| Author | Message | ||
| Teresa (Happycamperbrat)
Registered Member Username: Happycamperbrat Post Number: 96 Registered: 5-2009 Posted From: 173.25.102.41 Rating: N/A |
someone asked about tire size earlier in another thread. Personally, I used to have 12r22.5 Goodyear on my bus but changed to Firestone 11r22.5 last year. I changed not because of any noticable problem with the 12r, only because of the age of them. My bus is stripped and I dont have to worry about weight until time to rebuild (which I will be keeping an eye on and change up to 11r24.5 if needed) But I plan on building as light as possible. My bus is all stainless steel in the passenger area and I figure that is plenty strong that I dont need a lot of 2x4s and thick, heavy plywood walls. There is slightly less fuel mileage with the smaller tire, maybe one mpg I like the ease of access in getting an 11r on the road. I drive an rts transit and dont have as much extra room as a lot of buses and do not carry a spare. If something goes wrong my family is not held up on the road waiting for a shipment of the 12r tires. They are about 1/2 the cost of 12r and with the mileage that we actually put on the coach per year, it makes a lot of sense in dollars. | ||
| latvia-69 (Latvia69)
Registered Member Username: Latvia69 Post Number: 27 Registered: 1-2011 Posted From: 97.104.218.18 Rating: N/A |
thanks for the info Teresa i was wondering about the mpg decrease. i did my walls with 2x2s and have never had a problem. good luck with your build. | ||
| Bill Gerrie (Bill_gerrie)
Registered Member Username: Bill_gerrie Post Number: 463 Registered: 3-2006 Posted From: 216.198.139.38  Rating: |
Just as a matter of interest. You might want to weigh your bus. I was told I could use 11R22.5 tires as I don't weigh as much as they will carry. I never had it weighed so I assumed Goodyear knew what they were talking about. I was travelling in NC when BANG. Out went the inside rear dual. A zipper tear which meens overloaded or under inflated. I use crossfire valves so it wasn't under inflated so it was over loaded. They wouldn't stand behind it so I switched to Michelin 12R22.5 over 10 years ago and never had a problem since. Bill | ||
| Bill 340 (Bill_340)
Registered Member Username: Bill_340 Post Number: 137 Registered: 7-2006 Posted From: 75.203.48.63  Rating: N/A |
use metal studs they weigh less than wood | ||
| Jim Wilke (Jim Bob) (Pd41044039)
Registered Member Username: Pd41044039 Post Number: 621 Registered: 2-2001 Posted From: 184.0.13.120  Rating: |
Yeah, but metal studs make it hard to nail panelling up & I'd have to be careful about running Romex, PEX tubing, extension cords and DC primary wire through them. LOL BTW, if you DO use metal studs, make sure the snap in plastic wire & pipe bushings can't come loose. I have seen a number of them work loose in houses that do not move, causing water leaks & chafed wire. Since seeing that I have always gone around & put a dollop of spray foam on them & the stud so they can't move. | ||
| Dal Farnworth (Dallas)
Registered Member Username: Dallas Post Number: 464 Registered: 7-2004 Posted From: 98.20.54.82  Rating: N/A |
Thanks Jim. I have also seen those plastic plugs loose from the hole, dangling on the wire or pipe. Since I was doing remodeling, I never equated it with the bushings falling out of a new installation, I figured it was poor workmanship on the part of the original contractor. | ||
| Teresa (Happycamperbrat)
Registered Member Username: Happycamperbrat Post Number: 98 Registered: 5-2009 Posted From: 71.105.176.87 Rating: N/A |
Im naieve.. and may be totally off here, but my thoughts were to weld either joints (like you can buy at the hardware store for joining wood or something) or to weld the studs at choice places in the sides and ceiling. I was thinking too that I might be able to cheat and use a plasma cutter or something to punch holes in the studs where I want them in order to hang the paneling I have... Also in the RTS I actually have 2 horizontal bars (one half way between the window and floor, and the other is just the right height for attaching overhead cabinets onto the ceiling). Both these bars pretty much run the whole length of the bus and already have places to attach the walls or cabinets or sofa or whatever. The only thing that isnt already there for me is vertical studs, unless I want to drill into stainless steel (which I dont if I can help it). As for the electric wire chase, my thoughts are to put in a wooden hinged box running the length of the coach with all the wiring inside for easy maintence... The plumbing would likewise be in a hinged box at the floor level of the coach on the inside...... Yes? No? Maybe? | ||
| Dal Farnworth (Dallas)
Registered Member Username: Dallas Post Number: 465 Registered: 7-2004 Posted From: 98.20.54.82 Rating: N/A |
Teresa, not a bad plan, except..... The hardware store joints and the studs are galvanized, and when you weld on them without removing the galvanizing, you get a lot of poisonous gas and a poor weld. If you remove the galvanizing from the joint or stud, the steel is so cheap, it will rust in just a few years just from the changes in temperature and humidity. I won't even go into the welding of galvanized or cheap mild steel to stainless. I am not qualified to make a statement about that, as I'm sure some of our God-like engineers will tell me. The wire chase is a good idea, except I think I would cut 2X4 holes in the studs and build your wood or plastic, as in PVC, wire chase inside of the hole, that way you aren't taking up precious space in the living area. | ||
| Brian Evans (Bevans6)
Registered Member Username: Bevans6 Post Number: 23 Registered: 5-2009 Posted From: 65.92.54.2 Rating: N/A |
You can weld mild steel to stainless, the weldment is then an alloy of the two base metals plus the filler. I use the correct filler and shielding gas for the stainless, so if I am welding say 304 stainless (typical for me) I use 308 rod for filler and usually use a Tig process. Your caution about galvanized is totally correct. If I were to use metal studs, I'd just screw em, the way the manufacturer intended. For electric wire chase, don't forget that you should not mix 120 VAC and low voltage DC in the same conduit or container. If I wanted holes in metal studs, I'd get a punch kit. You're going to have to drill into the bus interior panelling at some point, or use adhesives of some sort, maybe. | ||
| Teresa (Happycamperbrat)
Registered Member Username: Happycamperbrat Post Number: 99 Registered: 5-2009 Posted From: 71.105.176.87 Rating: N/A |
Adhesives? Now that is a thought I hadnt considered for the verticals.....or are you saying adhesives possibly for hanging things onto the paneling? (Message edited by happycamperbrat on March 23, 2011) | ||
| Kat Battersby (Ramblinruby)
Registered Member Username: Ramblinruby Post Number: 27 Registered: 5-2009 Posted From: 66.18.163.175  Rating: N/A |
Bill, You mentioned carrying too much weight for 11's. Your bus is 40'? I have been traveling on my 11-22.5's for quite a while now but I'm 35 foot long. Do you know the upper weight limit for 11's? Thanks, Kat | ||
| Bill Gerrie (Bill_gerrie)
Registered Member Username: Bill_gerrie Post Number: 470 Registered: 3-2006 Posted From: 216.198.139.38 Rating: N/A |
Kat If you go onto a mfg's web site it will generally give you the tables for loading. The following is from my Michelin tables; 11R22.5 load range G single 6175 lbs dual 5840 lbs 11R22.5 load range H single 6610 lbs dual 6005 lbs 12R22.5 load range H single 7390 lbs dual 6780 lbs Tha safest way is to weigh each wheel position so you know what the weights are. I thought that I was okay till I had the blow out. Cost me over $700 for a tire as it was Sunday and after hours. Hope this helps you. Bill |
