Plywood floor under rubber

[Elmix]

I started tearing down the floor today in my Gillig LF. After a couple hours and experimenting with different tools there was almost no progress. The rubber glued to the ply really well. Someone suggested cutting the ply with rubber all together. I tried it but there is nothing underneath the ply (besides the frame and some pipes/wires). Plus the plywood looks absolutely perfect - very even, zero water damage. Much better than anything you can buy at Home Depot. Should I just leave it alone and insulate on top of it?

[HazMatt]

If the ply is affixed directly to the frame; I'd don some work clothes and safety glasses, grab a long screwdriver, and wriggle around on my back underneath it, poking away with the screwstick to sound out any soft spots.
If it's solid, obviously there's little reason to remove the floor.
Being a Gillig, its unlikely it lived it's prior incarnation where road salt was a concern.
Kudos on the bus!!! When waiting fills, share it's specs in your profile/CP.
And an official welcome to the asylum! [emoji106]

[M1031A1]

Originally Posted by Elmix

I started tearing down the floor today in my Gillig LF. After a couple hours and experimenting with different tools there was almost no progress. The rubber glued to the ply really well. Someone suggested cutting the ply with rubber all together. I tried it but there is nothing underneath the ply (besides the frame and some pipes/wires). Plus the plywood looks absolutely perfect - very even, zero water damage. Much better than anything you can buy at Home Depot. Should I just leave it alone and insulate on top of it?

Gillig buses were made without the traditional steel floors. The majority were used in drier, warmer climates without the need to worry about water or salt damage. It was both a cost and a weight saving tactic. Gilligs are very sturdy builds because of the wood floors.

We were seriously looking at a Gillig bus but decided on our Thomas. Now we live further north and definitely are glad we went with our Thomas due to all the salt and weather considerations. Both my wife and I came from more northerly areas than where we live now, where cold oceans and heavy road salt use is common. So up there, and around here, Gillig buses are rarely, if ever, seen.

M