M380 vs other fiberglass coaches

[Jerry]

Marty, I am now very concerned about the hundreds of ships that go in harms
way and are totally welded, frames, substructure, superstructure, and no
bolts, no rivets. Been that way for near a century.



Jerry

MS Gulf Coast

Looking





_____

From: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of martingregg598
Sent: Monday, August 28, 2006 11:46 AM
To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] Re: M380 vs other fiberglass coaches



Dick, I have been on these factory tours, Blue Bird, Alpine, Beaver-
Bend Or, Road Master, Monaco, Marathon, and visited Featherlite. I
cannot speak about the Prevost as they come as a unit to the
converter. But here is what I know about the others. They build a
frame and weld on the lower supporting structure to the frame. Many
of the welds that I saw were welded incorrectly and over welded.
Blue Bird builds the frame and builds the sub substructure and then
lower the frame into the substructure and bolts the two together,
this is the way structural steel should be dealt with, the frame and
the substructure metals are not compromised by welding. Then there
are the ribs and the metal skin and roof and the rest of the coach
being constructed after the shell is built. All the others use a
vacuum bonded wall, a wall with a metal frame that has fiberglass on
one side insulation and the interior wood then glued together and
vacuum bonded, ever heard of "De-laminating." What they do is,
build a chassis to include the floor, they load it with all the
plumbing, wiring and cabinets and furniture, and then they bring in
a pre-constructed wall and lower it to the floor and set the wall on
the floor and spot-weld or screw or bolt the wall to the floor. Then
the roof is lowered on and the same process. It's all good on the
factory floor. What happens after the coach is on the road? When you
pull it into a driveway and the frame stressed? The box gives, spot
tack break, screws pull. That's why they fall apart, leak, rattle,
and on and on.
95 BMC Marty





[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[dspithaler@...]

In that DVD I got from the factory it said the new M450 walls were all
welded to the chasse & BB said they the only manufacture that had a structural
engineer on board.
Don
89 SP 36'
Butler, PA

Marty, I am now very concerned about the hundreds of ships that go in harms
way and are totally welded, frames, substructure, superstructure, and no
bolts, no rivets. Been that way for near a century.

Jerry

MS Gulf Coast

Looking






[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[martingregg598]

Jerry, sorry, didn't mean to make it sound like welding was bad, I
have been a United Association Steamfitter welder for 25 years, I love
welding it has provided a good living for my family. There is a place
for every type of joint and their needs to be engineering. Did I
mention that BB has a structural engineer on staff. It appears that
most other manufacturers learn as they go. Marty

[martingregg598]

Don, from what I saw and the tour guide said the wall skeleton and the
lower compartment, and floor skeleton were welded, and looked to be
done properly, then the bus chassis (skeleton) is lowered into the
main frame rails and bolted. Perhaps all the bus skeleton being
stainless steel and the frame rails being carbon steel, dissimilar
metals do present a different welding strategy. I am not a engineer
but someday I will have to find out just exactly why cars, pick-ups,
big trucks, buses, most rigs with a frame, almost everything is
bolted? Maybe someone on the forum has worked in the frame
manufacturing industy and can shed some light on the subject. Marty

[Jack and Liz Pearce]

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Henry Jay Hannigan"
wrote:
>
> ---I cant stand it...I only use my three prevosts on months ending
> with
> ..R...
>
> LOL
> Hank
> 90 SP36
> 80FC31
> Prevost wannabeeee<<<<<

ROTFLMHO!!!!!!!!!!!! Well said, Hank!!
Regards,
Jack and Liz Pearce
Fulltiming in a 1993 Wanderlodge WB40

[Jack and Liz Pearce]

yahoogroups.com, "gepatch" wrote:
>
>........... new Prevost. I use the Prevost for Rallys and general
traveling and
> the M380 for back woods, sand dunes, Mexico, etc.<<<<<

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. [/] [8-|] [:-?]

Regards,
Liz
Regards,
Jack and Liz Pearce
Fulltiming in a 1993 Wanderlodge WB40






[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Henry Jay Hannigan]

---MY M379(1990SP36) with only 41,000 miles and beautiful is STILL
FOR SALE and stored in Vegas if u no anyone looking for a great
coach at a great DEAL BEFORE Naty & I return to AUSTRALIA in late
October.......It is #607 on birdconnection.com.....tell your friends
to check it out as I am getting more comfortable about selling at a
reduced price...the BIRD is "like new!!" Nerw tires, fridge etc.
Thanks,
Hank Hannigan
90SP36(stored in VEGAS)
80FC31 on the road heading SOUTH









In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Jack and Liz Pearce"
wrote:
>
>
> yahoogroups.com, "gepatch" wrote:
> >
> >........... new Prevost. I use the Prevost for Rallys and general
> traveling and
> > the M380 for back woods, sand dunes, Mexico, etc.<<<<<
>
> Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. [/] [8-|] [:-?]
>
> Regards,
> Liz
> Regards,
> Jack and Liz Pearce
> Fulltiming in a 1993 Wanderlodge WB40
>
>
>
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>