Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 01-22-2017, 12:57 AM   #1
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 21
Brand new to the Skoolie world

Hey guys just purchased my first bus a 1998 carpenter crown with 80k miles.

Having an issue with finding a solution for locking up at night, my rear door has no lock and the front has a swinging door that when closed latches and cannot be opened from the outside. Hoping there is a good solution.

Also I need to replace the key cylinder but having trouble finding a correct replacement.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Tbus is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-22-2017, 07:15 AM   #2
Bus Nut
 
bigskypc50's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: MONTANA
Posts: 471
Year: 1995
Coachwork: AMTRAM
Chassis: INT
Engine: DT466
Rated Cap: Big Girl
I have seen a lot bus's that have a key hole somewhere upfront by the door that will pop open the folding door. Mine is a flat noise and right around the front of the bus behind the mirrors on the body is my lock.

For the rear door get a simple sliding barrel lock and install it inside once you get your front door figured out.

I would call a lock smith and start there for your key cylinder. If there is a number of bus part places online
bigskypc50 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-22-2017, 09:00 AM   #3
Bus Geek
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Columbus Ohio
Posts: 18,753
Year: 1991
Coachwork: Carpenter
Chassis: International 3800
Engine: DTA360 / MT643
Rated Cap: 7 Row Handicap
I C-clamp my rewar emergency door shut unless im driving my bus then I want to be able to escape if needbe..

my handicap door I installed a house lock on it that allows me to lock with a key so i leave my school-kids door latched and closed and jump out of the handocap door and climb in using the fuel door opening as a step (im a little guy pretty nimble)..

my bluebird has dual outswing school-kid doors but it has a cylinder lock in it from the factory, it is pretty simple design wit ha rod that goes up and one that goes down into holes in the floor and in the header.. ive bene thinking about how I might make something for my carpenter similar so i could lock it without jumping out of the side door..

-Christopher
cadillackid is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-22-2017, 09:10 PM   #4
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Beech Grove, IN
Posts: 57
Year: 2001
Coachwork: Amtran
Chassis: International
Engine: T444e
Rated Cap: 35
I am looking at putting the puck style van locks on my doors. The rear emergency door should be pretty straight forward, but my front door may take some careful positioning to fit the brackets between the windows.
bstewrat3 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-22-2017, 09:36 PM   #5
Bus Nut
 
Carytowncat's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Richmond Virginia
Posts: 932
Year: 1984
Engine: 366 Big block Chevy! :) w/ Stick shift
Yes i went with the shrouded puck style and the front did take careful positioning. I even put the lock down low so it would have more metal to mount to.

Good luck!
Carytowncat is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-23-2017, 10:15 AM   #6
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 20
nice bus... low miles, what state did you buy in?
rsymonds is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-23-2017, 10:22 AM   #7
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 21
I purchased it in NJ registering it as commercial and starting a mobile business, don't ask me what yet [emoji12]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Tbus is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-23-2017, 03:42 PM   #8
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 21
Brand new to the Skoolie world



Is that pinch weld structural? Planning on removing side panels which that's on


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Tbus is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-23-2017, 06:45 PM   #9
Bus Crazy
 
milkmania's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Oklahoma aka "God's blind spot"
Posts: 2,446
Year: 1989
Coachwork: 1853FC International/Navistar
Chassis: 35' Retired Air Force Ambulance
Engine: DT466, MT643
Rated Cap: 6 souls and a driver
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tbus View Post


Is that pinch weld structural? Planning on removing side panels which that's on


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That's the chair rail... Some say its structural and some say it's not.
I'm keeping mine in and trimming around it.
__________________
I once complained I had no shoes....
Until I met a man with no feet
milkmania is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-23-2017, 07:22 PM   #10
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Beech Grove, IN
Posts: 57
Year: 2001
Coachwork: Amtran
Chassis: International
Engine: T444e
Rated Cap: 35
If you are talking about the spot welds at the top of the wall panels, my windows had a lip that came down and covered them. I just used an angle grinder to cut the panel flush with the bottom of the window lip. The seat ledge I am not messing with.
bstewrat3 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-23-2017, 07:36 PM   #11
Bus Nut
 
Carytowncat's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Richmond Virginia
Posts: 932
Year: 1984
Engine: 366 Big block Chevy! :) w/ Stick shift
Yea my sense is that the seat ridge is structural, especially since it held the seats in place, and it has come in handy for me to strap things to when driving.
Carytowncat is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-29-2017, 12:15 AM   #12
Mini-Skoolie
 
Dana's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Lee, Florida
Posts: 35
Year: 1995
Chassis: International 3800
Engine: T444E
Rated Cap: 36 adults
It took a little bit for us to come up with a lock setup for our rear door. This method is cheap, easy and secure.

Skoolie Security - Locking Up Your Skoolie | The Bus Abides

The front door is still a problem. Our bus has a external latch which locks. Its not the most secure thing in the world but it works for now.
Dana is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-29-2017, 03:03 AM   #13
Bus Crazy
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Winlcok, WA
Posts: 2,233
To lock side and rear emergency exit doors a barrel bolt will work very easily. Thomas actually used them for several years if you ordered the buses with vandal locks.

In order to lock the service door you sometimes have to get a bit creative.

If you have a bus that is still in production you might be able to order from a dealer a service door vandal lock. I did that for our church's Thomas Saf-T-Liner MVP FE. It took several hours to install but it works great and can't be locked without a key.

On another bus I wanted something quick and easy. It was on another Thomas bus with a two leaf door with both leaves opening outwards. I drilled a hole in about the center of both door leaves below the lower window. I then threaded a carriage bolt through a length of chain and through the door leaf and put a nylock nut on the inside. I then just used a padlock with a long hasp to lock the two lengths of chain. If you position everything just right the chains don't dangle below the bottom step and the chains are not loose at all when the padlock is locked.

On a Carpenter bus with a manual service door with one leaf opening in and the other opening out I used a hasp with two staples--one to lock the door closed and a second one to lock the hasp down when the door was open so it couldn't reach out and attack someone going by and so it wouldn't flop in the breeze as you drove down the road.
cowlitzcoach is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 10:52 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.