Aluminum thickness...

[Danny]

Question:  What does the group say regarding the thickness of aluminum skin that replaces or covers the windows on an MCI 102?

Thanks as always,
Danny

[Nick Badame Refrig/ACC]

Danny,

At least 080 or 16ga how ever you know how to read thickness.

I have .080 alum. on my bus. I now wish I used Steel because of the expantion and contraction of alum.

My next reskinning will be 22ga. cold rolled steel!!

Nick-

[Danny]

Thanks Nick - I am going to talk to a guy this weekend about placing an order...

Danny

[JohnEd]

Danny,

Isn't there an issue/consideration of attaching aluminum to steel framework?  The entire top of the 102 is steel to start with, right? 

I read a post long ago where the Nut used steel and heated it from inside the coach during install with lots of heat lamps.  Kept it hot til all the rivets were installed.  He said it only got wavy in Pheonix in the summer.  Just what I heard.

Thank you for your post.

John

[akroyaleagle]

I used 16 gage steel on the Eagle. It never looks wavey.

When dissimilar metals meet, corrosion and electrolysis happen. If it must be done, use something to insulate them from each other.

[Danny]

Thanks for the comments guys!  I placed an order today with .080...

[jraynor]

Thanks for the comments guys!  I placed an order today with .080...

Danny,

What kind of rivets did you use when mounting the steel? I have actually planned on going with aluminum skin until I saw this.
How did it turn out? If you have any pictures of the install that would be awesome.

Thank you

[brmax]

I cannot recall the thickness on the lower section, though it could be a usefull number.
Looks like mci put a layer of seal tape between almost everything.


Good day

Floyd

[Iceni John]

I covered two windows on each side with 0.080" 6061-T6 sheets attached with 3M 5200 marine adhesive.   Each piece is about 6 feet long, and neither has rippled at all in the sun.   One reason I chose 5200 adhesive is to keep a smooth rivet-less look (kinda silly when there's millions of rivets everywhere else!) and to also permit some slight movement because the adhesive remains flexible even after it has cured.   So far, so good.

John

[jraynor]

I covered two windows on each side with 0.080" 6061-T6 sheets attached with 3M 5200 marine adhesive.   Each piece is about 6 feet long, and neither has rippled at all in the sun.   One reason I chose 5200 adhesive is to keep a smooth rivet-less look (kinda silly when there's millions of rivets everywhere else!) and to also permit some slight movement because the adhesive remains flexible even after it has cured.   So far, so good.

John

John,

Is it only attached via the adhesive or are there connections at the window and edges? I'm just not sure I would trust only gluing it on the side without any type of fasteners

[Iceni John]

John,

Is it only attached via the adhesive or are there connections at the window and edges? I'm just not sure I would trust only gluing it on the side without any type of fasteners

They're tucked under the edge of the rain gutter extrusions above the windows with thick beads of 5200 in there, and with thick beads on the steel window pillars and below the windows against the side walls.   It's not going anywhere!   I also used 5200 to bond a single piece of thinner aluminum onto the front cap fiberglass to cover both the flashing lights that were there, and I know that it's never coming off, ever.   As long as the surfaces are completely clean and oil-free it will make a permanent bond as strong as, or probably stronger than, whatever you're attaching.   5200 is used for attaching keels and stuff under the waterline of boats, even in sea water.   Just make sure you use the slow-cure version that takes seven days to fully cure  -  it's stronger than the quick-cure version.

5200 is the poor man's version of Sikaflex, easier to apply, less expensive, and even available in different colors if that's important for you.   I like it!   One caveat however  -  once you've opened a tube you need to use it all, otherwise the remainder will harden by itself after a few weeks because it's moisture-curing.   Just buy the smallest quantities you need.

John

[buswarrior]

The coaches have been assembled with various "glues" for many years now.

See no rivets? The panel is attached with adhesives.

Nothing wrong with 'em, the correct ones are structurally strong.

Like crazy glue, however, you better not change your mind, once it sets up...!

Happy coaching!
Buswarrior

[ArtGill]

Be careful not to get OLD stock.  Each tube has a date.  I used Sikaflex on thicker Al panels and they are still on after 15 years.  I used spacers to keep the bead from being pressed out, so you may want to research the 5200 about bead size.

[Astro]

Be careful not to get OLD stock.  Each tube has a date.

As much as I appreciate the capabilities of Amazon, i would NOT purchase adhesives ( or any other time and temperature sensitive materials) from Amazon. As others have said.... BTDT with bad results and cumbersome return process. You will likely get materials toward the end or after their shelf life expired.

[TheHollands!]

Hi all,
I used .060 Alum on the sides of my bus. I bought it in 10' x 4' sheets and bartered a case of beer to a local hvac shop to let me use their guillotine to cut it down to 10' x 3'. I used felt paper as a barrier between the Alum and steel structural parts of the bus, I have a MCI-9. I riveted mine because I wanted to match the existing riveting pattern hoping this would blend what I did with the original. I'm happy with the result. I used large head rivets from Fastenal, can't remember the size, but closest I could get to matching the factory style. I bought an air rivet gun from harbor freight, which saved quite a bit of work. I did heat the Alum before installing and I haven't noticed any distortions as I've travelled. I think theres many ways to do this including the adhesives, just depends what suits the final look you're after. Good luck! Craig