Screen Door Repair

[JimGolden]

Howdy Gang!

Seems my four year old son decided to swing out on the screen door and he bent the hinge mount thingies such that the front of the door (opposite the hinges) is hanging lower than the aft edge of the door (side the hinges are on...my door opens toward the rear of the coach).

How do I fix this? I thought that I'd simply push the forward long edge of the door up, thus bending it back into place. But that doesn't seem to work.

Any guidance on getting my door alignment back into whack would be appreciated. As it is, I have to purposely lift up on the door when I close it, and it will pop open at the least little provocation (like the terrier bumps his head against it).

Please help!!!!!!!!


thanks,

[Minno]

Take the screen door off, hang it upside down, and then let your four year old swing on the door again....

Seriously, exactly what's bent? The door frame or the hinge tabs? If it's the hinge or hinge tabs, then I think the best bet would be to remove the door from the hinge tabs, straighten them out, and then re-hang the door. Removing the door will let you work on the hinge tabs without the spring action of the door giving you resistance. Just be careful, and don’t over bend the hinges. A small bottle jack pushing up on the bottom of the hinge with a board might be the pressure you need to put it where it belongs again.

And no, I don’t know if they are really called hinge tabs. But it sounded good. Maybe hinge tab thingies?

Good luck!

Chris

[Aage]

Keep in mind that, if your screen door is made like mine, it is held on by 6 "bucked" rivets, and 6 pop rivets. The pop rivets are easy to do, using a regular pop rivet gun (with aluminum rivets, of course) however the bucked rivets require a rivet gun and a helper who works the other side, holding the bucking bar.

I agree though that removing the door is the best way to repair your problem. However, there may still be a way to bend it back, I would think...?

[Dakota's Dad]

I was able to repair mine, and remount it using all pulled rivets. I have some of the big head rivets I bought for belly pan and stuff, but found they worked good on the screen door. I did have to modify the rivets before popping them, as they were "long" I just disassembled them, then ground the "body" down until they were of short enough length to seat inside the door frame, (for those 6) then just a little shorter for the other six, they protrude, but not enough to touch the door frame. I have to admit after scrubbing the door with a scratch pad and all new screens, and remounting with tight rivets, it's very nice. I did not need to bend mine though.. but I think it will depend on if it's the door itself, or the hinges, that are/is bent.

I find on these kind of questions, a picture or two certainly helps..