Question about RV door size

[Flowstatebus]

Looking at options for replacing the bus door on my 01 Amtran.

I might have acccess to a 24x70 RV door with top and bottom half windows, but I’m not sure if it will be too small for easy entry and exit.

Anyone have any experience with this size door in their Skoolie? Or have any alternatives? Definitely want a bottom half window for visibility!

[Flowstatebus]

I’m 6’ and my wife is 5’ for reference.

[Iceni John]

All Crown school buses had 24"-wide front doors, and that was never a problem. Mind you, kids in those days were less porcine than now, so maybe 24" now is a tight fit for some folk? Just bear in mind that everything inside will have to fit in that gap, but unless you plan on having a La-Z-Boy or something like that inside the bus you should be OK. One thing that makes Crown's 24"-wide doors seem less narrow is their height of 7 feet - I think a 24" x 70" door would seem small to me.

More to the point, why have some cheaply-made flimsy RV door instead of a sturdy school bus door? I would never trade my bus's door (or anything else) for anything intended for a typical S&S RV. Isn't this one reason we choose buses instead of those things?

John

[bus-bro]

I'd want a door that wasn't going to skin my head. 70" just won't do.

If I had a bus with those all glass (or so it seems to me) air-operated doors, I would probably change it. But as far as my bus, I'm with John. You'd have to take a battering ram to get through it.

[Twigg]

The rough opening on my Thomas is 32" x 85"

[2kool4skool]

Our RV door is 26X74, recently moved out 2 recliners and moved in a 2 recliner love seat. The RV door is quieter and seals better, nice screen too. I was hesitant to replace the bus door but am happy.

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by 2kool4skool

Our RV door is 26X74, recently moved out 2 recliners and moved in a 2 recliner love seat. The RV door is quieter and seals better, nice screen too. I was hesitant to replace the bus door but am happy.

I've come to hate bus doors. I want an RV door on my shorty. The factory setup is leaky and chintzy.

[jjhwick119]

I just like the glass in my bus door and don't want to lose the view

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by jjhwick119

I just like the glass in my bus door and don't want to lose the view

Same here.
When the time comes I'm gonna buy one with enough glass that I still have my view.

[Flowstatebus]

Yeah I think 70” May just be too short for me while walking down the steps. Trying to exit and ducking i would prob end up smacking my head daily.

I do think having that bottom half visibility is important though while on the road. If there aren’t many pre-fabbed RV doors with bottom half windows, how difficult do you think it would be to add one? It seems like that would be a better (and better insulated) end product than removing the folding door, flipping the hinges, trying to insulate it and stabilize it by adding depth and then adding a usable door locking system. I’ve seen build me here that do it, but it seems like I may want to use that massive amount of time more constructively considering my lack of advanced metalworking skills.

[Rovobay]

I love the idea of having a screened door. this is something that I can always add further down the road, but I also like all the window view I have. However, I imagine that the ride will be a lot more quite and keep the bus buttoned up.

[Dead pirate]

Originally Posted by Iceni John

All Crown school buses had 24"-wide front doors, and that was never a problem. Mind you, kids in those days were less porcine than now, so maybe 24" now is a tight fit for some folk? Just bear in mind that everything inside will have to fit in that gap, but unless you plan on having a La-Z-Boy or something like that inside the bus you should be OK. One thing that makes Crown's 24"-wide doors seem less narrow is their height of 7 feet - I think a 24" x 70" door would seem small to me.

More to the point, why have some cheaply-made flimsy RV door instead of a sturdy school bus door? I would never trade my bus's door (or anything else) for anything intended for a typical S&S RV. Isn't this one reason we choose buses instead of those things?

John

I concur on the shabby build of r.v. type crafts. But i want a new door. This one sucks out above 60.

[Dead pirate]

My bus door isn't right. Locked its nigh near impregnable, but rolling down the highway i need a ratchet strap.

[EastCoastCB]

I just hate how loud, leaky, and rattly the school bus doors are.

[Dead pirate]

Originally Posted by EastCoastCB

I just hate how loud, leaky, and rattly the school bus doors are.

I was hoping you or christopher would have the fix.

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by Dead pirate

I was hoping you or christopher would have the fix.

I've taken an old door apart and "fixed it" but even fairly newer buses I see have loose, poorly sealed doors.
I don't like the air opening mechanism and I'm not crazy about the manual mechanism on my IC either.
The Thomas I'm not impressed with. They all seem about the same. Ok for their intended job. But there are much better doors for my use.

[weboughtabus]

I'm still planning to do a single door conversion on mine. I'm planning on taking one of ComfortEagle's ideas and modifying it to suit my needs. Comfort Eagle used aluminum stock to create a U Channel that he used to widen his door. I'm going to use his idea to join my door panels, since I have a center-split door, not an accordion like his. I figure I'll skin the center void with some sheet aluminum insulate the bejezus out of it and then put the U Channel on the top and the bottom to give me one solid door. That way I can roughly maintain the bus door look, but I can put on a residential door handle and lock.

I figure once I have a solid door I can work on improving the latch and weather-stripping to seal it up well.

[Dead pirate]

I'm going to weld mine in some way too. Center split and I'll still use the air open. Can't be too tough