Baggage door hinge conundrum

vonprum · July 03, 2013, 02:44:57 PM

I replaced several baggage door hinges when I first bought my bus and it was easy but recently the front baggage door on the passenger side ripped off. I have more rubber hinge material and got the old piece out of the door OK but the piece on the bus is captured. The other doors had space to slide the old piece out and the new hinge in but there seems no way to get this piece out. in front is metal and close on the back end is the next hinge. I can only slide the old damaged hinge back and forth a quarter inch. Yes I have removed the screws. There just seems no way to do this without removing other doors just to get the new hinge rubber in place.

Has anyone ran into this and how did you solve the issue?

usbusin · July 03, 2013, 02:52:35 PM

Lance, yes I remember this problem. It has been 14 years since I had my 4104 and 20+ years since I replaced the hinges. I'm thinking. Maybe I cut out the last 1/4" or so of the bottom portion of the track? Used lots of soap. Sorry, that's about all this old brain can do without seeing what it looks like. Maybe you can take a picture?

GaryD

vonprum · July 03, 2013, 02:56:05 PM

That is what I was thinking, cut out a bit of the aluminum channel. I'll try that tomorrow unless someone else has a better suggestion. Thanks GaryD

Boomer · July 03, 2013, 06:03:25 PM

Sounds like it's time to contact Ed Gallant and install his stainless hinges. Good product.

sdc53 · July 03, 2013, 09:46:48 PM

My hinges are different than yours, but the remaining rubber I sliced in half with a utility knife (support the door first) to free the door. Then the rubber halves then slid right out of the channels no problem with the tension relieved. I don't know what kind of support mechanism you have on yours but make sure you loosen whatever torsion bar, gas strut, etc first and be careful to keep all your fingers and blood where it belongs.

Some of the little screws were hiding quite well on mine and I couldn't see them until I got my torsion bars loose first and swung the door up out of the way. I used a garbage can on its side to hold the door up.

You think getting them out is hard, wait till you try and put new ones back in. I have instructions on that in another post on BNO.

Scott
'69 4107
Gladstone, OR

olebusman · July 04, 2013, 05:44:35 AM

My 06 has a notch cut out in the center bottom of the channel. Slide one half in from the center then cut to length and fold and slide the rest in. I use cable pulling lube, from Lowes, as a lube. olebusman

jackhartjr · July 04, 2013, 06:06:35 AM

Boomer, do you have Ed Gallant's contact info?
And for the uninformed, Ed makes a SS hinge that won't EVER come off!
Jack

vonprum · July 04, 2013, 12:27:09 PM

OK, where's my sign? Olebusman was right. There is a slot in the center that allows the install and removal of the rubber. I also found instructions in the collection of paperwork, receipts and booklets. Put the rubber hinge on the coach first with a little Windex, then slide the door on. Did the whole thing in four minutes. Thanks guys.

This bus is for sale on eBay. Two days left. Not a sales pitch but it looks like someone might get a good deal. I'd just like to see it go to someone who can appreciate it, keep it alive and slowly bring it into the twenty-first century. I mean, everything is nice, clean and works well but those privacy curtains are, Oh My God!

Frank @ TX · July 04, 2013, 01:08:14 PM

Does Ed Gallant have the Stainless hinges for the battery door on an MCI-9.
What is his contact info ??
Frank

RJ · July 04, 2013, 04:09:56 PM

Ed's email address that I have is: edannbus@aol.com

FWIW & HTH. . .

Cary and Don · July 04, 2013, 04:17:08 PM

Those steel hinges are even easy to install. We did one half at a time. That way the door stayed some what in place.

Don and Cary

Boomer · July 05, 2013, 09:40:22 AM

RJ thanks for posting Ed's email, saved me looking it up. I might have his phone no. somewhere too if anyone needs it. Ed's a good guy and I know he still has quite a quantity of hinges on hand.

pabusnut · July 07, 2013, 08:31:10 PM

Ed's hinges work as advertised! Mine are now fixed right thanks to Ed and LUKE.

Some idiot tried to back up my bus with the electric cord out hanging over the bay door. He ran over the cord, and bent the whole door catywhompus from the cord pulling on it--and ripped the cord in half!

Steve Toomey
PAbusnut
"idiot"