Seriously Bent Door

[oledawg]

OK, door lock malfunctioned yesterday while at highway speed which allowed the suicide door to open and slam into the trailer...the top and bottom are now about two inches out from the opening. Any suggestions on this? I think that I have seen that it is repairable via removal and bending back on a form. Is this something that a good AS dealer should be able to handle?



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[AnnArborBob]

I think that you will need professional assistance with that repair. A good AS dealer should be just the ticket. But, if one is not available, don't overlook a good machine shop that works with aluminum such as one that does aircraft repair work.

[J. Morgan]

The repair method will depend on the nature and extent of the damage.

If possible I would try to fix the door in place rather than taking it off because it is easier to properly fit into the opening.

I don't know if your door frame is cast or if it is made of extruded material. This will make a big difference.

If extruded, I would expect that the door can be bent quite effectively in place.


1/2 Ton 4WD Truck, 72 Sovereign Hensley Arrow

[acstokes]

That happened to me once while on the road and not near an RV repair facility. In my case, I was able to put a 2"x 4" inside the bottom half of the door to hold it in place while I pushed in on the top half. After a few pushes the door gradually bent back in place. After almost two years, it's not evident that it ever happened and has never leaked.
My lesson besides learning how malleable the door is, was to always lock the deadbolt and not depend on the latch lock to keep it closed when traveling.
I think you should be able to bend it back into shape with the door still on.



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[silverbp]

The door opening in that Direction is a very poor design. Really surprised Airstream did not catch that. Newer models today are very different or mine is. If for some reason my door opens while underway the air flow will help keep door closed and issues like this just can't happen. As for repairs I have seen this happen on a friends non AS RV and while it was fixed and looks good its still not like it was. A local auto body shop fixed it. No leaks when it rains but you can still hear the wind at times. Good luck in your repairs.


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[acstokes]

The door opening in that Direction is a very poor design.

I agree, but I think the reason it opens the direction it does is so as not to interfere with the awning support on that end.

[silverbp]

I see what your talking about but still feel that with a little better Engineering that issue could have been avoided.


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[oledawg]

Actually interesting about the deadbolt...there isn't one on my '94. Just the key lock. I think that the wear on the bolt was enough that it didn't hold. It was still locked when it popped open. Would like to add a dead bolt and I did see on another thread where some folks use a piece of wood through the assist handle as extra security when traveling.

[Silver Otter]

Originally Posted by oledawg

Attachment 229345

OK, door lock malfunctioned yesterday while at highway speed which allowed the suicide door to open and slam into the trailer...the top and bottom are now about two inches out from the opening. Any suggestions on this? I think that I have seen that it is repairable via removal and bending back on a form. Is this something that a good AS dealer should be able to handle?



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You're close if you're home. Take it to Out of Doors Mart, just down the road toward Greensboro. They have taken care of our Excella very well.

[Foiled Again]

Dear Silver BP, only the FB's have forward hinged doors, all of the others have the hinges toward the rear - and are still "suicide doors". The design - either way - is to allow the door to open fully and not whack the awning support bar. Some of the ones which have a window directly behind the door - it's best to regard that window as "non operating" because if the door hits it with sufficient force, you've got 3 lbs of pebble glass all over the side of your Airstream (hopefully the screen keeps the glass from shattering into the Airstream).

Many do not have deadbolts, and frankly the best method of securing a suicide door is a wedge through the outside stair assist handle across the edge of the door. I've seen some people use a rubber wedge shaped door stop for the purpose. Either one is normally secured to a rope or bungee that is tied to the assist handle. The wood one is designed to be put in sideways, then turned up on end to wedge it's notch securely behind the handle.

Here's a link:

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f453...tch-84326.html

You'll note this variation fits at the bottom of the handle... which could rattle loose. I'd make one to fit very close to the middle, so that it couldn't fall out.

Here's another link - see page 18 - plus there's some info about straightening the door too

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f381...e-43436-2.html

[oledawg]

Excellent info. Thanks!


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[oledawg]

Update: Airstream dealer says they don't straighten doors that are sprung this badly, they replace the whole thing: door, frame, and locks. Working with my insurance company using my comprehensive, we shall what they are willing to cover. It is not cheap, in the area of $2,500.


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[ALUMINUMINUM]

Sorry about your door.

I know how sickening it feels. Such a hassle, and so avoidable.

Afterward, I made my "ounce of prevention"

The good news... There's peace knowing that it will never happen again.

Happy Trails...

[BigAl]

You can fix the door yourself. I did. Same year trailer and same damage. If you drill out all the rivets that secure the inner skin of the door it will be quite easy to bend the frame of the door back into shape. I made a template out of a piece of wood that had the curve of the sidewall. Then I clamped it on the inner side of the door to hold it in shape while I installed new rivets.
Rather than make new rivet holes for 1/8 rivets like the original I just redrilled the old holes for 3/16th rivets.
If I remember correctly I made the curve in the piece of wood a little more than the curve of the sidewall so that when the door springs back with removing the clamps it would be right.
Al

[dbj216]

I also forgot the deadbolt and bent my door on the 86 in the same manner. It was out about an inch mainly on the bottom. My local dealer bent it back for $100. BigAl and others have it right. You will need to remove the inner door skins which will "weaken" the door a lot. Then make a 2x6 template from the door opening and then heave ho, both top and bottom, mostly away from the hinged end. Your door can be repaired.

There is an Airsteam You Tube showing how sprung doors are repaired. Maybe I can find it again. it was attached to a thread here in Air Forums.

David

[Florida 55]

Call the factory repair center and send them a picture of the damage. They'll give you a rough estimate. At least you'll have something to compare to the dealer estimate. It might help with the insurance negotiating also. Jackson Center can add the deadbolt easily when doing the repair. No obligation for an estimate. I suspect they've done many of these repairs.

If you go to Jackson a Center for the repair, and don't stay in your trailer at the terraport, Airstream has a special rate at a motel in nearby Sydney (Hampton Inn I believe). If the repair takes a couple of days there are some interesting places to see in the region including the Air Force flight museum in Dayton.


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[dbj216]

Okay, you have probably found this video already. It does help explain how to repair a bent door.

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f453...ly-123413.html

Your door can be repaired.

David