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MCI 102-C3 coach to RV - General/Floorplan

The image may be a little confusing. I have the bed frame/engine bay hatch drawn out, for the most part. Hinge pivot placement and hinge arc shape have been determined. The frame lifts away from the floor frame without binding and tilts a full 90 degrees to set the mattress edge on the floor. It all clears the current floor plan.

Picked up all but the last two pieces of tubing needed to complete the floor frame this morning. Also stared at all the drop pieces the steel supplier has and got to thinking about a leveling jack/lift jack/jack stand combo idea since we'll at some point need leveling jacks and I'm in dire need of more bottle jacks to lift the bus and need to build some serious stands to support it and prevent my death by bus weight.

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bigun said,
JNHEscher said:
Also stared at all the drop pieces the steel supplier​
My house mate and I were building a TF drag bike in the late 80s the only time we had off together was Saturday morning which we spent down at the metal salvage yard hunting for material we could use at our price
 
[486] said:
dataplate will give you refrigerant type and volume
compressor will be rated in amperage and refrigerant type (oil type) Likely either R134a (ester (POE) or PAG oils, with ester being more common in small appliances) or R12 with mineral oil. Might be R22 with mineral oil, but pretty darn unlikely.
You can use propane pretty much indescriminately, or r134 from a can tap if you've got the oil for it.
charging fittings are standard 1/4" SAE flare with a schraeder valve in them, no refrigerator comes with service ports you need to add them.​
Spotted the data plate as I was tearing it down. It runs R134a and I would guess a PAG oil, but I'm not sure which. Last time I had to add oil to the ac on a car, I had to ask which grade I needed when I walked in and saw that there were four or five different PAG oils to choose from. I didn't see a volume statement unless it's the 10.2 LRA.

I've never seen service ports on household refrigerators, so I figured I'd have to research what fittings I would need in order to fill it with whatever tank is typically used. If I'm not mistaken, autos use a 1/4" SAE flare for one side. Can't remember if it's high or low. I'd have to go look at one of our vehicles.
 
[486] said,

JNHEscher said:
Spotted the data plate as I was tearing it down. It runs R134a and I would guess a PAG oil, but I'm not sure which. Last time I had to add oil to the ac on a car, I had to ask which grade I needed when I walked in and saw that there were four or five different PAG oils to choose from. I didn't see a volume statement unless it's the 10.2 LRA.

I've never seen service ports on household refrigerators, so I figured I'd have to research what fittings I would need in order to fill it with whatever tank is typically used. If I'm not mistaken, autos use a 1/4" SAE flare for one side. Can't remember if it's high or low. I'd have to go look at one of our vehicles.​

all grades are more or less interchangeable if you're a hack, I just use the pag 46 for everything because I'm a horrible person

"locked rotor amps"

1/4 flare on cars was R12 for all ports now they use quick couplers with 134, and a 1/2" acme thread on the refrigerant bottles
 
[486] said:
all grades are more or less interchangeable if you're a hack, I just use the pag 46 for everything because I'm a horrible person

"locked rotor amps"

1/4 flare on cars was R12 for all ports now they use quick couplers with 134, and a 1/2" acme thread on the refrigerant bottles​
If I can set it up to just take some PAG and a can of the R134 of the auto parts store shelf, that'd be coo. I have to find copper or brass fittings to braze onto 1/4" copper line. Shouldn't be difficult. Just a bit of research to get the right sizes.

I don't mind playing around with oil weights. The compressor is pretty cheap compared to our other options and I'd like to tinker with some AC since it's been a while. If the rotor locks, the rotor locks. I can have another compressor in within a week. Maybe I can make it quick-disconnect if the fittings are reliable.
 
[486] said,
JNHEscher said:
If I can set it up to just take some PAG and a can of the R134 of the auto parts store shelf, that'd be coo. I have to find copper or brass fittings to braze onto 1/4" copper line. Shouldn't be difficult. Just a bit of research to get the right sizes.

I don't mind playing around with oil weights. The compressor is pretty cheap compared to our other options and I'd like to tinker with some AC since it's been a while. If the rotor locks, the rotor locks. I can have another compressor in within a week. Maybe I can make it quick-disconnect if the fittings are reliable.​
most smaller stuff is just bent with a brake line bender, and then to connect you put one end in your flaring block and hammer a swaging tool in it to expand it like exhaust pipe so it slips together, then use copper-phosphorus brazing rod to stick it together
you should backpurge while brazing so you don't get flaky copper oxide in your capillary tube, I use propane to purge the lines, just light the vented end so you don't get blowed up.

the locked rotor amps thing is an electrical power draw thing
 
[486] said:
most smaller stuff is just bent with a brake line bender, and then to connect you put one end in your flaring block and hammer a swaging tool in it to expand it like exhaust pipe so it slips together, then use copper-phosphorus brazing rod to stick it together
you should backpurge while brazing so you don't get flaky copper oxide in your capillary tube, I use propane to purge the lines, just light the vented end so you don't get blowed up.

the locked rotor amps thing is an electrical power draw thing​
Can do. Could use a source for fittings. I'll browse McMaster Carr.

Thought you were referring to a seized motor that doesn't drop starting amps. Used to check for that all the time on fuel tank sump motors.
 
DE Jeeper said:
I know u r in the middle of nowhere but any hvac supply house will have the fittings on the shelf.​
That is, if there's an hvac supply around. I'll be checking with Ferguson and Hussman plumbing tomorrow morning. There're pretty much the only places likely to have anything. If nothing, I'll find some at a supplier in Albuquerque or up north on my next trip for materials. I have to call Menard's in Cheyenne in the morning to see if Southwire has shipped our flex conduit yet. Seems that Southwire is blowing smoke about it since they're almost a week behind the arrival date they promised. If that hasn't shipped, I'm cancelling the order and heading to Albuquerque.
 
DE Jeeper said,

Not sure how it works but out west but in the east ferguson bought lyon coklin, an hvac company. For me ferguson is just plumbing and lc is only hvac. I have to go to one or the other even though they r the same company. Maybe this helps, lc would have the parts on the shelf.

https://lyonconklin.fergusonhvac.com
 
DE Jeeper said:
Not sure how it works but out west but in the east ferguson bought lyon coklin, an hvac company. For me ferguson is just plumbing and lc is only hvac. I have to go to one or the other even though they r the same company. Maybe this helps, lc would have the parts on the shelf.

https://lyonconklin.fergusonhvac.com​
I was hoping that at least Ferguson would carry over some of the Lyon parts since we don't have an hvac supply nearby. No such luck.
 
Today's effort involved getting the conduit layout perfected. All is coming together. Laid out the vertical drain locations and lined up the shower drain. Have to shave 7/16" off the drain fitting and T to drop the drain to the correct height. I should be trimming the holes out for the 120 volt outlet boxes tomorrow.

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Started on what I had planned for today. Cleaning up the rusty lip at the bottom of the back wall so that I can tack the new steel in. It was pitted beyond use. Said screw it and decided that I'll replace the whole back wall. Been cutting away at rusted out sections and kept finding worse pieces.

I am puzzled by MCI's choice of metals. Structures have some alternating layers of carbon steel and stainless. The carbon being all but flakes, and the stainless still stands. This makes the dismantling process that much more difficult. Going to look over a couple plasma cutter tomorrow because I'm blowing through cut-off, grinding, and wire wheels like I have the time. Though to cram circles into square corners anyway.

Providing myself with a clean slate for the back wall may open up some more radiator options. I've had a desire to renew the wall structure and the time to do so is now.

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Late post. Started on the fiberglass wheel tubs the other day. Got the right front completely detatched. Not too difficult, but very time consuming with a socket wrench. Got all my air ratchets and impacts prepped to tackle the rest. I'm hoping that lifting the body and letting the axles droop will allow enough room to pull the tubs out. I'd like to keep them intact so that I can use them as templates for stainless tubs.

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Been out of state, but have a few updates. Bought a Hypertherm plasma, plenty of ¼" polyethylene sheet for fridge building, and shopped around a bit for AC service ports. Couldn't find anything but the ¼" SAE valves. Kinda want the quick-disconnect ports. Hit up Google the other day and came across these - https://www.buyautosupply.com/produc...-valve-ac-port.

I really don't have a method for joining aluminum AC tubing and fittings. These replacement valves with threads would be the bee's knees. I know nothing of this particular online store. For the price, I'll give them a try. Seems to me that I could use some auto AC components to assemble easily with their threaded, o-ring fittings. What say you?
 
Labeling the air suspension and brake lines. Cutting them all out tomorrow. Eyed the rear bulkhead fittings which have a familiar look of corroded fittings that leak. The air systems oughta be pretty fresh by the time I get done with it all.

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Some serious forest fires going on. The valley was filling with the smoke from the fires by Durango yesterday and today the wind shifted and started pushing the smoke from the Ute Park fire in NM my way. Had to put my respirator on for a few hours because the smoke got so thick.

Started taking more of the original fuel tank bay apart so that I could make room for a water tank. Ended up removing all of the copper air lines as well as the shifter and throttle cables. Pretty close to putting some conduit pipes in.

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aczlan said,
JNHEscher said:
Eyed the rear bulkhead fittings which have a familiar look of corroded fittings that leak. The air systems oughta be pretty fresh by the time I get done with it all.​
Is there any system that WONT be "pretty fresh" by the time you finish this project?

Aaron Z
 
bigun said,
JNHEscher said:
Some serious forest fires going on. The valley was filling with the smoke from the fires by Durango yesterday and today the wind shifted and started pushing the smoke from the Ute Park fire in NM my way. Had to put my respirator on for a few hours because the smoke got so thick.

Started taking more of the original fuel tank bay apart so that I could make room for a water tank. Ended up removing all of the copper air lines as well as the shifter and throttle cables. Pretty close to putting some conduit pipes in.​
Your landscape looks like mine!
 
aczlan said:
Is there any system that WONT be "pretty fresh" by the time you finish this project?

Aaron Z​
Probably not, now that I think about it lol. Suspension and driveline are being left alone, I think.
 
bigun said:
Your landscape looks like mine!
yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7
Bet so. Just looked up Mountainair (if that's where you're at) and you're almost four hours directly south of me. Desert landscape isn't my thing, but it has its advantages. Not having to work on this in the mud has been a relief.
 
bigun said,
JNHEscher said:
Bet so. Just looked up Mountainair (if that's where you're at) and you're almost four hours directly south of me. Desert landscape isn't my thing, but it has its advantages. Not having to work on this in the mud has been a relief.​

A year ago I had parts of the driveway redone, had 4 inch stone and caliche laid down. I had the guy run a ditch just above the road to move water away from it and the house and had two run off ditches put in off the road to keep the road from being washed out and we haven't had any significant moisture since.
yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7
:mad3:
 
Thought I should post this one too since a bunch of people got kick out of it. Put materials and tools in slings so I could step around the treacherous framework without knocking stuff off or tripping over it.

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bigun said,
JNHEscher said:
Thought I should post this one too since a bunch of people got kick out of it. Put materials and tools in slings so I could step around the treacherous framework without knocking stuff off or tripping over it.​
First camp truck build I remember seeing was this guy down in Australia. Once he had his main structural steel up he hung a trolly set up down the middle for his welder.
 
Been away from the bus a bit with my wife's hectic work schedule. Didn't accomplish a whole lot today other than pulling the left drive wheels off for access and finding that out some of the lug nuts weren't tightened. That would've been hell on the highway.

While stuck in town, we managed to meet up with one of the host couple's from Epic Nomad TV who were camping near the dunes and shared some ideas over dinner. I came across entv couple months ago through watching updates from Battle Born batteries. Didn't pay much attention until I saw ENTV was doing a Battle Born battery giveaway if you made an account with ENTV. We didn't win, but it's cool to see an entirely new social media platform coming together specifically for full-time RVer's. Stuff of interest for us since we'll be ditching the single address life for anywhere and everywhere. A link to check out ENTV, if it's intriguing - https://my.epicnomadtv.com/share/hyo..._source=manual (UPDATED - ENTV no longer exists.)
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Rough cut the sheet metal sections out to open up the "bin-like" area above the steer axle. They're not structural. Only there to block air from circulating into the cold air return ducts. Removing them gIves me more room for installation work and takes a bunch of rusty metal out of the mess.

My plasma turned into quite the flame thrower when I approached the expanding foam. I'm gonna light the rest of it on fire to get it out of there. Easier to clean up the ash than to scrape at that crap. I'll be opening up several windows before commencing with the marshmallow roast. I have methods for extinguishing the flame, in case you're wondering.

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Did some weldering today. Zero wind. Nice change from the 30-40mph winds that like to blow my shielding gas away. Haven’t welded sheet metal in a few years so it took me a few inches to dial in my voltage again. I wanted to weld up this seam before clearancing the inside for the boxes and conduit. I’ll be welding the seam all the way down on both sides. Doing so is taking a lot of the tinny noise out of the structure.

Had enough with the work mess on the hopscotch lattice. $40 in osb and two of four temporary shelves for all the junk I need to keep within arms reach are up.

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The boys and I took out the divider wall between the original fuel tank bay and battery/hvac bay. I wanted it out anyway, but the wife and I were messing around with a method to feed in or remove the PVC conduits after the floor gets laid down. We found the right spot. Now I can weld everything in and go back with some paint underneath. I have a gallon of VanSickle matte white to brighten up the center chase and surrounding cubbies.

During the purchase of our bus, the mechanic showed me the new batteries they had put in. When I had started taking the fuel tank and such out, I noticed the batteries had been replaced because the old ones spilled. Some conglomeration of diesel/glycol/sulfuric acid schmoo was eating through a bunch of the aluminum and headed for the fuel tank. I plan to eventually replace all the aluminum decking with stainless.

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