Need some help with compartment doors... With a twist!

[Sawgrass]

Hello folks.

I'm new here and have a bit of a issue that I'm sure ya'll can help me on. Now I should start by saying I'm not a Busser. Sorry. Last time I was on a bus was a GreyHound and it took me and Mom to The Shriner Hospital in KY. But here is my issue. My folks and I have been campers Via our 2001 Alfa Fifth Wheel for a long time now and I'm in a wheelchair too. I finally found a Portable Wheelchair Lift at a dang good price that didn't require modding our rig. Well that works great and all but we have some issues. So our fix was a Portable Porch/Deck. So now we have all this nice shiny equipment and the porch no longer allows us to open our Basement door. The steps on the porch doesn't allow the compartment to swing out and then up. So I got to thinking about my Greyhound trip. These busses have doors that pop out and then go vertical. Well one week of googling like a idiot and all I found was Lambo doors for Mazdas and you folks. I know I'm a outsider here being a RV'er and not a Bus guy, But can any of you help me out and tell me the names of that door mechanism and maybe where to get one? Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Jimmy / New Mexico

[Len Silva]

I'm trying to visualize what you are trying to do and I think it's what's called parallelogram doors.  Kind of complicated engineering to retrofit to an existing door.

A simpler solution might be to make the door removable.  Remove the upper hinge and replace it with pins of some type that would engage the frame.  Then, when you open the door, just let it fall out.  I'm assuming the door is light weight fiberglass or something.  That would also make it easy to restore back to original when it's time to sell.

Len

[Dallas]

Welcome Sawgrass to our small spot in the asylum! Perhaps we can convert you later on, but right now let's see if we can you the help you need.
We have some crackerjack sesigners and engineers on this board and I'll bet one of them (at Least) will be able to help!

[Don Fairchild]

have you given any thought to making the door swing out instead of up, or split the door in half and make both sides swing out. If you want it to go up look up sonny Gray in the archives he has build doors like you want.

Don

[NewbeeMC9]

Welcome to the nut collection.

do you have picture or two,  I'm sure you'll have an array of suggestions and solutions.

Maybe you can flip it so it comes out and down.

[Nick Badame Refrig/ACC]

Hi Sawgrass,

Welcome!

I'm with Don on this one... Hinge the right or left side and you will be sipping your favorite beverage alot sooner!

Good Luck
Nick-

[Sawgrass]

Heuy Thanks for the Welcome and advice. I'm gonna throw a pic in Photoshop and try andd show you what all this is about. It's not here at my house so I cannot take actual photos. But standby to standby.

Jimmy / Sawgrass

[Sawgrass]

Ok here is what I have. Sorry the photos and drawings are crude at best.

This first pics is just to show a side profile.


And this is the official top down sketch for the deck. You can see in this one that I really have no room for any piano hinge use on the basement door. Also the basement door measures 28x 64.


Hope this helps you folks get a better idea of my dilemma.

Jimmy / Sawgrass

[poppi]

Sawgrass,

   If it were me (more brawn than brains) I'd loose the hing and put one or two latches on top. That way if I wanted to get in
  I would just unlatch the thing and get it out of my way. No matter what 8 3/4" is not a lot of space to work with. If you wish a bus style door
  then http://www.bodecorpusa.com/index.htm try these people


   Skip
 

[Airbag]

This might work with an addition of a slide at each end.

http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/209956884/Auto_Side_door_hinge.html

[Sawgrass]

Ah thank you for the links. I got a call into Bode as we speak. I really apreciate the help folks!

Jimmy / Sawgrass

[Don Fairchild]

sawgrass;

Looking at you specs and given the way the door swings center the stair treads and move them to the other side. Double the interior joists and center the stringers on the joists and double the rim joist.

Think safety.

hope this helps

Don

[rwc]

Why not put the stairs on the other side then the door would swing away from stairs. The baggage compartment could be freely accessed without modification. The awning arms could be modified for clearance easier than the baggage door.

[Busted Knuckle]

Sorry I'm so late to chime in on this thread, but until a few minutes ago I hadn't read it.
Sawgrass welcome to our madness.

I'm with RWC ion this. I'd flip the design of the porch and steps to cover the wheels and not the compartment! Then as said modify the awning arm, move the awning to where it covers the door too, or install a longer awning that will also cover the area it does now plus the door too!!

But then again those who know me on this board know I'm only smart enough to be dangerous!
  BK 

[Sojourner]

Sawgrass...is there any reason you can't put the stair way on the opposite side of the deck... in front of the wheels instead of basement door?

BTW..could you please post a photo of the portable wheelchair lift of link with the model number that you have. I am interest in one for my wife's power chair to lift.

Hope anything can be worked out as soon as possible with the least cost.

Sojourn for Christ, Gerald

I see RWC beat me to it