The Journey Visvi 1999 Thomas MVP ER

[wmkbailey]

Using the Magic flat screw method, I was able to get the rest of the walls out.



Screws out and pried from glue.



Sheet metal removed.



Insulation removed.

[wmkbailey]

Using somewhereinusa example that he did for his emergency door. I can up with a way to put a dead bolt on my front door.



Mounted the lock plate on the side that closes first.



Measured and marked many times to make sure everything lines up before I made my first hole.



Drilled and taped ready to install.





Lock installed.



Deadbolt installed.



Everything lines up.

[bansil]

that looks good, something I need to do in the next couple weeks

[JakeC]

Definitely like the lock install. Nice and clean. You're down to just the floor and you'll have a stripped bus!!

[wmkbailey]

Originally Posted by bansil

that looks good, something I need to do in the next couple weeks

Take your time and measure. If the lock plate is out to far it will get caught in the door. Not out far enough and the deadbolt can not mate up with it. I had another 1/2" I could have moved the deadbolt closer to the edge of the door. It is hard to tell with only two hands and about five things to line up.

[ThePimentals]

Now you know why flat heads are still in production. They actually work.

I'm doing the same lock, going to get 3 deadbolts and change the tumblers so all 3 use the same key, 1 for each door.

[wmkbailey]

I made the mistake of going back out to the bus today. Next thing I know I was under the bus pulling the air line to the thingy that was on the front bumper. I pulled it all the way back to my side switch control box. I disconnected it from the air pressure switch. Disconnected the incoming side going from the main air tee to the air switch. Then connected the piece I just pulled to the tee. It was long enough to feed inside the bus all the way to the roof. Then I realized, hey I now have air for the air horn I bought this week. I hooked it up the the lanyard switch I just also happen to have. The short piece of air hose that was on the incoming side is not log enough to reach where I want to put the horn, but is long enough to test the horn.

Note to self, even though you have all the windows and doors open, DO NOT TEST INSIDE THE BUS.

After my ears stopped ringing, I pointed the horn out the side window and tried again. It sounds nice.

Per opus's warning I fired up the Webasto heater and it ran fine. I had heat in about five minutes.

[wmkbailey]

Oh, I almost forgot. I found the source of the mold in the ceiling.



Water on the floor. It is raining pretty hard outside. Where is it coming from?



There it is, one of the screws holding the rear emergency roof exit. It was dripping a lot.

[LuckyChow]

Nice write-up on the door lock. Thinking outside of the box is a good and necessary thing when doing conversions. I thought about this for quite a while, but in the end, decided not to put a lock on my front door. My bus originally came with a manual open/close air valve for the doors. I converted it to an electric solenoid air valve and installed an electric switch outside that I can turn off when I want to. As long as the air is up, you cannot open it. I have a small air compressor that I plan to install on the auxilliary air tank to keep the air up for the door and air leveling when I'm using the bus and it's parked for 2 to 3 days at a time.

Lastly, I've seen several RV's that were broken into while the doors were locked. Needless to say, RV doors aren't exactly high security. The resulting body damage to the RV (face frame, wall, threshold, door) cost way more to repair than what was stolen (usually TV's). So I quit locking mine when away. But, you need a lock on it when you're inside at night - - - - - or find a way to keep the air up.

[ThePimentals]

Yea someone at the garage has a heavy drill because my emergency hatch is cracked too, right where they replaced a screw. Going to get some JB WELD and fix it. Also, there was a couple rivets in the small black pop up vents on the hatches that had holes right through the middle of them. They were also leaking.

[wmkbailey]

Fingers crossed, I dropped the bus off to get inspected. I was told they are very busy and it may take a couple days. I hope it passes without any big hidden things showing up. I know the passenger side rear tires may need to be replaced.

[ThePimentals]

Yuck. Sorry you have to leave your bus somewhere for days, I hate that. Hope it passes.

[wmkbailey]

I got an update on the inspection. He does not work weekends, so it will get done on Monday. I miss my bus.

Education on steel. The labels may be wrong.

Across the street from me is a welding and fabrication shop. They sell steel for a good price, the lowest in the area. On shelves in the shop they have examples of what you can get. I was looking for Rectangle tubing that 1 1/4" square tubing would fit in. I found a piece that worked good with a little wiggle room to work with. 2" x 1 1/2" x 1/8" or 11 ga. I should have done the math because when you take in account the 1/8" wall size you have 1 1/4" with no room to wiggle.

Well I got my pieces today and they don't fit, go figure. I went back and measured the piece they had and the wall measures about .080" or 14 ga. When I complained they said they are there for the outside dimensions. I said "But you list the wall thickness." I guess it is up to us to know what we are doing. Now I have $35.00 dollars of steel I can't use. I will have to figure something down the road to build to use it up.

The 2" x 1 1/2" x 14 ga has to be ordered and wont be in until around Friday.

Hopefully it will work and I can get started on my roof raise.

[ThePimentals]

Roof racks? Long enough? Did you say you are taking the windows out by the way? I think I'll be in the market for more windows, good to have back ups. Especially ones that are exact tint.

[wmkbailey]

Originally Posted by ThePimentals

Roof racks? Long enough? Did you say you are taking the windows out by the way? I think I'll be in the market for more windows, good to have back ups. Especially ones that are exact tint.

No, they are only 2' long. I might be able to use them to make my battery bay.

Yes I will be removing all the windows. Replacing with RV dual pane.

[ThePimentals]

Where are you getting the windows? Is that already in your budget?

[wmkbailey]

My new windows may not be put in until September or October, but I will be removing the windows this weekend or next. They come out before the roof raise and will be skinned over. I will put the new windows in later when I have my interior layout more final.

I may wait until after I spray the insulation. Then I will have a nice tight fit.

[JakeC]

That sucks about the steel. I hate setbacks like that :/ Getting exited to start cutting roof supports?

[wmkbailey]

Just got off the phone from the shop. They had just got the bus inside and on the lift to take the wheels oof to measure the breaks. The inspector got calles to tow someone. He may get it done late tonight or tomorrow. So far everything looks good.

I'm iching to start cutting on the roof. I discovered that the wire harness has a connector right behind the drivers seat. That will make it easy to disconnect. I will cut it just after the connector to extend it after the roof raise.

[bansil]

Originally Posted by wmkbailey

Just got off the phone from the shop. They had just got the bus inside and on the lift to take the wheels oof to measure the breaks. The inspector got calles to tow someone. He may get it done late tonight or tomorrow. So far everything looks good.

I'm iching to start cutting on the roof. I discovered that the wire harness has a connector right behind the drivers seat. That will make it easy to disconnect. I will cut it just after the connector to extend it after the roof raise.

MAKE SURE TO CUT IT FAR ENOUGH FROM CONNECTOR SO YOU CAN STAGGER THE INDIVIDUAL CUTS A COUPLE INCHES SO HARNESS DOESNT END UP BEING BIG AROUND AS A COFFEE CAN