Hey guys! I've got 2 things going on involving my side cargo doors.
Pic 1: This is a picture of the rubber that acts as a hinge on the first door behind driver (the smaller one that we have the generator in, used to be blower), this picture shows the one that is good, the other side has broken. Where can I find a piece to fit in there? Or do you have any other suggestions?
Video 2: This is a video I took of another location that has broken... this is my side cargo door that has separated on one side of it (looks like again it's rubber that has torn)... now this door won't open all the way up, any suggestions on this one? https://www.youtube.com/embed/X1k51iRFIQ8 (https://www.youtube.com/embed/X1k51iRFIQ8)
(https://busconversionmagazine.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs22.postimg.org%2Fpg7dpfgip%2FIMG_8538.jpg&hash=f08871775563792c422088ee4cc60eb3d72fbaa2)
Luke at US Coach 888 262 2434 he has it all
You can also replace it with stainless steel hinges so you will never have that problem again.
I actually preferred the rubber hinges. replaced them on all bay doors this summer. A note when removing the old ones. There are tiny screws (4-5 in the big bay doors) that are screwed into the rubber from the inside on he body - and the door. Remove these first and you should be able to pull them right out. I think I see two in the second picture both in the door and and in the body. Just slit the hinge in two with a utility knife and then remove the screws, then pullout the hinge. They get narrower as you stretch them. Clean out the grooves. I did this by taking an#10 hex bolt ( maybe it was 1/4". Test one an see.) and grinding the head so it had some teeth to it and then put it in my drill and routed out all the debris and oxide. Then fold and run some 80 grit down the grooves to get rid of the rest of the crap in there. Blow it out with some air. Re-install via the notch in the middle on the body half. Add soap and feed the hinge in from the middle - both to front and back to front on the body first, then soap up the other half and slide the door on from one end. It's a two man job and keep the door in the full open position for easier sliding.. As said above, Luke has the hinges. It's not that bad. Maybe a day to do all the bay doors.
I bought a length of rubber hinge from Prevost Parts. The cleaning out part is really important. Make sure you get that track well cleaned and lube it with something when you put the hinge back in. Putting it back together is a lot easier with 4 hands.
They sell different grades of the hinge careful what you buy are you will be doing it again in a few years Jefferson and Prevost sell the good stuff
When I ordered mine from Luke he told me to take a small piece of the new rubber and run it up and down the track with soapy water, until it slides smooth. Best advice ever. If a small section won't make it all of the way down, there is no way the whole thing is going to.
I take a 4 ft -3/16 wood dowel slit the end and insert a piece of emery cloth spin it with a drill to clean out the channels,cover the hing with foil tape and they won't rot again fwiw
I use talcum powder to insert the hinge on the door if a small piece of the hinge will slide from one end to the other you are good to go
Some folk use a .22 cal rifle barrel cleaning brush to clean the hinge tracks.
Ed at edannbus@aol.com has the stainless steel hinges, if you want to go that route.
FWIW & HTH. . .
;)
If you plan on using the bus very much, and reliably, better replace the whole length, both sides.
Being as it's for a GMC, Prevost's may be a different profile.
10-4 on Luke. From all I hear, he's a patron saint of our collective insanity. (Busnutitis)
Don't forget to remove the small wood screws (#4 x 1/4 or so, IIRC) which hold the rubber from sliding in the track.
Good idea, sliding a piece of rubber through the track to check. Hadn't thought of that. I was lucky; my track wasn't mashed anywhere.
Dish detergent worked well for me as a lubricant.
Personal experience:
All packed up for a weekend excursion, closed the bay door and it fell off! Had to remove everything from the opposite side, crawl through, and secure the top of the door with plumbers strap. Replaced the dog-bone rubber the next week.
I will definitely give Luke a call. Thanks!
The rubber hinges are great, the first year you put in new ones. Then the process starts all over again. Steal Hinges is the only way to go.
Don and Cary
Quote from: Cary and Don on February 16, 2015, 04:29:28 PM
The rubber hinges are great, the first year you put in new ones. Then the process starts all over again. Steal Hinges is the only way to go.
Don and Cary
If I decided to go with stainless steel hinges. Is there a particular size I need to look for?
And does it take the place of the rubber hinge or is it somehow screwed to the outside of it?
I got 15 years on mine so far. Your results may vary.