Ever since I acquired "Marvin", the entry door has not closed the way I thought it should. It requires a fairly firm pull from the inside or push from the outside for it to latch completely. By completely I mean where there is no free play and the dead bolt easily slides into the hole in the door frame.
I don't believe I have a vertical alignment problem from door sag due to the hinge support, but have attached pictures showing the alignment of the original graphics, and the main door hinge.
I do have a question about the latches themselves. The main one is pictured, along with the peg it grabs to achieve closure. But I also have a lower peg, and on the door there is another opening in the frame also pictured, but with nothing in it to grab that lower peg.
Am I missing some part of the latch mechanism? -- that maybe fell down inside the door or something?
I have tried various adjustments of that top peg to make the door close a bit easier ( I mean latch, easier) -- but there is only a up & down movement available, not any in or out adjustment.
Any thoughts or direct experience with this door situation. I just think it should be a smoother operation -- not having to practically slam it to get it to latch.
Be careful out there,
Michael
Have you lost the hinge spacers as there looks like a couple of gaps in the piano hinge and although I have a different set up I read that there should be a plastic insert in those spots. It looks like it is aligned right though. Was that other one for an inside screen door?? Just thinking aloud
John h
We have the same issue. I suspect that some previous owner replaced the door seal with an SOB version. I keep meaning to order a correct one. The door seal extrudes at the bottom of the door.
Craig
Michael,
The hinges on my coach are different but I have the same latch and strike (or peg). I've adjusted it a number of times usually due to sag. My strike has a captivated floating nut plate behind the frame that allows adjustment up and down, as well as in and out. I had a similar problem getting the deadbolt to operate freely even though the door seemed to be sucked in enough. I finally moved the striker plate on the deadbolt and it's been great ever since. BTW, mine doesn't have the lower alignment receiver and strike - that looks like it's supposed to carry vertical loads as the coach flexes going down the road (or into driveways as the case maybe).
Michael, our door has the same bolt and mechanism as yours. It was getting harder to close each year and required slamming it harder and harder. About a month ago I posted that I moved the latch bolt (for lack of a better description) until it was located where the paint indicated original position. The door now closed quietly and easily. Locking and unlocking with the key from the outside is silky smooth now.
Lube the latch mechanism and keep trying different locations until the door closes securely and easily.
Howdy Michael, This link may help: foretravel_motorhome_sagging_door_repair (http://beamalarm.com/Documents/sagging-door-repair.html)
Good Luck, Dave A
Michael ,
I can see in the picture that you are missing the height controll spacer.
Without it you will wear out the hinge and the latch.
You can make them ( should be two, top and bottom)out of Pex water pipe.
Hold the door up and cut the pipe a little long, the file off just enough so it will just fit into the hinge. Split it with a box cutter and work it over the hinge pin.
The latch won't have to lift the door when you close it saving wear on the latch and the door will close easy.
Thanks for the tips -- I'll make up two of those plastic spacers.
I'm still really curious about that lower post, and the door frame U-shaped opening that allows for it to enter it -- but no visible means of a positive location on the post.
The bottom post with a roller on the door frame and the U-shaped door slot is not a lock or latch, just a vertical door alignment aid.
And for sure the plastic inserts just mentioned will solve your problem.