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 12-08-2021, 01:05 PM   #1
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Jan 2021
Location: Elgin, TX
Posts: 29
Hat Channel vs Square Tubing

Howdy,


I've been doing research, reading, searching, watching videos. I've found opinions but nothing definitive about the benefit of hat channel over square tubing in a roof raise.


What are the pros and cons of each? Is one stronger? Is one easier to attach the sheet metal to? It seems like it would be easier to source tubing, and weld it inside the hat channel on each end. So unless there's some benefit to hat channel that I'm not finding, I think I'll go with tubing.


Thank you for any input!

wanderingturtl is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-08-2021, 04:37 PM   #2
Bus Geek
 
musigenesis's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Philadelphia
Posts: 6,995
Year: 2003
Coachwork: International
Chassis: CE 300
Engine: DT466e
Rated Cap: 65C-43A
Hat channel has about the same bending resistance as square tubing, given the same thickness and amount of material. Hat channel is cheaper to form since it does not have a seam that needs to be welded/fused like square tubing. Square tubing has a much stronger innate resistance to twisting forces, but this isn't really relevant for material used in a composite structure like a bus body. Another advantage of hat channel is that it has two flanges facing the outside of the body, allowing the outer roof panels to be attached to each alternate rib with a double row of rivets.

For a roof raise, square tubing is much easier to source and perfectly adequate.
__________________
Rusty 87 build thread
musigenesis is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-08-2021, 04:46 PM   #3
Bus Crazy
 
Join Date: Oct 2020
Location: Near Flagstaff AZ
Posts: 1,951
Year: 1974
Coachwork: Crown
Chassis: "Atomic"
Engine: DD 8V71
MG makes good points...and I agree with his comments. We use 1/8-inch wall square tube. We extend that tube into both the upper and lower hat channels and weld those into place. But we also bend 1/8th inch 3-inch wide steel bars into "angles" and weld them on the sides. I put angles in quotes, because we bend them with a radiused bend instead of a sharp angle to match the profile of the hat channel. We do the combination, which is admittedly overkill, to give us the benefits of both options...including the flange surfaces for adhesive and rivets.
rossvtaylor 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 05:18 AM.


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