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Old 10-16-2021, 10:12 AM   #1
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: May 2021
Location: South Carolina
Posts: 42
Year: 2005
Chassis: Thomas (37 ft)
Engine: 5.9 Cummins
Air operated doors to single hinge door?

Hello everyone!!

I've been trying to find threads on this, but I'm not coming up with much. Does anyone know a good way to get rid of the air operated doors/or at least disable one side so I can make it one whole door that opens out rather than two that open in the middle?

I really want one solid door that I can lock either by the knob, at the floor or both.

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Old 10-16-2021, 02:06 PM   #2
Bus Crazy
 
Join Date: Oct 2020
Location: Near Flagstaff AZ
Posts: 1,951
Year: 1974
Coachwork: Crown
Chassis: "Atomic"
Engine: DD 8V71
I've done a few and I'll be posting a video of that exact project on Monday. Stand by!
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Old 10-16-2021, 09:42 PM   #3
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: May 2021
Location: South Carolina
Posts: 42
Year: 2005
Chassis: Thomas (37 ft)
Engine: 5.9 Cummins
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Originally Posted by rossvtaylor View Post
I've done a few and I'll be posting a video of that exact project on Monday. Stand by!
God bless!! I can't wait
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Old 10-16-2021, 10:00 PM   #4
Bus Crazy
 
Join Date: Oct 2020
Location: Near Flagstaff AZ
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Year: 1974
Coachwork: Crown
Chassis: "Atomic"
Engine: DD 8V71
Quote:
Originally Posted by Daybreakbus View Post
God bless!! I can't wait
Until then:

There are a few ways of doing it...some using the existing hinge on one side and sometimes replacing the hinge with a piano hinge. You need to add rails to the top and bottom, to solidify the door panels into one piece. If you can weld, that's easy. But you can also rivet those rails, if you don't have a welder. The cheap and quick way to make those rails is to use a piece of 1/8-inch flat bar on the front and back. I prefer to cut one side out of square tube stock, though, as it leaves nice rounded edges...it's a good system if you have the tools.

Then you need to add a vertical filler strip in the middle, since you'll be removing the rubber trim from one side...maybe both...and you need to make the door wide enough to fill the opening. Most doors have glass, roughly split into a top third and the bottom is about 2/3 high. I remove the bottom panes and cover the bottom with steel, for both privacy and to allow for a place to install a lockset.

On the inside edges of the frame, at least on the lock side, you need to add a strip of something solid against which the door will swing and stop. You also put weatherstripping on this. 1/2-inch angle iron would work and you could rivet it to the frame, if you're not welding.

On the door I'm working on now, the doorification work is done. I'm cutting some custom design into the outside skin, though, so it's a bit more elaborate than a plain door.
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Old 10-25-2021, 07:38 AM   #5
Bus Nut
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Toledo OH
Posts: 781
Year: 2006
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: MVP-EF
Engine: Cat C7 + Allison 3000PTS
Quote:
Originally Posted by rossvtaylor View Post
Until then:

There are a few ways of doing it...some using the existing hinge on one side and sometimes replacing the hinge with a piano hinge. You need to add rails to the top and bottom, to solidify the door panels into one piece. If you can weld, that's easy. But you can also rivet those rails, if you don't have a welder. The cheap and quick way to make those rails is to use a piece of 1/8-inch flat bar on the front and back. I prefer to cut one side out of square tube stock, though, as it leaves nice rounded edges...it's a good system if you have the tools.

Then you need to add a vertical filler strip in the middle, since you'll be removing the rubber trim from one side...maybe both...and you need to make the door wide enough to fill the opening. Most doors have glass, roughly split into a top third and the bottom is about 2/3 high. I remove the bottom panes and cover the bottom with steel, for both privacy and to allow for a place to install a lockset.

On the inside edges of the frame, at least on the lock side, you need to add a strip of something solid against which the door will swing and stop. You also put weatherstripping on this. 1/2-inch angle iron would work and you could rivet it to the frame, if you're not welding.

On the door I'm working on now, the doorification work is done. I'm cutting some custom design into the outside skin, though, so it's a bit more elaborate than a plain door.

What’s your YouTube handle? I’ve stumbled across your videos before but don’t recall what the channel was called.
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Old 10-25-2021, 08:39 AM   #6
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Join Date: May 2015
Location: Central Tx.
Posts: 1,951
Year: 1999
Chassis: Amtran / International
Engine: DT466E HT 250HP - Md3060
Quote:
Originally Posted by Daybreakbus View Post
Hello everyone!!

I've been trying to find threads on this, but I'm not coming up with much. Does anyone know a good way to get rid of the air operated doors/or at least disable one side so I can make it one whole door that opens out rather than two that open in the middle?

I really want one solid door that I can lock either by the knob, at the floor or both.
I just did my entry door, bifold into a 1 piece door, with a piano hinge.
Still haven't mounted a knob/latch/locking system. While I was at the fence supply house a couple of weeks ago I saw they had ready made mounting hardware, basically a metal box, that I can weld in and attach a stardard key deadbolt assembly. I'm quite sure that I can probably mount two of these, one for a deadbolt and the other for a knob\handle.

I posted pics on my build, look at post #105

https://www.skoolie.net/forums/f11/b...a-26674-6.html
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