how to get this insulation out?

[olives]

Hi folks,

In taking out the wall panels and old insulation, there is a long white painted panel below the regular galvanized steel wall panels (just above the floor) that looks more difficult to remove. There is insulation behind it. Just above that insulation is a row of screws (not viewable in the photos; hiding behind/below the green stripe at the top of the panel) that seems to attach a rub rail to the outside of the bus. We don’t want to mess with the rub rails since removing screws that hold that on seems to be asking for leaks.

How do we get that insulation out?

Is that big panel indeed part of the main bus frame as it looks, and not removable, or is it removable? If we can remove it, how do we go about that?

Thanks!

[o1marc]

What you are referring to is the chair rail, it is structural and should not be removed. Is it not just batt insulation? On mine the pieces came out whole. Use a coat hanger hook or something to get the rest.

[BigBlue]

I second the coat hanger hook! Also a shop vac shoved down the crevice can grab big clumps up. We also used one of those claw grabber things and it worked REALLY well. It’s a tedious process that’s for sure!

[PNW_Steve]

Ditto on the coat hanger and shopvac.

[olives]

Thanks to each of you for the advice! My husband (who is pulling the insulation - I post to this forum and look after the children :P ) really likes the coat hanger idea.

To answer you, o1marc - yeah, it seems to be the regular fiberglass batt insulation, but the bottom piece behind the chair rail is separate from the part behind the panel, and seems to be semi-blocked by screws going through. Will try coat hanger.

When you reinsulate, do you push new insulation down into that gap, or do you just leave that part empty and insulate on the interior side of the chair rail?

[olives]

Shop vac and claw grabber thing sound like great ideas too. Do you know what either of those is formally called (or links to such) so that we can find the right thing? I imagine a shop vac is some sort of vacuum cleaner with attachment for crevices...?

Thanks!

[o1marc]

Originally Posted by olives

Thanks to each of you for the advice! My husband (who is pulling the insulation - I post to this forum and look after the children :P ) really likes the coat hanger idea.

To answer you, o1marc - yeah, it seems to be the regular fiberglass batt insulation, but the bottom piece behind the chair rail is separate from the part behind the panel, and seems to be semi-blocked by screws going through. Will try coat hanger.

When you reinsulate, do you push new insulation down into that gap, or do you just leave that part empty and insulate on the interior side of the chair rail?

If you can't get rigid board insulation that cavity, some will shoot spray foam down there to fill the gap first, then add the rigid above the screw line. A shop vac is just that, a vacuum made for shop use, usually more heavy duty than your home vacuum. but your home vacuum with a hose and nozzle attachment will work also. Probably better because the hose is smaller.

[BigBlue]

The “claw grabber” I was referring to is officially called a “E-Z Reacher 40-in Pick-Up Tool”. Helped us get past those pesky screws in the way!

[olives]

Excellent. Thank you for the advice and details!

[mikeypj]

Originally Posted by olives

Hi folks,

In taking out the wall panels and old insulation, there is a long white painted panel below the regular galvanized steel wall panels (just above the floor) that looks more difficult to remove. There is insulation behind it. Just above that insulation is a row of screws (not viewable in the photos; hiding behind/below the green stripe at the top of the panel) that seems to attach a rub rail to the outside of the bus. We don’t want to mess with the rub rails since removing screws that hold that on seems to be asking for leaks.

How do we get that insulation out?

Is that big panel indeed part of the main bus frame as it looks, and not removable, or is it removable? If we can remove it, how do we go about that?

Thanks!

Perfect timing on this question. I was just looking at that rub rail wondering how to get it out..noticed all the shoe scuff marks..lol

[2martins]

Originally Posted by BigBlue

I second the coat hanger hook! Also a shop vac shoved down the crevice can grab big clumps up. We also used one of those claw grabber things and it worked REALLY well. It’s a tedious process that’s for sure!

Aiming a leaf blower down at an angle while shop vac-ing the other side can get the loose bits way down.

[WanderlustExistence]

This was so frustrating to get out! We have the same exact set up with the screws in the way. I was able to fit my hand in the side and rip most of it out by grabbing the side and pulling. However, there were a few areas that were really tough. We used a crow bar to get in between and loosen it up and then grabbed a pair of tongs to grab it. LOL It was tough. After that, to get all of the junk out of there, we used a leaf blower because our shop vac would fit and we didn't have the extension... it's messy but worked. Let me know how insulating down there goes. I have been curious myself on how to go about doing so. I was going to get the can spray foam for the bottom half but have hear it's not closed celled and therefor not good to use on the bus.... it's so hard to figure it out because there are negatives on every option.

[olives]

Some results back now that we've (eh, 'he's') tried it: My husband says the coat hanger wasn't strong enough; it just got straightened. But using the same idea he used a crowbar and the hook end of a hammer to push the insulation down to the side of each segment and then pull/drag it out. Was difficult. He hasn't gone back in with a shop vac (or other vacuum cleaner) yet but intends to.

Re getting insulation in there (which we aren't at the point of trying yet), would it make any sense to bend/bang the rub rail screws flat so they don't poke across the space? Or is that a bad idea?

[Marceps]

Originally Posted by o1marc

What you are referring to is the chair rail, it is structural and should not be removed.

Thank you for mentioning this right out of the gate. Too many people remove the chair rail.

For the shop vac, a flat attachment with an angled exit and a flat attachment with a tip that “points down” (far right) are good tools for the job, but the best tool I had was an L-shaped section of seat tubing roughly three-feet long with a five-inch protrusion, as most crow bars' heads are too wide to effectively reach the bottom of the chair rail cavity.

[o1marc]

I got lucky, my Genesis has buck rivets holding the rub rails, so the insulation slides right in and out.
Put on PPE and use an air nozzle to blow the remaining bits out. Blow and vacuum at the same time.

[karrlot]

While I was removing screws I found an interesting way to remove insulation. Each time I would take a screw out it would have a ball of insulation on it. The screw spins and winds the insulation up into a tight ball. I would bet a wooden dowel rod with the edges roughed up to grab the insulation would work better. And it would be longer.