Slideout Progress photos

[Jeremy]

My slide-out project is inching forwards, so I thought I would post some progress photos for those that are interested. In fact some of these photos have been posted before but I've added them again to show the context of the new ones.

For those that don't know, my bus is getting four slide-outs - one very deep one out of the rear of the bus (already completed), and three shallower ones out of the sides. My bus has curved sides which makes things more difficult, but in another way I'm making the job easier by installing the slide-outs above floor level (see first illustration below), which makes the engineering and structural work much easier.

This is the plan for the side-slides:



Here's how the sliding mechanisms will be arranged:




The slide-out mechanisms themselves are of my own design and manufacture as there are no suppliers of such things here. The design revolves around using what are essentially just heavy-duty versions of the type of telescopic drawer slides used in kitchen cabinets, plus rollers supporting the side-out from underneath.

These are the 'upper-beams' ready to be installed. These four beams service all three of the side-slides:



Here are the upper beams installed in the bus - great trouble taken to make sure they are all properly aligned!




These are the first two 'lower-beams' for one slide-out.



And here they are installed. Spark the dog has inspected them and given his approval:




The trouble with these lower-beams is tying them into the structure of the bus beneath the floor. The right-hand one in the photo was straightforward as there was a beefy cross-member located just below it. The left-hand one is much more tricky - in fact this one isn't bolted down yet as it requires me to build a complicated structure in the bay beneath it in order to transfer the loads into the frame of the bus. This structure will actually double as my inverter rack, so it has actually worked out rather well.

For those that are wondering, the purpose of the shape of these supports is to provide a circular dinette in the 'gap', with a cabinet / chest of drawers on both sides hiding the slide mechanism beneath it. The sides of the steelwork are angled to in order to facilitate a tight seal between the moving and stationary parts when the slide-out is extended

It should begin to make more sense when I post the next set of photos (in several months, probably).


Jeremy

[usbusin]

Jeremy,

Just curious.  Is that wood that I see supporting your roof?  Is that standard techniques?

Reminds me of my first car; a 1948 MG-TC with the body panels bent over wood.

[Jeremy]

Jeremy,

Just curious.  Is that wood that I see supporting your roof?  Is that standard techniques?

Reminds me of my first car; a 1948 MG-TC with the body panels bent over wood.

Er, no, that bit of wood isn't actually supporting the roof! It's just a bit of rough plywood that's there to give me a reference point for planning the interior - the bottom edge is where the level of the ceiling will be.

Jeremy

[Nissan_DownUnder]

Hi Jeremy

Thanks for the update.  It is great to see how you are adapting to suit what you can do yourself.

I have the same problem in NZ, only very basic supplies are available, so I have to build everything from scratch or make do with less appropriate solutions.

Cheers
    Peter

[Charles in SC]

Wow, that is looking great so far! Keep us posted!

[gfcgfc1]

Hello All , Jeremy and Peter from NZ,Thank you for posting and PLEASE send in more photos of your coach / bus! Jeremy the lower photos of your slide ,sorry I am not clear on the method to extend and retract sorry.Good job and Good luck.I am stalled on mine only because I am 2300 miles away from it working@#%#!*&% Thank you ,GFC

[Jeremy]

GFC:

I'm not sure if you were asking for more pictures of my bus or Peter's, but here are a couple of mine if you are interested (and I like talking about it!):



The bus itself is a Bedford-chassied Plaxton Paramount 3200 in the shortest wheelbase variant. It's a very popular type of bus here, and the same model was available in lots of different versions and on lots of different chassis - here is the other end of the spectrum from mine, a Paramount 4000 on a Neoplan chassis:




I was originally doing a step-by-step documentation of my conversion, but unfortunately lost all the early photographs in a hard disk failure, and lost heart after that. So I've only been photographing the big steps since then - here are a couple of the rear slideout for instance.





You will see that the rear slide is totally flush with the bodywork when closed, just as the side slides will be. This was one of my design requirements for the slides - I wanted to avoid the ugly, agricultural flanges or extra body-mouldings that slide-outs typically have, even on high-end RVs.

The back of the bus curves in both directions, which the slide has to match. The sides at least only curve in one direction, but I'm still jealous of those people who's buses have perfectly flat, vertical sides. I'd have the whole project completed by now if my life had been that easy! One of the most difficult things about the rear slide was altering the hinging arrangement for the bay door that's beneath it (and that is a bay, not the engine compartment) You can also see in the above photos that I had just completed the roof-raise - raised above the windows without disturbing the glass or skins. In retrospect I should have gone a couple of inches higher though.

---------------

Regarding how my side slides will extend and retract:- as I mentioned, I am using off-the-shelf telescopic slides bought from an industrial supply place. The upper slides are fitted inside the beams mounted in the roof. The lower slides mount to the vertical 'tray' arrangement you will see in assemblies that I am calling 'lower beams' (although they don't look anything like a 'beam'). In all cases the telescopic slides are arranged so that they are fully closed (ie. their greatest load-carry state) when the slide is extended.

There isn't yet any 'power' mechanism to physically extend or retract the slides. I know how I am going power them eventually, but am deliberately leaving adding the 'power' to last as I want to ensure the slides are perfectly aligned and operate smoothly first, which is better judged by pushing them in and out by hand. Only when all the rubber weather seals are attached (which will add a lot of friction) will the power assistance be needed.

Hope that helps

Jeremy

[gfcgfc1]

Hello Jeremy , Thank you for the photos and explanation.The exterior of your rear slide looks absolutely superb.!! Nice work! In a way I envy you the rear slide ,my Radiaters are up there .But I had thought and have been eyeing that area as a possible rear slide like yours.My MCI MC-7 would really 'appreciate' the rear slide out.Man you are an inspiration and I will be glad to 'chat with you about your bus my bus and slides etc    whenever . Thank you , GFC

[Jeremy]

GFC:

Thanks for your comments. If you are adding slide-outs too I would be very interested to see photos of the approach you are taking. I spent a year or so thinking about how I was going to do mine before I started work, and spent lots of time trawling the 'net looking for information on how other people had done it.

In case you haven't already come across him, there is a guy who calls himself 'Kentucky Steve' who posts on here occasionally, and he is currently doing a very impressive multiple-slide conversion. Well worth looking at his blog / photos for inspiration - he has taken his bus right back to it's skeleton and is installing his slide-outs in a much more professional (and expensive) approach compared to mine - I wasn't prepared to take my bus apart to nearly the same degree as him, which will compromise the amount of extra space I gain by comparison - but on the other hand I think my idiosyncratic DIY approach is one that anyone with basic skills and modest budget could manage, and will still absolutely transform the finished bus.

Good luck with yours!

Jeremy

[gm4106]

Jeremy
Looks like you put a lot of though and time in this. And now to do what you want is great. Looking forward to see more picture as you progress. I only seen one slide out done on a bus, It's on the enternet ,I'll add the link


http://www.hbindustries.us/Slideout_Project.html


http://www.hbindustries.us/PhotoGallery.html?sel=Slideout_Project|

[Le Mirage]

Ouah!!!! Great project...Thanks for the link...very interesting!