Installing Windows

[ChrisLifts]

When installing windows, a frame needs to be constructed on the interior of the bus for the window to have something to sit in. I believe the most ideal way to do this would be to create a frame out of square tubing and weld it to the hat channels. Is there a downside to creating a wood frame instead? It would be much easier if I could just make a frame out of 1x2s for example (2x4s are probably way too thick) and attach to the hat channels with self-tapping sheet metal screws. For those of you that didn't roof raise or re-use the original bus windows, how did you frame in your new windows?

Thank you,
Chris

 

[Mercuric Mind]

I think wood could work but I would be concerned about longevity. Wood expands and contracts with temperature and humidity and that movement could push the window around enough to create a leak point in the exterior of the bus. When I did my windows I used 1" angle, half the weight of square tube, and welded a frame to the hat channels so the window trim rings had something rigid to attach to. It was really simple to do.
See pic below of my interior window support.

Good luck.

 

[uglymud]

I am in the process of framong my windows out. For those that are large enough I need to cut out hat channel I am framing with square tubing. So far I have I e window that will fit between the hat channels, I am going to try to frame it with wood if possible.