Entry door problems

[reece1107]

Just bought a '72 31ft. sovereign. The door is not straight. It is leaning away at the top and pinched at the bottom. Is this a simple replace the hinge pin and it will be straight again or maybe more work? It dosn't look like the hinge piece on the trailer has moved nor on the door. Also have any of you replaced the handle, lock with one of the after market ones? I understand that you have to maybe add some extra aluminum to fill the hole? I just don't want to pay $500 to get one from airstream. Thanks!

[overlander63]

First, the door handle is NLA (no longer available) from the factory, at any price, so hopefully you can fix your door handle.
Second, we had an issue with a previous coach we had, the door was bent outward at the top because the PO had left their spare key inside, and the door was locked, and they had lost the original key. If it looks like it is not an adjustment, and it probably isn't, that may have been what happened to yours. If that is the case, you may have to gently push the top of the door back in, using a small block of wood to block the bottom of the door out. Go easy on it, if you crack the doorframe, you will need a new door, and they aren't cheap, either.

[overlander64]

Greetings reece1107!

Welcome to the Forums and the world of Vintage Airstream ownership!

Originally Posted by reece1107

Just bought a '72 31ft. sovereign. The door is not straight. It is leaning away at the top and pinched at the bottom. Is this a simple replace the hinge pin and it will be straight again or maybe more work? It dosn't look like the hinge piece on the trailer has moved nor on the door. Also have any of you replaced the handle, lock with one of the after market ones? I understand that you have to maybe add some extra aluminum to fill the hole? I just don't want to pay $500 to get one from airstream. Thanks!

What you are describing sounds like classic symptoms of a door that has either blown open while in-transit or was caught by a strong gust of wind while camped and blown forcefully against the side of the coach. Both my Overlander and Minuet had this type of experience at some point during their life that resulted in a "sprung door" -- it is repairable and my regular Airstream dealer (Ace Fogdall RV in Cedar Falls, IA) handled the repair on both coaches. I know of do-it-yourselfers who have handled the repair, but I chose to have professionals handle the repair as it is one that can rather easily be overdone resulting in much more costly repairs.

I can't help you with the lock situation as my Minuet has required very minimal repairs to its door lock mechanism.

Good luck with solving your door dilemma!

Kevin

[reece1107]

However I'm not sure that we are talking about the same thing. It is side to side in the gaps at top and bottom. It is not as if someone tried to pry it open from the top, but at the top it is leaning to the right kinda as if someone had pried between the hinge. It fits in the opening of the curve of the body. It's just leaning to the right. I can actually push it back into place and then it will fit just fine, and when I push it, it goes back to how it's supposed to be. I was just wondering if the hinge pin is worn. I wouldn't think you could wear one out so that's why I was asking.

[Rog0525]

That's why replacement pins are available at Inland RV and maybe elsewhere. If it were me in your predicament, I'd try making a new hinge pin from an equivalent diameter of drill rod from your local hardware to see if that corrects the problem.