| Author | Message | ||
| Sam Summers (Greyghost)
Registered Member Username: Greyghost Post Number: 136 Registered: 4-2011 Posted From: 166.182.3.54  Rating: N/A |
Was just looking at a Coach for sale on this site (4107)and it had gas struts on the luggage bay doors instead of the torsion arms, anyone else have any luck with this set-up? Sam | ||
| Gus Causbie (Gusc)
Registered Member Username: Gusc Post Number: 1447 Registered: 11-2005 Posted From: 72.161.172.201  Rating: N/A |
I have one gas strut setup on a bay door that has two broken torsion bars. It is a jerry -rig at best, hard to install and doesn't provide a lot of push. The hinges are rigged so that to have both push and locking when up you have very little room to work. I'll install another torsion bar when I find one, they work great. I don't have a photo but will send one if you like. | ||
| john daniels (Big_john)
Registered Member Username: Big_john Post Number: 32 Registered: 3-2007 Posted From: 75.109.200.106 Rating: N/A |
I had them on my PD4903 and they worked great. I got them from ed gallant on the BCO board. I am now installing on my Pd4107. Ed was very helpful on the installation, and quite reasonable on parts. | ||
| Gary Seay (Gdude)
Registered Member Username: Gdude Post Number: 100 Registered: 6-2010 Posted From: 216.67.42.50  Rating: N/A |
I have them on my bus also. They work really good. I did have one go bad and it didn't hold the door all the way up. but it was a quick and fairly inexpensive fix. | ||
| Dave Walker (Chrome_dome)
Registered Member Username: Chrome_dome Post Number: 444 Registered: 3-2010 Posted From: 74.41.14.235  Rating: N/A |
Has anyone used them or can they be used on Pantograph doors? Dave | ||
| Dirk De Bakker (Kelvin12)
Registered Member Username: Kelvin12 Post Number: 38 Registered: 1-2010 Posted From: 124.171.6.228  Rating: N/A |
Dave, Got them on four bin doors, (pantograph style) and they are brilliant, finger tip lift even the bride lift them without complaint which is a bit unusual. 2 per door but get the threaded bolt types rather than the push on plastic cup and ball. Make sure the ram to the eye bolt is also metal threaded. Had an issue with one door that had the plastic cup and ball where as the others are all eye bolts. The plastic cup thing is wood screw thread style of thing and the ram shaft pulled out of the plastic. Dirk | ||
| Gus Causbie (Gusc)
Registered Member Username: Gusc Post Number: 1448 Registered: 11-2005 Posted From: 173.202.31.183 Rating: N/A |
Dirk, Will you please post some photos, I couldn't make them work but I was using recycled struts from my minivan. Evidently you are using a very different type. | ||
| Dave Walker (Chrome_dome)
Registered Member Username: Chrome_dome Post Number: 445 Registered: 3-2010 Posted From: 74.41.14.235 Rating: N/A |
Thanks Dirk, yes mate could you post some pics. I have a 5c Saudi bus and where the back door was taken out and skinned over the baggage door can not have the cable and spring type. Has the regular hinge but have to lift it and put a rod nder it to hold it up, PITA Also how long are the ones you have and or company who makes them? Dave (Message edited by chrome_dome on January 27, 2012) | ||
| R.C.Bishop (Chuckllb)
Registered Member Username: Chuckllb Post Number: 1668 Registered: 7-2006 Posted From: 97.212.152.115  Rating: |
These were installed in 2002 when pic was taken; have served well since. Austinhardware.com They will tell you length and send a diagram of where/how to install depending on weight/length,etc. FWIW RCB  | ||
| marvin pack (Gomer)
Registered Member Username: Gomer Post Number: 1617 Registered: 3-2007 Posted From: 76.4.123.74  Rating: N/A |
WOW what a clean engine compartment!!! Oh they ain't none in there! I guess that is why it is under the porch LOL HAHHAHAA I like that RC Neat install also Gomer | ||
| R.C.Bishop (Chuckllb)
Registered Member Username: Chuckllb Post Number: 1670 Registered: 7-2006 Posted From: 97.213.234.137 Rating: N/A |
One other thing that might be of interest...the type of strut is determined by the weight it is to lift as well as height to hold. For instance, I believe I told them I wanted to lift 250 # (overkill by 100# probably)and it should go well above head height. Based on dimensions of the door they then drew exactly where to place each end of the strut. As it happens, the door raises probably to 7 feet or so...well out of the way. As a side, I was planning to cut the door in half and put hinges on the sides, but this has worked out so well, decided against it. One strut gave out a year or so ago, but was easily/quickly replaced. Gomer.....there is (was  ) room for a double bed mattress back there...now houses genset, propane tank, Webasto, etc etc...a'int no more room!  FWIW RCB | ||
| Sam Summers (Greyghost)
Registered Member Username: Greyghost Post Number: 139 Registered: 4-2011 Posted From: 166.182.3.244 Rating: N/A |
Big John How do I get a hold of Ed? Sam | ||
| Dirk De Bakker (Kelvin12)
Registered Member Username: Kelvin12 Post Number: 39 Registered: 1-2010 Posted From: 58.6.47.25 Rating: N/A |
I'll get to the photos tomorrow, (Monday for us here down under). We are in a bit of minor flooding at the moment so hands full for a bit. Sorry about being late forgot to check the forum. Dirk | ||
| Dirk De Bakker (Kelvin12)
Registered Member Username: Kelvin12 Post Number: 40 Registered: 1-2010 Posted From: 58.6.47.25 Rating: N/A |
Made the break between storms. Photo 009 is the style to avoid. The plastic cup is very easily popped off the ball and the hatch comes down suddenly, (experience here and it bloody hurts). One ram by itself is not enough to hold the hatch in the raised position. There are 2 rams per hatch making them really very easy to raise with just a light hand push. Sorry for the messy basement, still a work in progress. OK photos don't number as I expected. First one is the type to avoid, plastic cup version. }     | ||
| Dirk De Bakker (Kelvin12)
Registered Member Username: Kelvin12 Post Number: 41 Registered: 1-2010 Posted From: 58.6.47.25 Rating: N/A |
Hmmm still a bit to learn here about uploading photos.   | ||
| Gus Causbie (Gusc)
Registered Member Username: Gusc Post Number: 1450 Registered: 11-2005 Posted From: 173.202.20.221 Rating: N/A |
Dirk, Thanks. Interesting type of pantograph hinge, especially the hookup to the torsion bar. Much simpler than the GM type. Now all I have to do is figure out how to adapt this to the GM hinge but your photos give me a whole new outlook on the layout. | ||
| Dave Walker (Chrome_dome)
Registered Member Username: Chrome_dome Post Number: 446 Registered: 3-2010 Posted From: 74.41.14.235 Rating: N/A |
Thanks Dirk. My MCI 5C is different but similar. I don't have that little attachment wing that you have it bolted too. But just means I will have to weld one on eh! Hope you guys are doing well. Hope the water digresses soon. Dave | ||
| Dirk De Bakker (Kelvin12)
Registered Member Username: Kelvin12 Post Number: 42 Registered: 1-2010 Posted From: 124.168.152.84 Rating: N/A |
I don't think the bolted flange thing on the cross shaft is necessary, all the horizontal cross shaft is is an axle and the bent arms could just as easily be welded to the cross shaft. The curve in the vertical lift arms is only to clear body as they go up, guess you can see that. On the lower corner there is a short adjustable link from the door to the sub floor frame work so as the door can be kept in the vertical plain as it raises. Kind of like the secondary arm on pantograph windscreen wipers. More than happy to send anyone more photos if they like or other details. These doors were the main thing that attracted me to this bus, plenty of room to walk around without skirting around opened hinge up doors. Dirk | ||
| Dave Walker (Chrome_dome)
Registered Member Username: Chrome_dome Post Number: 447 Registered: 3-2010 Posted From: 74.41.14.235 Rating: N/A |
YEP, we love the pantograph doors also it is just that that door which I weighed at 90 lbs is a real pain to lift and stick a stick under to keep open to pull out tools etc. 1 on the other side they put the hardware in upside down so the door pulls down and also has no springs on it. The other 2 are fine. the floor is flat where they fixed the rear door that it originally had. they did a good job as far as welding up great supports but left nowhere to attach the cables and springs. I would like to change them all to lifts but until you showed the pics could not for the life of me figure out how i would hook them up. I do now, thank You Dirk | ||
| Gus Causbie (Gusc)
Registered Member Username: Gusc Post Number: 1452 Registered: 11-2005 Posted From: 173.202.27.123 Rating: N/A |
Dirk, So now you're saying the curved hinge arm is not attached to a torsion bar? I don't see how the torsion bar connected, or is there no torsion bar? I'm confused. One good thing about the GM setup is there is a spring latch on the hinge to hold the door open. | ||
| Dirk De Bakker (Kelvin12)
Registered Member Username: Kelvin12 Post Number: 43 Registered: 1-2010 Posted From: 124.168.152.84 Rating: N/A |
G'Day Gus, The curved arms are flange bolted to the horizontal shaft, but the horizontal shaft is not a torsion bar, well not as I would know as a torsion bar. The horizontal bar / shaft is merely an axle that partly rotates as the bin doors are raised / lowered. All the weight or lifting and holding the doors up is carried out by the gas rams only. The horizontal shaft is bushed at either end by hard nylon inserts either end. One end of the shaft has a stubby short shaft that fits inside the nylon bush and this in turn has a plate which is bolted to the forward end or the rear of the basement wall, as the case may be, the other end of the horizontal shaft has an adjustable (heavy bolt and washers) arrangement that also fits inside the nylon bush of the horizontal shaft on the other end and in turn bolts to the basement frame. The adjustable bit is to allow adjustment of the bin door fore and aft. There are slotted mountings on the actual bin door that allows for misalignment or up and down adjustment of the door. Hope my explanations are clear or if you want some more photos, ask away. I can always email them to you if you want rather than jamb up this forum. Saw a new Greyhound coach the other day where these pantograph doors were raised automatically without the driver having to touch them. Same when they were ready to go, driver just operated it from his seat and bin doors closed. Something else to loose sleep over now thinking of how I could do this myself. Dirk | ||
| Dirk De Bakker (Kelvin12)
Registered Member Username: Kelvin12 Post Number: 44 Registered: 1-2010 Posted From: 124.168.152.84 Rating: N/A |
G'Day Dave, Forgot to answer you query about manufacturer of my doors. They were probably made up as need arose by the coach manufacturer, Austral over here, Aussie builder who cashed it in years ago. Nothing complicated in them and certainly a DIY'er stuff. Mine are 3mm, (about 3/16") plate aluminium with 50mm X 50mm (2"X2") alum. frame tack welded here and there to the back. There is also some steel work inside a box on the inside which is the locking mechanism. I guess all up around the 20kg, (45lbs) mark off the top of my head and around the 1.4m X 1.2m (55" X 48"). Weight of the doors doesn't seem to bother the rams at all. I did relocate on set of rams, but ran into trouble and bent one of the ram shafts when the other side popped off. Seems they don't like to be positioned at an upward angle ar the inner mounting point. Need to keep them lower at the inner mounts that at the front. Not sure why but it does seem to work better that way. Dirk | ||
| Gus Causbie (Gusc)
Registered Member Username: Gusc Post Number: 1453 Registered: 11-2005 Posted From: 173.202.18.10 Rating: N/A |
Dirk, Thanks, that is a good explanation, no need for photos. In the other photos the axles look just like GM torsion bars which are in approximately the same relative location but snug up against the ceiling. Unfortunately they tend to break!! I think I can modify them to work just like yours by welding on strut attaching tabs like yours. | ||
| Dave Walker (Chrome_dome)
Registered Member Username: Chrome_dome Post Number: 449 Registered: 3-2010 Posted From: 74.41.14.235 Rating: N/A |
Thanks for the info Dirk, Have a Tooheys for me Mate. Dave | ||
| Dirk De Bakker (Kelvin12)
Registered Member Username: Kelvin12 Post Number: 45 Registered: 1-2010 Posted From: 203.158.61.2 Rating: N/A |
Glad to help you blokes out on this one. I have learned so much from this site its a pleasure to be able to give something back. Dave, good to see you blokes over there know something about a good beer. Dirk (Message edited by kelvin12 on February 01, 2012) | ||
| Dave Walker (Chrome_dome)
Registered Member Username: Chrome_dome Post Number: 450 Registered: 3-2010 Posted From: 74.41.14.235 Rating: N/A |
Dirk, I was over there 25 years ago for a month on holiday and realized there is something other than Foster's which everyone in the Us thinks is the only one there. New south Wales, Melbin, & Canberra. I always said, if I could afford it and your TAXES I would move there. So when we win the Lotto It will be 6 months in Aussie land and 6 month in the west side of Ireland Achilles Island area! We spent a month the whole west side. This is a great site and also have learned a lot. Take Care, Dave | ||
| Dirk De Bakker (Kelvin12)
Registered Member Username: Kelvin12 Post Number: 46 Registered: 1-2010 Posted From: 203.158.61.2 Rating: |
We export Fosters to get rid of it. We certainly don't drink the stuff here. In fact I have never met an Aussie who does drink it. Dirk | ||
| Frank Radosti (Frank4104)
Registered Member Username: Frank4104 Post Number: 61 Registered: 8-2006 Posted From: 184.88.94.201  Rating: N/A |
looking for right side top marker lense as I broke one on Monday wile installing it very sad it took me a long to time to find them any one have an extra. |
