Lol, and it's always funny to me how a lack of vision and imagination often passes for common wisdom, but thank God there are always those who are willing to challenge said "wisdom".
Now first off, the problems with the delamination aren't due to an inherent problem in the design, but problems that developed over time caused by either damage or improper maintenance. And remember, this bus is 10 years old and has over 250k miles on it. As mentioned, there was no sealant or at least an insufficient amount used around the window gaskets, and so leaks eventually developed which caused the greatest amount of delamination. And THAT is to the outer wall's which are constructed of thin plywood and a thinner layer of resin. That should not be confused with the construction of the roof, which is much better and has NO LEAKS, ZERO PROBLEMS.
Second, as to roof penetrations on RV's, marine vessels and the like, I'm not sure how much experience you've had, but you seem to think these things aren't possible, to which I beg to differ. For instance when a pipe or mast penetrates a deck on a boat, these types of jacks can be used and will meet the required needs of water and weatherproofing (and this is for a ship at sea which serve under conditions far beyond what I need). And these are also subjected to quite a bit of movement and vibration and continue to function well over time.
Note how this one is designed to fit a corrugated surface even.
And what about those really BIG holes most RV's have on their roofs for things like AC units, skylights, vents and hatches? There are many different seals, mastics, tapes, flashings and boots which could do the job and last many years under lots of use. Do they need repair and upkeep from time to time? Of course they do, and anyone who thinks they don't doesn't have a clue, but I do. I fully understand the implications and of foremost importance is that the initial installation be done properly and professionally so that premature failures and repairs are kept to a minimum. I have dealt with this in everything from boat repairs to home remodeling and construction, and as such I am certain, without ever having dealt with THIS particular challenge, that there must be a workable solution. That you and others don't does not tell me that it isn't possible, just that you lack the necessary experience for this particular application.
Of course I have gone back and forth when trying to decide the best method to do this, and if I had a steel bus I probably would have simply decided to bolt everything to the roof and be done with it. I still think this might be doable, but the one thing that worries me is the fiberglass material that the roof is made of and whether it can stand up to being compressed when sandwiched between the deck struts and roof trusses. I believe that cracks could develop over time or the material could just begin to deteriorate/break up under the pressure.
That is one of the main reasons I think that roof penetrations might offer a better solution, that and I have a feeling that this will be inherently stronger, especially if the deck support members are extended all the way down to the bus floor, thus transferring much of the stress load. Without this, if I simply tied in right below the roof line for instance, I think that the odds for structural failure is greater than if spread out. Considering the rather limited 2000 lb load limit (a little over 1/3 of which is actually full time weight), I think this might be a bit of overkill, essentially doubling the side structure the entire length of the bus, so after talking with my engineer buddy that might come down to just 3 points maybe (front, back and center).
And when you think about the way these buses are constructed, especially how short and sturdy they are, I don't believe there's going to be much movement between the metal framework and the outer fiberglass skin. Haven't noticed any signs of that, but I'll allow a small space around each strut just in case my conversion alters things a bit. As it stands I plan is to use something like this:
1) A layer of Eternabond on the underneath side of the roof.
2) Sikaflex 715 applied on top to seal around the gap.
3) Square rubber roof jack with metal flange sealed to the roof using 3M VHB double-sided tape.
4) A top coat of Sikaflex 715 to make sure the edges are completely sealed.
5) Plans are still in flux so this is open for improvement
As for your assumption that the deck will weigh 1000 lbs, well again, I beg to differ. I admit that the weight could be as high as 500 lbs., but considering the materials that I've decided on, I don't think so. There are some extras that I'll be working on, like fold-up rails for safety, but I'll try to keep it simple, just pieces of 3' long square aluminium tubing on a hinge and pin system with a chain "rail" that will hang from hooks, just to give drunks something to grab onto, lol.
There are a few other misconceptions you've rather carelessly tossed about, including the roof weight creating a problem. Even allowing for 1000 lbs as the full time load, I see absolutely no problem with this bus handling it, especially if the deck is designed properly, so much of your negativity IMO is baseless presumptions. Back when I was in the Peace Corps, I traveled all throughout Central America on all kinds of rickety old buses which were OFTEN loaded to the gill with literally thousands of pounds on their roofs, (people and cargo) and driven on some pretty hairy winding mountain roads I might add, and while I'd never advise it, it's done on a daily basis there out of necessity. So no, I don't see a problem with what I am planning to do, but believe it or not, I don't really care, I know I WILL make this work because I know what I am capable of, do you?
:sleepy:
