| Author | Message | ||
| tuccitown
Rating: N/A |
I have recently purchased a H8H649 that I plan to convert to a moterhome. I was interested in finding out what others have done to make the coach secure. As it came from the fatory you can simply pull the door open and flip a couple toggle switches and drive it away. I would like to put a lock in the door and a keyed ignition switch. The keyed ignition switch shouldn't be a problem but I would like to retain the stock look the best I can and don't really like the camper/house door lock. I was woundering what some of you have done to retain the stock coach look and secure the inside of the coach. Thanks, Jack H8H649-053 Burien, WA | ||
| David Hartley (Drdave)
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What is an H8H649 ? A GMC or what? Transit or Parlor coach? Sorry.. Very confused here.... | ||
| tuccitown
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Sorry it's a GMC 1979 H8H649 (PD 4905 look alike) Thanks, Jack H8H649-053 Burien, WA | ||
| Ian Giffin (Admin)
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And for those of you who have no idea what this coach is... "The GMC H8H649 was a continuation of the GMC P8M4905A and comparison of the manuals has shown no difference between the coaches. 233 of these coaches were built in 1979-1980"  Many thanks to www.coachinfo.com for this info. Ian www.busnut.com | ||
| Donald Lee Schwanke (Dontx)
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You should have a protruding rod in the front breastplate, that is pushed to overcenter the door closer. It is chrome, has a hole in it, and you can put a padlock in it for security. | ||
| motorcoach1 Rating: N/A |
mmmmm after you push the door leaver all the way over to the locked possition, how do you get out ...when your out side and can't push it to the locked position? | ||
| Luke Bonagura (Lukeatuscoach)
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Hi mmmm & Folks: As built the H8H649A as well as early MCI coaches were all built with a dash mounted, manually operated door closing mechanism. The front buttons on the GM's and MCI's were all drilled for the installation of a padlock. As built, when the door was slammed, the door operating mechanism passed over center and provided a positive lock, at which time the driver installed his padlock, went out for lunch or whatever!!! These systems can still be made to work today as most parts are still available, and for those with the book for their coach, they are adjustable to enable this function. In the case of the MCI's, failure to lock is usually a very inexpensive heavy Spring!!! We replace the Springs in our shop frequently for our comercial customers!!!! I Hope this HELPS!!! Happy & SAFE!! Bussin' to ALL. LUKE at US COACH | ||
| motorcoach1 Rating: N/A |
i humbly thank you luke , by all the !!! marks i guess that was a dumb question | ||
| jlvickers Rating: N/A |
I own a P8M4905A and I use the entrance door lock that Luke had described and it works fine for me. Note!You can leave the padlock in place and locked and still open and close the door from the inside of the coach. Also when you leave the coach you can turn off the master battery cut off switch.And the person that knows nothing about buses will not know how to turn on the battery swith or it's location. GMC did offer keyed door locks for the entrance door and baggage bin doors (option that some charter companys bought). jlv | ||
| Donald Lee Schwanke (Dontx)
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Not at all, when I got my 4905, I had no idea what the heck that funny chrome rod with a hole in it could be for. Several months later a retired preacher slammed the door then showed me what it was for. I felt stupid. | ||
| Luke Bonagura (Lukeatuscoach)
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Hey Motorcoach: Your question was not dumb. Let me further state that there is no such thing as a Dumb question, but there can certainly be DUMB answers!!! My puncuation is just my style of writing!! I punctuate to emphasize the importance of the point that I am making!!! Not to intimidate you or any other writer or reader!!! Motorcoach, at 63 years old I am just trying to pass along the info. I have and have gleaned over my 43 years in the bus industry (To a wonderful bunch of folks who can use it and who need it), before I get the "LAST Call" and it all gets buried in the ground!!!!! The last thing I would ever do is to discourage anyone from participating on this or any other Board as everyone has something to offer from the Wanna-Be to the Guy or Gal who has been doing it forever!!!!! And for the lurkers or those who are discouraged about the Boards tonight, don't QUIT!!! That is easy!!! Stand your ground and ignore those who are unwilling to accept another opinion. As individuals we are WEAK!!! AS a group we are STRONG!!!! All input is needed and encouraged!!!! I think I just wore out my (!) key!!!!!! Happy & SAFE!! Bussin' to ALL LUKE at US COACH | ||
| motorcoach1 Rating: N/A |
i just told the guy who bought mine to stick a broom handel through the vent window and the steering wheel and leaver it closed and put the lock on the front push ...works for me | ||
| jimmci9#2 Rating: N/A |
to jlv:::: show them the neat little bent hooky thingy that hooks on the rail to padlock the door shut..... it oughta be patented..... | ||
| motorcoach1 Rating: N/A |
thank you Luke i allways look for you advise and a few other knowlageable people. My door needs adjustment might be one of the problems | ||
| Donald Lee Schwanke (Dontx)
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You MAY just need to slam it harder. Gray lines had mine adjusted so you really had to slam it to overcenter the mechanism. A little lube on the pins and levers helps a lot too. | ||
| jlvickers Rating: N/A |
By jimmci9#2 (209.240.205.60) on Tuesday, February 21, 2006 - 10:01 pm: Edit Post to jlv:::: show them the neat little bent hooky thingy that hooks on the rail to padlock the door shut..... it oughta be patented..... This hooky thing will only work in the passenger modisty panel and grab rail is left in place. Ok Folk's the little bent hooky thing is made out of a steel strap 2" wide with a 180 degree turn at one end like a "J" and it's 8 to 10" long from the 180 degree radius. The J end hooks on the modisty panel grab rail the long handle end sticks past the aft door edge frame. You then push door shut.A small square 3"X 3" 3/16" thick metal plate is fabracted with a slot for the J hooky thing to pass through.With the door shut tight slide the 3"X 3" plate aganist the door face then a 5/16" hole is drilled in the J hooky thing just past the out side edge of the face of the plate. Install the padlock and the door is locked. A lot of old GMC bus drivers carried thes when they went on a charter to lock the bus up. Note it will only work if the passenger modesty panel is left in place. I can see questions coming after this post. Luke you might have to step in for me! jlv | ||
| Ed Jewett (Kristinsgrandpa)
Rating: N/A |
It is also possible to install a deadbolt lock (household type) on a 4905, I've seen them. I have a deadbolt lock and a lockable slam shut latch on my coach, but it has a custom door. Ed. | ||
| motorcoach1 Rating: N/A |
tuccitown, i recently was asking the same question and for a real professional job. look up fast freds or grumpy dogs pages i had a listing here a few back about locking my MCI , look down the threads for -MC7 front door lock instlation- good info was given | ||
| FAST FRED Rating: N/A |
If you read the archives there are many suggestions for securing the coach & bays. One simple thing I do is to open the first AIR drain that is reachable thru a small door in the Tranny door. With this at 90deg to normal the gunk is vented and if LEFT in that position , the coach will NOT air up. Since I drain this valve and ALL airtanks after shutdown , and do a "predrive" in the AM , its EZ to do. With no air pressure your coach can NOT be moved. I also prefer to rewire the start setup to a LOCKABLE normal ignition switch , similar to whats in a car.Truck or marine units handle more amps for a coach loads. This will allow seamless house battery charging ,(thru a solenoid) with nothing but normal operation of the key switch. FAST FRED | ||
| Cliff (Floridacracker)
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Fred, Great idea on the air line! The best ideas are usually the simple ones. I am adding this one to my routine. Jack, I have a dead bolt in the door of my 4905 and am planning on adding a RV style handle latch. Don, I thought my exterior lock was broken too(since it spun around) and Mike Merrial showed me at Bussin 2006 that it pushed in and shazaaam it opened the door. Cliff 1975 4905A-1160 | ||
| tuccitown
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Thanks all, I'm kind of lost though bout the slam it and padlock it as I don't see a place for the padlock on the door. I'll look tonight and see if I can figure that out. Cliff, If you can let me know the latch type I may end up doing that. I think some of these came with a latch stock as there is a plate covering a hole where the stock strike would go. Thanks again, Jack H8H649-053 Burien, WA | ||
| David Hartley (Drdave)
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Padlock sits on the "Push Rod" shaft in the middle front of the bus where you POP the door open. | ||
| tuccitown
Rating: N/A |
Found it, Thanks all. Jack H8H649-053 Burien, WA |