Stair removal issue need some help.

[Gorzie]

I am removing the stairs on my 97 bluebird/international. All the bolts and screws are removed and the stairs are almost out but something at the bottom of the front door is not letting them drop. I am wondering if there is a weld somewhere to need to grind off. Thanks in advance for your help.

By the way I plan on keeping the stairs because they are not in really bad shape I just need to repair the bottom stair.

[Gorzie]

Any ideas anyone? Would more pictures help?

[johnbloem1974]

Mine is a Carpenter, so don't think its put together the same, but there is a square tube beam on the underside of the stairs to give it some rigidity. Maybe yours might have something similar?

John

[BlackJohn]

Originally Posted by Gorzie

Any ideas anyone? Would more pictures help?

It's tight to get a pic but underneath the door. Must swivel there on a pin which might be into square tube. Hard to say how to get the door up to clear without seeing this part for me. Shouldn't be too hard to get door out of the way.



John

[Booyah45828]

I think there is a brace/rail that runs along the bottom at the edge that ties into the body. I removed and replaced mine several years ago but I remember breaking 2 sledge hammer handles trying to get it out, before realizing we were hung up on that rail.

[Gorzie]

Thanks for the replys. I think there are two small bolts that hold the bottom bushing holding it in place. I will try to post a picture in the next couple of days. The repair will most likely have to wait till it gets warmer. Not that I mind working outside but when it is hard to move your fingers while holding cold steel it's just not fun

[Gorzie]

Well I finally got around to looking at my stair issue again. It turns out there were small welds about 1/2 in long on each side which you can only see when you are under the bus. Knowing where they were sticking I was able to finally get the stairs out so I could see whatever was needed do the repairs. Pic attached showing where the welds were. Not sure if those were original or not as someone did a crappy repair on them already.

[Gorzie]

My stairs were not all that bad. They still had a few miles left in them LOL.

[magnakansas]

how or what replaces the part you removed?

william

[Gorzie]

I bought a new "Blue Bird Lower Door Support" from Unity parts. I thought I could probably make it but the dimensions would just be guesses and might take a long time. so buying was a better option. I ordered it last Monday or Tuesday and I had the part by Thursday.

https://www.unityparts.com/bb256-cus...ntional-steel/

I also bought a door pivot kit that included the bronze bushings from Bus Parts Warehouse.

https://www.buspartswarehouse.com/BBLDOORKIT

for the bottom of the stair I used 16 gauge steel and 1 1/4 or 1 1/2 angle iron to replace what was gone

[Gorzie]

I need to take the stairs out again to paint and finish the welding. I put them in to do a tack weld or two to make sure everything lined up.