air actuated doors

ruthi · January 15, 2011, 03:47:09 PM

Our bus door is air actuated. It closes okay, but, my question is can an air actuated door be adjusted to pull to harder, or is that only in the adjustment of the door itself. It seems to be closed good when parked, but when going down the highway, it seems it is closed so lightly, that it sucks open some and makes wind noise. Any suggestions?

lostagain · January 15, 2011, 04:39:56 PM

Not knowing anything about Dynas, is there not a claw (air operated), that should draw the door tight once closed. That is adjustable. There is on MCIs. It is on the lock side of the door, opposite the hinges.

JC

belfert · January 15, 2011, 04:57:44 PM

The Dina door is like a Van Hool or Setra door. There are no hinges as such on the door. The entire door slides out and back on a set of swing arms. The best thing that can be done with a Dina door is to find someone who has experience adjusting them. An MCI service center MIGHT have a Dina door expert, but you'll probably pay dearly.

My Dina door never worked properly so I finally framed in the opening for a 28" wide motorhome door. I still have some wind noise up front, but I don't know if it is coming from the door or elsewhere.

Dave5Cs · January 15, 2011, 05:06:41 PM

I no longer have the air attached ( MCI 5C) to the door, but do know on the air ram when I pulled it out there is 2 adjustments with 2 screws ( Like on a commercial office door closure) on it and it say you can adjust it in DA-book also.

Dave

luvrbus · January 15, 2011, 05:59:45 PM

Those are plug doors Eagle used that door also I don't know about the Dina but Vanhool and Eagle the door closes on 40# of pressure then you have another cylinder that holds the door shut at the regular air pressure 120lbs if you don't have the cylinder ABC Bus can help solve the problem if you find one in your travels.
Or Ken can add a cylinder check the pressure it may be just low they used a preset regulator for closing on the Eagle

good luck

ruthi · January 15, 2011, 06:23:49 PM

Found some screws to turn, dont see any cylinders though. It does have the claws, two at the front and two at the back, but the one at the top back isnt touching. Going to try adjusting in the morning before we leave out again and see if it helps. Dont want a motor home door. We are wondering if maybe there is a mci or eagle door that might be modified to be able to make it a hinged door that would work. Just want to get it to where it doesnt let cold air in while driving.

Highway Yacht · January 15, 2011, 06:35:51 PM

My MC-9 has the claw that pulls the door very snug when activated with no air noise while traveling... I do have a small lever on the dash that I can turn the air pressure to the claw on and off. When I first bought the bus, the door claw was not adjusted too well but I have since taken care of that.

ruthi · January 15, 2011, 06:45:47 PM

Dinas dont work like that. It is air actuated on swing arms, with no hinges. Hopefully we can find a solution, as I hate wind noise.

Ace · January 15, 2011, 06:48:09 PM

On my H model Prevost, I have 2 cyl. under the dash. One controls the speed in which the door opens and closes and the larger one is adjustable by means if a large heim joint which dictates how far the door travels in and out. Very simple and when it, the door latch, grounds itself, it activates the locking mechanism and sucks the door in very tight.

Busted Knuckle · January 15, 2011, 07:42:21 PM

A Dina door is exactly what Clifford said it is. It is a PLUG door. It mounts on swing arms and as it comes into the frame as a "plug" it then goes up into the locks the farther up in the locks it goes the tighter it gets to the outer frame.

It is very very tricky and time consuming to adjust it right!

It's no just set this here and that there and you are good to go. It's adjust this side of this lock a tiny bit (4 locks 2 pieces each! 1 or the door & one on the frame), and this part of this lock a tiny bit, and this part of this lock a tiny bit, and this part of this lock a tiny bit and try it!
You just keep playing with it a little at a time and as you do you will see when one lock gets right, then another and another and finally the last one!
I have watched dad & Booger spend 6 to 7 hrs working together to get ours adjusted right!
(FWIW Carl Raines was the one who taught them how to do it over the phone telling them the way to do it as they did it and after a couple adjustments they saw what he was telling them and they continued on from there!)

Also when it comes to buses that different drivers operate not all drivers are careful enough to make sure it closes right, or that they don't hang the lower guide bar on a curb etc, and it gets out of adjustment pretty easy!

Ruthi I promise you after you & Ken (or Ken & one of the guys) spend the better part of the day getting it right , you all will be conscious enough to be sure it is right and doesn't get banged out of adjustment easily and you probably will only have to do it once in a very very great while!

FWIW I don't know why but the Dina door is so much more of a PIA than any Setra we've ever had! That said maybe the guys in Greensboro @ Setra North America HQ (tell Tom & Woody I sent ya) or Orlando, FL could help you. Or like Clifford said ABC has experience with it on Van Hools (I have no experience with one on VAN HOOL!)

I can't remember the name of the guy in FL who is very good & helpful. But I can tell you if you speak to a lady down there by the name of Robin, you'd be best off not to mention my name until after you've paid the bill and have the bus outside the gate!

(she no like me!)

BK

belfert · January 15, 2011, 08:23:55 PM

I'm not necessarily suggesting anyone with a Dina change to a motorhome door. I did so because my door was damaged by the seller of my bus. The seller drove my bus around the yard with the door open and he either hit something with the door, or the turning tire hit the door. I had even talked to the MCI service center in Chicago about fixing my door. They said they had put as many 40 hours into fixing a Dina door, but that one was in pretty bad shape. Even if it didn't take 40 hours I figured I could easily have $2,000 into it by the time I drove round trip to Chicago and spent a few nights in a hotel.

The Dina door has more problems than Van Hool or Setra because the door is so tall. When MCI had Dina make the MCI F3500 they went to a shorter plug door to avoid the problems of the original Dina.

ruthi · January 16, 2011, 02:04:46 PM

We took some time last night to work on the door, got it better, doesnt leak near as much air, but, still have wind noise. I could see a couple of places that we need to work on as we were driving. I guess we will keep trying. Do these doors ever get so alined, that they dont make any wind noise?

Busted Knuckle · January 17, 2011, 11:31:04 AM

Ruthi,
In a perfect world, with a perfect bus & door yes.
But in a real world with a real bus no.

You can get them mighty darn close but I have driven brand new Setra's with those doors and they still have some wind noise. (although not near as bad as our '97 Dina)

BK