I am up to the point of the wast tank and need to know if there is a best way ??? Jerry
1- 1/2 stick of Dynomite, light fuse, run like heck....... ;D ;D
Sorry, I couldn't resist....
Jerry, if you are removing a MCI tank, then it takes alot of effort to cut the stainless straps that hold the tank.
It was the better part of a day to remove my tank. Bi-metal sawzall blades work well.
Good Luck
Nick-
Where is that spell checker!
A plasma cutter comes to mind, and if it doesn't do the job, then at least it was a good excuse to buy new tools!
Jerry,
I remember there being a little problem with the interface between the floor of the bus and the floor of the restroom. The Bi-metal blades for a sawzall are a must, now and in the future. My neighbors are happy to remind us of the two really LOUD days spent removing the thing.
Good luck.
Devin
Yes I have been wondering about that rest room floor and I do have a plasma cutter but would have to get some 240V to it though. As tough as that SS is I think dynomite would just make it bigger..Maybe I will just try the big side grinderand see how noisy that is. I have been keeping the neibors going with impact wrenches and air chisles. When all else fails get a bigger hammer. Sometime earlier some mentions something about two bolts on the tank removal but don't remember who. Jerry
Use Nick's solution, Just Remember to park it in front of the neighbors house when you light the fuse.....
I would think the Plasma is the most effiecnt tool out there.
Good Luck
Gary
Quote from: Jerry32 on April 13, 2007, 07:45:02 PM
Sometime earlier some mentions something about two bolts on the tank removal but don't remember who.
That may have been me. It ain't
that hard, and doesn't require "Terminator" - style tools.
You have to chip away at the fiberglass shroud enough to get to four bolts. There are two on the south side of the tank, and two on the north. (I decided a long time ago to start using N-S-E-W to identify "directions" on the coach.)
The south ones are pretty obvious, the north ones are almost hidden - they are at the very front and secure the front strap. You might have to get at the northwest one thru the inside floor hatch.
After disconnecting all hookups, you can pop the rivets where the top of the chute meets the seat, and the whole thing just drops down for removal thru the side ER door.
Be sho to spray it as clean as possible from the inside and drain before you start!!!
No, it ain't fun but it ain't
that bad! :D
Old clothes, an afternoon, and it's done.
Good luck!
PS: That's a separate project than the RR floor.
When you're ready for that, repost, and we can help with that in a jiffy.
I have the rivits out of the chute and top part of the RR is gone and out the window. all the RR walls are gone but still a water tank behind where the mirror was. Jerry
I was lucky. My bathroom tank was totally empty and dry. I was suprised to see no evidence of TP or bodily fluids, but it had certainly been used based on rust from urine. Lucky I didn't have to dump the tank as the air dump was rusted shut.
The three years or more the bus sat at the dealer was likely why it was so dry.
Brian Elfert
Plasma cutter is the "miracle" tool....
I wish I had one the week that I spent trying to cut a couple of holes in my RTS...
I spent a week with an air body saw and lots of 24tpi blades ( the black ones that lowes sells! )...
I did one later with a plasma cutter and it took 10 minutes.
I have one now and what a pleasure it is to slice and dice...... ( Mine runs on 120/240 ) but uses an external air supply.
Enjoy....
I spent the afternoon taking out the bolts that hold the straps for the tank. I got rid of all the hoses and rivits and the tank still would not come out. seems it's jammed between the fender of the tag and the chute won't clear the hole. I guess tomorrow I try some hydraulic power to it as jumping up and down on the chute didn't make it happen. Jerry
If you're sure you got all four bolts, and the chute is wiggling at the top where it met the inside surround, and it's loose at the bottom where it meets the tank I can't think of what else would be holding it all up there.
Now it has been several years, but it seems that once I took that final bolt out it all fell down and surprised me so much I banged my noggin.
Did you remove the fiberglass cover? Maybe that's wedged in there somehow.
I did not remove the cover as I didn't find a way to remove it as the screws were stuck. I did pretty well mutalate it to get to the hidden bolts onder the cover. I found at first the tank was setting on the tag low air switch so jacked it up and removed the switch but still not enough room to get the tank out. The neck of the chute is just about flush with the deck area it was sticking through but wont make the last little bit of travel out of there. I think I will take the day off and do something else and maybe and idea will come along. Jerry
Ok, I *might* remember something else. I can't be certain about this at all, but there might something like a huge hose clamp that goes all the way around the bottom of the chute to clamp it onto the tank. Seems like there might have been a bolt that clamps it tight. I looked back at the old photos of it in the dumpster, and you can just make out the flange at the bottom of the chute.
(https://busconversionmagazine.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fbusbuilding.com%2Fges%2Feva%2Fp_rr_reconstruction%2Fmediafiles%2Fl3.jpg&hash=17dba467319675d9fb174e5c5b2c2d4b6b2cf1a4)
...you'll also notice how I mangled the top part of the chute - cursing with a prybar before I learned of the two hidden bolts! ;D
Hi Chuck,
It seems that everyone at one point or another has to step into that "perverbial" pile of Dog Sh*t...... [with theese tanks!]
How come we always forget to tell the new commers about thoose two rear bolts? Hummmm....
I think it has something to do with the "Right of Passage" that everybody needs to expierence with their bus conversion.
Maybe I'm just thinking out loud. Lol.
Nick-
Quote from: Nick Badame Refrig. Co. on April 16, 2007, 04:02:32 PM
It seems that everyone at one point or another has to step into that "perverbial" pile of Dog Sh*t...... [with theese tanks!]
YEAH, but it seems like I keep stepping in it on
every single aspect of the conversion! LOL
If I ever get within even shouting distance of the quality of your conversion I might be finally be able to feel I ain't sluffin' through the sh*t any longer! :)
...until then, I remain, shufflin thru the youknowwhat...
Well if that chute seperates from the tank that would be the answer. I spent the day going to Washugal WA to buy an old Kohler gen set fpr $150. Might work for a temp until such time as win the lottery and can afford opne of those diesel jobs. Jerry
In studying you pix Chuck I don't see any other than it may be a press and sealant connection? Could it be that you just beat the thing until it came loose from the tank. I can see a lot of energy went into mangling that chute. Jerry
Quote from: Jerry32 on April 17, 2007, 07:18:45 AM
In studying you pix Chuck I don't see any other than it may be a press and sealant connection? Could it be that you just beat the thing until it came loose from the tank. I can see a lot of energy went into mangling that chute. Jerry
LOL, Jerry - Yeah, that was before I became a "craftsman". Yeah, right.
OK, not my proudest moment! :)
BTW, here's the thread on BNO from 2004 when I was asking the exact same question as you are now. You might find something in there... http://www.busnut.com/bbs/messages/233/5309.html?1076383948 (http://www.busnut.com/bbs/messages/233/5309.html?1076383948)
JayJay had the all-time best advice: (much like Nick's above)
"Ron the Busnut has a toilet removal kit that is noisy, but effective. There are 4 sticks in the standard kit and 6 sticks in the heavy duty one. Fuse and caps are standard, but you can get the electric caps for only a few dollars more. UPS Haz-Mat shipping is a bit exorbitant though, but since USPS pussies won't take high deflagration explosives any more you don't have a choice. I've heard Luke or International Bus may have C-4 or Semtex, but that is only a rumor. Persistence is the only alternatiove to the above!!! ...JJ"
OK Chuck that was the secret is to seperate the chute and the tank. just a burst on the air chisel and it cut the bolt intwo and released the band holding the two together.. Now what were you saying about the RR floor? is it posibile to remove that piece of SS ? Jerry
Also what do others do with those air duct along the sides?? Jerry
HipHip Hooray! You got it!
I didn't even have one of them fancy air chisels. Gee you take all the work out of it! :)
The floor is hiding another of those secrets...
There's a lip along the north edge that's under the plywood. Since I was one of those wimps who did not replace their whole floor, my way was to use a wood chisel and cut back the floor about an inch toward the 'north', starting where the alum. floor met the wood. The lip may extend around the side underneath, but I just don't remember about that. If so, you would need to trim that wood back as well.
Once that's done, some screws will be revealed which can be removed and the whole pan lifts out, if I remember right.
Hope that makes sense and let us know how it goes!
Hey I agree that the floor thats in there is solid and I don't see me taking out the floor to put down another. I try the air chisel on the wood and see what happens. Jerry