1973 Land Yacht screen door

[MT1973TW]

Screen door on 1973 Land Yacht needs hinges. Or alternatives we need a complete screen door. Current screen door is slightly sprung and does not allow the exterior door to shut properly. Where does a person find the right replacement parts?

[Bauxter]

My screen door had similar issues. I adjusted it using a small block of wood. I put the block between the door and frame on the hinge side and applied pressure, as if closing the door.
I also think there are some videos on You tube that address the issue.

mike

[Belegedhel]

Why do you say that you need new hinges?

The screen door hinges on my '73 are an integral part of the main door hinges, which are a major operation to remove, and if your main door is functioning properly, you don't want to futz with the hinges, as it will be a challenge getting your main door as well aligned as it is now.

If your screen door is just bent, then I would recommend exhausting every avenue to bend it back and realign it before trying to replace it.

good luck!

[Keysgirl4]

I have a 1971 Soverign, looking for a complete screen door. This is being refitted for a shop adjoining my Chocolate Shop so I need not have a original. Any thoughts of where I can find one.

[MT1973TW]

I'll try your suggestion. One of the previous owners repositioned the hinges (or maybe replaced them.) The screen door frame has small cracks below the hinges..and holes of previous hinge mounts.

[comprose]

Screen door on our 1999 Land Yacht doesn't latch securely, and also has some homemade fixes by a previous owner that are not good, so I'm curious as to how this thread plays out.

[dave43tex]

Here`s a video on how to properly adjust your door and screen door.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7-PprGeESE

He explains the main door first so be patient, he will get to your issue.
I learn how to do all kinds of things from Youtube. After reading my owners manual, sometimes i still don`t get a clear picture of how to do the proper procedures, so i then look it up on Youtube, there are videos on almost anything you can imagine.
I hope this helps

[TomKirk]

I've made modifications to my screen door as well.

[TomKirk]

Originally Posted by TomKirk

I've made modifications to my screen door as well.

I seem to have "timed out" on my above post before I could get my body of writing completed.

Here's an explanation for the above photos. I hope it makes sense.

1) 1" X 5.75" X 1/8" aluminum angle; riveted (1/8" short) horizontally to entrance door. Screen door can thus "rest" on entrance door.

2) 1.25" X 8" X 0.0030" aluminum sheet; long double row of rivets (1/8" short); reinforces top and bottom hinges; screen door has stress cracks; rivets are worn and rivet holes have "wallered out."

Carefully note rivet positioning (see photos):

a) Some rivets go from out to in; due to hollow screen door frame, no access for reinforcing washers. Hinge rivets go from out to in and the outer row has reinforcing washers. Rivet and washer clearance to door frame is about 1/8" (plenty good, IMHO).

b) Other rivets go from in to out; rivet heads must face entrance door frame due to limited clearance; reinforcing washers used for added strength; rivet and washer clearance to entrance door weatherstrip is about 1/8" (plenty good, IMHO).

3) 1/2" X 6" X 1/8" aluminum angle (beveled edges); installed vertically (1/8" short rivets) on inner side of screen door (lock side); installed because of stress cracking and screen door buckling.

I hopes this helps.

Tom

[Belegedhel]

Originally Posted by MT1973TW

I'll try your suggestion. One of the previous owners repositioned the hinges (or maybe replaced them.) The screen door frame has small cracks below the hinges..and holes of previous hinge mounts.

Post some pics of what you have. Its always a mystery when a PO gets creative.

[Belegedhel]

Well, this thread has inspired me to tackle the screen door on my '73. The screen door seemed bent and didn't close tight. It got in the way of the main door, and the extrusion was cracking around the rivet holes. I had reskinned my door and installed a new, modern latch assembly (not for the faint of heart), and had never reinstalled the screen door, as I wasn't much of a fan in the first place.

I pulled it out of the attic yesterday and had a good look at it. Turns out it wasn't as badly cracked as I had recalled. So I went about fitting it up for the reinstall and have found two interesting things. 1) although the door seems to be "square" when laid on a flat surface, when I fit it to the door frame, it appears to need a twist in order to make proper contact. 2) my new door handle on the main door is interfering with the screen door, so it will need modification/reinforcement.

So I cut and ground on the screen door so that the new door handle would fit. I then bought some "aluminum brazing rod" and brazed some reinforcement in place where I had removed material. I also brazed up the cracks in the frame and the old rivet holes, as they werre oversized. Will drill new ones when I reinstall.

I spent several hours trying to bend the door to fit in the frame properly. Still need a few more iterations before it will be just right, and the "twist" might have to be done with it on the hinges. It is much more of a hassle than the you-tube video would suggest, and I have a hard time seeing how this could be done (well) without taking the door off the hinges.

[Belegedhel]

So, quick update: The aluminum brazing rod is called "Alumaweld" or something like that, and I got it at Harbor Freight. It is technique sensitive, and the main challenge is getting the oxidation off the surfaces you mean to join, and not overheating the parts you mean to repair. My intitial efforts were pretty messy. You can use a propane torch (I did), but you run the risk of melting the thin extrusion while trying to get it hot enough for the rod to flow. I eventually succeeded in getting all my holes filled and rod to flow into my cracked frame. Might have been better if I had a torch with a more concentrated flame. I also lit the screen on fire and melted all the plastic bits on the door, but this was 40 year old screen anyway (though intact), and had the "old trailer stank," which was intensified as it burned.

Once the material is cooled, it is quite hard. The literature claims it is as hard as mild steel, and I might debate that, but it is harder than the aluminum screen door extrusion for sure.

I spent a few more hours this afternoon working on getting my screen door shaped. I finally realized that all of my jigs, clamps and strategic fiddling were for naught, and I resorted to beating the door with a good sized rubber mallet, with the help of some blocks to localize the effects. Surprisingly, I ended up with the door fitting pretty well, the brazing stayed put, and I didn't manage to break anything else.