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03-18-2016, 01:45 PM
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#1
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Chicago
Posts: 260
Year: 2003
Coachwork: Thomas
Engine: Cat 3126e
Rated Cap: 28
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Roof Top Deck ?'s
Trying to figure out how I want to accomplish the roof top deck. I have been searching the forum and have tried to get some ideas.
The plan is to do something like:
Amazing Bus Conversion – Part 2 – Roof Deck
Conversion Log: 2005 - SeanF
Is this the best option for a non-welded deck?
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03-18-2016, 01:49 PM
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#2
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Houston, Texas
Posts: 8,462
Year: 1946
Coachwork: Chevrolet/Wayne
Chassis: 1- 1/2 ton
Engine: Cummins 4BT
Rated Cap: 15
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Man...that seems to be a lot of unnecessary weight way up high. Aluminum or even properly engineered steel would weigh less than what I see there.
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03-18-2016, 01:55 PM
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#3
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Chicago
Posts: 260
Year: 2003
Coachwork: Thomas
Engine: Cat 3126e
Rated Cap: 28
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Ya I do not think I will be going with the same materials. But this would be the overall design I was thinking.
Main problem is I have never welded before and do not know anyone with one other than to pay to have it done. Which is still a possibility if I cannot figure out a defective diy route.
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03-18-2016, 02:05 PM
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#4
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Houston, Texas
Posts: 8,462
Year: 1946
Coachwork: Chevrolet/Wayne
Chassis: 1- 1/2 ton
Engine: Cummins 4BT
Rated Cap: 15
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Mounting pads for a roof deck can also be screwed or riveted through the skin and directly into the ribs for a very secure installation. You just have to make sure and seal all the holes very well with a permanent type sealant.
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03-18-2016, 02:09 PM
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#5
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Chicago
Posts: 260
Year: 2003
Coachwork: Thomas
Engine: Cat 3126e
Rated Cap: 28
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tango
Mounting pads for a roof deck can also be screwed or riveted through the skin and directly into the ribs for a very secure installation. You just have to make sure and seal all the holes very well with a permanent type sealant.
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Mounting pads??? Do you have a link? 
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03-18-2016, 02:31 PM
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#6
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Vacaville, Ca
Posts: 1,634
Year: 1988
Coachwork: Crown / Pusher
Engine: 8.3 Cummins
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I'll be the first to admit I'm not a engineer so I may just be blowing smoke out my arse but my question is, Wouldn't it be better to mount the pads as low as possible on the sides? Even tho the deck is on top of the bus would more of the weight & center of gravity actually be lower??
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03-18-2016, 02:54 PM
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#7
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Houston, Texas
Posts: 8,462
Year: 1946
Coachwork: Chevrolet/Wayne
Chassis: 1- 1/2 ton
Engine: Cummins 4BT
Rated Cap: 15
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When I said "mounting pads", I was referring to any kind of home-made bracket that the rest of the deck could be then attached to. Either steel or aluminum, bolted or welded. As long as those components are secured to the ribs, the rest of the deck will be solid too.
And as for mounting anything lower, you just wind up with a wider vehicle that has more hanging out in the wind and more weight overall.
IMHO...the deck and mounting system need to be well engineered and as light as possible to fulfill whatever task is assigned. Example: if all that will ever go up there are a couple of solar panels or an occasional plastic kayak...you can get away with a very lightweight structure. If you host roof-top NASCAR parties for 50 to 60 alcoholic friends and the associated coolers and dancing...well, that's a whole' nuther story and whole different design.
Decide how you expect to use it most and engineer it to it's primary task.
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03-18-2016, 03:08 PM
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#8
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Willamina, Oregon
Posts: 6,409
Coachwork: 97 Bluebird TC1000 5.9
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Bingo, Tango.
I'd like a light weight deck on top too, but there just isn't much room left after I put the hot tub up there.
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03-18-2016, 03:30 PM
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#9
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Galion, OH
Posts: 290
Year: 1995
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: TC2000
Engine: 5.9 Cummins 12v
Rated Cap: 78 Passenger
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Stu & Filo. T
I'll be the first to admit I'm not a engineer so I may just be blowing smoke out my arse but my question is, Wouldn't it be better to mount the pads as low as possible on the sides? Even tho the deck is on top of the bus would more of the weight & center of gravity actually be lower??
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Unfortunately it doesn't work that way. The weight is still up just as high and is only using the longer supports to replace the body of the bus as the "lever" the weight uses to try to tip the bus over in a turn.
__________________
-Dan
"What's the matter Col Sanders? Chicken?" -Dark Helmet
lu·di·crous [loo-di-kruhs]
adjective
causing laughter because of absurdity; provoking or deserving derision; ridiculous; laughable
viewtopic.php?f=9&t=11840
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03-18-2016, 03:31 PM
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#10
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Kent, WA (Seattle)
Posts: 414
Year: 1987
Engine: 6.9L Diesel
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Hi there, so I have a rooftop deck on my bus. I did not install it, but if I were to get a new bus I would feel pretty comfortable installing another deck in a similar manner. It is bolted down, I am at work so I can't get you the best pictures but these kind of show it. It has 3 (thick maybe 3/4"-1")bolts on each side in accordance to the deck frame. The deck frame is composed mostly of unistrut. If you want more pictures I can try and snap a few when I get home, but it will be dark. The deck itself looks like there was some welding involved but didn't seem entirely necessary.
If it helps at all, I've had as many as 12 people up there all with more a handful of beers in most of them. Even then, the deck felt very secure.
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03-18-2016, 03:36 PM
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#11
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Willamina, Oregon
Posts: 6,409
Coachwork: 97 Bluebird TC1000 5.9
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Is it true that there are fewer mosquitos when you're up that high?
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03-18-2016, 04:04 PM
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#12
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Kent, WA (Seattle)
Posts: 414
Year: 1987
Engine: 6.9L Diesel
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I'll get back to you on that.
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03-18-2016, 05:30 PM
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#13
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Houston, Texas
Posts: 8,462
Year: 1946
Coachwork: Chevrolet/Wayne
Chassis: 1- 1/2 ton
Engine: Cummins 4BT
Rated Cap: 15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Robin97396
Is it true that there are fewer mosquitos when you're up that high?
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Ya..that funny smoke makes them too distracted to bite. But...don't be around when they get the munchies.
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03-18-2016, 05:55 PM
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#14
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Vacaville, Ca
Posts: 1,634
Year: 1988
Coachwork: Crown / Pusher
Engine: 8.3 Cummins
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TheRainbowBoxer
Unfortunately it doesn't work that way. The weight is still up just as high and is only using the longer supports to replace the body of the bus as the "lever" the weight uses to try to tip the bus over in a turn.
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Thanks But I wouldn't say it's unfortunate I was just wondering.  
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03-19-2016, 10:55 AM
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#15
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Chicago
Posts: 260
Year: 2003
Coachwork: Thomas
Engine: Cat 3126e
Rated Cap: 28
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tango
When I said "mounting pads", I was referring to any kind of home-made bracket that the rest of the deck could be then attached to. Either steel or aluminum, bolted or welded. As long as those components are secured to the ribs, the rest of the deck will be solid too.
And as for mounting anything lower, you just wind up with a wider vehicle that has more hanging out in the wind and more weight overall.
IMHO...the deck and mounting system need to be well engineered and as light as possible to fulfill whatever task is assigned. Example: if all that will ever go up there are a couple of solar panels or an occasional plastic kayak...you can get away with a very lightweight structure. If you host roof-top NASCAR parties for 50 to 60 alcoholic friends and the associated coolers and dancing...well, that's a whole' nuther story and whole different design.
Decide how you expect to use it most and engineer it to it's primary task.
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Got ya. Thanks for the clarification. Ya it will really be just for the 2 of us to go up and hang out on as well as storage.
Thanks for the tips starting to look @ unistrut rooftop walkway looking at other options as well. Will keep you guys updated.
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03-19-2016, 11:52 AM
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#16
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: NUNYA
Posts: 4,236
Year: 1995
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: 3800
Engine: DT408, AT545
Rated Cap: 23 500 gvw
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Josiahdr
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That's a member on skoolie.net. I don't know if he is still active. I believe he sold that bus. You can probably go through hi s threads and find more info.
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03-19-2016, 12:00 PM
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#17
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: NUNYA
Posts: 4,236
Year: 1995
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: 3800
Engine: DT408, AT545
Rated Cap: 23 500 gvw
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Sorry to be the voice of doom but this is exactly the reason we can't regular insurance on our buses. If you brought your Honda Civic down to the insurance agent to get insurance and had a roof deck on it, you wouldn't get insurance either.
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07-26-2019, 09:50 PM
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#18
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New Member
Join Date: Jul 2019
Posts: 1
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What did you end up doing for your deck?
Looking to build a deck and wondered what you ended up doing?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Josiahdr
Got ya. Thanks for the clarification. Ya it will really be just for the 2 of us to go up and hang out on as well as storage.
Thanks for the tips starting to look @ unistrut rooftop walkway looking at other options as well. Will keep you guys updated.
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07-26-2019, 09:59 PM
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#19
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Sep 2018
Posts: 2,831
Year: 2007
Coachwork: Thomas Built
Chassis: Minotour
Engine: Chevy Express 3500 6.6l
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Buzz Killer
I’ve talked to National General/Good Sam. They say no rooftop decks or cargo racks. Who is insuring your bus if you have a deck?
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07-26-2019, 10:14 PM
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#20
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: E Central Tejas
Posts: 2,089
Year: 1998
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: IH 3800, 8 window
Engine: T444E w/ Spicer 5-speed MT
Rated Cap: I prefer broad-brims hats
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^
Seconded!
__________________
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