Best way to correct a bent down roof?

[Puggy]

My daughter's bus (which I'm working on) was used as a Burning Man vehicle for about 9 years, and that included multiple occasions of people dancing on the roof - up to 20 apparently. As a result, the rooftop is a little low in the middle, maybe 3/8 inch or so. It's not a lot, but it does mean water pools up on the top of the bus.

Right now the interior is gutted, and I've propped a few long pieces of wood between floor and ceiling ribs to push it up. If I remove them, the roof goes back down a bit. I suppose if I leave them a while (or push so hard I actually put a bend in the ribs) that might make it permanent.

Thoughs? Anyone else dealt with this?

[Tango]

Are you saying the ribs are bent in?...or just the sheetmetal?

If the ribs...there must have been a few elephants up there.

[Jolly Roger]

Take the inside skin off in that area and the one next to it.
The one next to it is to make a template of something healthier than the sheet metal that is there, also to inspect the ribs.
Jack or brace it up tight and go on the roof and start straightening the roof metal where the brace/template is.
After the inside is off you could just use a bigger hammer or body puller (they work both ways) and bondo later? If the ribs are bent it will always be a risk until they are fixed. I know there are several threads here that cover roof raises!
I don't think I have ever seen one that covered having to fix a roof rib?

[Puggy]

It's the ribs - they are bowed down a bit. It's not a lot, but it's enough to pool water. And the skin is off, so I have full access. The ribs aren't bent much or actually bent to the extent where I think they are structurally unsound, but they definitely have a bit of a dip in them. Call it a sag perhaps.

It's what you get with 20 people dancing on the roof at Burning Man for 9 years, and exactly why putting an actual deck on top isn't such a bad idea ;)

[Tango]

Try a hydraulic jack to push the steel back up to where it belongs. You will have to go a little past that point but adding some heat with the pressure should help. Otherwise...it may call for transplanting a few new ribs.

[Puggy]

Originally Posted by Tango

Try a hydraulic jack to push the steel back up to where it belongs. You will have to go a little past that point but adding some heat with the pressure should help. Otherwise...it may call for transplanting a few new ribs.

Rib transplants! I like that

[bansil]

or push it up past level (3/8 or 1/2 inch) and using a rosebud tip, heat the rib some and then let it cool, don't go red/orange hot

[crazycal]

Why would anyone let 20 burners dance on their roof? Next time throw up a bar of soap before they do damage.

[Puggy]

Originally Posted by crazycal

Why would anyone let 20 burners dance on their roof? Next time throw up a bar of soap before they do damage.

The PO was a burner, as are my daugher (the new O) and I. Here are a few pictures of it in it's previous life discovered while digging around...






Apparently the bus has a lot of stories to tell, some of which I don't think I want to know. One of the first things that had to happen was to remove all the red fur on the inside...

[bansil]

love burner pictures

[nat_ster]

That's not a normal arched bus roof.

It looks like it was flat the start with.

A arched roof never would have sagged.

Nat

[Puggy]

Originally Posted by nat_ster

That's not a normal arched bus roof.

It looks like it was flat the start with.

A arched roof never would have sagged.

Nat

OK flat with curved sides. It's arched now slightly, unfortunately in a downward direction

[Puggy]

Originally Posted by bansil

love burner pictures

One feature it also had was the ability to drive it from the roof. A mid sized hole in the roof (not the nurse covered one) allowed an extended steering wheel shaft to reach all the way up top for convenience.

[Tango]

Now there's a feature EVERY skoolie needs!

[crazycal]

Post pictures of your bus so people don't need to guess what the situation is.

[Tango]

OK...so just what kind'a bus is that with the flat roof?

[Puggy]

Originally Posted by Tango

OK...so just what kind'a bus is that with the flat roof?

It's a 1991 Ford E350 Collins school bus, 7.3L V8 diesel engine. Pretty solid driver (once the alternator, water pump, and fuel pump were replaced), minus some wear and tear from 9 years of Burning Man.

My daughter (who's probably got an account on here somewhere) lifted the roof a while back so plenty of headroom, which is nice. It stayed up in Oregon a while back when she went back down to the SF Bay Area, so I've taken on some tasks, like just getting the roof sealed, new floor and walls in, etc.

[Tango]

Sounds like it has a lot of family history. Hope to see more pix, especially as it's resurrection progresses.

[bansil]

Originally Posted by Puggy

It's a 1991 Ford E350 Collins school bus, 7.3L V8 diesel engine. Pretty solid driver (once the alternator, water pump, and fuel pump were replaced), minus some wear and tear from 9 years of Burning Man.

My daughter (who's probably got an account on here somewhere) lifted the roof a while back so plenty of headroom, which is nice. It stayed up in Oregon a while back when she went back down to the SF Bay Area, so I've taken on some tasks, like just getting the roof sealed, new floor and walls in, etc.

whatcha saying Willis?????

it looks like a riveted metal body and after seeing the cap it does have a flat roof that Nat noticed...and.....Like Tango said, how about some pictures of the whole thing

I can't picture what you have on a 1 ton chassis that can hold 20 people w/o collapsing how.......

[crazycal]

Originally Posted by bansil

whatcha saying Willis?????

it looks like a riveted metal body and after seeing the cap it does have a flat roof that Nat noticed...and.....Like Tango said, how about some pictures of the whole thing

I can't picture what you have on a 1 ton chassis that can hold 20 people w/o collapsing how.......

HEY! I'm the one that asked for pics.