Thomas roof raise

[kenfoozed]

I keep reading that a Thomas is not the idea candidate for a rood raise. I have also seen builds where it has been accomplished. I understand there is the issue at hand of the top section of the side walls pitching in 5-6 degrees. This is why a Thomas roof raise could be an issue. Can someone post pics of these issues afterward? I know building anything is possible, but I would like to see ho bad it looks afterward.

Also could you do a roof raise on a Thomas by raising from below the wall area that pitches in? Of course this means more side panel removal and more labor.

What am I missing or overlooking?

[Twigg]

Originally Posted by kenfoozed

I keep reading that a Thomas is not the idea candidate for a rood raise. I have also seen builds where it has been accomplished. I understand there is the issue at hand of the top section of the side walls pitching in 5-6 degrees. This is why a Thomas roof raise could be an issue. Can someone post pics of these issues afterward? I know building anything is possible, but I would like to see ho bad it looks afterward.

Also could you do a roof raise on a Thomas by raising from below the wall area that pitches in? Of course this means more side panel removal and more labor.

What am I missing or overlooking?

You are not missing anything.

It's just extra work to cut below the windows and raise.

It's been done.

[Bigbadbus]

im doing a roof raise on a 2006 Thomas bus in two weeks. im doing the raise above the window rails. the only issue i see is that when installing my new door just infront of the wheel wells. the top of the door will have to be shimmed out and will poke out a bit at the top as it will be level while the bus wall pitches in. no biggie.

[bp1791-unleashed]

Originally Posted by Bigbadbus

im doing a roof raise on a 2006 Thomas bus in two weeks. im doing the raise above the window rails. the only issue i see is that when installing my new door just infront of the wheel wells. the top of the door will have to be shimmed out and will poke out a bit at the top as it will be level while the bus wall pitches in. no biggie.

I'll be interested in seeing you document that.

I was just looking at my front door today, and realized that it's nearly flush with the skin of the bus at the bottom, and way inside at the top. Tipped inward at the top. I was curious if there was a reason for that.

Depending on how you do your door, doing something like that might help. Just recessing it a bit can make a significant change.

So you're doing a door relocation as well? I really want to see that.

good luck!
jim

[Bigbadbus]

Originally Posted by bp1791-unleashed

I'll be interested in seeing you document that.

I was just looking at my front door today, and realized that it's nearly flush with the skin of the bus at the bottom, and way inside at the top. Tipped inward at the top. I was curious if there was a reason for that.

Depending on how you do your door, doing something like that might help. Just recessing it a bit can make a significant change.

So you're doing a door relocation as well? I really want to see that.

good luck!
jim

mine is recessed too. im still thinking and thinking about the whole deal. I dont want to rush any of it. and ya, im removing the front doors, putting a plate over the stairs and using them as storage for road tools and fluids etc, im putting an air ride seat for my wife so shes beside me when we travel, and im installing an rv door just infront of the wheel well. id like to know what the specific issue is with raising a thomas bus. it should lift easily and new steel should slip in the channels just the same.

[bp1791-unleashed]

I really think that the slant can be persuaded into shape, although the higher the raise, the more persuasion might be required.

Until I get down to the underlying structure on mine, I won't really know what world of hurt I'm in for. Fingers crossed it turns out to be less drama than implied.

jim

[Bigbadbus]

Originally Posted by bp1791-unleashed

I really think that the slant can be persuaded into shape, although the higher the raise, the more persuasion might be required.

Until I get down to the underlying structure on mine, I won't really know what world of hurt I'm in for. Fingers crossed it turns out to be less drama than implied.

jim

so i just did a paper mock roof raise. the issue is that the angles seperate more and more the higher the lift. the rails could possibly be forced to meet but i dont think its a good idea anylonger. i think im going for a lift below the windows.

[musigenesis]

I just did the trig on this. If the angle of a Thomas is 3° off vertical (not sure if that's the right value) and you did a 1' raise with straight extenders, the new angle off vertical would be 2.57°. I would be surprised if there wasn't enough flex in the body to accommodate that, although you'd have to deal with the front and back which wouldn't be flexing at all.

[EastCoastCB]

Its a 6 degree slope.

[musigenesis]

Originally Posted by EastCoastCB

Its a 6 degree slope.

OK, that means 6° would turn into 5.15° with a 1' raise.

[StatTarget]

Not completely finished in this pic...

[bp1791-unleashed]

Originally Posted by StatTarget

Not completely finished in this pic...

how high did you raise it, and did you run into any issues with the angles?

Looks good!

[StatTarget]

16 inches.

no issues. leveled the bus before starting. two plum-bobs to set positional orientation. verify position before and after each of the four corners were tacked.

will work on our build thread this weekend.

[waxman]

the roof raise on my Thomas was pretty simple and I do believe it reduced the angle somewhat. I did an 18'' lift. cut in the window supports on a zig zag. slid in 1x1x32 tubing into the channel tacked on the top side of the cut. I used pneumatic bottle jacks and 4x4 posts centered on each end. lift till jacks are maxed then clamp the 1x1 to hold position. release jack and put a wood block under. jack up till maxed. and repeat till desired height. clamp the 1x1 to line everything up then welded in 18" hat channel. moved the bottom window supports up. painted all the metal then re-skinned.

[waxman]

heres the side view ive since taken the bus doors off and put an rv door in

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by StatTarget

Not completely finished in this pic...

got any pics up close from the sides?

[StatTarget]

I'll grab some better pics once I get back to the bus.

These two (sorry about the rotation) show the raise in-progress and the rectangular tubing + flange as a hat channel substitute.

[EastCoastCB]

Looks like gap between the square tubing and the hat?

[StatTarget]

the rectangular tubing extends 4 inches above and below the cut. there is a small gap on the ends of the flange.

[awilder]

Originally Posted by waxman

heres the side view ive since taken the bus doors off and put an rv door in

Cool. I am thinking of raising the roof on my Ford e-450. Any resources in particular you used to figure out how to do it? Also, I thought one could not cut into the cab with a van chassis? Thanks.