Shuttle bus roof (sealing emergency hatch?)

[gybe!]

Hey! First post, but I have been reading and lurking for quite sometime. We recently picked up 2008 Chevy C4500 Goshen shuttle bus and are in the midst of the demo and was hoping for some guidance as I am planning some pieces...

Anybody have any recommendations for the best course of action to seal the hole of an emergency exit hatch? The existing emergency exit is leaking significantly (between the bus/hatch join, not the mechanicals of the hatch itself) and so I am thinking the best course is just going to be to remove the hatch and close the hole.

I am fast approaching the ceiling demo (walls and floor nearly done) and have been leaving this one as I need a strategy to deal with the giant hole/not entirely certain what my best materials choice will be. I would just replace the hatch but don`t really care to spend the couple hundred bucks for a new one and all of the anecdotal info I have suggests they all leak anyways. I am open to any other thoughts or options!

[cycle61]

Piece of sheet metal cut about 1.5" oversize.

Drill for rivets, butyl tape, rivet it down and seal the seams.

[Puskara]

26 inch semi-domed skylights (clear, smoke or white/opaque) on amazon (brand: ICON) are looking appealing to me if I don’t make the hole smaller to mount a maxxair fan. About 100$ for skylight.

[Dr mac]

I just retired from doing commercial roofing after 35 years. Go to your local roofing supply company. Ask for a product . Heck here is a link
H.E.R. | Hot Roofs. Cool Solutions.


This is the only product I would use on a build. It is great. I have only used the buckets and sausage rolls.
If you get the sausage roll. Just cut a hole in the end and squeeze. FYI rubbing alcohol for clean up.
And use frog tape to outline your work

Wear gloves and use a brush.

[o1marc]

I went a step further than a sheet of metal. I figured why not utilize this space to bring light into the bus. On the rear hatch I secure with butyl tape and screws a 26" piece of tinted Lexan. I then mounted the 14" vent fan in the center of it. I then replaced the front hatch with just the 26" tinted Lexan, huge light coming through that one.

[Tstege]

Here’s what I did. It’s a $20 doggy dome off amazon.

[Drew Bru]

Originally Posted by Tstege

Here’s what I did. It’s a $20 doggy dome off amazon.

Brilliant, perfect for stargazing too!

[dan-fox]

Or shooting a fix off the North Star with your sextant, if that's how you're navigating.

[graceashlynn.arts]

Interested in this, since I believe I'm having a similar issue. What advice do you guys have to someone who wants to keep the emergency hatch & is on a budget?

[o1marc]

Originally Posted by graceashlynn.arts

Interested in this, since I believe I'm having a similar issue. What advice do you guys have to someone who wants to keep the emergency hatch & is on a budget?

Unless it's actually broken, just about any leak can be found and remedied. I would go this route if wanting to save the scape hatch.

[Tstege]

I think total with sealant and the Bubble I purchased on amazon mine cost $40 and took about 4 hours to complete. I have my bus gutted and noticed no leaks. I am however going to get new screws, and sealant just to be sure it does not leak in the future.

[Tstege]

Forgot to post a pic of what it looks like from the outside. Almost like a weird spy hatch. Installing RV windows tomorrow on the new skin so it won’t look as weird.

[ted@campbycanoe.com]

What if...

I built a square column from hardwood, gasketed the top, and built a lid. Cut a dado near the outside edge on the top and inserted a 1/2" plywood flange. Screwed the flange to the roof (with some seam sealer) and then fiberglassed the flange.

Then, take one of the fans from the heater and built a housing for it and installed it in the column...also on some hinge system so that you could get to the lid to open and close it.

Terrible idea?
Intriguing?

I've built wanigans from cedar before that have been water-tight....

[TheArgobus]

Ted, you can see my amateur attempt at doing something like that over here:


http://www.skoolie.net/forums/f27/th...tml#post353763



I'd like to emphasize that I have no idea what I'm doing and am just kinda winging it.

[CivilBC]

Originally Posted by Tstege

Here’s what I did. It’s a $20 doggy dome off amazon.

Just starting my build and ran across this thread, hoping to get a reply....my question is how did you cut through your hatch to create the hole for the doggy dome? Awesome idea and I plan to duplicate it!