Tambour Cabinet Doors

[Anoyes]

Hello all! I JUST purchased my first trailer, ever, and it’s a Sport 16’. I adore it and am having a ball “nesting” in it. I have two concerns thus far:

1) The tambour cupboard doors are VERY stiff and don’t want to go up all the way. They also won’t stay up. I understand there’s a point where they’re supposed to lock up, but I haven’t found that magic place yet.

Will these doors loosen up with use and become friendlier? I’m beginning to hate them....

2) Does anyone have any genius tips on how to get a fitted sheet on to the rear mattress easily? Or will changing the sheets always be a wrestling match?

Thanks!

[Peanut]

1 There is a little notch at the top of the door guides that will catch the door when pull forward once it’s at the top.

2. Yes it will always be a wrestling match that you will most often lose. We put a fitted mattress pad on then cover that with a quilted bed spread. When we sleep we just spread out flat sheets and a blanket. In the morning we stuff the sheets back in the hamper and fold the blanket the width of the bed and cover the white hamper lid with it.

[Iansk]

For the tambors, try a bit of powdered graphite in the tracks. A little goes a long way. Put a little in on both sides when the door is slid open as much as it will go (at the top of the track where the bottom of the door now is) and close the door. Reopen several times to spread the stuff around. Add a bit more as needed. You can also try squirting some in the tracks while the door is closed at the top and opening the doors to get it farther in. Can make a bit of a mess if you use too much, but a moist paper towel will wipe it up. That’s what I’ve done and it works well.
This is something you should have in your on board tool kit anyway for lubricating all your locks.

[waninae39]

Originally Posted by Iansk

For the tambors, try a bit of powdered graphite in the tracks. .

yes do this, its a dry powder. also used in speedo cable, door locks and old car antenna. it can get messy.

DO NOT use and wet or oil bused lube as they will all attract dirt and dust and gum up the track

[dbj216]

Hi Anoyes: Welcome to Airstream Forums. Congrats on your "first ever" trailer. Glad you decided on the Airstream.

My tambour doors on my 1975 Overlander are tough to operate too. Cleaning the tracks helped. Then I used a silicone spray lube on the tracks and worked the doors up and down, up and down. Sometimes I had to push them all the way up a bit, but not too much force. The silicone tends to dry pretty fast. Maybe I should have used the graphite, but I didn't think of it. My doors do work better now. I might mention the "stays" for my doors are a notch in the track. I have to put a little forward pressure on them in the up position to catch the notch. Maybe yours are the same.

The big bed in back is a bugger. You can be like me and just never make the thing. As mentioned, grab a blanket, quilt, sleeping bag, or whatever and crash. You will be tired after a day of hiking, biking, kayaking, sightseeing, or flag football. It's a whole lot better than the cold, wet ground. Maybe you can get real ambitious and change it once a year during spring cleaning.

Post a picture of your Sport when you get a chance.

David

[Piggy Bank]

Try using a double or queen fitted bottom sheet with elastic all the way around for deep mattresses, and then tuck the extra under by the walls. We cut up the factory bedspread and used as a mattress pad under the sheet, since it already followed the curve of the mattress. Seems to work fine. You could use an old comforter and do the same thing.

[BambiCamp]

Sport 16 bed is totally a challenge .... I lift the back of mattress up and lean against window - put Airstream fitted mattress pad (waterproof) or Airstream fitted bottom sheet over rounded corners and carefully slip mattress down into place ... then lift front of mattress up and doing a one handed balancing act slip mattress pad or bottom sheet over square corners and let mattress fall into place - this works about 60% of the time- do not use top sheet rather 2 twin washable blankets that store in pillow shams during the daytime. Protect bottom sheet from our dirty damp dog (a lab) with a dog blanket which is a extra large beach towel.

[Msherw]

Nice to hear others with the same obsessions. I think Airstream could have installed a better door than the tambour but then how would they get us to upgrade? LOL.

We leave those doors up and locked while on site. Down only for travel. The ones over the bed hold rarely used items. As stated, they are difficult at best to operate and nightmare if you have a stuck one. I like the powered graphite lube advice and will try it. The tambour doors were a necessity as they roll up at the top front and don’t overlap the back of the cabinet like a wood roll up desk would have done. I still think a swing out light weight door would have been better. But they didn’t call me and ask my opine.

The bed issue. I voted for sleeping bags but the wife said no. So she does the bed making. Our next AS will have walk around queen bed so I have been told. She uses a queen fitted sheet then top sheet then down comforter. Works for me.

[Johnnyooo]

The Tambor doors in my Bambi are also stiff going up...there is a notch at the top which will catch if it goes up enough ... of you look closely at the track you'll see the notch....They seem to be getting better with time ..I would use door and window glide which is a soft wax..I lift the back of the mattress first , attach the sheet, and then lay it flat and lift the front ....it's challenging but doable ....The Bambi is so easy to clean and take care of..Enjoy it..

[Msherw]

Just investigated the tambour roll up doors. The problems seems to be more with the roll up of door on backside than the track slide itself. It appears that the spool behind the door is actually rubbing on the remaining lift of the door. As you raise the door, the spool gets ‘fat’ and rubs on the backside of the door.

There appears no solution. You have to raise the door to finally reach the lock slot on the slide track. I must use two hands to force the door up to finally reach the lock on the slide.

Bad design. So as stated before, we leave the door in the up position while we camp. Not what we want to do but it beats the battle of the tambour over and over again.

[Boxite]

Graphite gets nasty over time. It is also hydroscopic... attracts moisture/humidity (of which there's plenty in an Airstream) and is no longer recommended for door locks. Dry lubricants work better.

Our tambour doors work better and better over time.

I've discovered a great way to make the bed also. Have a small, agile wife with a sense of humor and watch with a glass of wine.

[Msherw]

Blastercorp.com makes a great silicon spray with a long red tube for garage door rails. Does not attract dust or dirt. Clear. Better than graphite. Bought it at Tractor Supply.

Just tried it. 100% difference in the tambour door travel. Easy to lock into place. No drag. No use of two hands and a lift jack.
I now like our tambour doors.

[Iansk]

Originally Posted by Boxite

Graphite gets nasty over time. It is also hydroscopic... attracts moisture/humidity (of which there's plenty in an Airstream) and is no longer recommended for door locks. Dry lubricants work better.

Our tambour doors work better and better over time.

I've discovered a great way to make the bed also. Have a small, agile wife with a sense of humor and watch with a glass of wine.

To be clear, I was recommending a dry graphite lubricant in powdered form. The stuff I have is military grade and use it for repairing vintage aperture leaves on 100+ year old lenses. I have found it to be indispensable for locks, tracks etc...
Never have seen any moisture attracting issues for any applications I use it for.
I live a couple dozen miles from you...

Ian

[Msherw]

Originally Posted by Iansk

To be clear, I was recommending a dry graphite lubricant in powdered form. The stuff I have is military grade and use it for repairing vintage aperture leaves on 100+ year old lenses. I have found it to be indispensable for locks, tracks etc...
Never have seen any moisture attracting issues for any applications I use it for.
I live a couple dozen miles from you...

Ian

I mentioned the silicone spray since some owners may not know that the wrong graphite can cause issue. I know the product you use. Where do you live? Interesting.

[Iansk]

Originally Posted by Msherw

I mentioned the silicone spray since some owners may not know that the wrong graphite can cause issue. I know the product you use. Where do you live? Interesting.

I live in Sunset Valley, Austin is our biggest suburb.
A little farther to you than to Boxite in Spicewood, but I pass through both often.

If you are ever in town and want to swing by for a (beverage of choice...) and talk trailers, PM me. I've got a small quiver here and there is always some sort of trailer something happening.

Ian

[Msherw]

Thanks for the invite. Heading to east Texas next month (Rusk). Big Bend in April. Galveston in May if all works out.

[Iansk]

Originally Posted by Msherw

Thanks for the invite. Heading to east Texas next month (Rusk). Big Bend in April. Galveston in May if all works out.

Hey M!ke,

I was a bit off, I've never been to Forestburg that I know of... My mind saw Fredricksburg, just a wee bit different. Still, the invitation stands. Also have courtosy parking most of the time for a reasonable trailer length...

Ian

[Boxite]

Originally Posted by Iansk

....
I live a couple dozen miles from you...

Ian

Sorry for the short hi-jack... but you should join us at the Alamo Unit for 3rd weekend rallies! texasalamo.wbcci.net/

[Iansk]

Originally Posted by Boxite

Sorry for the short hi-jack... but you should join us at the Alamo Unit for 3rd weekend rallies! texasalamo.wbcci.net/

Thanks Boxite, I'll check it out. Though my Avion and Silver Streak are my only travelers right now... going full monty on my Sovereign. I'll PM you.

Now back to your regularly scheduled program of Tambour issues.

Ian