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Old 10-11-2006, 01:29 AM   #21
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I just want to thank all who have chimed in so far.

I figured there was a simple solution to this all too common problem.

It looks to be as much of an art as it is a science. Also my ability comes into play here as well not having metal/body experience etc...

Keep the ideas coming. I'm sure it will help the next guy as well.
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Old 10-11-2006, 05:14 PM   #22
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Entrance door repair

Quote:
Originally Posted by Safari Tim
I just want to thank all who have chimed in so far.

I figured there was a simple solution to this all too common problem.

It looks to be as much of an art as it is a science. Also my ability comes into play here as well not having metal/body experience etc...

Keep the ideas coming. I'm sure it will help the next guy as well.

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

The failure of keeping the door in it's repaired shape, is another story.

DO NOT use the original rivet holes. Drill new holes which will keep the door in it's new alignment, and use many of them. After you reinstall the door and see that it will hold it's shape, then install rivets in the old holes to hide them.

At that point, you can comfortably install a new gasket on the door.

I have used that method for 40 years, and it has yet not to work perfectly every time, on entrance doors that used extrusions for the frame.

The above method of repair however, "will not" work on a cast frame entrance door. That is an entirely different project.

Andy
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Old 10-11-2006, 05:38 PM   #23
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I agree with Andy, I did add new rivets to hold in place the reset skins about every 6" vertically.

Then put new rivets in the old holes.
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Old 10-11-2006, 06:03 PM   #24
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It sounds like you are talking about removing the outside skin?

If so, I'd need buck rivets and a bucking bar to reassemble.

I need a little more detail on the procedure.

Thanks!


Quote:
Originally Posted by Inland RV Center, In
Realigning a bent door, is easy. There are many ways to do it.

The failure of keeping the door in it's repaired shape, is another story.

DO NOT use the original rivet holes. Drill new holes which will keep the door in it's new alignment, and use many of them. After you reinstall the door and see that it will hold it's shape, then install rivets in the old holes to hide them.

At that point, you can comfortably install a new gasket on the door.

I have used that method for 40 years, and it has yet not to work perfectly every time, on entrance doors that used extrusions for the frame.

The above method of repair however, "will not" work on a cast frame entrance door. That is an entirely different project.

Andy
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Old 10-11-2006, 06:12 PM   #25
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Tim I took off both skins that's the only way your going to get the frame to flex into the jig with little force.

I used regular rivets on the interior and the olympic on the exterior.
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Old 10-12-2006, 10:54 AM   #26
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The thing to remember about metal and this type of repair is that the frame
needs to be bent back in shape of coures, but it will require the frame to be moved back farther than its original shape ,you must go a little further to
get the metal to take on the form you want to achieve as it will want to not
stay in the right shape ,since the slamming open streches the frame ,so it needs to stretch back the other way .So then when you force it in shape in the jigs you have to get the skins rerivited as has been said by Andy to hold
the shape ,it could be better to have the jig setup as to bend the door abit farther to get the door frame to return to its shape without it being held
by rivits ,the frame always under tension whereas the frame always wants to
straighten on its own ,I agree it does work ,The striking method for me did in fact move the frame back farther and the door frame stayed in place .
Its a matter of getting things setup right and while it seems brutal in nature
I did have to place the blocks in certain locations and raise the door end ,
move things around to provide the right support under the door where the strikes were to occurr,the photo is simplistic in nature and does not reflect
the process it does take ,just to get the idea across .but if you don't get the frame to move back past its original position some ,it won't stay and it will
spring back .It is a tough repair to do ,it has to be right .

Scott
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Old 10-12-2006, 11:09 AM   #27
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Scott, until I did mine I thought the same thing that it had to go beyond then come back.

What I found is that when the skins are re-attached, they locked the shape in on the jig.

New rivets---nothing moved at all!
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Old 10-12-2006, 11:16 AM   #28
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Oh ,ok ,I see the door skins were completely taken off the frame on both
sides ,so just the frame only is put in the jigs ,I thought it was just the inside skins were removed . I see more clearly what was done there .thats alot of
work to perform ,the jig would be the only way to do it then if thats the procedure or the frame would be very difficult to get right without it .

Scott
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Old 10-12-2006, 10:12 PM   #29
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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
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Old 10-12-2006, 10:23 PM   #30
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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...
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Old 10-13-2006, 02:23 PM   #31
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The Jig

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.
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Old 10-13-2006, 02:29 PM   #32
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Step 2

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.
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Old 10-13-2006, 02:34 PM   #33
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Thumbs up Last step

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.
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Old 06-27-2008, 10:41 AM   #34
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Sprung door quick fix

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.
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Old 11-20-2009, 03:29 PM   #35
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Hinge removal

So the door of my '59 Flying Cloud is a little tweaked and the rivets of the door skin are mostly all loose. To follow the process of straightening the door by re-riveting how does one go about removing the door from the hinges? Do the hinge pins come out on a '59? Do I drill out all the rivets from the hinges on the body or just the ones on the door? I probably will remove at least the bottom hinge from the body because it seems a little sloppy and I want to reinforce behind it. If I do remove the rivets from the body what is the best way to re-attach the hinges, rivets or stainless bolts?
Thanks,
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Old 02-07-2010, 10:47 AM   #36
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In the interest of tweaked doors, my '59 Caravanner will be going through this very soon. This is good reading and greater ideas, I wish the pics were still available for me to see.
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Old 01-09-2011, 08:12 PM   #37
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Rivet Repairing a misaligned door

I finally got around to fixing some door issues. The skin that the door hinges are attached to door flexed every time the door swung which caused the door to hit the jamb. Along with the wimpy one layer of skin I found that 3 of the holes on the lower hinge were joined by a crack rivets accentuating the flex.

After gathering tools and information, thanks to JC Ferguson, Andy, Aerowood, Wasagachris and others, I starting removing rivets. I had a piece of .040 Alclad from my eyebrow project and used that as a reinforcement backing plate. New AD rivets in the lower hinge and the door swung better but not perfect. I removed and replaced the upper hinge also and the door swings closed without banging the door jamb!
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Old 06-28-2011, 02:41 PM   #38
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andy i would love to hear your method on how to repair a sprung door that has a cast frame.
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Old 06-29-2011, 10:48 AM   #39
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Quote:
Originally Posted by manymemories View Post
andy i would love to hear your method on how to repair a sprung door that has a cast frame.
Is the cast frame cracked or bent?

Andy
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Old 06-29-2011, 01:06 PM   #40
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Hi There Andy too,

The cast frame of my 1968 GT door is cracked on both sides. Total of three cracks, above and below hinge, and at latch, all of which had been previously welded, but welds failed. This is how it was when I purchased it... Only the exterior skin is attached. The inner panel rivets have all failed. The outside rivets are all in place and appear firmly attached.
The door wags like a flopping fish. A good replacement door would be best, but I don't want to wait for one to surface, so I'll try to repair what I have.

Any suggestions beyond grind, jig and TIG???
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