How to waterproof rear door handle?

[TheHubbardBus]

We're putting everything external back in after painting. I planned on retaining the original rear door handle / latch mechanism. But I have no clue how this thing is supposed to work w/o allowing water in. Removing the outer handle before paint required days of penetrating oil, as the handle had rusted to the shaft. I feel like something has to be missing here - either some type of seal and/or a continuous 'bore' through the door. Can anyone tell me if I am? Or do they care so little if water gets in the rear door from the factory that this is how it's supposed to be?

As you can see from the pictures below, the outer handle just bolts on a (rectangular) shaft, which turns within a circular hole in the door, without a seal of any kind. And the two holes in the door through which the shaft runs - inside & out - aren't connected. If you were to pour water into either one, it would just run inside the door.

FYI the last two pics (of the bus) are taken from the outside of the bus. The handle shown in the first would mount onto that shaft, secured with a central bolt + a set screw. What you see is everything that was there - no gasket/seal/etc. Square peg, round hole.

[Danjo]

Isn’t there a thick rubber washer that gets sandwiched between the door and handle?

[TheHubbardBus]

You'd think so. But no, Danjo. Nada.
Think I'm just missing a part?

It would have to be a manufactured seal, rather than a simple washer or gasket, if it were to have any hope of keeping water out on an assembly like that.

[EastCoastCB]

gotta love how crudely buses are built lol.

[DeMac]

Thomas e-door handle seal. Maybe the same vendor, has IC version. Call 'em.



https://www.tacbusparts.com/Other-It...ardware?page=2

[TheHubbardBus]

And there ya go!
Thanks DeMac!

[musigenesis]

Do you even need a rear door handle on the outside? Mine was badly rusted (despite being a replacement) so I cut it off and riveted sheet metal over it. I'm not using it as an entrance, so there's no scenario in which only being able to open it from the inside isn't sufficient.

https://www.skoolie.net/forums/f11/r...tml#post338642

[TheHubbardBus]

Originally Posted by musigenesis

Do you even need a rear door handle on the outside? Mine was badly rusted (despite being a replacement) so I cut it off and riveted sheet metal over it. I'm not using it as an entrance, so there's no scenario in which only being able to open it from the inside isn't sufficient.

https://www.skoolie.net/forums/f11/r...tml#post338642

You know what... I'm not sure I do. I never even thought of that.
Going to have to mull this over a bit. Thanks!

[Danjo]

Originally Posted by TheHubbardBus

You know what... I'm not sure I do. I never even thought of that.
Going to have to mull this over a bit. Thanks!

Thats a great solution. I might do that as well

[EastCoastCB]

Man I really like that idea, too. Omitting stuff is my MO with buses! lol

[Native]

I never could get that outside handle off the shaft. There is some sort of pin that would not budge. So, I just masked up and painted around it in several lever positions when the door was painted.


I do not remember seeing a grommet.

[TheHubbardBus]

Originally Posted by Native

I never could get that outside handle off the shaft. There is some sort of pin that would not budge. So, I just masked up and painted around it in several lever positions when the door was painted.

I do not remember seeing a grommet.

Our center bolt was rust-welded in, but fortunately that pin / set-screw came out. So I was able to 'inject' PB / WD-40 in through the pin hole to dissolve it. But it took a long time. Every day prepping for paint I'd do that + bang on the center bolt head w/ a punch & hammer. Think it finally broke after about a week.

[musigenesis]

I had a hell of time cutting off my rear door handle. I had the same hell of a time cutting off the side door handle, but I left behind the part with the set screw. It turns out that unscrewed easily and the collar slipped right off, so I could have saved myself the cutting hassle with a little Allen wrench.