| Author | Message | ||
| Peter River (Whitebus)
Registered Member Username: Whitebus Post Number: 78 Registered: 4-2009 Posted From: 208.54.14.22  Rating: N/A |
thank god (and Ian) that I have this forum full of bus owners to ask these questions... ok, one of my luggage compartment door (that swing up, like greyhound buses) is having a problem. I have 4 doors, and this is the only one that's misbehaving. I tried comparing the hardware, and I can't tell how to adjust these. I have 3 pix. http://brightstoneriver.com/bus/DSCI0792.jpg this is how the doors open up. the top shiny arms are the ones that bears the weight, and smaller, lower rusty arm is the one that keep the door vertical. the are 2 top arms, and one lower ones, for each door. this picture is with door partially deployed. http://brightstoneriver.com/bus/DSCI0793.jpg this shows the top of the lower arm, along with a bar that the door latch onto. http://brightstoneriver.com/bus/DSCI0794.jpg this door when closed, doesn't align right. the other doors are not like this one. each arm has an adjustment screws. Top arm has screws, but I have to unscrew it off the door, and I don't want to mess it up even more. the lower arm has a screw that I can adjust. what do I do to make the bottom of the door align again? which screw do I have to tighten/loosen? I figure someone here had this problem before. (Message edited by WhiteBus on May 27, 2009) | ||
| Austin Scott Davis (Zimtok)
Registered Member Username: Zimtok Post Number: 328 Registered: 9-2006 Posted From: 216.37.73.226  Rating: N/A |
If it were me trying to figure out the geometry of the adjustments I would look at it from the inside when the door is closed. It should be easier to identify which adjustment point you need to adjust to get the door to close tighter. Based on the photos and trying to visualize what is where when the door is closed I would guess that the bent tubular arm is the one you need to adjust. | ||
| Tim Brandt (Timb)
Registered Member Username: Timb Post Number: 335 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 66.165.176.62  Rating: N/A |
I would be a little leary of making that recomendation without knowing what type of latches he has or at least have a helper nearby that can open if you get stuck | ||
| Peter River (Whitebus)
Registered Member Username: Whitebus Post Number: 79 Registered: 4-2009 Posted From: 204.62.111.51 Rating: N/A |
interesting... it's barely latching as it is. I can open up the other doors before crawling in I guess. | ||
| Skip N (Skip)
Registered Member Username: Skip Post Number: 47 Registered: 11-2006 Posted From: 161.7.89.205  Rating: N/A |
FWIW....... If it were me  Rent a sheet rock jack to hold it in place. Put some blankets on it so as not to scratch. Once the jack is adjusted to hold it in place. adjust both top and bottom. by the looks the small arm more than the big one. Repeat until it is where you want it. Skip | ||
| john w. roan (Chessie4905)
Registered Member Username: Chessie4905 Post Number: 1482 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 71.58.110.9  Rating: N/A |
Did you ever get a shop manual for this coach? You need to get one if you haven't I don't think there is much familiarity here on this model. I could be wrong though. | ||
| Peter River (Whitebus)
Registered Member Username: Whitebus Post Number: 80 Registered: 4-2009 Posted From: 204.62.111.51 Rating: N/A |
nope, searched long and hard, but the company went belly up in 1998 (mine was probably last one built)... I thought the component is pretty much the same across the board. I see other buses with similar door mechanism all the time. I was hoping someone with the same mechanism had the same problem, who can steer me to the right direction. (Message edited by WhiteBus on May 27, 2009) | ||
| Glen Rice (Rgrauto)
Registered Member Username: Rgrauto Post Number: 4 Registered: 2-2006 Posted From: 98.18.110.59 Rating: N/A |
Whitebus, I think you may need to shorten the lower link to pull the door in. Be sure to measure the length of the rod before you adjust so you can put it back if that does not help. Glen | ||
| Austin Scott Davis (Zimtok)
Registered Member Username: Zimtok Post Number: 329 Registered: 9-2006 Posted From: 216.37.73.226 Rating: |
Wouldn't the lower link be vertical when the door is closed? If it is vertical when closed, adjusting it would adjust the door up or down depending on whether you lengthened or shortened the link. The curved tubular arm looks like it would be horizontal at the end that attaches to the door. that is why I suggested to adjust it to pull the door in tighter to the bus. I figured if he emptied his compartment he could close this door and open the other side to see how the arms are orientated when the door is closed. . | ||
| Tim Brandt (Timb)
Registered Member Username: Timb Post Number: 339 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 66.165.176.62 Rating: N/A |
Austin I agree that is a great idea I was just trying to caution since some people might not see the common sense solution of opening the other side No insult intended to anyone but crap happens | ||
| Peter River (Whitebus)
Registered Member Username: Whitebus Post Number: 84 Registered: 4-2009 Posted From: 204.62.111.51 Rating: N/A |
austin, yes it's vertical when closed. I fear that it might be a combination of the two, tightening the top bar and loosening the other.... | ||
| Austin Scott Davis (Zimtok)
Registered Member Username: Zimtok Post Number: 330 Registered: 9-2006 Posted From: 216.37.73.226 Rating: N/A |
Tim, You were correct in pointing out the possible dangers of my suggestion. I have a tendency to dismiss/overlook these things assuming that it did not need to be said. (my bad) I do not take offence to anyone adding to my comment or correcting me. Peter, I think that no matter what, it will be a "trial and error" to get the right combination that will work. Once you have it figured out post it for the benefit of others. . | ||
| Karl VanShellenbeck (Kvan)
Registered Member Username: Kvan Post Number: 37 Registered: 7-2005 Posted From: 66.68.82.97  Rating: N/A |
From the pictures it looks like the upper part of the door is closing at the proper distance. If so, it seems as though the lower small arm needs to be shortened slightly to bring the bottom portion of the door in slightly. Good luck | ||
| Keith Wood (Ft6)
Registered Member Username: Ft6 Post Number: 118 Registered: 8-2008 Posted From: 75.211.94.138 Rating: N/A |
This is what's called a "Pantograph" mechanism. Here is what I would do. 1) MEASURE the clearance at top and bottom, front and rear corners, INCLUDING vertical alignment. 2) LENGTHEN top and bottom rods by 1/4". 3) Measure again. What has changed? For instance, the door may have moved upward. 4) Now move one set of adjustments OUT another 1/4" and measure again. Now you see what's moving what, and which direction. Until you understand that, you don't want to be moving things in where they can bind. Once you DO know it, you can fit the adjustment. | ||
| Karl VanShellenbeck (Kvan)
Registered Member Username: Kvan Post Number: 38 Registered: 7-2005 Posted From: 66.68.82.97 Rating: N/A |
Looking at the pictures of the adjuster rods, isn't the lower rod rusty in all places except the end. Does it look like the lower rod has been lengthened? Just an observation. | ||
| Peter River (Whitebus)
Registered Member Username: Whitebus Post Number: 85 Registered: 4-2009 Posted From: 204.62.111.51 Rating: N/A |
karl, when I got the bus, I WD40'd most joints and connectors and maybe it got this link too loose. interesting. | ||
| Karl VanShellenbeck (Kvan)
Registered Member Username: Kvan Post Number: 39 Registered: 7-2005 Posted From: 66.68.82.97 Rating: N/A |
Are the lock nuts tight on that lower rod? Is the door spaced out the same distance at the bottom on both sides? Based on what I see I would shorten that lower arm slightly and see if it improves. | ||
| Peter River (Whitebus)
Registered Member Username: Whitebus Post Number: 88 Registered: 4-2009 Posted From: 208.54.14.122 Rating: N/A |
thank you for your insight. It was the lower bar, and I finally found out the reason. the top lock nut on the lower rod, when door was fully deployed was interfering with the door latch bar. I found to my amazement that everytime that the door was opened fully, the latch bar would turn the lock nut 1/4 turn. That's why over the year, it looked more and more out of alignment. I loosened the lock nuts, both top and bottom, and rotated the bar, tightening the lower rod about 1/4 inch, and the door is now lined up perfectly. I will put some spacers to prevent the interference. Thanks everyone for your help! | ||
| Karl VanShellenbeck (Kvan)
Registered Member Username: Kvan Post Number: 40 Registered: 7-2005 Posted From: 66.68.82.97 Rating: N/A |
Glad you got it fixed. | ||
| Jack Conrad (Jackconrad)
Registered Member Username: Jackconrad Post Number: 1103 Registered: 12-2000 Posted From: 71.3.157.139  Rating: N/A |
Thanks for posting the solution. It is always nice to know how a problem was resolved. Jack |
