Roof Raise Steel question

[nat_ster]

Who said he or she's an "armature"?

Most are or they would not be asking questions.

I made my point. I have nothing more to say to you on this topic.

Nat

 

[EastCoastCB]

Alrighty, but I doubt anyones learning how to weld using their bus roof as practice. Just sayin.

 

[CaptainInsaneo]

As long as you went and did every other one and then went back to thru I am sure by the end of it every other one would be welded alright.
I also forget not everyone knows how to weld or work metal, I have been doing it since high school which is to say a while.
I vote for not raising the roof, too damn much work. Seriously how often are you just standing up, just standing there, hanging out, admiring the world upright, not sitting. Cooking and showering are the only prolonged times I am standing inside all else there are chairs, stools, couches. I am also pretty sure I can just cook and shower on a stool too. On that note I am going out side for a walk.

 

[nat_ster]

I hear you on those points, but In cold climates you can't add enough insulation without raising the roof.

Nat

 

[EastCoastCB]

I'm in the tropics and I still need a raise. At only 5'10" I'm nearly hitting my head on the ribs and I don't have floors or a ceiling yet.

 

[Intalleyvision]

Well I'm 6'6" so raising the roof is pretty damn necessary for me.

I won't be welding it, I have a guy. I was just hoping I could get a variety of opinions on how to proceed because of the size of my ribs. I'm going to see how much it would cost to get hat channels made this morning. I'd rather bolt, but I have people down here telling me to weld. I'll send pictures here soon.

 

[charles_m]

My 20" raise was essential for making the bus feel good inside. Living in a raised roof bus is wholly different than a stock height one and much nicer.

I did custom hat channel, too. Its in my build thread. I would recommend welding--a good weld is at least as strong as the steel around it. Bolts might feel satisfying, but I'd take a weld any day.

24" is a lot, but nat has good reasons for suggesting it. I did 20.

I also added a window above my windshield which really opened up the feeling of the interior.

 

[EastCoastCB]

My 20" raise was essential for making the bus feel good inside. Living in a raised roof bus is wholly different than a stock height one and much nicer.

I did custom hat channel, too. Its in my build thread. I would recommend welding--a good weld is at least as strong as the steel around it. Bolts might feel satisfying, but I'd take a weld any day.

24" is a lot, but nat has good reasons for suggesting it. I did 20.

I also added a window above my windshield which really opened up the feeling of the interior.

Any structural issues at all since the raise?

 

[jake_blue-SKO]

I'll look through the build thread to see if anyone's posted pics of this but what are y'alls thoughts on only a partial roof raise? In my mind it seems like the biggest aggravation with such a concept is the fabrication of angled and contoured panels to re-enclose the interior.

 

[EastCoastCB]

I'll be doing a raise from just behind the drivers area to the rear. Will have a sheetmetal guy/shop do the panel for the transition area. Will be adding some square tubing before and after the transition and tied together as well, for strength.

 

[nat_ster]

I feel cutting the roof compromises structure.

Think about the arch. Then you will understand.

When I cut my hat channels, I had sections of floor drop. They were being held up by the roof.

The roof being one piece is the strongest part of the bus.

The roof needs to stay one piece.

Nat

 

[EastCoastCB]

Sort of like this, but all the way back.

I'd love to have something like this in the transition, but I'm on a budget.

 

[jake_blue-SKO]

EastCoastCB get outta my head! Haha

 

[Stu & Filo. T]

I'll look through the build thread to see if anyone's posted pics of this but what are y'alls thoughts on only a partial roof raise? In my mind it seems like the biggest aggravation with such a concept is the fabrication of angled and contoured panels to re-enclose the interior.

I made mine out of fiberglass but if I were to do it again I'd have a sheetmetal shop build it for me.

 

[nat_ster]

I made mine out of fiberglass but if I were to do it again I'd have a sheetmetal shop build it for me.

I love your bus conversion, but cringe evertime I see the way you compromised the roof structure right over the front wheels. That is the most weakest part of the wall structure.

When you cut the roof, the sheeting and rub rails on the walls are forced to take the load that the roof once did.

That would not work out vary well in a roll over.

This is one of the times people are putting looks before strength.

Nat

 

[EastCoastCB]

Hey I feel as strongly about not bolting together a bus as you feel about doing it your way with bolts.

But yeah, things do look unappealing all blocky and square.

 

[Stu & Filo. T]

I love your bus conversion, but cringe evertime I see the way you compromised the roof structure right over the front wheels. That is the most weakest part of the wall structure.

When you cut the roof, the sheeting and rub rails on the walls are forced to take the load that the roof once did.

That would not work out vary well in a roll over.

This is one of the times people are putting looks before strength.

Nat

I understand your concerns if I was trying to maintain the standards & Regs of a School Bus, I know I didn't take detailed pics & descriptions of all the work i did but I did have a friend of mine who is a Engineer who was involved with the design & building of Nuclear submarines & has been a Engineer for GE for years look at the work I did & he's happy with the mods I did as far as safety for driver & passenger goes, It's still more stout than a S&S .

I do respect a lot of what you offer Nat but if we're trying to maintain School Bus standards then we all should stop what we're doing.

 

[jake_blue-SKO]

And of course the vehicle still sits on a steel frame which is what carries all the weight anyways. The structural integrity of the shell to carry the load should only ever come into play IF we roll the vehicle over and I don't think that's any of our intentions. The last school bus I saw rolled was still intact albeit slightly angled and all the students (special needs to boot) were unharmed and milling around in the median by the time the first responders arrived. I certainly would never expect to find myself in a rollover situation but I don't think I would feel ill at ease at the survival prospects just because the mods in question happen to be over the wheels. Now in an RV and even a lot of motorcoaches, different story.

 

[nat_ster]

And after all, they are still better than a sticks and staples motor home.

Only time I see any body movement is when the bus drives into a flex situation, like a approach. You might get some movement at the fill in point that could cause a leak.

Jacking up my buses I have leaned a ton. Any more than a few inches per corner, and you would be surprised the amount of stress put on the body due to the frame flexing like it was made too.

Nat

 

[jake_blue-SKO]

Amen to that!