Rick,
I'd love to know how to fix my present door because of the inconvenience of taking into a dealer while we are living in the unit. your ideas are welcome. David.peterson@vtechio.com
Not sure if this applies to your type of door or not, but we have had problems with our (non-friction) door on our 2013 RL. The door was hard to latch closed and hard to open, hard enough that it seemed that the door was locked when it wasn't.
I adjusted the striker plate out a bit to make it easier to open and close but there is a bit of a gap now, enough that I get a wind whistle in heavy winds.
Terry posted a fix from Lippert (I believe) here on the site that may take the warp out of the door. If it ever stops raining here in Ontario, I will try it out.
Rick,
I'd love to know how to fix my present door because of the inconvenience of taking into a dealer while we are living in the unit. your ideas are welcome. David.peterson@vtechio.com
I worked on the entry door to see if I could “fix” it.
Went to Lowes and got 4 - ¼ 20 Tee Nuts and 2 - 3 foot ¼ 20
threaded rods. I drilled one hole 31 inches up from the bottom and
another 42 inches up. Our door was separating the worst around the
middle hinge and latch. The hardest part was getting the threaded rod
through to hit the hole on the other side. I used a 5/16 steel tube to
drive through the Styrofoam to make it easier.
I bent the threaded rod so I could hang onto it while tightening the Tee Nut.
Used 90 degree snap ring pliers to tighten the nuts. I could not find a Pin nut
wrench small enough.
I drilled the holes close the fiberglass so when tightening I would not just
crush the Styrofoam. Got all the play out the frame and tightened it up
against the fiberglass panel. I also removed one each of the top and bottom[/img] hinges.
The door now closes like it should, light pressure and it latches.
My wife can open and close it finally.
I did this before we got a new door in 4/2016. The new door had the same problem. Removed 1 of the top and bottom hinge fingers to lighten the load on the door. When we were at the service center after last year’s rally, I told them I did not consider the door issue resolved. They had LCI come over and replace the friction hinges with normal non-friction hinges. Now we can call it resolved.
It would not let me use the link so the pics would show. Hopefully you can see them.
Rick
Or you can go the other site by this link and see what I posted after I did the door mod.
Pics show up.
http://www.redwoodowners.com/forums/f13/what-did-you-do-to-your-redwood-today-3374-50.html
Rick
Thanks much Rick. I'll give it a try.
I wish I'd read Rick's post before I applied my "fix". Mesa RV in Phoenix told me the friction hinges were really designed to fail!
They said the interior of the door was Styrofoam and I decided I might not be able to get a threaded rod through the door width. So I bought a couple of long bar clamps and squeezed the door top the 1/4 inch it had expanded when the door frame separated. I then drilled holes through the door fame and attached 1/2" sheet metal screws. I wasn't sure it would hold, but I really did not want to pay for a new door and the custom paint job. When I took the clamps off, the damn thing held!
I figure when my fix craps out I may try Rick's solution or part with $900 for the door (with different hinges).
HAVE YHE FACTORY ADJUSTMENT on e-mail send me PM and will send forward to you, also have the invoice for 4000 pound springs with part numbers if you can post them. I am presently stuck in the Philippines on winter layover till ????? virus settles down.
