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Old 05-02-2019, 03:04 AM   #1
Mini-Skoolie
 
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Help! Roof fell during raise

I was raising the bus up 14" using the L-bracket-allthread method and the roof feel over as we were raising it. I have calls out to a few rigging companies, but none are in my immediate area.

This is like the worst thing that could happen. What are my options besides getting a crane operator to pick it up as we weld on the new hat channel?

My back up raise method is the "red neck roof raise" using 4 farm jacks, but there's only 3 in my area and they're 100 each.

Any ideas?

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Old 05-02-2019, 05:45 AM   #2
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Set up an "A" frame on each side with a beam across above the bus and hoist from that. Need two of them. could be made of wood, but would have to be good size beams with bracing or ground anchors to keep it in place.
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Old 05-02-2019, 05:52 AM   #3
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Hoist with what?

So you're suggesting I build a wooden frame around the bus in front and back?
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Old 05-02-2019, 05:53 AM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by blissout View Post
I was raising the bus up 14" using the L-bracket-allthread method and the roof feel over as we were raising it. I have calls out to a few rigging companies, but none are in my immediate area.

This is like the worst thing that could happen. What are my options besides getting a crane operator to pick it up as we weld on the new hat channel?

My back up raise method is the "red neck roof raise" using 4 farm jacks, but there's only 3 in my area and they're 100 each.

Any ideas?
Can you add a pic of the aftermath? Knowing exactly how the roof ended up might help with figuring out how to fix it.
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Old 05-02-2019, 06:03 AM   #5
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One of the welds on the angle brackets failed, but it was going up crooked at the time anyway.
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Old 05-02-2019, 06:06 AM   #6
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Old 05-02-2019, 07:36 AM   #7
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Yes a wooden frame outside that you can use a come-a -long from to hoist it. Would need several, one at each corner. You could do it from inside as well then you would use jacks. The farm jacks NO. That would be a good way to get into a real mess.

Scafolding on the inside would be a stable platform to raise it from as well. This would most likely be the easyest.
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Old 05-02-2019, 07:44 AM   #8
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Hope no one was injured! That must have beeterrifying. g.
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Old 05-02-2019, 07:59 AM   #9
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Thinking about this some more..... is it even safe to be inside at this point?

So two bucks( sections) high each side outside with scaffolding then run a 6x6 across just under the windows. Front and back. This would be to prevent it from further coming down. Then another beam next to the first one could be used to jack it, and as it is jacked up crib the first beam higher as you go in order to keep any possible falling distance as short as possible.

This way no one needs to be inside, and it gives some real security so once fully in position it would be safe to be inside to weld.
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Old 05-02-2019, 09:00 AM   #10
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Alternative option - a couple forklifts with extra long forks. Could use thick boards to extend the forks (but not more than a couple feet).
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Old 05-02-2019, 09:39 AM   #11
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I raised a roof for a friends bus a few months ago and used a technique which I'll call a hat channel slider.

It is quite simple and quite safe with respect to ensuring the roof doesn't fall on you.

Here is the link to the post I made

http://www.skoolie.net/forums/f10/ro...der-24890.html

Here is the link to the youtube video. I basically copied what this guy had done.

Fast forward the video to the 5 minute mark...




By having the square tubing inside the hat channel, that creates a slide if you will and helps prevent the roof from shifting and falling out.

Looking at your pics It shouldn't be too much trouble to correct the fall and and then install the square tubing in the hat channel.

Good luck!
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Old 05-02-2019, 10:39 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by blissout View Post
I was raising the bus up 14" using the L-bracket-allthread method and the roof feel over as we were raising it. I have calls out to a few rigging companies, but none are in my immediate area.

This is like the worst thing that could happen. What are my options besides getting a crane operator to pick it up as we weld on the new hat channel?

My back up raise method is the "red neck roof raise" using 4 farm jacks, but there's only 3 in my area and they're 100 each.

Any ideas?
my first thought would be to set up two of the tripods in this picture - I use the tripod for a variety of things - in the picture we were setting up to remove the roof of the J5 so we could R&R the motor and transmision
Attached Thumbnails
J5 arrives 007.jpg  
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Old 05-02-2019, 10:53 AM   #13
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This line concerns me "One of the welds on the angle brackets failed". Did the weld itself fail or was it torn from the roof sheet metal? If the weld actually failed I'd suggest you find a qualified someone else to do the rest of the welding.
Jack
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Old 05-02-2019, 11:12 AM   #14
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This line concerns me "One of the welds on the angle brackets failed". Did the weld itself fail or was it torn from the roof sheet metal? If the weld actually failed I'd suggest you find a qualified someone else to do the rest of the welding.
Jack
The threaded rod method I've seen doesn't require welding anything to the roof sheet metal. they are welded to the ribs. You might try sticking 4 x 4 x 12 under the roof and use 4 jacks to jack it up with 4 x 4 poles to take up the space between the jack and boards.
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Old 05-02-2019, 11:20 AM   #15
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Originally Posted by Brad_SwiftFur View Post
Alternative option - a couple forklifts with extra long forks. Could use thick boards to extend the forks (but not more than a couple feet).
I like that idea but forklifts can be a little tough to find in a pinch.
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Old 05-02-2019, 11:24 AM   #16
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o1marc, the point is did the welds fail. If so-----
Jack
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Old 05-02-2019, 11:30 AM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ol trunt View Post
This line concerns me "One of the welds on the angle brackets failed". Did the weld itself fail or was it torn from the roof sheet metal? If the weld actually failed I'd suggest you find a qualified someone else to do the rest of the welding.
Jack
YEah you wana make sure those welds hold.
OP any pics of the welds?
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Old 05-02-2019, 11:33 AM   #18
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o1marc, the point is did the welds fail. If so-----
Jack
Agreed
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Old 05-02-2019, 01:43 PM   #19
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That looks like no trouble at all to recover. Go to a local tool rental and get some scaffold for a week. Set it up inside the bus and use nat_ster's scaffold method. He stopped participating on the site quite some time ago, but you can find pictures of his method there. The method consists of erecting a scaffold at each end and raising it by using the screw type leveling feet with the scaffold.



Things will be a little sketchy at first until a scaffold is erected at each end of the roof. Maybe throw some 2x4 through the window openings cross-wise so that if the roof should fall further while people are inside its fall will be limited. Could also bring other weight-bearing objects inside to help carry the weight should it fall further.. several A-frame ladders, really tall saw horses, etc.


After you have it stabilized and raised so it's not sitting on the posts anymore you'll find that the roof can be shifted sideways into position without much effort. It probably can be done manually, but straps, come-along, or other means could be used too.
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Old 05-02-2019, 03:35 PM   #20
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That sounds super complicated honestly.

I called a rigging company and they're saying they can pick it up from the middle with a crane that has 18ft expanders. Then we'll just weld on the new hat channel while it's in mid air.

Now that I'm doing it this way, it seems like by far the fastest way to raise a roof. It's costing me 400 bucks, but if you do the redneck roof raise it ends up being about the same price for the farm jacks.

Had anybody else used a crane for their raise?
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