Another sprung door - Page 3

NorCal Bambi · 10-12-2006, 10:12 PM

Lets see is door work "WORK". Besides locking both locks on our door before we move the trailer I also tie the door with a piece of rope. I hope that sayes it.
Don

Safari Tim · 10-12-2006, 10:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Inland RV Center, In

Realigning a bent door, is easy. There are many ways to do it.

Andy

I'm curious what the many ways are...

LI Pets · 10-13-2006, 02:23 PM

I lined up a 2x6 scribed it and used a saws all to cut it.

You can make it full length, mine was ok near the top so I used a shorter piece of wood.

LI Pets · 10-13-2006, 02:29 PM

Please realize these pic are after the work was done.

I removed both skins placed the door face down with a jig on each side (only one is in pic.

Using the rivet holes from the outer skin I used wood screws to force the frame into the form.

It didn't take a lot of force there are holes every 6 inches or so.

Now that the frame conforms to the jig I replace the inside skin.

But I leave the frame screwed into the jig until the whole inner skin is secure.
I used the old holes. and added 6 new rivets on each side to lock the frame in this shape.

LI Pets · 10-13-2006, 02:34 PM

Remove jig, flip it over the door now has its corrected shape.

Use the other half of the jig just to keep everything stable, it is not attached, it is just cradled in it for support until the outside skin is put back in place.

It took me about 3 1/2 hours start to finish.

It fit perfect.

sharbours · 06-27-2008, 10:41 AM

This is more of an emergency repair method, but it will correct a 1/2" or so of spring in the door, and can be done almost anywhere in an hour or so. I used this on my 75 Argosy when the deadbolt failed, and the door blew open twice at 60MPH before we realized the deadbolt was the problem, and not my faulty memory. :-)

Buy 3 large ratcheting nylon straps, long enough to go completely around the door vertically, top to bottom. Slowly tighten the straps, being careful to tighten them as evenly as possible. This will take some effort. Eyeball it carefully. When you feel it has corrected some of the "sprung", release everything carefully, and test the fit. The door will relax some after you loosen the ratchets, but it should be a closer fit every time you test it. Repeat until it fits, or you're too nervous to proceed. About half the rivets on the inside panel of my door had weakened during the original event, so this rebending process finished most of them off. Replace any needed rivets. Using this method I was able to correct a 5" gap at the top to a 1/2" gap, which will suffice until I can take it apart and fix it correctly.