Foretravel Owners' Forum

Foretravel Motorhome Forums => Foretravel Tech Talk => Topic started by: Frontier Camping on August 27, 2025, 01:33:58 pm

Title: Door Dead Bolt
Post by: Frontier Camping on August 27, 2025, 01:33:58 pm
Our deadbolt system started buzzing and doesn't work. Luckily it's in the unlock position since the manual handle inside doesn't have full throw. I need to take the door apart to get to the mechanism so the question is how do you remove the black pull handle that is used to close the door from the inside. I don't see any screws for attachment. I was hoping to pull the panel open enough to see if something is disconnected or jammed. Is it attached to the plywood panel from the inside?
Thanks...
Title: Re: Door Dead Bolt
Post by: oldguy on August 27, 2025, 03:12:39 pm
There is two Philip head screws on mine.
Title: Re: Door Dead Bolt
Post by: kevo0000 on August 27, 2025, 03:43:34 pm
There is two Philip head screws on mine.
I have 3 on my door, 1 is visible when you open the mosquito screen door and then you have to remove the 18inch long metal strip  6 screws and then once that is removed you can get at the other 2 that's if your door is the same as mine, when you say you have a buzzing noise, yours must be electric, mine isn't hope this helps
Title: Re: Door Dead Bolt
Post by: Rich Bowman on August 27, 2025, 03:55:38 pm
Reply #2 on this thread may help:  Entry door window & latch repair (https://www.foreforums.com/index.php?topic=24295.msg189796#msg189796)

A picture of your interior latch handle may help us answer your question.  Mine has 2 obvious screws.

Rich
Title: Re: Door Dead Bolt
Post by: Frontier Camping on August 27, 2025, 07:37:24 pm
I called Foretravel Technical Support and talked to Eddie who explained the the covers over the area where the attachment screws can be accessed by prying up from the bottom edge on both the left and right side. It worked!
Photos attached.
Thanks...
Tyson
Title: Re: Door Dead Bolt
Post by: Geodmann on August 27, 2025, 10:43:35 pm
I'm curious; my door has a very different handle.  It's metal and chrome and fixed and not hinged like the one shown.  I wonder if someone replaced it in the past.  The metal handle has a propensity to break the sliding glass window if the door is slammed with the glass closed.  Don't ask me how I know.  The one Frontier has looks much nicer.  Anyone else have a handle like mine?
Title: Re: Door Dead Bolt
Post by: steve on August 28, 2025, 08:38:07 am
For some reason I thought you were asking about how to get off the latch assembly faceplate below the deadbolt  :facepalm: , glad you got it sorted. 

All the goodies inside the door are PTL (https://ptlengineering.com/) parts.  If you find you need a part they have some available on the website, and if you don't see what you need, contact them, they are good to deal with in my experience.

I'm curious; my door has a very different handle
That is is the same swing up handle we had in our '03 ... our '00 is a fixed chrome one like yours.  Looks to be an 03 changeover, not sure if that is a PTL or FT part.
Title: Re: Door Dead Bolt
Post by: Frontier Camping on August 28, 2025, 10:59:44 am
It turns out the dead bolt actuator is bad. I have plus and minus 12v for in and out but no movement. I took the back off and the gear is stripped. I have a call in to Foretravel Brad for a replacement.
Thanks all... Tyson
Title: Re: Door Dead Bolt
Post by: steve on August 28, 2025, 05:25:22 pm
Glad you got that figured out .... lets us know if that actuator is still available.  If its what is shown in the above picture I'd be surprised.  Most of that style were replaced with a universal linear actuator.
Title: Re: Door Dead Bolt
Post by: Frontier Camping on August 29, 2025, 01:25:54 pm
Yes Steve the actuator in your picture is the same as mine. I called FT and they have them in stock so I have one on the way. $51 plus shipping minus the Motorcade discount if you are a member.
Tyson
Title: Re: Door Dead Bolt
Post by: steve on August 29, 2025, 04:46:23 pm
Cool ... good to know.  It looked much like the old bay actuators which are no longer available.
Title: Re: Door Dead Bolt
Post by: Frontier Camping on August 29, 2025, 08:51:47 pm
Sorry actually $56.71 minus discount plus shipping ended up around $67...
Tyson
Title: Re: Door Dead Bolt
Post by: Frontier Camping on August 30, 2025, 12:47:43 pm
Well a quick update.... The actuator Foretravel sent me is a piston style rather than the lever arm style that failed.
Stay tuned as I will call back to see if I'm supposed to try to adapt this new unit or if they just got it wrong....
Tyson
Title: Re: Door Dead Bolt
Post by: Frontier Camping on September 02, 2025, 06:44:59 pm
Well the parts folks told me the original actuator is no longer available from the supplier and what they sent me is the replacement. Mounting changes from the two screws to the metal plate attached to the new actuator with double sided tape.
I must be living a good life because in a tote in the storage compartment was a replacement actuator of the original style. I was a little concerned as there was some wear on the connecting arm to show it had been in service for a short time. When I did a trial install it worked fine but it operated opposite from the original. Unlock shot the dead bolt out? Other than that it worked great. I swapped the wires in the connector to fix the opposite operation and all is well.
I'm keeping the unit I got from FT on the off chance I have another failure and will figure the mounting issues then.
Title: Re: Door Dead Bolt
Post by: steve on September 03, 2025, 05:37:33 pm
Pretty cool that there was a spare that came with the coach.  Definitely hold onto the new one, looks like that would work on your bays doors as well (which when they go seem to self destruct internally, at least mine had)
Title: Re: Door Dead Bolt
Post by: Frontier Camping on September 05, 2025, 11:58:16 am
Thanks Steve the new one is already tucked away with my spares!