How to get under Bus without air?

[luvrbus]

I'll take you up on that "50", but do you mean $50 or 50/50 chance it will hold?  I do not think it will hold under 120-125 psi pressure.  It needs to be brazed for a more "permanent" fix, but Flex Steel is easier to work with but I am not claiming it is permanent either.  And you can't put it on if the JB fails, it is too late.  I say JB Weld will not hold because it is made for non-pressurized leaks... it has failed me on that score.  Yes, it needs to hold until a new tank is put in, that is a stress crack.

Geoff

I don't think it will hold either but hoping it does for Scott ,if he could get in the space to clean it good enough for JB application a welder could have brazed or used a high strength silver solder to repair it more stable IMO   

[Dave5Cs]

Cliffford,
Asked a few times where it was but only saw he said in the back bay so figured it was like mine was. Then he said was it ok to cut a small hole in the wall? Nobody answered him?

Weather JB weld will or will not work, a lot of time has been wasted with, what if's in stead of doing something and letting us know what happened and where he could go from there.
He was fast to tell us about his freshly manicured hands and his money maker but still no progress on the tank....LOL Sorry Scott could not resist....

But what do I know I am now beating Eagle with 8 Ignores and he only has 7. And you my friend as well as Geoff have fallen to 4 each, whats up with that anyway, LOL  
Well we both know who one of them is , lol

[luvrbus]

DaveC I don't think he can  get to those from the back wall  they are centered in middle of the bus framing

[DoubleEagle]

Scott, I hope you melted the JB down into the crack with the torch, otherwise it might all be on the surface, and keep the area warm until the curing time is over. Curing will be slowed down by cooler temperatures. Based on my adventures with epoxy sealers, if you did all that it should hold. Now that you have been in that area, is there enough room to work larger wrenches or even crows-foot's with ratchets (for you or anyone else)? Did you have the tires off to get in? Would jacking it up more or having a pit make it easier? Have you applied penetrating oil on the air fittings to get them ready for removal if it came to that? When the JB holds, consider doing a testimonial for them with all the bloody details.

[pabusnut]

Scott,

This will not fix the tank--but it might help you

1 Cor 10:13 and Phillipians 4:6

And take a deep breath!

Steve

[Scott & Heather]

I'll repeat lol, JB weld is applied. Curing. Temps are 50 degrees right now for the entire 24 hour cure time so I don't need to heat it. 40 degrees is the cutoff. Anyway, I'll find out tomorrow if it holds or not. If it doesn't I have no idea what I'll do. I can't work on it anymore. I'm at a loss.


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[eagle19952]

darn...wish i woulda got here sooner. this category of product holds pressure...

http://www.laco.com/repair-sealants/heat-seal-stik/

http://www.comstarproducts.com/metal-lock-black-no-heat-solder-for-all-metals-2-oz

but, if rector seal works jb might if you have the right stuff.

Use RectorSeal EP-200 2 oz. Epoxy Putty Stick to help complete your household plumbing repairs. This easy-to-mix putty cures in just 15 to 30 minutes and resists temperatures up to 500 Degree .

Bonds to most household surfaces
Easy to mix quickly
Convenient epoxy putty can be can be sanded, drilled, painted, tapped or machined
Cures in just 15 to 30 minutes for rapid results
Pressure-tested up to 1,200 psi
Resists temperatures up to 500 Degree

[buswarrior]

Ok, the path is chosen.

Now, the order of operations, should you be fortunate enough to get air integrity...

Immediately consider the air may go away at any moment.

Allowing the coach to go back to the ground is a huge waste, keep anything you have gained:

Prepare sufficient blocking to immediately insert into the axle to keep the body up, if the air goes away. We used to use 4x4 blocks in Big Transit, into the cavity where the bump stops are. Some form of 2x layers, etc.

If the coach is going to be moved, no dilly dally and go disabled in a bad position for further recovery or blocking your escape vehicle.

The longer it holds stationary, no false courage, movement of the coach may trigger failure. What's the plan for JB to be broached half way down the street?

Faith or putting your God to the test?

Perhaps spending the time to yank the wheels and get in there so you can bang around and see if that tank is going to split the repair? If it stays air tight with you banging around, the courage is real and grows stronger...

Tough decisions.

Happy coaching!
Buswarrior

[B_K]

OK for the record I was only saying that I would have used JB Weld as a TEMPORARY fix.
But I have used it in many strange ways and places in emergencies and MOST (not all) of the time, it did just what I intended for it to do and allowed us to get it moved to a better location for proper repair regardless if it was just off a hwy, into a parking lot, or even back to our own shop for final and proper repair.
I used to use a product similar to JB Weld called Marine Tex which is some BAD @$# $#!%!

https://www.google.com/search?source=hp&ei=NwVXWr7qBYrzzgLlt6VI&q=marine+tex&oq=marine+te&gs_l=psy-ab.1.0.0l10.1246.11746.0.14874.16.13.2.0.0.0.391.3504.2-8j4.12.0....0...1c.1.64.psy-ab..2.14.3521.0..46j0i131k1j0i131i46k1j46i131k1j0i46k1j0i10k1.0.Wr0V_Ou3sQ8

I haven't used it in some time as I ran out and I moved 50 miles from the boat repair shop we used to get it from.
But it is truly some good stuff. I have used it on hot oily race car engines between races to repair broken manifolds, carburetors, radiators, transmissions and other "quick fixes" to get the car back on the track. I have used it with water/antifreeze running out of a busted intake manifold where we had 30 mins between the heat race, and the feature race and it held up!

But I have always kept JB Weld in the tool box for a quick repair even when I had Marine Tex on hand (which I used to keep on hand also and was the first go to epoxy) and used them in many strange and different ways regardless of whether or not it was recommended or fell outside of the guide lines.
Not long after I first heard of and started using Marine Tex I was at some boat races and watched a team use sheet metal screws to put a 1' X 1' sheet metal patch on a flat bottom racing boat that had hit a piece of driftwood floating in the river and then smeared Marine Tex all around the patch and had the boat back in the water in 15-20 mins for the next race! (they actually did the repair with the boat hanging 4' above the river with a crane that was already there for lifting some of the boats in and out of the water.)

SO IF  Scott was able to get the area clean I feel the JB Weld should stop or slow the leak enough to get the bus to a better place to make the repair. That place of course depending on how brave Scott is and how well it stops the leak. If it is holding with no signs of leakage with the soapy water test I'd probably drive to where he is planning to be a while and make sure when he parks the coach to drive it up on the ramps so he can replace/repair it at will on his own time schedule.
  BK 

[windtrader]

Ditto BK. JB Weld is not permanent in this instance due to the crack being right on the stress line of the bracket. The tank movement is going stress that same spot so over time, who knows, maybe 10 miles, it will like crack the JB weld. But i still lay my 50 down that it will get the bus to a shop, maybe even until the weather warms up.

[Scott & Heather]

Thanks guys, yes, the JB weld is a TEMP fix to get the coach to the repair shop 50 miles away. I have the new tank from Luke on it's way (should arrive Friday) but I'm not messing with it anymore so I just need this to hold so I can get the coach to the shop in Kokomo Indiana.


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[Branderson]

I'm very interested to see if it holds.  I think it will.  His luck has to turn around!!

[Tim Bookmiller]

what shop in Kokomo In?

[Dave5Cs]

Here Scott this is where you are going. You're welcome.

[Scott & Heather]

Lol... ok so I started and aired up today and did test run. I had to dump my full 150 gallon black tank and fill up
My empty fuel tank so I drove about 20 miles to the loves, did all that, aired up my tires all around and drove back to my friends driveway. No issues at all. Aired up and I can tell this issue has been going on for some time because the bus is holding air now like it never has since my ownership. Waiting on new tank to arrive and then I'll take tank and coach to the shop in Kokomo hopefully Monday and have it replaced. I'm so relieved. JB weld has worked and saved my behind literally!!!


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