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Topic: Front and Rear Collision Concerns (Read 745 times) previous topic - next topic
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Front and Rear Collision Concerns

Yahoo Message Number: 13314
Hi Folks,

The center third of the front and rear of the coach is protected with steel cross frames.

The right and left thirds are not. The center front and rear protection is too high.

There is a sufficient amount of room between the fiberglass shell and the frame to add metal and styrofoam.
It looks like it will be a fairly straght forward job.
Stay tuned.

Fred Kovol

2000 Allure 30593

Re: Front and Rear Collision Concerns

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 13337
From: "fredkovol" fredkovol@...>

Quote
(snip) There is a sufficient amount of room between the fiberglass shell > and
the frame to add metal and styrofoam.
It looks like it will be a fairly straght forward job.
Stay tuned.

While I can appreciate your concern, keep in mind that added parts can transmit damage from one part of a vehicle to the other. For example, to improve handling, some car owners add a shock tower brace (connects left and right towers, thereby stiffening the car's structure). The downside is that, when/if a car gets hit in one side, the brace transmits the force to the other side, thereby affecting the entire front end. And this can occur during a fairly minor crash.

Dick (& Geri) Campagna
'98 36' Intrigue #10571
Mfd: 11/97

Re: Front and Rear Collision Concerns

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 13368
Hi Dick,

After some more inspection, it appears that all the added structure can be attached to the two rails. This will be a nuts and bolts approach. My inspiration was a recent MTD bus versus car headon collision. Like any of these one sided wrecks - the bus bumper was pushed in slightly, the windshield was broken and the car was totaled.
My concern is there would be damage all the way to the rails and below the rails. Of course, the fiberglass would be shattered. Looking to mitigate the damage potential.
Fred Kovol

Quote from: Dick Campagna
> From: "fredkovol"

> (snip) There is a sufficient amount of room between the fiberglass

shell

Quote
and

the frame to add metal and styrofoam.
It looks like it will be a fairly straght forward job.
Stay tuned. >

While I can appreciate your concern, keep in mind that added parts

can

Quote
transmit damage from one part of a vehicle to the other. For

example, to

Quote
improve handling, some car owners add a shock tower brace (connects

left and

Quote
right towers, thereby stiffening the car's structure). The downside

is

Quote
that, when/if a car gets hit in one side, the brace transmits the

force to

Quote
the other side, thereby affecting the entire front end. And this

can occur
 

Re: Front and Rear Collision Concerns

Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 13369
From: "fredkovol" fredkovol@...>
(snip) > Hi Dick,

After some more inspection, it appears that all the added structure can be attached to the two rails. This will be a nuts and bolts approach. (snip)

Keeping weight in mind, I wonder if you can use the aluminum beams that are placed in doors of today's cars? High strength and "low" weight. Probably worth checking out, anyway.

Keep in mind, too, that increasing structural strength will increase crash shock on occupants and coach contents. I've seen what happens when two armored vehicles crash and it ain't pretty.

Dick (& Geri) Campagna
'98 36' Intrigue #10571
Mfd: 11/97