?? on converting a Prevost door from air to manual.

[scanzel]

My Prevost entrance door is the original air lock door run by air, I am tired of the compressor kicking in occasionally to keep small air tank aired up. Has anyone converted the door to a manual door latch. What parts are needed and where to get them. I would like to change because when someone doesn't realize it is an air door they slam it shut instead of just closing it gently so the air latch can engage. 

[chessie4905]

Did you post on Prevost forums?

[scanzel]

The Prevost forum is mostly high $$ coaches not many if any self converters on it.

[Jon]

Not true. PC has home builders, plus a lot of talented people who really understand their Prevost coaches.

I do not know of anyone who eliminated the air lock however because if it is not engaged when going down the road the noise will tend to drive you crazy. The wind noise is annoying with the plunger engaged, but really bad when it is not.

Motor home conversions have a dead bolt lock for security. To try to add one to a door that does not have one would be an extensive project. I would suspect rather than doing that it might be easier to either eliminate the air leaks (that is hard to do) or replumb the air lock so when not required for other purposes all other air systems are turned off and the compressor is only supplying air to the lock. I have added "key on" solenoid valves to a number of my accessory systems so air is only going to those systems that need air when parked.

[scanzel]

I still have the drivers door opening handle to open and close from the drivers seat when needed. A few years back I re-plumbed and put in a 5 gal aux air tank and a small 24v Via Air compressor for air when the main bus air is not available but the oil less compressor only lasted a year and the piston failed so I added a compressor that has oil and it works better but it still cycles on and off occasionally. I shut it off at night so as to now wake anyone up.

[Dave5Cs]

Steve i used Eberhard.com for the locking mechanism inside the door called a "Slam Lock"/ They use them in Fire trucks.
And for the entrance handle used Tri-mark.com They have nice key lock units that have remote rods that will connect with the eberhart locks so you can put them at whatever height you need the outside handle as opposed to the lock inside the door.

[Skykingrob]

Hey Steve
I went to a local truck salvage yard and found a truck door that was flat contour. They wouldn't sell me the lock, just sold the whole door. Cost was $35. I took it out and used the parts. Since the exterior handle is lower than the interior handle, I had to go to the local hardware store to get some 1/4" steel rod and make new actuator rods. I then searched the web to find a dead bolt that had a long enough through rod. I finally found one from a custom door company based in Arizona. It was dull aluminum but a quick buff with a polishing wheel made it brite shiny like the stainless. Bar none, the hardest part was cutting the stainless siding to inset the exterior handle assembly. Mine is not pretty but it works great and was very affordable. I can take some pics but I would have to send to you via email since I have never been successful getting them to load on this site.

Jon
I have been unsuccessful in accessing the Prevost Community site for sometime. I emailed Tom a couple different times but never got a reply. Can you check if I am still current or need to start over again so I can get back in.

Rob
91 Prevost XL40
Missouri

[Jon]

Rob, I will get you fixed up. Look for an email.