securing your bus?

[family wagon]

Originally Posted by CaptSquid

I don't have metal strips in the middle of my front doors. They're aluminum framed glass. The glass is uninterrupted from top to bottom.

There must be some arm fixed to the door frame a few inches away from the pivot point, right? Or maybe the pivot is an axle, and the operating arm is hidden behind a cover above the door.. My front doors (now deleted) sound similar to yours. One of the doors had a short arm attached to it, to which a regular rod end was bolted and the control rod ran off to somewhere else in the mechanism. I realized that if I could prevent that bolt from moving it would directly hold the one door leaf fixed closed and via the rod end and rod would also prevent the other leaf opening. I replaced the bolt with a section of threaded rod and a coupler nut, then positioned a piece of sheet metal with a hole drilled through just below where the coupler nut sat with the doors closed. I could thread a screw through that sheet into the coupler nut and it would prevent opening the front doors. My rear doors already had locks, so I'd secure the front from the inside then exit through the rear and lock that from the outside.

[CaptSquid]

Originally Posted by Scooternj

I prefer claymore mines, myself

But claymores are so noisy!

[Robin97396]

Yes, but it is followed by silence.

[skoolie_n00bie]

Originally Posted by Robin97396

Yes, but it is followed by silence.

Lmao

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

[Josiahdr]

Sweet I was just about to look for this info again.

[CaptSquid]

Originally Posted by family wagon

There must be some arm fixed to the door frame a few inches away from the pivot point, right? Or maybe the pivot is an axle, and the operating arm is hidden behind a cover above the door.. My front doors (now deleted) sound similar to yours. One of the doors had a short arm attached to it, to which a regular rod end was bolted and the control rod ran off to somewhere else in the mechanism. I realized that if I could prevent that bolt from moving it would directly hold the one door leaf fixed closed and via the rod end and rod would also prevent the other leaf opening. I replaced the bolt with a section of threaded rod and a coupler nut, then positioned a piece of sheet metal with a hole drilled through just below where the coupler nut sat with the doors closed. I could thread a screw through that sheet into the coupler nut and it would prevent opening the front doors. My rear doors already had locks, so I'd secure the front from the inside then exit through the rear and lock that from the outside.

I'll take a look tonight.

[cheryl_ann44]

Originally Posted by family wagon

There must be some arm fixed to the door frame a few inches away from the pivot point, right? Or maybe the pivot is an axle, and the operating arm is hidden behind a cover above the door.. My front doors (now deleted) sound similar to yours. One of the doors had a short arm attached to it, to which a regular rod end was bolted and the control rod ran off to somewhere else in the mechanism. I realized that if I could prevent that bolt from moving it would directly hold the one door leaf fixed closed and via the rod end and rod would also prevent the other leaf opening. I replaced the bolt with a section of threaded rod and a coupler nut, then positioned a piece of sheet metal with a hole drilled through just below where the coupler nut sat with the doors closed. I could thread a screw through that sheet into the coupler nut and it would prevent opening the front doors. My rear doors already had locks, so I'd secure the front from the inside then exit through the rear and lock that from the outside.

What are u using as steps for exiting rear of bus--I need ideas

[Robin97396]

You can always cut a hole big enough for your foot in that big black bumper.

[family wagon]

Originally Posted by cheryl_ann44

What are u using as steps for exiting rear of bus--I need ideas

Sorry... mine was used in transit service. It has a "rear" door on the side, just forward of the rear axle, like a city bus. With built-in steps. I didn't use the rear door much on the school bus I had before this one, so I never solved that problem.

[Booyah45828]

Originally Posted by cheryl_ann44

What are u using as steps for exiting rear of bus--I need ideas

I got this.

[cadillackid]

Originally Posted by Booyah45828

I got this.

are these RV stairs or something you made?

[Booyah45828]

Something made. 1/4 thick 2x2 angle iron and 1/8 thick steel diamond plate tied into the frame rails. Sturdy enough that I could robably mount a hitch on it if I desired.

[Robin97396]

Wow that's an illuminating paint job.

That type of step wouldn't make it where I travel. Hangs to low and would get scraped off or severely bent. I can see where that design could easily be made to hold the spare tire for you folks that stay on the hardtop.

At home I use several sections/rounds of tree of varying length to make steps into the rear of the bus. When traveling I use a foot hole cut into the bumper, which isn't perfect but better than straining something trying to get in or out.

If you've thought about a trailer hitch on your bus, a step or even several stairs can be attached to the hitch and then removed if you need to tow something.

[Jolly Roger]

Originally Posted by Robin97396

Wow that's an illuminating paint job.

That type of step wouldn't make it where I travel. Hangs to low and would get scraped off or severely bent. I can see where that design could easily be made to hold the spare tire for you folks that stay on the hardtop.

At home I use several sections/rounds of tree of varying length to make steps into the rear of the bus. When traveling I use a foot hole cut into the bumper, which isn't perfect but better than straining something trying to get in or out.

If you've thought about a trailer hitch on your bus, a step or even several stairs can be attached to the hitch and then removed if you need to tow something.

The paint for me I would call it high heat silver. Love it and if it weren't for my wife I would have already been the same color (dang gome) I love it and always wondered what my bus could have looked like with it.
Please send at least 1 side pic. Please?
My other insist on a green,brown or something like that to make less of an appearance with the big RV owners in the campgrounds. I decided a royal blue with red ribbons and we are still at a standstill but it is only a discussion until I actually finish the under storage and doors/facial skin associated. So we are and will be primer grey until then. I did paint my rims silver dang I love that color

[Jolly Roger]

Haven't made it yet but for steps and hitch? I was planning on making my own hitch that is long enough to hold a platform with rails and slide out/fold down steps long enough for the back door to fully open and heavy duty enough to be able to to use a drop in Reese hitch with my attachment or without
Reese already makes a 2"-1-1/2" adapter which I already have for my truck and I can make a 4"-2" adapter ( sorry ) 4" tubing is what I would like to use to support my back door deck and steps and extend out to be able to hook up a trailer or whatever I want to haul.

[cadillackid]

Originally Posted by Booyah45828

Something made. 1/4 thick 2x2 angle iron and 1/8 thick steel diamond plate tied into the frame rails. Sturdy enough that I could robably mount a hitch on it if I desired.

unfortunately I totally SUCK at making strong welds.. so I stick to bolts.. Great Job i love it..

-Christopher

[Robin97396]

Yeah, a hitch extension works good and makes space available for steps and a rail. When I'm towing I just use the trailer tongue for a step. Step hole in the bumper for everything else when I'm not at home with my semi permanent steps.

Are you also using the hitch to attach a stabilizer for the rear of the bus?

[tincaneasybakeoven]

that's cool but it will interfere with my 2"receiver hitch.

[tincaneasybakeoven]

Originally Posted by Booyah45828

Something made. 1/4 thick 2x2 angle iron and 1/8 thick steel diamond plate tied into the frame rails. Sturdy enough that I could robably mount a hitch on it if I desired.

you can get by with less metal thickness if you mount a tie back to the first cross member ahead of the hitch (forward). its used to distribute the load to more of the frame. have seen a chain and ratchet binder fulfill that role (although temporarily). chain only helps on pull and not load push (stopping).

[tincaneasybakeoven]

Originally Posted by Jolly Roger

The paint for me I would call it high heat silver. Love it and if it weren't for my wife I would have already been the same color (dang gome) I love it and always wondered what my bus could have looked like with it.
Please send at least 1 side pic. Please?
My other insist on a green,brown or something like that to make less of an appearance with the big RV owners in the campgrounds. I decided a royal blue with red ribbons and we are still at a standstill but it is only a discussion until I actually finish the under storage and doors/facial skin associated. So we are and will be primer grey until then. I did paint my rims silver dang I love that color

that color is really cool. literally. the February hand test results say its a 17.392 degree difference between white and silver. i rolled on my base coat and sprayed a topcoat to even things out. rolling makes it splotchy without multiple cover passes. spray has finer and more even particles. no discernible diff in actual color.