed!

[ewo1]

So while on this adventure of rebuilding this bus, I went ahead and sourced some aluminum truck wheels. Found out real quick that the lugs were too short so off the wheels came so as to remove the lugs and buy longer ones. That's when it happened, hit me in the face hard... I NEED BRAKES AND DRUMS !!!

The pads were just about to start touching the rivets. If it wasn't for needing lugs I may not have looked into the brakes just yet. I also found a rear axle seal that was just starting to get moist.

One of the first things I did was to call the international dealer, give them my vin number and asked if they could email the build sheet for the bus. They did so quickly and again...FREE !!!

So my bus came with what the call 'California" brake pads. I have come to learn that they are actually "Merotir-Rockwell Q-plus" shoes.

The rear are 16.5 x 8 Q+ and the fronts are 16.5 x 6 Q+.

Every truck parts shop I went to did not stock them. They all tried to convince me to downgrade to the regular size shoes, rear 16.5 x 7 and front 16.6 x 5.

I said to them all, yeah right, while the whole world eagerly wants an upgrade you want me to downgrade my braking capacity???

I kept looking and found shoes... One place was really expensive but in all I spent so far $169.06 for the front shoes and $256.00 for the rear shoes. This place where I got the the front shoes did not care about the cores and would not subtract a core charge for the shoes. Oh well, I least I am gonna be safe now.

Still trying to source brake drums, I need to replace all 4. They have alot, i mean ALOT of heat cracks.

My local International dealer quoted me $207 each for the rear drums and $284 each for the front.
New axle seal, (2) for $120.00

That's $1,527 in parts alone. Glad I got it done now versus on the road broke down!
I wonder how much a break job costs for a bus?

[ewo1]

I found a 59 page Meritor Brake shoe catalog.
I am uploading here for anyone who might need brakes!

Oop's, file is too large to upload.

Here is the link for the PDF -> https://cumberland-companies.com/wp-...rake-Shoes.pdf

[ewo1]

So the brakes are now all done, new shoes, drums on all 4 tires and new hub seals on the rear wheels!

Got it out of the warehouse today, after 14 months of being inside it is sure nice to get my warehouse space back!

Here are some before and after pics from what it was to where it is.
Later today I'll be applying Ospho the the naked sheet metal so I can get some primer on it.

[Oscar1]

Just had a chance to re read your whole build thread, fantastic work, great looking bus and awesome motivation.
Thanks.

[ewo1]

Originally Posted by Oscar1

Just had a chance to re read your whole build thread, fantastic work, great looking bus and awesome motivation.
Thanks.

Thank you for the kind words. It sure is nice hearing someone else saying what you did, truly motivating!

[cadillackid]

bus is lookin great!!! so you ospho on brare metal? you dont have to etch it first or use a primer / etcher?

[ewo1]

Originally Posted by cadillackid

bus is lookin great!!! so you ospho on brare metal? you dont have to etch it first or use a primer / etcher?

Thank you!

I have been apply Ospho on bare metal for a couple of years now. It actually etches the metal somewhat.

On general parts that I sandblast…. Blast clean, Ospho, let it dry, wipe clean with scotch pad, acetone, clean rag then primer or paint.

http://www.ospho.com/directions.htm

[ewo1]

So it has been a few months since i have been able to get anything done. Lucky thing for me I am in Miami and it is still very warm, 77 degrees today, and I can still work on the exterior of the bus.

November was a washout for me as I was involved in an auto accident and hurt my neck.
December had a really close call with a Covid scare, I was with someone for a few days who did not know he was positive and man did I get lucky, I didn't catch it. I have to think that since I am vaccinated, I got lucky!

But nevertheless I did quarantine as our family vacation was coming up in January and I didn't want to take any more chances so I stayed home and away from people.
So come January 1st we took a 3 week vacation in Central Texas, as a precursor to see if we might want to relocate out there and my final result is, YOU CAN KEEP TEXAS IN THE WINTER TIME!, I'm STAYING IN FLORIDA FOR THE WINTER!

Texas weather is too bi-polar for me! i like hot and hotter!
So while in texas I did catch a cold and destroyed my sinus due to the cedar pollen in the air. Used to much nasal inhaler!

So back in Miami now, just got back from the neurologist who put a shot of steroids into my neck, I'm feeling better and decided to get back to work on the bus.

Almost finished all the insulation, still need to insulate the transition. I'm think because of the curves it might be best to spray foam that area.

Also started to install more windows. Got one more installed next to the front door, for the passenger.

Now I'm cleaning the floor so I can put down my tape lines to figure out where the walls are going to go in, where the sink and toilet are going to go in and figure out where the next set of windows are going to be placed.

I have three more windows left to do.

One question i do have is about where to place the toilet. I am going with a black tank versus a composting toilet.

From my understanding and please correct me if I am wrong but the drop from the toilet to the tank must be straight as possible.
Is this correct?
Or can I run a 3' pipe from the toilet to the tank, on on incline for drain/movement.

My bus has tool boxes and I was hoping to put mu gray and black water tank inside the center of the frame rails and not inside the tool boxes.

If not possible then I will have to sacrifice a "Box" by installing the black tank inside one of the tool boxes in order to accomplish the straight downpipe from the toilet to the black tank.

Anyway it feels good to not have as much severe neck pain as before and now I can get back to work!

Here's what the insulation looks like so far and the new window I just installed.

[TheHubbardBus]

Don't know anything about RVs with black water systems / flush toilets. But for residential plumbing, most code will specificy at least 1/4" of slope per foot. I'm assuming due to the nature of an RV (may not be level), the more slope, the better, within reason. But I imagine if taken too far, it might get to the point where the slope was so steep that the liquids ran off leaving solid waste behind? Definitely 'the shorter, the better'.

Congrats on making progress despite all your recent challenges, btw!

[ewo1]

Originally Posted by TheHubbardBus

Don't know anything about RVs with black water systems / flush toilets. But for residential plumbing, most code will specificy at least 1/4" of slope per foot. I'm assuming due to the nature of an RV (may not be level), the more slope, the better, within reason. But I imagine if taken too far, it might get to the point where the slope was so steep that the liquids ran off leaving solid waste behind? Definitely 'the shorter, the better'.

Congrats on making progress despite all your recent challenges, btw!

Yes I was looking at some Google images about black tanks and I saw one that identified a sloped pipe from the loo to the tank and how quite easy the poo could stop sliding midway, get stuck and actually back up the pipe.

Then I thought about putting a water line tap at the top of the drain line, a small pump with a flush button that can be pressed so that water would jet out thru a nozzzle, just to ensure nothing got stuck but then again, no need to get fancy, I could also just dump a gallon of water in the toilet and accomplish the same.
But then I said, why go thru all that.

So that brings me to my initial questions, Has anyone done the toilet drain pipe on and angle or is it best to go straight down?

And on a personal note, thanks for the congrats, and yes it has been challenging but I am a firm believer in either sink or swim….luckily I was taught how to float when I was in high school swim class!

[cadillackid]

arent there RV toilets that flush with varying amounts of water so if fresh water tank is no object you can have a heavy flusher that will washing everything down a pipe that isnt a drop into the black?



or are all RV toilets just minimal water?



or I guess if you are fancy you can have toilets like the big Prevost I used to drive fro friends had, they were like airplane toilets and sounded like a dyson!!

[ewo1]

Originally Posted by cadillackid

arent there RV toilets that flush with varying amounts of water so if fresh water tank is no object you can have a heavy flusher that will washing everything down a pipe that isnt a drop into the black? !

That is exactly what I am trying to find out_learn about!

[cadillackid]

I guess you could always keep a jug of water or clean solution next to the loo.. if it has a ball valve which is closed then the bowl would fill before openong so you could have a good whoosh down along with the regular flush water..



Poop.. pour in some extra water.. step on the pedal and dpne?

[ewo1]

Originally Posted by cadillackid

I guess you could always keep a jug of water or clean solution next to the loo.. if it has a ball valve which is closed then the bowl would fill before openong so you could have a good whoosh down along with the regular flush water..



Poop.. pour in some extra water.. step on the pedal and dpne?

I was thinking of that, extra water bottle.

Answer this, why are not regular household toiltes used?
Is it because of the sloshing water?

If so can’t that be regulated somehow?

Would be nice to have a chair height/ elongated crapper chair!

My wife needs a tall one due to a really bad back!

[magnakansas]

I have a ball valve for my toilet, so pee is just pee in the toilet , finish, then open ball valve, then close ball valve. touch of rinse water, open ball valve, close ball valve. number 2 uses same procedure - just a bit more rinse water if needed. My black tank is right under the toilet for me... I put the toilet at the very left rear of the bus. black tank is outboard the frame rails..... I put the fuel tank inboard the frame rails.

william