How to securely lock the passenger door?

[wonderwander]

Hey everyone,

I am going to be keeping some valuable music equipment in my Short Bus. I am curious to see how everyone here has made the passenger door on their Skoolie locked and secured. It has an emergency lever that can easily be pulled up from the outside, if you have skinny wrists. I am currently just using a bungie to keep that down, but wanted to do something a little more substantial. I have though about drilling in a fence lock or something of the like. Any input??

[lornaschinske]

Made the two piece door into a one piece door which wasn't hard to do. Then the door needed some (PVC & Metal) framing and some weatherstripping to keep the outdoors out.




First door knob was replaced as it was a pita to open once it was iced over.


Second door latch (and the one I like best) is a lever handle. Much easier to open when icy or I have my hands full






Like most everything on the bus, it is a residential entrance lockset. A metal shim was made to thicken the door so the latch would fit right. The emergency door in the rear of the bus will get the same type of door latch. I might get it bought but probably not installed before I leave here.

[EastCoastCB]

I like that since it maintains the visibility of the bus door. I have a buddy that put an RV door on his and he regrets it.

[lornaschinske]

Originally Posted by EastCoastCB

I like that since it maintains the visibility of the bus door. I have a buddy that put an RV door on his and he regrets it.

That is one of the reasons we wanted to keep the original door. Took me two weeks of bouncing ideas off of David before I hit on one. I had come across an ad on freecycle for some lumber and some leftover steel lawn edging. So I popped over there and picked it all up and tossed it in the Jeep without really looking at what I was getting (I was really after the lumber but the ad said take all only). Once I got back to the bus with it David asked what we could use the 4" wide X 8 ft long metal for (I had a single whole piece and two halves). Took me one day to come up with a use for it. The steel barely fit between the glass in the door. There is a piece of pink foam board in the "gap" behind the center hinge. I think it was meant to be. David didn't think it would be rigid enough but it is most definitely rigid. I still need to skin the interior over with PVC boards but that's another project that can wait until I have my "must do so I can leave" list completed.

The lumber and plywood I got is what we used to box in the front wheel wells.

[EastCoastCB]

I'm going to use a piece of flat bar to make a medieval style lock to put across the rear of the bus door when I'm inside and want to secure it. Will add an outside lock for when I'm leaving it parked.
I'm so attached to the air door. I just don't wanna give it up.

[wonderwander]

Originally Posted by EastCoastCB

I'm going to use a piece of flat bar to make a medieval style lock to put across the rear of the bus door when I'm inside and want to secure it. Will add an outside lock for when I'm leaving it parked.
I'm so attached to the air door. I just don't wanna give it up.

I thought about the medieval style for the passenger door as well... For the back door, I just got a thick rubber bungie and wrapped it on the end of the handle on the inside. It is absolutely impossible to open.

[EastCoastCB]

For the back, I'll probably go with a proper latch with deadbolt.
I can't wait to get done with the rust so I can start these kinds of projects.

[light24bulbs]

lornaschinske,
That is the best I have seen. I really want a knob on both sides rather than a key turn. I wish there was a video showing how to do what you did but I think I can mostly see how from your photos.

How did you make the latch receiver, the part that catches the latch and holds the door closed?

[EastCoastCB]

Lorna left the site in anger years ago.
She has a blog if you wanna find her on google.