Door & Lock Adjustment Later Models

[Ray Eklund]

Our 2014 and current 2019 Airstream seem to have the same door hardware. Both seem to have similar aches and pains. For you, not the door. It has been too long ago with our 2006... but it may also be identical. Same techniques to keep working.

Philips Screwdriver. Mid sized needed. Light oil (whichever may be sitting on a shelf. Engine oil, 3 in one... WD 40 IF the hardware is rusty or you need to get further inside the working mechanism).

All these screws are inside or on the outside edge of the door. None are exposed on the outside for good reason... The rubber is a bit snug when NEW. As your Airstream wears out... or you do... it becomes easy open and close. I am beyond wearing out. I am a Neanderthal. Been around a long time.

The Front Door Plate:

Snug the three philips screws. Snug. (Not to strip the threads.) Light oil the moving parts. Too much is worse than too little. You can always add a drop or two. If the door was a bit tough to latch to the frame, you may need to loosen the three large screws holding the plate, align, snug them up and 'give the door a swift hard swing'. Open with the exterior latch. Does it open with a crisp snap? Try again. Like it? Snug them up. (If this is your first time, have someone inside if you really overdid the 'loosen the screws'. Loosen just enough to move the plate if needed. If the door has always been perfect, the oil will make it even better.

Having someone inside the trailer to operate the handle opening mechanism is advised. Beats climbing through an open window if you lock yourself out...

Some doors you need to press against the side of the door, pull the latch for the crisp snap... opening. If stubborn either way... now you have a bit of figuring out what has changes. These are simple... and OIL is often the missing ingredient.

Sliding Dead Bolt:

The sliding dead bolt has 2 screws. Snug them up. Wipe off the dead bolt and light oil. This should be snug, but easily lock and unlock.

Screen Door hardware:

Eight metal screws between the two screens. They back out after several trips. Align and snug them up. Done.

Edge of Door Plate Locking Assembly:

Large philip screws hold this together. If one or both are Loose... that is unusual. Mine have always been snug. If this comes apart... you cannot exit or enter as I know. Just snug them up... they should not move at all. Spray some WD40 into the assembly. Or oil. The door should close with a swift hard swing. Pull the outside door release and it should be a Crisp Release sound. You will know the difference. If you have to TUG at the lever... press the edge of the door edge and it should be a Crisp Release.

At least your Entry and Exit will be taken care of.... Not Yet.

Oil the door hinges:

From the top below the aluminum castings. Open the door about five or six inches. You should be able to grab the outside bottom door edge and LIFT UP. It should move up. If not, open or close the door so it does. Have someone add liberally an Oil (car oil I like) and move the door up and down so the oil runs down the 'hinge pin'. If the door squeaks... it needs this done. The squeak is friction and the pin is getting worn with grit and no lubrication.

Screen Door wearing into the Lower Door Frame? This will make it difficult to open and close the entire door. It is towards the side where it hinges. Look where the screen door frame meets the heavy aluminum frame. You see an edge cutting in... that needs to be fitted with sanding the screen door edge. Just another Thread is needed to explain...

After the door hinges are oiled... you will get excess black oil running out. Wipe it off. Add some more. Repeat the oiling process. Wipe off the excess ten minutes later. Maybe oil the screen door hinges too. It is messy. You will need paper towels. It will save you A LOT OF MONEY in the future.

Many complain about the door latching and not. This requires some dirty work and some snugging up hardware, if needed. If it were easy... you could find a chipmunk fix it for peanuts... Ha Ha... Oh well. You get the idea.

The End... if there ever was one. How did this work for you? I expect .

[GetawA-S]

All good, Ray, as usual.
But… you left of the simplest and most frequently required repair (on our aluminum cave, at least).
“It’s an Airstream. You gotta slam the door!” No, you don’t. Every so often the striker post on the door frame will loosen its grip by an eighth of a turn or so. You can feel the TINIEST bit of give, and the door won’t close tight for love or money. Use your Neanderthal fingers (no TOOLS required) to twist it home again and enjoy another slam free week or two.
Happy camping!

[Ray Eklund]

GetawA-S added that you HAVE TO SLAM the DOOR to close it properly. True and you can do it with a... SMILE.

Not a mild Wham. A moderate Bam will not do it.

Slam. The rubber gaskets need to seal the door when you are towing. This is also a good reason to 'Snug the Screws and Door Hardware'.

GetawA-S missed the next two issues to 'Slam the Door'... to close properly:

- You need to push to compress the rubber door gasket on the handle side of the door, BEFORE locking the Dead Bolt, without breaking your key. (Read about those owners who have broken the key and blame it on the Lock?)

- You are also advised to push against the door handle side to pull the door opening lever to enter. It opens easier. Otherwise you may look like you are breaking into someone's Airstream, fiddling around the door too long.

Any other good or not so good comments about the Hand Made Door that was pulled off a rack and suppose to fit... perfectly. ? We all learned the hard way. Some good threads about using lumber and a hammer to adjust the curve.

I avoided that. The screen door at the bottom frame was a bit over 1/4 inch off after they bent the hinges onto the door. I took a file to get it shaved down... which was taking too much time. I found my BELT SANDER and whipped the edge down to where my door closes and opens easily. The screen door cut an edge into the bottom flat edge, as described earlier... YOUR screen door MAY be the ONLY door closing improvement you may need to do.

If you see BLACK residue where the screen is hinged on the Aluminum Door... you might want to check the entire screen door edge and where this edge would contact the solid aluminum frame when the door is closed. If you do not care... when you top hinge comes loose and dangling in your Rear View side mirror... do not blame Airstream. Look in the mirror... and just take some time and check it out.

My Top Door Hinge came loose when opening it while at a Service Station. It seems to be a problem on Airstreams. Hopefully Jackson Center figures it out... It is a simple fix... if you have the tools to drill holes and have hardware in your shirt pocket...

[Ray Eklund]

The three photographs are where the bottom edge of the door contact the aluminum door frame.

By the way the door hinges, the groove is deeper closer to the right side where the door hinges. This could have also caused the premature door bolt failure on the top hinge.

As you can tell from the photograph of the lower section of the door, nothing looks different. I took off just enough so the door closed and did not have a bind at the bottom. This did not affect the rubber gasket sealing the lower door. Just avoid sanding the gasket... Even having something over the rubber door gasket to protect it, if you get wild with belt sander. Use a finer sand paper. Aluminum is easier to sand than iron or steel.

For the "Do it Yourselfers":

- Let the door close on its own and swing toward closing.

- My door would swing towards closing and the tension made it move away from the left side door frame. The tension at the bottom resisted closing and put the door in a bind.

- If you see this wear... it is an easy fix and your door will close without a bind. I was surprised to see the groove and it was the thin metal at the bottom of the door that was binding and cutting into the door frame.

It is easier to stand there and point it out. From looking at the photographs, you are now ready to go to work... if needed.

[Glen Carter]

I found that I needed to raise/realign my door hinges. Lots of things have been loose on my 2018 TB19CB.

It got to the point the door would only close if slammed hard while pushing at latch. Strike plate and latch pin didn't align properly, door too low.

I lifted the door (there is some up/down movement in hinge) and put a shim between lower door hinge and casting on frame, this held the door raised a bit. I then slightly loosened the two #3 Philips screws on upper hinge casting, then tapped the bottom of hinge casting with non marring hammer raising the hinge casting to touch the door portion of hinge. Then moved the bottom hinge, then repeat until in proper alignment. My door hinges on left, and I also needed to move the upper hinge towards the back and lower hinge towards the front. Then tightened the screws..... The door closes so easily, still needs a slight push for the seal thickness, but its great, no more slamming!

[Acheron2010]

as a newbie owner, i once got my azzz chewed by a campground manager for slamming my door. Ever since, been pulling or pushing closed gently....ymmv.

[NickWP]

Thanks for the checklist. On a related point, i noticed this peeling away from the top of my door. Top looking down picture attached. I would appreciate any thoughts on the repair. Is this Silkaflex 221? Thank you.

Nick

[Ray Eklund]

Glen Carter and Acheron... I did more hinge oiling to flush out any fine dust yesterday, black oil at the bottom of the hinges this AM. Door moves quietly and am doing the Gentle Closing and to secure... a light push.

My rubber gasket is the only compression needed. In the process of tweaking... I found that the CURVE of the bottom of the door is off at the bottom 5/16 inch. When I close the door with a gentle push to securely close... the top of the door is slightly inward and the lower door is out a little.

At least that way no water issues. I am not going to get into the door hinge adjustments as I am content things are sealed and no hinge SQUEAL when needing oiling.

I get some dust on the lower outside edge of the door frame with traveling off paved roads.

No water gets in which is more important.

ArstrmComTru... We find those odd spots where the fit is not flush with a gap in the caulking. We caulk with what we may have, but with a major sealing issue... the caulk I find on the roof sealing looks good, but applied without mercy. If you cannot see it, caulk it with what you have handy. Avoid getting any water running behind the aluminum skin.

We ran caulk around the tops of the trim around the mid section and the bottom as it had some spots that were not sealed well. Used Clear Silicone, but it will attract dust that will stick, but washes off when freshly done. This next trip I will see how the dust and silicone are getting... along.