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Cyclist · 07-20-2015, 02:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tyggeln

I close the door using the technique learned in the US submarine force - if on the outside of the door, I gently bring the door into contact with the frame, and then push shut with my hand on the door, until I hear the latch click. If I am on the inside, I similarly make quiet contact, and the pull the door shut until the latch clicks.

Regardless of what we think of the ability of the AS to absorb abuse, its not necessary and can be avoided.

This is the method we use; let the door contact the frame and then press with the palm of my hand. This takes very little effort.

m.hony · 07-20-2015, 03:56 PM

It might have already been mentioned, but...
To make the door easier to close:
When leveling the trailer, place your level on the door sill. This is how Jackson Center says to do it.

TopGeorge · 07-20-2015, 04:28 PM

you may also want to check the screen door every once in a while- just to be sure it isn't adding to your degree of difficulty in some form or fashion. Btw: We close my door by bringing it to (easily close to first click) then pushing (as stated) or firmly grasping/pulling handle to finish. Finally, my first post. Hello you beautiful people!

Gnorts · 07-20-2015, 04:29 PM

Our latch was quite misaligned. I spent some time understanding it and massaging it, and now it works much better. The large stud in the door frame that's grabbed by the jaws in the latch was way out of position. It can be loosened with a wrench and coaxed around quite a bit to get it to meet the center of the jaws.

Rjpuckett · 07-20-2015, 05:16 PM

I have the same problem with mine. Leveling properly does make a difference. At night from the inside I just give it a pull and hear a click then pull it once more for the final click. The click is louder when I open the door. Feel for any tents near me when I open the door early in the AM.

MelGoddard · 07-20-2015, 09:21 PM

Yah', it's new! So is my '' Cloud' and I have to slam the door; so what do you expect? A Cadillac?

cwf · 07-20-2015, 10:15 PM

I have to 'push' my door closed... or 'slam'... to compress the gasket around the door.

Of course it is a 1999... I replaced the door gasket and it really 'snugged' it up!

Ag&Au · 07-20-2015, 11:46 PM

I close the door with much less force than I would use on a car or truck door. If it catches, but doesn't fully latch, I simply press on the door edge where the latch is. It usually latches with a firm press. Once again, keep it lubricated.

Ken

Artvez · 07-21-2015, 02:42 AM

Ours is new and if you don't slam the door, it won't close even with the stabilizers up. If I just close it with my hand on the latch and put my weight on it, it will click but never latch completely. From the inside, slamming is the only option. I guess I will have the dealer look at that also.

ltorgy · 07-21-2015, 11:46 PM

Great ideas. Thanks. I will try to lubricate the latch mechanism and looks for loose screws in the hinges. That makes perfect sense. I should have my answer on these ideas in a day or two. We actually had to slam the door shut before we even bought the AS (no stabilizers down and empty tanks, etc.) Lyle

Ag&Au · 07-22-2015, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ltorgy

Great ideas. Thanks. I will try to lubricate the latch mechanism and looks for loose screws in the hinges. That makes perfect sense. I should have my answer on these ideas in a day or two. We actually had to slam the door shut before we even bought the AS (no stabilizers down and empty tanks, etc.) Lyle

If it's any help, mine got easier to close with age.

Ken

ltorgy · 07-23-2015, 03:13 PM

I just went out to our AS. I used dry lubricant on the latch and checked the hinge screws. There were tight. The latch worked well. The latch seemed properly aligned with the post. The stabilizers were up. The windows were open AND I still had a hard time closing the door.

I could use two hands to push on the door to close it from outside, but there is no way I can close the door from inside by just pulling on the handle without using the slamming technique. After watching the video from AS (on page 2 of this thread) I decided to let the dealer deal with this since it's a new AS and still under warranty. Thanks all for trying to help.

Lyle

Silver.Sanctuary · 07-26-2015, 01:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cyclist

This is the method we use; let the door contact the frame and then press with the palm of my hand. This takes very little effort.

How do you do that from the inside?

ROBERTSUNRUS · 07-26-2015, 02:18 PM

[QUOTE=Dan Rossbach;1658617]How do you do that from the inside?[/QUOTE]

Hi, that's the whole thing; They are relatively easy to close from the outside, but the real problem is closing your door from the inside. People have been known to break the inside door handle from pulling too hard on them.

cwf · 07-27-2015, 08:08 PM

Even on our 1999, it is hard to close with our new gasket.

To do this, from inside, I hold the inside handle as close as possible to the pivot point with my left hand. I then put my right hand on the screen door handle. Then with the door about 6 inches open, I pull 'snugly' on both doors. I release pressure just at the point I expect the door to fully seat.

You do NOT want to pull on the end of the outside door handle...that can break the handle...

With a little practice, yo will find you can put just enough pressure on the handles and 'speed' to achieve closure without 'slamming' the door.

Ted S. · 09-01-2015, 07:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jukeboxfun

Well ours did not close properly when we got it. Then the door latch post loosened on it's own. Before I used a crescent wrench to snug it up, I checked and adjusted the alignment. Works fine now.

Same here. You can actually move it around when it is loose to fine adjust it. Mine is perfect now.

robert claus · 09-01-2015, 07:07 PM

I have always had to close the door firmly from the inside. Usually takes two tries to get it closed. From the outside, it will close with a firm effort, but doesn't require a "slam". Lubricating the hinges, not the latch, made it easier to just swing closed.

amurfey · 09-01-2015, 07:20 PM

I had been having problems with my door not latching, and I came across this thread. I looked at my bubble level on the front of the trailer, and it showed the trailer to be not level. I adjusted the hitch jack until the bubble level was centered, and amazingly, the door now closes and latches easily as it should!

However, now my trailer appears to be tilting forward, even though the level indicates otherwise. If I drop a golf ball on the floor, it rolls all the way to the front. The trailer even looks like it is tilting forward. There are old jack stands placed under the back of the trailer near the rear bumper area that have been there for many years (docked at a campsite). Is there a proper way to check or adjust those?

thanks

AWCHIEF · 09-01-2015, 09:02 PM

Just got thru reading the section in Rich Luhr's new book, The (nearly) Complete Guide to Airstream Maintenance on door adjustment. Should be must reading for every Airstream owner new and old.

ltorgy · 09-02-2015, 10:16 PM

Hi Everyone. After trying all of the suggestions in this thread and no luck. Fortunately, my new AS was under warranty and we took it to the dealer. We got it back recently and everything is fixed (with the door). I can't see what they did, but it closes with one hand without slamming it. Same with closing it from the inside. I wish I knew what they did, but the girl that checked us out knew nothing more than what an AS looked like. Unfortunately, they didn't fix the curved door under the sinks (both kitchen and bathroom). The doors were loose at the hinges. I suspect it came this way from the factory, but didn't see it until a few camping trips. I guess those hinges don't screw in well on curved doors. Yes, it's better, but there is still some play. I know how to fix these myself, the right way so I didn't complain about the crappy job they did on the loose doors.

Thanks again everyone for the suggestions.