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+--- Thread: Outside compartment handle (/showthread.php?tid=10095)
Outside compartment handle - BirdPilot - 11-25-2013 22:44
One of the compartment aluminum handles is mangled on my coach and needs to be replaced. Any suggestions on where to find one?
Not quite so coincidentally, when that particular compartment door is open, it lines up perfectly with a large nut protruding under the slide out... so I believe I know what happened. It also had to be one with three different paint colors on it, which brings the next question. Are there any paint codes anywhere on the coach to identify the paint color(s)?
RE: Outside compartment handle - davidbrady - 11-25-2013 23:45
(11-25-2013 22:44)BirdPilot Wrote: One of the compartment aluminum handles is mangled on my coach and needs to be replaced. Any suggestions on where to find one?
Not quite so coincidentally, when that particular compartment door is open, it lines up perfectly with a large nut protruding under the slide out... so I believe I know what happened. It also had to be one with three different paint colors on it, which brings the next question. Are there any paint codes anywhere on the coach to identify the paint color(s)?
I'd get on the phone with the parts department at Holland Motors Michigan and maybe their school bus franchise and explain that you need a handle for the LTC40 to fit your LXi.
When I bought my coach I got a very nice 16" x 16" Blue Bird Wanderlodge embossed booklet containing the floorplan, samples of all the textures, flooring and fabrics used in the interior, and codes for all the exterior paints (as shown in the last attached pic). If you don't have it Parliament Coach might but you may have to purchase a copy of your coach records from them to get it. I'm not aware of the paint codes being attached to the bus body at any place.
BTW, I'm not quite sure how the slide adjusting nut could have contacted the handle. When the slide is fully extended the handle is well clear of the slide hardware, as it is when the slide is retracted. In addition, the slide should be disabled from being extended if any of the driver's side basement doors are open, unless that safety feature isn't working.
RE: Outside compartment handle - Arcticdude - 11-26-2013 00:10
Any good paint shop can match your paint. Even better than having the codes. The computerized matching systems match the fade that currently exists. The codes would not.
RE: Outside compartment handle - cmillsap - 11-26-2013 00:16
David,
I'm not aware of any "nut" in that area either.
I think what Jeff is saying is that the open bay handle was banged against the slide beam during opening of the bay door enough times to damage it.
You already know that 2nd bay door's handle needs to be placed back in the closed positioin before fully opening the bay door when the slide is out.
Chuck
P.S. I didn't know your coach or others had 6 paint colors on the exterior. I thoughr all LXi(s) were fitted with 5 colors. I guess a couple of the colors are so close to same that when we visually count paint colors, it appears there are only 5.
RE: Outside compartment handle - davidbrady - 11-26-2013 01:36
(11-26-2013 00:16)cmillsap Wrote: P.S. I didn't know your coach or others had 6 paint colors on the exterior. I thoughr all LXi(s) were fitted with 5 colors. I guess a couple of the colors are so close to same that when we visually count paint colors, it appears there are only 5.
Very astute of you Chuck. Yes it does have six colors and that is unusual. Most LXi's including the M450's have 5 colors. I'm proud of my six colors!
It's something BB reserved for their show coaches and a few others like mine.I think most of the FC's and PT's have 3 colors, Wide Bodies have 4, M380's typically had 4, LXi's and M450's typically had 5, with some having 6, and show coaches having even more.
RE: Outside compartment handle - rrueckwald - 11-26-2013 04:24
There is a paint code label next to the axle weight placard above the windshield. Matching is better anyway.
RE: Outside compartment handle - ernie ekberg - 11-26-2013 09:30
My coach has 6:
Astin Martin -gold
Diamante - beige
Diamante- medium gold
Diamante- red
Volkswagen - green
Diamante- sable
maybe I'm a Mitsubishi ?
RE: Outside compartment handle - BirdPilot - 11-26-2013 19:47
Thanks for all of the info and hope I can get my hands on one. It's bent up pretty well and would take a lot of effort to repair it. The first time I got into the compartment with the slide out, I noticed how well the handle lined up with the slide mechanism. The rod is slightly off-center of the handle, the same side that is bent out as if the door was open with the handle sticking up. The paint is also boogered up to match. I'll have to do an ops check on the switch(s) that should keep the room from operating with the compartment open. I know the jack system knows when one's open. After a couple of episodes of not being able to operate the jacks complete with more than a few bad words uttered, a friend enlightened me as to the necessity of closing the compartments.
Several of my lessons have been almost painful to learn. Precisely why I was so happy to find the Wanderlodge Gurus...
RE: Outside compartment handle - davidbrady - 11-26-2013 22:43
(11-26-2013 19:47)BirdPilot Wrote: Several of my lessons have been almost painful to learn. Precisely why I was so happy to find the Wanderlodge Gurus...
Glad you found us Jeff; we're here to serve!
I don't know if you had a chance to look at our Document Library. There's a lot of LXi info there and a lot of HWH slide and levelers documentation. Enjoy!I'd love to see a pic or two of your LXi. Each one is an American icon - a national treasure. Only about 350 were made from 1998 thru 2003, no two alike; they're the Ferrari of buses! All Wanderlodges are wonderful but you can guess where my heart lies!
One of the things that's fun to do around here is to poke a pin into our User Locations map. Here's a tutorial on How to use the User Locations Map.
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Thanks again and have fun!