Bluebird cargo compartment weight capacity?

[miltruckman]

Does anyone know the weight capacity of the underbody cargo compartments on a TC2000. I have one on the bus(just behind the rear axle on the right) and would like to use it for the solar battery bank location. Probably around 800lbs of batteries.
Looks like the front flange is screwed to the body side with sheet metal screws. And the top has a few screws up into the hat channels under the floor of the bus. And there is a steel plate screwed to each end in the back(maybe 6" x 8") with a hook over the top of the bus frame. Im thinking i may have to strengthen it.

Bill
Michigan

[Dragonpop]

On my 1996 All American my two forward basements are mounted that way with
the two hooks over the top of the frame. They don't look strong enough for a
battery bank to me either. My rear basements are held on with L brackets
mounted to the frame with a piece welded between the L's to create a triangle. I
did notice a tag on the inboard side of the left front bay and will try to get a better
look at it and see if it has a weight designation. My plan is to build and install
two triangle brackets with angle iron to bolt to the frame before installing
the battery bank. May also run a brace between the two for supporting the bottom.

[nat_ster]

I would not trust that much weight in a factory built belly storage bin.

Nat

[turf]

i used my spare tire carrier to hold the batteries. about 300# of them. the carrier is hanging from the frame with j-bolts and riveted to the side.

no problems yet, sounds like your batteries may be bigger though.

i got 4 deep cycle from wally.

[miltruckman]

I spent the day pulling the cargo compartment, restoring it, and building some brackets to hold it up. Should hold at least 1000lbs now. Just got it reinstalled. Ill try to post a photo.

Bill
Michigan

[miltruckman]

Here is another.

Bill

[turf]

looks good!! that will hold, dam!

[milkmania]

Originally Posted by miltruckman

Here is another.

Bill

tell us about the table mounted above the fuel cover

homemade? which brackets?
looks useful... I've got several plywood ones in my garages, with 2x2 kickers at baseboard. very handy and fold out of the way

top platform and solar panel pics would be cool too

[miltruckman]

Closer view of shelf. Its a 14ga stainless shelf from a restaurant supply company with a set of folding brackets from Amazon. 36" long. I plan to install a second just to the left of it as funds allow.

[miltruckman]

From above. By the way, i havent figured out how to upload more than one photo at a time on my iphone.

[miltruckman]

The shelf folded. Doesn't stick out much. I Still have to figure a way to latch it in the folded position. And the hole cut out in the side just in front of the rear axle is where the Onan diesel generator goes. I have to build the slide system for that yet. Tricky as it weighs 650lbs. I'm going all electric and diesel. So if the 1k of solar falls behind i'll start the diesel genset. Water heater is electric and diesel. Heat is and diesel or the electric mach 8 heat pump on roof. The stove burner is a built in inductive unit and a convection oven/microwave.

[milkmania]

Originally Posted by miltruckman

The shelf folded. Doesnt stick out much. Still have to figure way out to latch it in folded position

weld the stud to a plate, mount the plate (with 4 bolts) behind the skirt, with a hole for the stud and hair pin it??? 2 small holes in tabletop

or one in center?

[miltruckman]

Here is the end of the cargo box installed under the bus. To the left you can see the end of the insulated stainless 110gl gray water tank. I have pad heaters stuck to the bottom of the tank with a temperature controller in case we take it out in cold weather

[miltruckman]

Thats a good idea. Another use for the rivnut tool��

[miltruckman]

Here is the platform i put on the back. It is a 12' long van ladder rack with a peice of 1/8" thick aluminum diamond plate. It ised to be on my van bit was too heavy. The bus doesn't mind the weight though.

[milkmania]

or a spring loaded awning foot latch with a bar mounted under the table?

[miltruckman]

The solar panels are on the right. I built an aluminum angle frame to tilt three panels at a time left or right. Still have to build the prop system to tilt them up. Thay are already hinged though. By the way. That array is 48" wide x 156" long.

[miltruckman]

That awning latch is ever. I might do that.

[milkmania]

even something like this mounted horizontally on outside of skirt, with recessed square hole in table flange

[milkmania]

or.................