Safety during a crash?

[Tall Grass]

I have great concerns of a accident where my bus might go down a steep embankment and have everything behind me land on top of me. I don't want my refrigerator to go flying around. How do you build walls to prevent this and how do you secure the heavy things?

 

[skoolie_n00bie]

RE: good question...

Toggle bolts through floor/metal, strapping to the ribs...
To make something completely fixed, needs to have anchoring point for all 3 axis.
For example, your fridge: you could strap it left-to-right and against the wall nice and tight (do i get brownie points for rhymes?), but if it has room on top, it could bounce around, and eventually pop loose.

Brackets, straps, even all-thread replacing wheel/mounts will help.

Does any of that make sense to you?

 

[Tall Grass]

Yes it does make sense:Thanx::Thanx:

 

[Dapplecreek]

Along those lines, we hope to buy a bus and use it as a moving van. I thought we would put up a full 2x4-and-3/4plywood wall a foot or two back from the driver, and another about five or six feet from the back emergency door: we would use the back for a bunkhouse and the front for sightseeing. We'll put the upright piano and all of our worldly belongings between the front and back bulkhead walls.

How would you secure THAT mess?

I assume leave a few seats in place to anchor the piano (up, left-right, & front-back), and then some stout connections to the chair rail and floor in front of the front wall ribs? Hoping for advice...

 

[dgorila1-SKO]

I have great concerns of a accident where my bus might go down a steep embankment and have everything behind me land on top of me. I don't want my refrigerator to go flying around. How do you build walls to prevent this and how do you secure the heavy things?

Build steel framing like aaronbb did for everything.

 

[Robin97396]

Sometimes it's worth it to get the larger cargo straps for large bulky items. Most of my heavy objects are prevented from forward movement by normal bus seats bolted to the floor. My bus seats have four legs, plus the chair rail.

I worry more about my wood stove hitting me in the back of the head, even though it's got to travel about 20' to do that. Honestly if the wood stove, or any large heavy object for that matter, is loose and has traveled 20' toward the front of the bus I've probably already got bigger problems to worry about. I've had a piano in one of my buses before but I don't think I'll ever voluntarily put myself in that position again.

 

[Tall Grass]

Any heavy object can become deadly if you go over and straight down a 20' degree embankment and then abruptly stop . Sure would be sobering to see the results of some math work on how deadly a barrel of water or a Refrigerator can be.

 

[Tango-SKO]

Simple...E=mc2.

 

[Robin97396]

Bahh... math, refrigerators, wood stoves? It might be best to just avoid the sudden stops. Just put on your old man hat and drive like grandpa.

 

[family wagon]

E-track and nylon straps are relatively affordable. Just make sure any such track is well-anchored to the bus framework. This suggestion is more applicable to a one-time long distance move than to regular use though. It just wouldn't be very convenient to have to let out the ratchet strap every time one wanted to open the refrigerator, for example.

 

[Dapplecreek]

E-track and nylon straps are relatively affordable. Just make sure any such track is well-anchored to the bus framework. This suggestion is more applicable to a one-time long distance move than to regular use though. It just wouldn't be very convenient to have to let out the ratchet strap every time one wanted to open the refrigerator, for example.

Great suggestion!

I just got off the phone with Ed from US Cargo Contol (E Track Straps & Tie Downs for Trailers: Ratchet Straps & E Track Tie Downs). He's a very pleasant and knowledgeable fellow, and we spent some time discussing best practices. I sent him to a photo of a gutted bus so he could see the structure. I anticipate buying from him when the time comes. He can be reached at 855-206-6269.

Note: they sell 2', 5', 8', and 10' lengths, but he suggested staying with the 8' and under because they have to send the 10' by freight. It's that sort of concern and advice that impressed me. And the price, while not free, is certainly reasonable - considering the forces involved and my lack of engineering degree, this seems like a good move.

 

[Crazy]

When your number is up, IT'S UP. Just don't do anything stupid and you should be fine. e.g. driving down an embankment.

 

[Robin97396]

Yes those trucker straps and brackets would be the strongest. This bus just had loads of L-track throughout except for directly in front of the wheel chair lift.

When I drive I certainly do have to strap the fridge door closed. I forgot again a couple months ago. It has it's own special latch now so it doesn't open anymore, but everything still seems to be piled up against the inside of the door when I open it.

I make it a point to stay on top of the embankment. The places I drive make me wish I had a driver's door for an emergency exit. I'll try to get a few pics this summer.

 

[Carytowncat]

Cool topic.

I have sort of planned on keeping my bus very bus like and plain but considered 2x4 frames around stuff. I sorta like 2x4 lstructure. It is also making me consider leaving some seat legs attached and maybe welding a loop to hook straps to if needed.