Front end collision survivability?

[Darkspeed]

There in no real crush zone opportunity on the 4106 unless you create one forward of the cab.

I would rather take my chances with sudden stoppage rather than intrusion.

I am moving my dash and drivers seat back a few inches but this is due to a change in steering location.

https://www.google.com/search?tbm=isch&tbs=rimg%3ACbERs1bf-z7aIjiSjnOQTKszb3eO0PVPf1zHSpOSxbL2OUz1m-zS_1iN_1mEZPHDImZMy6rFTX31BLY7yMz9QGU0n2HCoSCZKOc5BMqzNvEdNpyFhkext4KhIJd47Q9U9_1XMcRE8mUcDn5WcwqEglKk5LFsvY5TBE-bNebTuC7iCoSCfWb7NL-I3-YEacciiDJPIPRKhIJRk8cMiZkzLoRRVxUB64kCJYqEgmsVNffUEtjvBFNi5msShtQNyoSCYzP1AZTSfYcETBviH8Jnt1m&q=bus%20accident&ei=zlrsVZHDG8areO7biKAF&ved=0CAkQ9C8wAGoVChMIkeLi5NvixwIVxhUeCh3uLQJU&dpr=2.2&biw=1524&bih=882#imgrc=_

[solodon]

The accident referenced, as I read it, indicates the coach was nearly stopped and hit from behind then forced into the other truck.  If that is the case the damage may have been lessened, and the driver safer as he didn't have the mass of the coach at a particular speed to try to keep going forward.  I too have thought about the possibility of a system where by the seat would move rearward in a frontal collision but feel the biggest problem would be with a solid barrier or a stopped truck.  Attentive driving will greatly reduce the likelihood of such an accident so I'll drive like I could die at any moment and be careful.  This should keep results of such an accident minimal.  I HOPE.

[Darkspeed]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAAx9WGtcm0

[siberyd]

Great stuff, never saw that report. Unfortunately no test data was kept at GM when they shut down bus manufacturing in Pontiac.  I have been corresponding with the folks in charge of the archives and not much bus info was not passed on to them. Most likely ended up in someone's private collection or worst, in the trash.

[luvrbus]

The Foretravel cage was not a massive steel cage it was designed to transmit the energy away from the driver and passenger it worked on the same principle as a Volvo Truck where the engine goes out the bottom to reduce the impact energy in a head on collision  

[eagle19952]

If you've ever ridden a motorcycle then you know, it, everyone and everything else is trying to kill you...not might be trying  but actually trying...

Drive the bus with the same attitude, you'll be fine

[Darkspeed]

Wonder if this would inspire someone to get out of your way if you had this on the front of your bus?

[Lin]

I believe the designs of modern cars are seriously engineered and tested for crash protection.  One can try to come up with a plan for an old coach and execute it, however you will not know if it works until you crash.  If this is really something that is on your mind, it might be good to think about a truck conversion or something else that has some mass and room to redirect and absorb the impact.

I was told that skoolies meet higher safety standards than coaches too.  That  could be a way to go. Are there crash test results available for trucks and buses like there are for cars and light trucks?  

[Darkspeed]

Thanks Lin, yes that would be the easy way to go but I really enjoy figuring things like this out. Im one of those people that if im not solving problems, reconfiguring, or generally screwing around with designs my head explodes. Besides I think im already emotionally attached to my old GM.

[jackhanow]

You can always do the mad max grill guard.

[Iceni John]

And this is what happens if a SUV hits my bus:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwxdiQzS-AU
Real world, not theoretical, results.   It looks like the bus driver wasn't too badly hurt (his seat is still visible and upright).   The SUV driver carked.   School buses and transit buses are well-built and generally the safest places to be in an accident.

I've reinforced the through-floor mounting point for my seat belt's left-side anchor by now bolting it through a length of channel under the floor that's then bolted to two structural cross-supports;  the right-side anchor point is already secure, so I've made sure that any survivable accident won't see me launched through the windshield.

John

[Iceni John]

Wonder if this would inspire someone to get out of your way if you had this on the front of your bus?

A roo bar is only as good as its mounts.   Another factor is whether any extra crash bar will dissipate its impact loads, or instead concentrate them to a single catastrophic point of failure.   Just bolting one onto the bumper may be counter-productive.

John   

[Darkspeed]

Progress so far.. Is it overkill...yes, until it is needed then it is not enough.

It did make the front end a lot more rigid and tied the pillars together.
There will be some braces that go between this and the drivers wheel well to mount the drivers seat and seat belt.
The two horizontal beams continue out the front of the bus and terminate in a hydraulic winch mount, so any collision would have to fold up the beams and the winch before it intruded on the internal structure.

[eagle19952]

The two horizontal beams continue out the front of the bus and terminate in a hydraulic winch mount,

winch mount ?

[Gary LaBombard]

Because a bus nut that sells Eagle parts in Fl who got into a horrific accident and lost both of his legs, I have chosen to take the time to redesign my 1971 05 Eagle front end for my safety. This bus nut's name is Dan Murphy, who I bought some part from after his accident.  He is in a wheel chair of coarse but gets around at the last time I seen him amazingly and still worked on Eagles at that time.  I have lost contact with him since.

 Now I know there will be some flack that with this modification of mine that there will be one hell of a stopping factor etc. on a head on collision.  I do not know physics in any way nor do I want to.  I did this eagle framing to my personal thought of my safety as a driver, in case of a deer collision, car collision, and any kind of heavy vehicle collision.

The entire front end of the bus is designed the same which I hope never has to be tested.  I know, more weight and all but I could care less.  I will post a photo of the bus that took our bus nut friends legs and you think for yourself what you would want.  I am also enclosing photos of my front end when I removed my outer skins!!!  Let me tell you there was no protection of any kind and even Stevie Wonder could see this was a disaster in the future.  All Eagle are built the same.
Here is the photos. I will post 3 more of what I have done to my Eagle.
Gary