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Old 04-22-2016, 12:16 PM   #101
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Electrical door access panel

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Originally Posted by TheRainbowBoxer View Post
My guess is this question was about the electrical panel access door, and the topic went right over some heads lol!
My bus has a lever inside near the drivers seat, on the side of the electrical center. Maybe that's where your's is.
Thanks Dan. Yeah, I've never seen inside my electronics/fuse door. I haven't found any handle to open it yet. I may end up cruzing back by the bus barn and asking them.

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Old 04-22-2016, 01:38 PM   #102
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Mine's pretty stealthy... look all along the back edge of the electrical center inside your bus.
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Old 04-22-2016, 02:16 PM   #103
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Thank you Dan, I did find it. It's a very inconspicuous small handle located at ankle height almost directly below the driver's seatbelt anchor. Never would have found it if you hadn't suggested the stealthy location.

I have seen... inside my electrical panel. Wasn't much in there I could recognize or do anything with, but now I do know how to get in there. A new hiding spot.
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Old 04-22-2016, 02:18 PM   #104
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Interestingly, while holding the release lever down I also had to put my head out the drivers window and give a good hard thump with my fist to get it to come open.
Mystery solved. Thanks again. I know this was way up there on the stupid scale.
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Old 04-22-2016, 03:37 PM   #105
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No problem! Took me a minute to figure it out as well. Mine takes a thump too... Might add a spring to push it open.
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Old 04-23-2016, 04:50 PM   #106
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Emergency windows and doors--

I read that to be careful cutting any wires that go to the emergency windows and doors (have not cut any) because they are tide to starter. I unplugged a quick disconnect from one of the windows. No alarms and bus fired right up. Back door was open and I tried the other window. Still started right up. I would have thought the emergency exits would each be there own deal but I unplugged one and they all went out no reconnecting anything at all. So did I just get lucky or is there something I should be looking for (bad wiring etc)?
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Old 04-23-2016, 05:08 PM   #107
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If there's no annoying buzzer and your bus still starts, I'd say you're perfect. Lucky too. Not everyone has that kind of luck with the safety system. There's some funny, looking back, stories on here about people not being able to get the bus to start for a number of days until they got the wiring corrected. Doesn't seem to be an instruction manual for disabling the safety features.
Personally I like to know if someone is attempting to pop a door open, or when I forget. Although that barrel latch on the back door is annoying as it buzzes loudly and disables the bus when I forget to unlatch it.
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Old 04-23-2016, 06:45 PM   #108
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If your bus has vandal locks on the emergency exits and doors then you have starter interlocks that won't allow you to start your bus unless they are unlocked. If you disable the wiring so that it would appear as if the doors and exits are all unlocked then the starter interlock is disabled.

As far as the buzzers are concerned, they go off when the emergency exits/doors/windows/hatches are opened when the ignition is on. If you disable the wiring so that it never knows they are open the buzzers won't go off.
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Old 04-23-2016, 06:51 PM   #109
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I think I'm going to install some of the deadbolts as shown in photos on various threads. That way the bus safetys can remain unlocked. It's not the buzzer so much as it is the fact that I forget to unlatch the back door bolt frequently, and that's a pain when you're making a number of stops in town. It sure is the right vehicle for being able to buy lumber and groceries at the same time.
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Old 04-27-2016, 11:08 AM   #110
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Hey nice bus! We just bought the exact same bus only an 03 with hydraulic brakes and leaf spring suspension.

I have been struggling with the whole front door exterior lock myself. Our door is completely electronic with a switch to open/close it at the drivers control panel, and a lever to disengage the mechanism above the door to allow the doors to swing freely. What we cant seem to figure out is how the close and lock the doors from the outside. We have the same little circular keyhole on the outside of the bus by the door but I cant get it to turn with the key in it or do anything. I have tried exiting the bus with the doors open and the mechanism engaged, as well as disengaging the mechanism and closing the doors manually. Either way the little outside keyhole doesn't seem to want to turn or do anything.

Any thoughts?

Thanks!
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Old 04-27-2016, 11:58 AM   #111
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I have the same lock on the outside of the front entry doors. I just have to push in on the door from the outside and the key will turn. I think the doors just don't line up perfectly so you've got to push on the door kind of hard then try to turn the key.

That's interesting about your model of bus. My door is air, as are the brakes. This is a pretty small bus to have air brakes. I've had a number of buses with hydraulic brakes.
I'm curious to know your tire size. There are several models of this bus that look the same, but some have wheel wells on the interior floor and some don't. It seems the buses with 19.5" tires are flat floors while the same bus with 22.5" tires has four wheel wells to deal with during the build.
I am kind of a minimalist, but I've also been caught needing a bathroom when there is none. I'm coming around slowly.
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Old 04-27-2016, 12:35 PM   #112
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Robin97396 View Post
If there's no annoying buzzer and your bus still starts, I'd say you're perfect. Lucky too. Not everyone has that kind of luck with the safety system. There's some funny, looking back, stories on here about people not being able to get the bus to start for a number of days until they got the wiring corrected. Doesn't seem to be an instruction manual for disabling the safety features.
Personally I like to know if someone is attempting to pop a door open, or when I forget. Although that barrel latch on the back door is annoying as it buzzes loudly and disables the bus when I forget to unlatch it.
So I got it wrong. When I unplugged the window that window alone no longer sounds alarm and still starts. Just undid the other window and same thing all good. I had to asked that question because like you I read were it took couple days to figure out what happened. Told the wife I was scared.... That went WAY to easy for my luck. Now I'm just waiting I know something will happen.
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Old 04-27-2016, 12:38 PM   #113
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Robin97396 View Post
I have the same lock on the outside of the front entry doors. I just have to push in on the door from the outside and the key will turn. I think the doors just don't line up perfectly so you've got to push on the door kind of hard then try to turn the key.

That's interesting about your model of bus. My door is air, as are the brakes. This is a pretty small bus to have air brakes. I've had a number of buses with hydraulic brakes.
I'm curious to know your tire size. There are several models of this bus that look the same, but some have wheel wells on the interior floor and some don't. It seems the buses with 19.5" tires are flat floors while the same bus with 22.5" tires has four wheel wells to deal with during the build.
I am kind of a minimalist, but I've also been caught needing a bathroom when there is none. I'm coming around slowly.
So do you keep the door mechanism engaged, open the door, then get out and use the key to close and lock the doors?

I dont know our exact tire size off hand but they are on the larger side and we do have wheel wells to contend with on the floor inside.
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Old 04-27-2016, 12:39 PM   #114
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Quote:
Originally Posted by WhiteWhale View Post
Hey nice bus! We just bought the exact same bus only an 03 with hydraulic brakes and leaf spring suspension.

I have been struggling with the whole front door exterior lock myself. Our door is completely electronic with a switch to open/close it at the drivers control panel, and a lever to disengage the mechanism above the door to allow the doors to swing freely. What we cant seem to figure out is how the close and lock the doors from the outside. We have the same little circular keyhole on the outside of the bus by the door but I cant get it to turn with the key in it or do anything. I have tried exiting the bus with the doors open and the mechanism engaged, as well as disengaging the mechanism and closing the doors manually. Either way the little outside keyhole doesn't seem to want to turn or do anything.

Any thoughts?

Thanks!
When we bought the bus the key hole on the outside had a screw on deal that had a rubber seal on it. I had to remove it for me to get the key to work. For the front door mine is the same as robins as in I just push the doors from the outside and they will lock back up. When I use the key when it turns I hear a click and then I pull the door open. Latter I'll probably add another lock to the door.
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Old 04-27-2016, 12:49 PM   #115
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Yeah, I want to put deadbolts on all three doors but for now am settling for the back two doors. My point is to be able to access the bus from any exterior door by key, rather than always having to initially enter through the front to open either of the rear doors.

So I'm curious about your bus since you do have wheel wells inside. I'd guess you have the 22.5" wheels. There is an identical bus to yours in socal with an interesting build I was following earlier this year. You've got considerably more ground clearance on your bus than I do.
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Old 04-27-2016, 12:53 PM   #116
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Robin97396 View Post
Yeah, I want to put deadbolts on all three doors but for now am settling for the back two doors. My point is to be able to access the bus from any exterior door by key, rather than always having to initially enter through the front to open either of the rear doors.

So I'm curious about your bus since you do have wheel wells inside. I'd guess you have the 22.5" wheels. There is an identical bus to yours in socal with an interesting build I was following earlier this year. You've got considerably more ground clearance on your bus than I do.
I'm not by it right now and can't remember of top of head but I'll check the size tire after a bit
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Old 04-27-2016, 01:17 PM   #117
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Don't worry about that, but it would be something good for you to know. I'm relatively positive you're bus is on 22.5" wheels. Have you checked out how much those cost?
My size is common on the large RVs, so at some point I'm hoping to pick up a set of shiny wheels. My size tire isn't cheap either, but the are basically certain to outlast me.
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Old 04-27-2016, 01:35 PM   #118
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Robin97396 View Post
Don't worry about that, but it would be something good for you to know. I'm relatively positive you're bus is on 22.5" wheels. Have you checked out how much those cost?
My size is common on the large RVs, so at some point I'm hoping to pick up a set of shiny wheels. My size tire isn't cheap either, but the are basically certain to outlast me.
11R 22.5. Yes I have ground clearance. Air bags kick in have just a little more.
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Old 04-27-2016, 02:35 PM   #119
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Air bags? I didn't get any air bags and I probably need them more than most. While I don't like dealing with wheel wells I sure could use the extra clearance. Eventually my driveway scare will get big enough that it doesn't scrape anymore.

Was this thread originally about finding a name for your bus?
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Old 04-27-2016, 02:51 PM   #120
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No it was ment as a build thread. I have put questions up trying to plan ahead or issues I have had. Haven't really gained much ground so never posted any pics. I got busy at work so never got windows sealed up then got hit with a couple storms and had to pull the floor and insulation to get the water dryied up. Got lucky no damage just 1 step forward 4 steps back. Made some ground yesterday so hope to get up to date on here soon. Sorry any confusion on the name. Kids have picked one scince then. Didn't want me yelling "TO THE THING AM A JIGGER " (the name I picked from cat in the hat of course)
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