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Old 07-26-2019, 04:40 PM   #1
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1994 34' Excella
Warren , Manitoba
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Entry door not fitting properly, idea's needed!!

The entry door on my 34' is not closing and sealing correctly. Prior to my ownership the curb side aluminum was replaced and the door reinstalled ( probably from an accident, but nobody knows). The door was installed slightly off square, and the whole frame assembly is about 3/8" out of square at the top, so the latch side top of the door is just touching the frame, and the bottom is up about the same. The second problem is the bottom hinge has been pushed in (frame also) about 3/8". The door bottom is out from the frame about 3/4" when closed. This is because of the hinge being pushed in causing the bottom of the door to bend outward rather than follow the arc of the frame.
I am having an auto body instructor look at it Monday to get his idea's on fixing. Any thoughts from the group, or suggestions from someone that has had a similar problem. I hate the thoughts of removing the door, as I don't know what I will find, and if the aluminum skin has been cut off square and is hacked, then the problem gets worse!! Thoughts anyone???
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Old 07-26-2019, 05:00 PM   #2
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First the auto body guy probably does not know how an airstream door goes together or how to adjust it. It is pretty specific to an Airstream tech's skillset.
The door can be adjusted by gently bending it to fit and adjusting hinges and latch.
Check out this video:
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Old 07-26-2019, 05:02 PM   #3
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Hi

There is a lot of voodoo involved in an AS door. Best to find a pro to work "the magic" on it.

Bob
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Old 07-26-2019, 06:00 PM   #4
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I have watched the video several times!! The inside panels are removed!! The door frame has been pushed inward at the lower hinge, which is also pushed in and the door bottom is away from the frame on the bottom because of the frame being bent inward. The body man is an instructor at provincial technical school. He seems to know aluminum and the charteristics of working with it. I am wondering if anyone else has had a similar problem and what was done to correct it. I can bend the door inward below the hinge, but am concerned that it will possibly cause further problems with fitment. Thoughts??
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Old 07-27-2019, 06:40 AM   #5
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Hi

If you are looking at a door that was damaged in an accident *and* some random guy named Bob has already had a pass at fixing it ..... You now have both the damage *and* Bob's mistakes to fix.

Bending aluminum is often a "one time" thing. The second time you try, it breaks. The parts in the door are all hand fitted and very unique to AS.

Normally the best way to fix anything like this is to put it back to where it was originally. It sounds like getting the body back to the proper shape is step one in this case. Then fiddle the door to get it back to the proper location.

Even with the door "as new" there are fiddly issues with getting it to work right. It needs to work with the trailer dead level and the stabilizers up. It needs to work when on the ball ready to roll. It needs to work in a random campsite with the stabilizers doing their thing. Opening and closing are the first part. Being water tight is pretty high on the list as well. The hidden issue is the latch and lock. They are not as forgiving as one might think. Having a fall (and lock you out of the trailer) 200 miles from nowhere is *not* a good thing.

Bob
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Old 07-29-2019, 09:08 AM   #6
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Thanks to all for the idea's. I took the trailer to the body man this morning and we are going to remove the door and hinges, and "gently" pull the frame back to the original arc. Then we will work with the door to return to it's original arc as well. Will install new weatherstrip at the same time and hopefully it will seal a lot tighter than now. I would like to replace the door lock at the same time. Here is a picture of what is in the trailer now. Can anybody identify the brand? Is it a Keeler?
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Old 10-24-2019, 03:21 PM   #7
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Did the repair work for you? We just started our renovation and my first objective is to get the door to close properly. Looks like somebody tried to break in at some point and so the latch is all mangled as well as the door being a touch bent at the top, preventing it from making good contact with the seal.
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Old 10-24-2019, 04:43 PM   #8
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We got the door closing much better at the bottom, but it is still contacting the frame at the top right corner. We did not remove the door, and the body man used his "magic" to get things fitting better. I think he used the same methods as shown in the factory video.
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