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moparjohn · 12-15-2010, 09:42 PM

The screen door on my TW does not seem to fully catch when closed and opens with the slightest touch. What should i look for? MPJ

**azflycaster** · 12-15-2010, 09:56 PM

See if one of the hinges is hitting the door frame before the screen door is closed. My bottom hinge was doing that and was causing the screen door to flex. Because of that I developed a crack in the door along the rivets where the hinge was attached.

I had the door welded and I formed the hinge and now everything is fine.

moparjohn · 12-16-2010, 11:52 AM

OK, the door itself is fine, straight, good hinges, attaches to the main door correctly. The spring loaded clasp, (same as the outer door, like the clasp that holds the door open to the trailer body) will not grab the white plastic that is riveted to the door to catch it. I assume that the white plastic piece might be worn down, or installed incorrectly. Can anyone confirm that a 73ish screen door should close and catch firmly? I can get pics 2morrow if necessary. MPJ

Rawfoodgirl3 · 12-16-2010, 03:59 PM

Hi Moparjohn,

One of the PO's put an extra latch on our '73 Safari to keep the screen door closed.

Ellen

Chuck · 12-16-2010, 05:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moparjohn

OK, the door itself is fine, straight, good hinges, attaches to the main door correctly. The spring loaded clasp, (same as the outer door, like the clasp that holds the door open to the trailer body) will not grab the white plastic that is riveted to the door to catch it. I assume that the white plastic piece might be worn down, or installed incorrectly. Can anyone confirm that a 73ish screen door should close and catch firmly? I can get pics 2morrow if necessary. MPJ

I don't have the thingy that holds the outer door to the trailer body on or anywhere near my screen door. The only thing securing the screen door is that white plastic thingy with the spring-loaded ball. I know I've seen a pic of it on some dealer's site...perhaps Inland RV?

It doesn't take too much pressure to open the door, but I wouldn't call it "the slightest touch". I mean...it doesn't fly open in a stiff breeze, or anything like that. But it is easy enough for a small child/toddler to push it open and fall out of the trailer. I have a deadbolt installed for the main door, and used that to "child proof" the screen door when Jr. was small.

edit: found it on ODM site: http://odmrv.com/catalog/index.php?m...7932b4159e0604

moparjohn · 12-16-2010, 06:06 PM

OK, we're getting somewhere, Chuck, on the body of the trailer there is a black, spring loaded clasp/catch that holds the door open, against the trailer body. The same clasp/catch is on the screen door to hold it shut. The pic on the OMD site has a white plastic roller, instead, but the pocket is the same I have in the doorframe. Maybe this is a miss-match on my trailer. I will get pics tomorrow. Thanks MPJ

moparjohn · 12-17-2010, 06:20 PM

here's some pics of my screen door latch, any insight on how to make it stay closed (or open with more effort) MPJ

wasagachris · 12-17-2010, 07:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moparjohn

here's some pics of my screen door latch, any insight on how to make it stay closed (or open with more effort) MPJ

John that's the same set up on my 73. So I would say you have the correct equipment installed. Looking at the gap between the screen door and the door frame it looks like your screen door may be out of alignment. Is the gap the same from side to side. Maybe you could adjust(bend) the screen door hinge so it was farther forward on the trailer and then more of the black catch would contact the white piece. My black part is broken so I have to install a new one. The replacement part is a different design and I will have to fabricate a mounting plate to attach the new part.

Chuck · 12-17-2010, 07:40 PM

I'd say that was someone's idea of a workaround for a broken original catch, using what was readily available. That hold-down latch couldn't be the right thing, because you can't actuate it properly from both sides of the door. (sides-"INside, and OUTside").
anyway, it isn't whats on my 73 screen door. mine has what I posted above. I'll see if I can get a pic of it tomorrow.

Ganglin · 12-17-2010, 09:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moparjohn

OK, we're getting somewhere, Chuck, on the body of the trailer there is a black, spring loaded clasp/catch that holds the door open, against the trailer body. The same clasp/catch is on the screen door to hold it shut. The pic on the OMD site has a white plastic roller, instead, but the pocket is the same I have in the doorframe. Maybe this is a miss-match on my trailer. I will get pics tomorrow. Thanks MPJ

That is the correct original latch for the screen door. The same is on our 71. The white door striker looks worn. Agree that the door appears bowed out at the latch area (or the entire door is bowed or the hinges are sprung). Also, you should have a foam gasket that runs the entire lip of the screen door to help keep insects out. I got that from Inland RV.

Here is the striker: Door Striker- White Plastic 201246 [201246] - $1.99 : Out-of-Doors Mart!, More Airstream Parts on-line than anyone!

Here you can see this original latch on a 73:
1973Safari1

Again - as late as 76:
Vintage Airstream - '76 Caravanner

Ganglin · 12-18-2010, 06:41 AM

On edit to the above - the second example should have been as late as 74:
1974Sovereign7

Which would correspond with the use of the 71 thru 74 cabinet latch that incorporated the black spring loaded latch:

Cabinet Catch Assy 1971-74 Brown 201148-01 [201148-01] - $14.95 : Out-of-Doors Mart!, More Airstream Parts on-line than anyone!

TG Twinkie · 12-18-2010, 08:15 AM

On my "74 there is a block of aluminum behind the lower hinge. Which means I have to push on the door to close it. Over the years it has cracked the edge of the door frame from the constant deflection. I made some repairs to the door edge and the latch works. But my question is. Is this block (about 1 1/2" square by 3/8" thick) part of the original equipment?

Aage · 12-18-2010, 10:09 AM

Do you have a photo of it, TG?

TG Twinkie · 12-18-2010, 12:11 PM

Just ran out and shot it. It's on the upper hinge not the lower. Also added what I've done to keep the door from coming open on the road.

Aage · 12-18-2010, 08:23 PM

I see what you mean, that piece is guaranteed to cause problems with the door. I can't imagine that it's original equipment.

It looks like it's supposed to hold down something on the the side of the frame, but I can't imagine what that might be. This is where you need your x-ray vision, TG.

ps: when you want to get clear close-ups, use the "macro" function on your camera. It's almost always the feature that has a little flower as its symbol. Much clearer results.

RichHog · 12-18-2010, 09:42 PM

I bought a new latch assembly from Out of Doors mart for my TW. The PO had a hook and eye ring. The roller latch was much better.

wasagachris · 12-19-2010, 10:55 AM

John It appears that you and I and a few others have had a mod done to our trailers by a/s dealers many years ago. Chuck is right this is not the right set up. The striker plate we have and the same one that Ganglin shows a link to at OODM is the correct part. However the black catch is not. OODM's site lists a different type of catch being the correct one. It is a roller catch.
This is the link to the striker plate and it explains the right catch and shows the wrong one(what we have).
Door Striker- White Plastic 201246 [201246] - $1.99 : Out-of-Doors Mart!, More Airstream Parts on-line than anyone!
This is the link to the catch. The roller type.
Screen Door Catch Single Roller 380329 [380329] - $10.95 : Out-of-Doors Mart!, More Airstream Parts on-line than anyone!
I am having the same trouble as you. Yesterday I installed the same catch you have and with the new screen door gasket it just won't hold at all. I am going to see about ordering the right parts from my prefered source: Inland RV in California. The links I provided show the parts in question from OODM but I prefer to order from INLAND RV.

Chuck · 12-19-2010, 11:53 AM

Ok, here it is:

a thought: the build date on my trailer is 6/72...fairly early in the production run, I would think. Maybe at some point they ran out of this part, and a clever work-around was concocted. You're not going to hold up production of a 50,000 dollar trailer (today's $) for the sake of a .39-cent part, right?

Then again...in these pics, you can see a little hole to the right of the roller-catch. why is that there? It doesn't go through to the other side. (that rail is hollow). maybe what I have is the work-around?
Kind of doubt it; it really doesn't look like the black hold-back latch was meant to mate to that white striker. maybe something else was once riveted there? its about the right size for a 1/8th pop rivet.

I bet one of the old-timers at the factory could tell you...and thats probably the only way to know, for sure.

TG Twinkie · 12-19-2010, 01:46 PM

I think the original latch is like the one on the exterior door, just below and to the left. It's the same as the one on the screen door of my '74 Argosy. Thus the 2nd hole.

Ganglin · 12-19-2010, 08:55 PM

I believe the black latch is the original (that's why you have the two holes). ODM shows the roller latch since you can't buy the black one any longer, as an individual piece, and the roller is shown as the replacement for the black. The roller latch likely came into play when they changed out the cabinet latches which before 74/75 also used the black latch on the inside of the cabinets.

If you have the black latch and white striker plate - the door isn't sprung and you use the proper open cell foam gasket, it works perfectly. At least it does on my 71.

(you can still get the black latch if you order the entire pre 74/75 cabinet latch assembly from ODM or Inland).