MCI Battery Compartment (rubber) Hinge

[JerryH]

Ok, so I got replacement rubber for the battery compartment door (thanks Luke for the quick delivery!).  Anyway ... not having done this before I thought it'd be a quick swap.  There's got to be an easier way to do it.  After removing the old faulty rubber, I sized the new piece and installed it on the bus first.  I then began to slide the door onto the rubber hinge.  I found it to be a slow process.  Go so far, then push the hinge (on the bus) which had slid back to where it came.  The process took a bit longer than anticipated.

So ... what's the secret here.  ?? Talc ??  Another set of hands??

Jerry H.

[bruceknee]

Hey Jerry,
When I replaced mine, I took the other half of the hinge off of the bus. Slid the replacement into the door first, then slid the other half in and reinstalled the whole thing.

[Gary LaBombard]

After cleaning all old hinge out and some will stay hidden inside that will screw you up at the most in-opertune moment.  Be sure the slot is really cleaned out and no bends in the slot, straighten if there is any, Old hinge material will shrink and slide out pretty easy, a little imperfection in the wall of the slot will also make you curse if you cheat and get in a hurry.  Not a good job to do alone on a baggage compartment door but possible, I did, cost me much $$$ for chiropractor after. Tip, cut the new hinge material a little on the long side to begin with, you can recut the end of it off after door is installed or nearly installed.  Believe me it shrinks some how on assembly about 1/4" in length, I have no earthly reason why except that it is just pushed together and you are unable to stretch it out very easily after on a baggage door.
 
Use of liquid hand soap,(not diluted in any way) directly on all parts will greatly help you, install on hinge and in slot, you can wash it off after and what little is left inside the hinge slot will break down and not harm rubber in any way.  Don't be stingy with soap.

Hope this helps.
Gary

[Ncbob]

I found that cleaning the grooves with a .38 Calibre Brass brush from my gun cleaning kit and the rifle rod made thigs a bit easier asl well.

I've tried Teflon sprayand Silicone Spray but they make a mess out of the sides of the bus.  Dishwashing detergent is a bit better and easier to clean up..but Bruce had the best solution....take the upper part of the hinge off and install the hinge where it's easiest and re-insall the whole thing.

Now, there's supposed to be a knowledeable guy here in NC who uses a press brake to bend the S/S hinge material double to "hem" it and it makes a replacement for the rubber hinge material.  I"m on it like a fox in a chicken coop and as soon as I find out who it is...I'll post it here.

NCbob

[Nick Badame Refrig/ACC]

Jerry,

Like Gary said, lots of lemon fresh Joy! (Any dish detergent will work). 

I helped my father replace his rubber hinges on his 4104 and the dish detergent did wonders!

So when you are all finished, wash with water and your doors should be squeeky clean!!

Nick-

[gus]

JerryH,

In addition to what the others said I always run the hinge through the door 3-4 times before installing the hinge onto the bus. If it slides easily through the door it will go on much quicker.

After the hinge is on the bus there should be a couple of very small screws holding it in place-at least there are on GMCs.

Dishwashing detergent is the best. Don't use any kind of solvent/lubricant.

[Ednj]

Jerry
Put your topic in the search feature, This was talked about alot.
Here is one link with pictures = http://www.busconversions.com/bbs/index.php?topic=1273.0 ;

[JerryH]

Thanks all!

Jerry, Put your topic in the search feature, This was talked about alot.

I hear ya Ed.  But that goes part and parcel with asking directions before you take your 40-foot bus down a winding road designed for a car, with little or no way to get out.  It's more fun watching Linda cringe and clutch the "Oh my Jesus bar."

I found that cleaning the grooves with a .38 Calibre Brass brush from my gun cleaning kit and the rifle rod made thigs a bit easier asl well.

NcBob, I began reading your response and thought you were gonna ask me to put our "8" outta her misery.  I was about to look for my .357.

Tip, cut the new hinge material a little on the long side to begin with, you can recut the end of it off after door is installed or nearly installed.  Believe me it shrinks some how on assembly about 1/4" in length, I have no earthly reason why except that it is just pushed together and you are unable to stretch it out very easily after on a baggage door.

Gary, yeah ... glad I bought plenty of hinge material ... I will be re-doing it.  I cut it to size and yeah, it shrunk.

Dishwashing detergent is the best. Don't use any kind of solvent/lubricant.  // Like Gary said, lots of lemon fresh Joy! (Any dish detergent will work).  //  Dishwashing detergent is a bit better and easier to clean up.  //  Use of liquid hand soap,(not diluted in any way) directly on all parts will greatly help you ... don't be stingy with soap.

Great advice all, but got in an argument with Linda ... I told her she buys the wrong kind of dishwashing soap ... "Joy ... JOY", I told her ... now I can't do the hinge swap until we use up all this Palmolive.    {kidding}

When I replaced mine, I took the other half of the hinge off of the bus. Slid the replacement into the door first, then slid the other half in and reinstalled the whole thing.

On this "8" the entry point for the rubber on the bus is tight (5/16" maybe).  There would have been no way to handle the door with the hinge on it and then try to navigate it onto the track.

Look for my next "How to" question after I attempt the task. 

Thanks again all.

Jerry H.
"I don't know where we're going ... but we're making great time getting there."

[pete81eaglefanasty]

  Jerry, what i used was wire pulling compound to pull it through , it went in easy, it was slicker than snot, did it in no time.


         Pete & Jean
        Fantasy

[Hartley]

I replaced the whole thing with stainless piano hinge...

I feel more confident now than having the battery door drag along down the road...Or just fall off !

[Danny]

Taking the bus side off and then replacing both after the rubber is in seemed much easier.  A good lube is a must!
Danny

[Ncbob]

This topic brought to mind that there is someone out the who makes S/S hinges for GM/s and MCI's (and Eagles too) to replace the rubber hinge material.  In talking with Dallas about it I asked ig he knew the guy's name and he Emailed it to me.  This is the reply I received:

Yes I sell the SS hinges.  They were made for the GMC 4905's but everyone is using them on 4104 4106 Eagles and MCI,  if interested you can call 828-248-3087. The hinges are 4" long and sell for $10.50 ea. On the Eagles and MCI people have been using 1 at each end of the door.

I contacted him this morning and found that he doesn't live too far from me here in NC and I ordered 4 hinges.  I will report back as to my success with them.

NCbob

[DrivingMissLazy]

Bob, I wonder if they are waterproof? Otherwise it would be possible to get a lot of water in the bays.
Richard

[bruceknee]

Sure is alot easier to just replace the rubber one

[Dallas]

Bob, I wonder if they are waterproof? Otherwise it would be possible to get a lot of water in the bays.
Richard

Richard,
The easy way to do it would be to put a piece of canvas or vinyl awning material under the door and connect it to the body, attaching it with screws.

Sure is alot easier to just replace the rubber one

Bruce, tell me, would you rather push a piece of rubber into a slot or put a SS sliding hinge into each end of the slot?
these hinges are direct replacements for the rubber, not a piano hinge that needs to be attached on each side.

Good Luck.

Dallas

That's why we have these forums, to discuss different ways of doing a particular job.

Then, too, why be a nay sayer until you have experience with a particular product.

It seems to me, I've replaced the "Buffalo hinges" every 3 or 4 years on the outside, and normally about every two years. I've never, ever had to replace the SS hinge material.