Pos A Loc Replacement

Topic: Pos A Loc Replacement (Read 2885 times) previous topic - next topic

Pos A Loc Replacement

January 19, 2017, 05:56:51 pm

The door closing arm/prop on my 1998 U270 Unicoach no longer held the door open. Discovered that the lever on the door that engaged the stop at the top was sheared off. Called PTL Engineering and after some conversation with the sales person determined which of two styles were installed on my coach. They sent me a pdf of how to install and adjust. The part cost $160 inclusive of shipping. It consisted of new level assembly and screws.

Required removal of the following items from the inside face of the door: dead bolt lever, door opener cover, screen door catch, door pull, window fascia, screw buttons and vinyl covered door fascia. Had to pry fascia from door, appeared adhered by paint. Removed two screws from Pos A Lock cable hold down bracket, and removal of cable end from door actuator.

Top of door: Remove Pos A Lock door lever assembly from door and coach. Pulled assembly slightly away from door and removed other end of cable, but did not pull cable further than necessary to release. Some danger of dropping stuff down into door, so care should be taken. Attached cable to new assembly, door, coach and reversed disassembly. Adjustment on new assembly at top and cable slack inside door as per PDF instructions. Now my door stays open until I pull the handles to close.

Re: Pos A Loc Replacement

Reply #1 – January 19, 2017, 10:26:47 pm

It sounds a lot of works. Great job.
I bet you're now proud of the door staying open without shutting itself, and with just a light touch from either inside or outside handle, it unlocks. I love that Pos A Lock feature comparing to air shock on other brand.

Thanks,
Michael

Re: Pos A Loc Replacement

Reply #2 – January 21, 2017, 12:30:23 am

Yes, it is amusing how much satisfaction one can find in a door that stays open. I've opened it 20 times in pure joy and wonder.

Re: Pos A Loc Replacement

Reply #3 – January 21, 2017, 12:44:37 am

Mine died recently. Need to look at the top I guess

Re: Pos A Loc Replacement

Reply #4 – January 21, 2017, 07:02:05 am

When we removed and replaced our Pos-a-lock a couple years ago on our 2002 we only had to remove the bolt that is attached to the top door frame, the screws that hold the part to the door and the black handle in the door. left the cable in place. I did have to do some cable position adjustment (cable clamp by the black door handle, as when we removed the pos-a-lock on top of the door the cable had to be pulled to remove the cable end. Total job took about an hour.

Re: Pos A Loc Replacement

Reply #5 – January 21, 2017, 12:14:22 pm

I would say that is a better strategy. It was necessary to adjust at both ends, but that could be done with removing the black door latch cover. I was following the instructions from the manufacturer.

Re: Pos A Loc Replacement

Reply #6 – January 23, 2017, 12:58:14 pm

Quote from: Realmccoy – January 21, 2017, 12:14:22 pm

I was following the instructions from the manufacturer.

I've used repair manuals in the past and remember much needless work being done by following the instructions.

Re: Pos A Loc Replacement

Reply #7 – March 25, 2017, 04:21:08 pm

Quote from: Realmccoy – January 19, 2017, 05:56:51 pm

Called PTL Engineering and after some conversation with the sales person determined which of two styles were installed on my coach. They sent me a pdf of how to install and adjust.

Howdy!

Found out Amarillo was having unreal wind gusts yesterday. Pulled the door out of DW's hands and the door would not close. The wind gust had pulled two of the mounting screws out of the coach side of the lever mounting plate and bent it so it could not be closed. Called a mobile RV mechanic who removed the lever for me which solved the closing problem.

Now I have to try to POUND the plate flat and reinstall the lever. May not be able to, because the lever is attached with real rivets and the plate does not respond to trial hammer blows.

The mounting instructions will help me to determine the feasibility of fixing it or just throwing more money at it. (We already paid the mobile mechanic $125 for removing the lever so we could close the door and continue home.)

Thanks,

Trent

PS: Anyone else fixed problems with their stay-open lever?

Re: Pos A Loc Replacement

Reply #8 – March 25, 2017, 05:37:02 pm

Trent,

Got a picture of what you're trying to straighten?

Re: Pos A Loc Replacement

Reply #9 – March 25, 2017, 06:22:07 pm

Will post picture sooon.

Trent

Re: Pos A Loc Replacement

Reply #10 – March 25, 2017, 07:17:48 pm

When I bought our coach the posi-lock was sheared off. I still had my Monaco Sig. with the same door after looking at it I removed the screws at the posi-lock and pulled the cable up and held it with a pair of vice grips removed it, then welded a piece of steel the shape of the missing part to it. Re installed and it is working fine. Without a sample I would have had no idea what to do other than buy new from PTL engineering.

Re: Pos A Loc Replacement

Reply #11 – April 03, 2017, 01:08:24 pm

Here are the pictures from my previous message. They show the metal piece that installs at the top of the door frame about the center of it.

When the wind caught the door, it pulled on the mounting plate and physically bent it down in the middle, tearing out the screws in the end and one in the middle.

What I plan to do is "try" to flatten the plate with persuasive percussion, if I can. Then reattach it, possibly with the next larger screw size where the y pulled out.

Any other suggestions or ideas?

Thanks,

Trent

Re: Pos A Loc Replacement

Reply #12 – April 03, 2017, 01:54:40 pm

Quote from: TulsaTrent – April 03, 2017, 01:08:24 pm

Any other suggestions or ideas?

Get a bigger hammer? Seriously. It doesn't look like it would be that tough to straighten out that bracket.

As for attaching it back in place, depending on how messed up the holes are, and what the material is, you might have to get creative. Perhaps fill the old holes with some kind of epoxy filler to strengthen the material, then drill new mounting holes for the screws?

Something like that...unless the bracket mounts directly to a steel frame member, in which case simply using bigger screws might suffice.

Re: Pos A Loc Replacement

Reply #13 – April 03, 2017, 05:42:33 pm

This is a low cost version of what I use in those situations. You can buy better but this will work.

45 Piece Threaded Insert Riveter Kit

Re: Pos A Loc Replacement

Reply #14 – April 06, 2017, 12:34:06 pm

Quote from: Realmccoy – January 19, 2017, 05:56:51 pm

They sent me a pdf of how to install and adjust.

Howdy!

Would you or SKS please send me a copy of that PDF file. I am getting ready to reinstall that lever (4# sledge hammer worked) and need to see how to reconnect the cable.

Thank
you
very
much,

Trent
eyler@cox.net

Re: Pos A Loc Replacement

Reply #15 – April 07, 2017, 12:25:34 pm

Quote from: TulsaTrent – April 03, 2017, 01:08:24 pm

What I plan to do is "try" to flatten the plate with persuasive percussion, if I can.

Yes, I could and did, with a four pound sledge hammer.

Fastening the cable at the top of the door was not trivial. I suspect that normally that is done first, and then the cable is adjusted at the other end. The problem is with the cable attached at the other end, there is not much room to get the cable in the slot and the cable holder screw into the right position.

There were four rows of screw holes at the top of the door. Since I had cleaned the area, I was not sure which set was the original ones. Picked the one that lined up the easiest and screwed the plate in. The plate that goes on the top of the door frame was a lot easier, because it only had one set of screw holes.

Got it all put together and tried the door. Neither the outside, nor the inside latch pulled the latch enough to release the "lock." Released it manually and tried to close the door, but it would not close the last inch or so.

What to do? What to do?

One last thing to try, which was the easiest. Removed the six screws at the top of the door and moved it to the other set of holes. Put the screws back in, and everything worked perfectly! Hard to believe that quarter inch movement in the top plate solved all those problems.

Happy camper!

Trent

Re: Pos A Loc Replacement

Reply #16 – April 01, 2021, 07:01:12 pm

Thanks for this post. 4 years on we read the post and were able to repair our Pos-A-Lock. Also feeling joy and wonder, and gratitude for the Forum.

Re: Pos A Loc Replacement

Reply #17 – April 24, 2021, 12:47:25 am

Pos-a-Loc now has a replacement swing arm door lock that does not require a cable..it is a simple friction latch to hold open..
Spendy as hell for what it is...
Just shy of $198.00 @ FT.(with Motorcade discount)

Re: Pos A Loc Replacement

Reply #18 – April 24, 2021, 08:38:26 am

PTL will sell this part to you directly for considerably less. Very good to deal with them. They even sent the part to me before I paid them. May have been a mistake on their end but nonetheless it was nice doing business with a company that has trust in their customers.

Re: Pos A Loc Replacement

Reply #19 – April 24, 2021, 08:58:09 am

Quote from: saddlesore – April 24, 2021, 12:47:25 am

Pos-a-Loc now has a replacement swing arm door lock that does not require a cable..it is a simple friction latch to hold open..
Just shy of $198.00 @ FT.(with Motorcade discount)

Quote from: Geodmann – April 24, 2021, 08:38:26 am

PTL will sell this part to you directly for considerably less.

Hold Open Mechanisms - PTL Engineering

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCRR-Kxm05Q

Re: Pos A Loc Replacement

Reply #20 – April 24, 2021, 10:57:39 am

The Pos A Loc is a love hate item. I have repaired mine and love it. We camp a lot in the Sierra's and my brother has a '05 Monaco with the new style PTL door mechanism. He can't keep his door open in the high winds and it slams when it releases. I had to teach him to not try to push our door closed without using one of the handles. My '96 Monaco Sig. had the same door and I learned how to repair the wore out metal from being forced closed too many times by the PO. When we bought the Fortravel the door wouldn't stay open for the same reason. I had to weld some metal and grind it back to where it was when new and it is still doing fine. I even have a spare donated by Randy when he put the new style on. I repaired it and hope to never have to install it. Probably not all coaches have the PTL door so this might not make any sense to those who have other doors.

Affiliate Notice