Dead Bolts - Door Locks and a litle bit of foam

[Dave Siegel]

Well after installing a pretty neat door latch system (it's a hybrid of Jack Conrad's and Fast Fred) it's time to lock the door. The latch lock will not work on our door. So I decided on a dead bolt lock. I tried a couple but they all protruded to far out (1" to 1 1/2") I wanted something flat, like a store front lock. I finally found the perfect lock, But it comes with an installation  problem.

The instructions ask for a hole to be drilled in the door (wood was their plan) that is the exact same size as the cylinder that turns the dead bolt in and out. Then the rest of the install is pretty much like a household install. I called the lock factory and talked to an engineer and he said that the exact size hole worked as a support for the cylinder and that it was necessary . But a bus door is hollow. Now what? There is the outside skin of the door and the inside skin of the door and then space. 2 3/4" of space. So I was thinking. Oh, Oh!   Do you think I could spray some of that "Great Stuff" (spray foam) where the lock is going to go and then once it sets up drill thru the door (and the foam). The foam would then create the same "pad" of  support that the wood in the home installation  would have. There is NO moving parts that would be hampered by the spraying of the foam. (Matter of fact I was even thinking about filling the entire door with the foam to help cut down on some wind noise.) (Back in 1948 no one ever gave it  a thought to reduce wind noise or waterproof vehicles.)

Thanks for your help in advance.

Dave Siegel

[RTS/Daytona]

Dave

I  would be concerned that the foam expansion could put enough pressure between the outer and inner panels and bow the door.

If the inner panel is removalable - why not just glue a 2 3/4" thick block of wood perhaps 4"x 4" to the inside of the outer panel ??

If the inner panel is not removable - then why not cut a square opening in the inner panel - glue the wood block to the inside of the outer panel and then the inner panel piece back to the wood block

Pete RTS/Daytona

[Nusa]

I'd be concerned that foam would have too much give and you'd end up with an installation that would wiggle after a while. A wood or plastic block makes more sense to me, if you can get it in there.

[bobofthenorth]

I'd vote for wood or metal support.  The hole in the foam will enlarge as the mechanism wiggles plus the foam will shrink as it gets older.  I don't think you would be happy after a year or so.

[John Z]

My thoughts are the same as Pete's. I like the idea of the wood to give more support also than the foam would do.

[Runcutter]

Dave, I'm replacing the inner door panel on my 4107 - going back to original - so I've had the door apart.  I was at Luke's on Thursday, looking at inside door panels.  I don't know about the Silversides, but on the deck and a halfs, they're flimsy as heck.  If it wouldn't destroy the panel, I could have folded one and put it in my suitcase to fly hoime.

Since I'm also a woodworker, I pay attention to wood movement - and the potential for wood rot in exterior applications.  If I were placing something where you're discussing, I'd consider it exterior, since (on my coach), there'd be some potential for water/moisture to get in there.

Thus, my recommendation would be either plastic (can machine with woodworking tools) or metal.  My first thought goes to UHMW - Ultra High Molecular Weight plastic - I know it's available at the woodworking store I use.  I'm not sure of the available thicknesses, so you might have to build up layers.  I'd suspect that plastic suppliers (phone book or internet) might have blocks available - of this or other appropriate plastics.

Since it'll be hidden inside the door, no one ever need know that there's an ounce of plastic on the bus.  If you do decide to use wood, I'd suggest cedar or cypress, species not prone to wood rot.

Arthur 

[DavidInWilmNC]

I'm curious as to what type (brand & model) of lock you're using.  I'd also like something flat that doesn't stick out like the deadbolt on a house or on a S&S.  One idea that I read on this board a while back was to mount the lock in the wall and have the bolt extend into the door.  I don't know if this would work on your bus, but it looks like it would on an MCI.  There would be less reinforcing needed for the door; just a decent piece of steel attached inside where the bolt passes through.  Good luck with it.

David

[Dallas]

Dave,

Using Arthurs idea of plastic, since it won't rot, why not buy a good sized plastic/nylon cutting board and cut it into layers.
You can also cut it down to fit the taper of the door so it fits tightly.
Then fill around it with spray foam to support and water proof the interior.

I sprayfoamed the inside of my door and it has changed the whole sound of it when it closes. However, I was concerned about the stress exerted by the foam on the door and only added it by layers until it got to the thickness I needed.

Good luck!

Dallas

[tekebird]

both my coaches as well as my da's all have deadbolts.

only thing protruding from the bus is the 1/16 or so  round lock face.

looks like it  has been there from the factory

[H3Jim]

I think you'd be mighty disappointed if you used the foam.  Some good ideas in the previous posts about what else to use. If you use wood, you can soak it in urethane first to keep it from rotting.

[Dave Siegel]

I knew you guys would pull through.  I even got an e-mail from Carolyn Hobe and everybody suggests a wood piece for a  filler. OK That's what I will do, but David's idea with putting the deadbolt in the wall and letting the bolt go into  the door, seems to me like the best idea of all. I just went out and that is the easiest area for me to get into and glue up some wood. Plus the wall of the exterior of the bus is parrallel with the inside wall, so no special tricks will be required.  The lock will also be less noticeable.   David asked where I got the lock from, here's the link: 

http://www.homeclick.com/search/search.asp?N=101&Ntt=omnia%20deadbolt&Ntk=SearchOne&Nty=1&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&D=omnia%20deadbolt&Dx=mode+matchallany&cmSearch=1

The one I bought is the model #D0806A

Thanks for the good advice and quick responses.

Dave Siegel