Broken Door Bracket

[RJ]

Went to close the front door day before yesterday and wondered why it didn't seem to be closing correctly.  Closer investigation found the upper door bracket fractured, as shown in the photo below.

Have already called Luke, who's looking to see if he's got a good/excellent used one, as NOS is NLA from MCI.

This bracket is shared with the MC-8s and MC-9s, so if you know of anyone parting out a coach, please share contact info with me.

Bus is "down" for repairs until this is fixed.

TIA,

RJ

[lostagain]

Could be welded.

JC

[Dave5Cs]

JUst called Sam Caylor and he has them for 100.00 RJ will probably call him. I just got off the phone with him.
Dave5Cs

[Jim Eh.]

Some internal bracing may be broken.  It looks like there was some flex right at the end of that bracket.

[Dave5Cs]

I have to same one and used to feel that it might do that when the wind caught it and swung it open. I don't have the claw like RJ still does. I put a Heavy duty screen door length of travel spring on it. It slows it down and stops the door short of hitting the stop. So far it works and was 15.00 at Home Depot.

Dave5Cs

[buswarrior]

Yes, these are not an uncommon failure, the life of the door hardware and structure is a harsh one, even on a converted coach.

Disassembly of the door to confirm the integrity of the mounting points will be part of the job.

Welding the bits was a common repair.

Many of us may trace our poor door fits back to a sloppy repair of this nature.

happy coaching!
buswarrior

[ol713]

    Hi RJ;
            Try also Coach Services in Williams.   They are closer.
            You might even drive up there to see what he has.
                                               Merle.

[bevans6]

If that is the piece I think it is, changing it will be a bear.  It is the entire upper hinge, and has a threaded hinge pin deep inside the dash that adjusts the height of the door.  Getting that pin in and out, and setting it to the right height is a job that would have me reaching for my welder in a heartbeat - if it has failed in a way that makes welding sensible.  That bracket supports the entire weight of the door, around 200 lbs, and I believe may be cast. (which means good welding technique and the right rod, not your 120 volt mig welder).

[Dave5Cs]

Brian you are exactly correct. It looks like pot metal as RJ put it. I went out and looked at mine and it is some kind of foundry piece. Door is heavy floor jack and two people one hold dorr from falling over and other one aligning it into place.

Mine was kind of weird when I was redoing the dash I took off the plate that looked like a glove compartment but was an inspection plate for the door pin and made it easy to get to. Only thing holding the pin in was the PO had a pair of Vise gripes clamped down holding the pin on top. I have heard worse stories but at least i found it before the door was on the side of some road.
Dave5Cs

[RJ]

Sam Caylor to the rescue!

Since this part is NLA from MCI, and Luke didn't have one, I followed up on the lead Dave5C gave me and called Sam this morning.

Not only did he have one, he has several sitting on a warehouse shelf, so if anyone needs an extra. . .

(This bracket/hinge fits 5Cs, MC-8s and MC-9s, maybe MC-12s, too.)

Plastic money and UPS Ground, should have it middle-end of next week.

Now to find my impact screwdriver to break those big phillips head screws loose. . .

Thanks all, for your support and suggestions!

RJ

[lostagain]

RJ don't throw out the broken one. Someone can weld it maybe, and use it.

JC

[luvrbus]

It is a bitch to change the Allen head bolts are the easy part,RJ you will need help the heavy door the way it is mounted at the bottom will get away from you in hurry BTDT

[Dave5Cs]

Its like mine and has those big Phillips screws. And that bottom hinge is very hard to get also.

[bevans6]

I would personally disconnect the lower hinge before I started on the top hinge.  Have the door open, and supported and braced on a pallet jack or floor jack.  While I installed my door alone, realistically two people would be a lot safer.

[Dave5Cs]

3 would be ideal. 1 to jack and place some good blocking under it as it goes up, 1 to brace door from falling, and 1 with aligning to get the hinge back in the right place to drop in the pin and screw it down.