Inside wall panel removal

[adic27]

Did any of you come across the inside wall panels to being kinda tack welded? I'm referring to the sheet metal material under the windows. I took all the screws out, and one rivet? , and even had to deal with a few stripped screws just to find that something is keeping the panel intact. At first, I thought it was some kind of glue or seal or maybe even hidden screws but discovered its like tack welded at the top of the sheet metal panel. I have to use vice grips to pull up a metal flap right under the windows to get to the sheet metal so I can pull it apart but I think pulling the metal flap up is going to make it easy for water to get in when it rains.

Anyone have to go through this? How did you go about it?

 

[o1marc]

Is this a redundant post in error?

 

[jjhwick119]

you did have a thread about this already. Just leave it. A lot of people cut the metal below the window line, and just leave the extra. It will be covered up by your walls

 

[adic27]

From the looks of that other guys bus I thought he'd maybe went through the same thing. Didn't wanna keep posting in his build thread, that's all

 

[1olfart]

That's ok by me.
Some of these young whippersnappers, have a hard time just leaveing things lie.
Did you get rid of your saw? If I weren't on the other side of Harris Cty. I would be over giving you a hand and learning at the same time.

 

[adic27]

That's ok by me.
Some of these young whippersnappers, have a hard time just leaveing things lie.
Did you get rid of your saw? If I weren't on the other side of Harris Cty. I would be over giving you a hand and learning at the same time.

I'm thinking you posted to the wrong thread?

 

[adic27]

you did have a thread about this already. Just leave it. A lot of people cut the metal below the window line, and just leave the extra. It will be covered up by your walls

I have battery powered tools and only a few batteries that i have no place to charge at the moment . Do you know of a way to get the tack welds or what ever this is loose? Rather not cut and save the batteriesfor when I absolutely need to use them. Posted pictures to show what they look like. Was able to pry some loose with a flat head screwdriver but its bending the part of the bus it's attached to, easily. But even its pretty hard after the few i was able to pry. Also tried pulling it with vice grips. Those tack welds are holding good but its gotta be a way people deal with this right?

The first image is after I was able to pry loose. The others is where i cut. These tack welds (is that what they are?) Were unnecessary IMO as there were plenty of screws

Appreciate any help anyone could give in advance

 

[o1marc]

I have battery powered tools and only a few batteries that i have no place to charge at the moment . Do you know of a way to get the tack welds or what ever this is loose? Rather not cut and save the batteriesfor when I absolutely need to use them. Posted pictures to show what they look like. Was able to pry some loose with a flat head screwdriver but its bending the part of the bus it's attached to, easily. But even its pretty hard after the few i was able to pry. Also tried pulling it with vice grips. Those tack welds are holding good but its gotta be a way people deal with this right?

The first image is after I was able to pry loose. The others is where i cut. These tack welds (is that what they are?) Were unnecessary IMO as there were plenty of screws

Appreciate any help anyone could give in advance

Get you a spot weld cutter, they make spot welds a piece of cake. Just put the pointer in the center of the spot weld and the cutter cuts around the weld through the top layer releasing it.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/2-Pack-of-...765167?hash=item1a214bcbaf:g:tN8AAOSwA3dYRmZJ

 

[adic27]

Thanks for this response! Gave me the idea to use drill bits. Don't know why my brain is so slow at times

 

[jjhwick119]

Sounds like that should work. I started out with just battery operated tools, but you really are muuuuch better off just getting a generator. I wish i would have sooner. It would have made things go so much faster in the beginning.

 

[o1marc]

Thanks for this response! Gave me the idea to use drill bits. Don't know why my brain is so slow at times

Why not use the correct tool? Welds are hard and will wear out your bits. This cutter cuts around the weld through the softer sheet metal. it saves massive amounts of labor.

 

[adic27]

Sounds like that should work. I started out with just battery operated tools, but you really are muuuuch better off just getting a generator. I wish i would have sooner. It would have made things go so much faster in the beginning.

Gas generator for electric tools? I have a inergy kodiak solar generator but my cigarette lighter receptacle melted along with the generator car charger. Gonna run a stronger gauge wire straight to the battery using a heavy duty receptacle and a 25 amp fuse holder.

Is your generator loud? I'm storaging my bus at a storage place and don't wanna draw the attention. How many watts and are you keeping/gonna keep it in your build some how?

 

[adic27]

Why not use the correct tool? Welds are hard and will wear out your bits. This cutter cuts around the weld through the softer sheet metal. it saves massive amounts of labor.

I heard you. No patients i guess lol. Might see if a hardware store has them later today. If not then oh well . Thanks tho

 

[jjhwick119]

Gas generator for electric tools? I have a inergy kodiak solar generator but my cigarette lighter receptacle melted along with the generator car charger. Gonna run a stronger gauge wire straight to the battery using a heavy duty receptacle and a 25 amp fuse holder.

Is your generator loud? I'm storaging my bus at a storage place and don't wanna draw the attention. How many watts and are you keeping/gonna keep it in your build some how?

I have a gas powered 2800w inverter generator. Inverter generators are quieter then regular ones. They also output a pure sine wave. I'm also at an rv storage lot. Not all lots are the same so check the paperwork you signed and make sure you can work on it. People come out and run their rvs periodically, and I've heard others in our lot using generators. Honestly though, once you get 50 to 100 feet away, you can't really hear it. Especially with vehicles and / or buildings around you. It helps the sound from travelling

I will be keeping it and mounting it under the bus to use for recharging my battery bank, backup power, and for any power tools I may need to use, I'll just use the generator to save my batteries

Edit - this is the one I picked up
https://factorypure.com/products/ch...6Cc7PAm_LKwaxGwbvHOl7oSzzzy0yc5gaAqy7EALw_wcB

 

[adic27]

I very far away from storage units and even further away from the front office. Also, the lady at the front desk mentioned a guy had 2 school buses and another lady had one she was in the middle of converting but left fir some reason. Pretty sure I'll be fine. Bought this one after going 8 days without electricity due to it snowing in little Rock AR years ago but never used it.

DuroStar DS4000S, 3300 Running Watts/4000 Starting Watts, Gas Powered Portable Generator https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004918MO2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_SCmcBb0J90DTH

Never even took it out the box. Not an inverter generator tho. Gonna get a real good one one day for mounting to my bus. Think it'll come in handy.

 

[adic27]

Any clue how to get these off? There on the lower wall panels. Doesn't look like sheet metal. Seems thicker.

 

[2martins]

Any clue how to get these off? There on the lower wall panels. Doesn't look like sheet metal. Seems thicker.

I angle ground a few off and then realized I wasn't 100% sure I should remove them so I stopped.

 

[EastCoastCB]

Any clue how to get these off? There on the lower wall panels. Doesn't look like sheet metal. Seems thicker.

If that's the chair rail leave it.

 

[adic27]

If that's the chair rail leave it.

You mean what the seats were bolted to?

 

[Tango-SKO]

Yes...it is structural in every full sized bus I have seen and basically holds the body together. Don't want to remove it!