How to shim or adjust shower door, 2010 25'er

[brad1]

The shower door on our 2010 Eddie Bauer began to bind after a year of use. We took it to the local dealer who said they put a shim in it to lift it very slightly. They billed Airstream for the warranty repair and the door swung freely again. This summer several miles of washboard gravel caused the problem to reappear. When you open the door, it binds on the track below it. On examining the door I'm at a loss as to how you'd "shim" the door, or otherwise adjust it.

I can lift the door and make it slide up a quarter inch on it's hinges--which would fix the problem--, but I can't see how I can shim the thing or otherwise hold it in place.

Three square hole screws hold the hinge assembly to the fiberglass shower surround. These don't seem to relate to the problem. Tight or loose, I can still lift the door on it's hinge a quarter inch.

There are phillips head screws at the corners of the shower door, but these seem to hold the frame together. They don't seem to have anything to do with positioning re the hinge.

Any ideas anyone?

[murreywalker]

If you could take and post pictures perhaps someone has had the same issue.

I had a 23 FB that had the shower door rubbing the sweep. And the door was raised with tiny shims which were actually washers that were installed at the top of the door's hinge.

It could be that your shower enclosures was the same.

Try to post a picture or two of the top of the shower door's hinge.

[Hermes]

This is my first post as a newbie after 2 years of attending "Airstream University" (a.k.a AIRForums) in preparation for our retirement. Just purchased a beautiful 2016 International Signature from a very gracious couple in New England and we imported the unit into Canada.

I would like to thank all those who have posted in the AIRForums over all these months, you have been invaluable, not only on the technical front but also as a community. My wife and I are looking forward to meeting you all across the continent. And if there any classical choir singers among you, it would be great!

As a first post, I thought that I would suggest a solution to a problem many seem to experience with their shower door bottom rubbing when opening or closing.

There have been solutions proposed, including one from Airstream which is a kit where a plastic shim is installed (glued or screwed) under left bottom of the door. The door is thus no longer supported by its hinge; it rubs on the shim that supports it.

In my humble view, this is addressing the symptom not the problem. The reason the door is dragging (at least it was in my unit) is that the aluminum door frame is no longer solidly fixed to the wooden (3/4" laminated plywood) structure to which the door frame was attached when the unit was built. In my unit, there was a 1/4" displacement (blue arrow in the picture). But if you pressed the aluminum frame against its wooden structure, the door bottom no longer dragged!

The solution was to drill, at an angle (see picture) the aluminum frame (1/2" from the top) and 2" into the laminated plywood, and screw in a 3" wood screw covered with polyurethane construction adhesive. This lubricates the screw as it bores into the plywood and when hardened, will bond and make sure the screw stays in place.

The angle of entry of the 3" screw gives is further strength. When screwing the 3" screw, it solidly positioned the aluminum frame in its place, thereby raising the bottom right corner of the door, resulting in an even 1/4" clearance from left to right. And the door is now rock solid.

[Ray Eklund]

brad1... I have not tried Hermes technique. The hard part is coming up with the solution. For a FIRST POST... great explanation.

Our 2014 25 foot International had the same issue. The door pivot at the bottom of the door is the source of the problem. It is white, very small and had a small screw attached to the piece found laying on the shower floor.

At one time, I used a furniture leg nylon with the tack end, trimmed the tack to fit. You cannot push the door up high enough to use the entire tack. When you see one in your hand, you will understand. Once I was able to angle the nylon and tack end under the door hinge... I applied weight to the top and it worked. Takes two people. Someone to lever the door UP, and the other to work the nylon and tack end at the hinge.

Several years later, the door would catch the aluminum at the door opening, barely... but developed solution number TWO.

Back to the drawing board. We travel a lot of gravel / unimproved forest roads. This second time, an adhesive pad that you would put onto the leg of a chair was used. It adhered very well to the nylon from the previous... repair. The adhesive felt pad actually works. They come in packs of twenty or more. A lifetime supply, if needed.

Then for the source of the problem.

This heavy glass door bounces up and down on uneven roads. I took a piece of right angle metal that holds seats to a chair. It already has a screw hole drilled at one end. I lined it up with the top hinge, drilled a small starter hole for screw to attach the bracket to the door frame. Not to the door.

The door will pivot under this metal bracket. Use whatever width you find to secure the door.

This secures the door from 'bouncing' up and down while traveling. THAT is the source of trouble. The nylon at the bottom breaks off and now the door will not clear the frame.

Now, with an inexpensive felt adhesive about the size of a Canadian dime, gave the door the bottom clearance. The bracket keeps it from bouncing up and down. If the felt eventually comes off, slide another into it.

Getting the bottom UP high enough to get the adhesive pad slid in is the hard part. It is not hinged symmetrical, but off center. The felt will rotate with the door opening. It is easier seen while tinkering with it. Inexpensive and by securing the top... you are good to go.

Anyone who has not had the bottom nylon break off... yet. Secure the top of the door with the bracket. Now it cannot bounce up and down, causing the bottom hinges to break off.

It will take you less time to do this than it took me to describe it! After the first or second time... it is less expensive that replacing the door hinge, or door.

brad1 may have an improved method. Possibly each shower door mounts differently. Mine hinges on your right.

[Rltports]

Originally Posted by Ray Eklund

brad1... I have not tried Hermes technique. The hard part is coming up with the solution. For a FIRST POST... great explanation.

Our 2014 25 foot International had the same issue. The door pivot at the bottom of the door is the source of the problem. It is white, very small and had a small screw attached to the piece found laying on the shower floor.

At one time, I used a furniture leg nylon with the tack end, trimmed the tack to fit. You cannot push the door up high enough to use the entire tack. When you see one in your hand, you will understand. Once I was able to angle the nylon and tack end under the door hinge... I applied weight to the top and it worked. Takes two people. Someone to lever the door UP, and the other to work the nylon and tack end at the hinge.

Several years later, the door would catch the aluminum at the door opening, barely... but developed solution number TWO.

Back to the drawing board. We travel a lot of gravel / unimproved forest roads. This second time, an adhesive pad that you would put onto the leg of a chair was used. It adhered very well to the nylon from the previous... repair. The adhesive felt pad actually works. They come in packs of twenty or more. A lifetime supply, if needed.

Then for the source of the problem.

This heavy glass door bounces up and down on uneven roads. I took a piece of right angle metal that holds seats to a chair. It already has a screw hole drilled at one end. I lined it up with the top hinge, drilled a small starter hole for screw to attach the bracket to the door frame. Not to the door.

The door will pivot under this metal bracket. Use whatever width you find to secure the door.

This secures the door from 'bouncing' up and down while traveling. THAT is the source of trouble. The nylon at the bottom breaks off and now the door will not clear the frame.

Now, with an inexpensive felt adhesive about the size of a Canadian dime, gave the door the bottom clearance. The bracket keeps it from bouncing up and down. If the felt eventually comes off, slide another into it.

Getting the bottom UP high enough to get the adhesive pad slid in is the hard part. It is not hinged symmetrical, but off center. The felt will rotate with the door opening. It is easier seen while tinkering with it. Inexpensive and by securing the top... you are good to go.

Anyone who has not had the bottom nylon break off... yet. Secure the top of the door with the bracket. Now it cannot bounce up and down, causing the bottom hinges to break off.

It will take you less time to do this than it took me to describe it! After the first or second time... it is less expensive that replacing the door hinge, or door.

brad1 may have an improved method. Possibly each shower door mounts differently. Mine hinges on your right.

Some pictures would help alot

[Wayne&Sam]

Here's how I did it. I used a piece of plastic cutting board.

[tbrowne]

Rltports: A picture would really help understand what you're describing above. I can't quite visualize how your method works without the pic.