Seeking help/suggestions with a jammed 1985 Blue Bird door

[Jeremy_Daniels]

In an unlikely accident, after exiting the bus and closing the door, a bungee cord had gotten caught underneath the door handle.

Essentially, the bungee cord is stuck under the handle arm, between the handle pin and the mechanical housing, leading the door to be jammed in the locked position.

Any suggestions on how to go about freeing the door or alternate entry ideas?

Cheers,
Jeremy

[cowlitzcoach]

I assume the side and rear emergency exits are locked from the inside so you can't get in that way.

It might be easiest to get a ladder and go through a roof hatch.

If any of the windows are open so you can open one of them all of the way you might be able to recruit a small kid to squeeze through to the inside.

If shaking the door doesn't move the mechanism enough to gain you access you may have to resort to taking a window out.

Good luck!

[slaughridge85]

I would also recommend the ladder and roof hatch method...

[Jeremy_Daniels]

You're right, the side and back entryways are locked. However, I never knew about this roof hatch deal. I'm looking down at the bus now from up on the second floor of our apartment and I can't see the roof hatch. Our bus has been converted to a food truck and has a hood vent installed. I assume that's where the roof hatch originally would have been?

Is there actually a possibility of shaking the door vigorously enough that it might loosen a bit? I don't want to go too crazy on it and break something, but I'll gladly go out there and shake it up to see if it works.

[slaughridge85]

damn, well in that case could you slide a piece of flat steel in through the gap in the door seals and actuate the door open mechanism that way? Kind of like a heavy duty slim jim...

[Jeremy_Daniels]

I've got a hair-brained idea of getting a pruner in through the door seals, cutting the bungee cord and then using this coat hanger loop I made to grab the bungee hooks and pulling them out from under the handle arm.

This steel plate wedge idea is interesting. I tried wedging my fingers in through the door seals and pulling, but didn't consider something more sturdy, like a a steel plate.

[Tootalltechie]

Driver window open? Rope handle and pull.

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[Jeremy_Daniels]

I wish the driver window were open! I'd be able to climb through then.

[Jeremy_Daniels]

That's giving me an idea of a rubber lasso. Bike inner tube, something like that.

[Tootalltechie]

I've used a coat hanger and 4 feet of string.

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[Jeremy_Daniels]

I can visualize how that would work. Lemme give it a go.

[Jeremy_Daniels]

It was getting dark as I was trying out the lasso deal and I can see it working with a more sturdy setup than the hanger. Gonna hit up the hardware store tomorrow for a dowel or maybe pipe that I can attach the lasso to.

[Tootalltechie]

Good luck

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[Rusty]