Question attaching rack to bus.

[icnivad]

I'm in the process of building a rack for my bus, and I had a question about attaching it. I know a lot of people extend supports down to the vertical columns between the windows, but I'd like to have mine more recessed and tucked away about a foot and a half in, attaching to the top of the bus. Sort of like: http://allaband.com/images/Odyssey%20(small).JPG. My question is about how I can connect to the bus, itself.

Optimally, I would like to weld to the roof panel, in between the winged U shaped support. My question is if this is strong enough, or if I need to actually attach to the U beam in some way.

[crazycal]

Fixed it.

[icnivad]

Yeah, that's the pic I tried to link, and more or less what I'm trying to do. Thanks, crazycal.

[lapeer20m]

i attacked similiar roof racks using tek self drilling screws and drove many miles without any problems.

[icnivad]

lapeer20m: Were you screwing into the body panel? or into the rib?

[ThePimentals]

I've Ben trying to find out if anyone has had success welding to the exterior sheets of the bus including the roof. I'm thinking a low amp arc welder could work but I haven't tried it and don't want to just burn a hole in my bus, but if it does work you could go that route. Use a thin long piece of plate steel and run a weld bead the whole length , then supports for the structure could be welded up from that plate instead of the roof. Not sure if I described it correctly, or if welding is an option, I do have slight brain damage at the moment.

[Elliot Naess]

Ah, an older thread is being resurrected, I see.

What you describe is commonly done with all sorts of vehicles and other structures. A plate, thicker than the original skin, is welded on so as to spread its load over a large area. Then the actual new structure is welded to the plate.

The difficulty lies in welding the plate to the very thin skin. Also, many bus skins are galvanized, and the galvanizing gives of toxic fumes when welded.

So you may be better off bolting the new structure on. The window pillars continue under the roof, and you should be able to see where by the rows of rivets. You would run a bolt thru the middle of the beam, with a small plate on top to set the load on the flanges of the beam. Thus the skin will not carry any load. Then you weld the new structure to the plates. You would want to seal this very well, so water does not get in thru the bolt holes.