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Topic: Getting the Utility Bay Open (Read 582 times) previous topic - next topic

Getting the Utility Bay Open

Jean and I started our four-month Winter trip on December 3rd. We arrived at Keesler AFB RV Park well after dark on the fourth. I went to hook up the power cord and discovered that the bay door would not open. One other bay door would not open and is still not open; the one between the Joey bed and the Propane bay has my bottom step booster and most of my tools. In five years, these two bays have not been a problem, but they are now!
 
Thursday morning I called Foretravel and got a call back late in the day. Unfortunately, the service department was closed for the day and he was off the next day (Friday}, but he said he would stop by the next morning and talk to service and text me whatever instructions they could come up with for getting in (still waiting).
 
Left to my own devices, I went out to study the problem door. It is the one with the sewer door in the bottom. Hmmmm. If I could get that sewer door open, I could reach up and access the latch from the inside. My OEM fiberglass door had got trapped by a rock and buckled when the coach eventually settled. Luckily, John Haygarth is a friend of mine. He had made one for me out of aluminum (Thank you, John!) The aluminum door was strong enough to risk some prying with a very small crowbar I found (remember, most of my tools are in that other locked bay).
 
The weakest part of that sewer door is the sliding latches that screw onto the top of the outer frame piece. Its construction has a bottom that screws into the frame, and then a sliding piece that slides across the adjacent frame edges on either side of the opening. If you can get your crowbar into the slot between the adjacent fiberglass and the edges of the aluminum door , you can pry hard enough to pop those sliding latches apart. (I have several of them <at home>)  :facepalm:  Just as the onsite engineer predicted, the door dropped down on its hinges and gave pretty good access to the bay.  b^.^d
 
I inserted my hand and moved towards the latch mechanism to discover the dreaded useless black "plastic" cover that protects the latching cables.  Bummer! But wait, . . .  is that the power cord reel just to the other side of the opening? Yup! Pulling it out a few inches at a time was exhausting, but I eventually got enough out to plug into shore power and we were on our road to happy camping!
 
That evening, I spent a lot of time researching the forum messages about opening stuck bay doors/locks. I found two that might help my situation. One involved striking a wooden block under the latch, which was claimed to work. And here I am, online and wondering how many perfect wood blocks I might have in that locked bay door! The other recommendation was to drill a hole through the back of the latch to move the levers. And then I remembered where all my larger drill bits were safely stored.  :'(  (I will note that I have a large number of removed latches that I got from another member, so destroying one is not a problem. Except, they are also still at home.)

We left home with a full water tank and empty waste tanks. However, we would have to get into the bay soon, to be able to refill the water tank and empty the waste tanks. After looking at some of the other doors, there was a center section that was held in place with six small Philips-head screws. And it could be reached by hand, through that sewer door opening. But what tool could I use? I found a small, fingertip-operated screwdriver (very cheap at Harbor Freight). Using it, I removed all six screws and moved the cover out of the way. I think the lock mechanism was locked, but I could not move it. However, I could, and did pull each of the cables, which let me open that very important bay door.  :dance:  Next time someone mentions a list of tools to include in your RV, I am nominating that little screwdriver!
 
Okay, raised the door, dumped the tanks, and filled the fresh water tank. When I went to close the bay door I discovered that I was right; it was locked. I know how to unlock the latches by pulling the cables to open the door, but what do you do release the catch that holds the door in the raised position? As I share this personal life struggle with y'all, all of my other doors are closed and latched, but my sewer bay door is standing wide open to prove I was able to overcome adversity. Any help is eagerly sought. Between y'all and my inner engineer, I think that hiccup can be overcome.
 
Tomorrow, I will tackle the other door which does not have a sewer door to grant me access. I am leaning towards latch inspection holes to move what needs to be moved to grant entry. I don't know why this trip is starting out to be so troublesome. And I haven't even shared my experiences with my customized tow bar wiring and installing a battery charging line to keep my 2019 Equinox from dropping to below four volts the first two days of our travel.
 
It's already late and the bedroom door is not locked. Will chat more about this trip, which has the potential to fill many a late night campfire session.
 
Thanks for any assistance or advise any of you can provide,
 
Trent
Trent and Jean Eyler
2000  U295  4003  WTFE  ISC  350
Build#5603 MC#17385

Re: Getting the Utility Bay Open

Reply #1 –
The following is not meant to be wise guy comment, but from past experiences.  First of all, I've had customers confuse key direction of locked and unlocked.  Solution obvious.

Secondly, I had a lube shop go from underneath, go up with a screwdriver and release the lock on two of my hard to open doors.  One door was the battery door that has one of the the fuel filters, the other the air cleaner door.  These two doors are on stainless steel piano hinges.

In the two years I've owned this rv,  I've never had an opportunity to have someone adjust these to just open normaly.

My technique to open both doors is pull from the bottom of both doors, sometimes going from one corner to the other.  This has not changed in two years of my ownership. They then both have always opened. Best of luck in getting opened.  I'll now check out that HF screwdriver, you did great.
97 U295 40, Build #5040, 6C8.3 325 HP
Oregon Continuous Traveler
Samsung Residential #RF20HFENBSR,
Xantrex SW2012, (3)AGM8D Hse, (2)AGM Grp24 Eng, Victron BMV-712, 1800w Solar 4 LG & 2 Sunpower
Extreme Full Body Pt w/hdlmps, new furn/floor, 4 down Lexus 2004 GX470 AWD curb weight 4,740 lbs
Prev: 1990 Barth, 10L 300 2 yrs; 91&92 Monaco Signature, 10 yrs, 10L C 300 &  6C8.3 300; 1997 ForeT 6C8.3 325 since May 2017.  Employed by Guaranty RV 14+ yrs.  Former VW New Car Dlr/Service Dlr, Sales Mgr, Rv Sales, and Service Adviser from 1968-2017
"Don't criticize what you can't understand" Bob Dylan

Re: Getting the Utility Bay Open

Reply #2 –
On to your Chevy Equinox, we have the '18 and found out after less than 200 miles, the battery was dead.  We ended up with a charger from the coach to car and no more issues as well.  Seems GM forgot to mention that little tid bit in their owners manual.
On the bay doors, I can understand your frustrations, as I have had some fail to open without some real struggles.  I do have a key fob that allows the bays and the coach door to be remotely opened and closed.
Joe & Dottie Allen
Sold!  December 2023.      2000 U320; build # 5645
Our coach " Maxine"
Motorcade #  15922;  Escapee 150950; FMCA F330833; Boondockers Welcome;  Harvest Hosts;  Thousand Trails
'98 U320 from 2000-'06
USAF '62-'66

"Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for." ―Epicurus

Re: Getting the Utility Bay Open

Reply #3 –
Quote from: TulsaTrent –
One other bay door would not open and is still not open; the one between the Joey bed and the Propane bay has my bottom step booster and most of my tools.
Tomorrow, I will tackle the other door which does not have a sewer door to grant me access. I am leaning towards latch inspection holes to move what needs to be moved to grant entry.

Trent,

I know it may be a little trouble but you can open the door behind the coach batteries on the drivers side, remove enough stuff to crawl through to access the back side of the stuck door on the drivers side.

Mike
Pamela & Mike 97 U 320

"It's not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters."

Re: Getting the Utility Bay Open

Reply #4 –
Trent, PO of our coach could not get generator fan door open(small door under driver seat) he called FT and they advised him to put a 2x4 under latch mechanism and strike Botton to push latch up, the door would then open.  He gave me the new latch he had ordered from FT and a piece of 2X4. Have had no further issued with that door. BTW I was having issues with utility door and joey bed door -- I took of the cover and adjusted the cables with a Allen wrench.  I plan to replace the Allen screws with Allen head bolts of same size so I can use a larger Allen wrench and not worry about stripping the Allen screw out.

also, Our Jeep has electric power steering so I ran a wire from 12v side of alternator to the extra wire I had in pigtail wire to towed
then hooked it to pos side of towed battery, have not had any problem with dead battery
Chris
1999 U 320 DGFE
Build Number 5523
Chris & Elka Lang
In the field, Lonoke AR

Re: Getting the Utility Bay Open

Reply #5 –
Good suggestion changing to Allen head bolts. The Allen socket in small set screws are very easy to "round" out so the wrench cannot turn the screw.
When I was designing for a living small set screws were a no-no unless space prevented bolt heads. Also, never used 1/4-20 threads when applied by hand. Too much resistance if one followed the tap drill mfrs recommendations that usually specified 75% thread. This was more resistance than the tap could tolerate. Use 1/4-28 fine thread.
Nitehawk,  Demolition Lady, & our NEW master, Zippy the speeding BB cat.
1989 Grand Villa 36' ORED
Oshkosh chassis, 8.2 DD V8
2006 Saturn Vue AWD

Re: Getting the Utility Bay Open

Reply #6 –
When the bay door is locked open, the 2 bottom latches are all that holds it up. Can you look at one of the doors that are still working to see what needs to be used to push up on them to release it?
1999 40 ft. U-320 wtfe build 5563 Chuck & Lynda's "Rollin' Inn"  2030 watts solar
prev. mh's 71 GMC 5 yrs. 73 Pace Setter 1 yr. 78 Vogue 5 yrs 81 FTX 40ft all electric 18 yrs. 1996 Monaco Signature 3 yrs.
2014 Grand Cherokee Overland
Dream as if you will live forever. Live as if you will die today.  James Dean

Re: Getting the Utility Bay Open

Reply #7 –
Quote from: craneman –
the 2 bottom latches are all that holds it up.
Craneman,
Thanks, that is what I need to know. When it was still locked, there was no problem sticking my hand up the sewer door opening and pulling each of the four cables to release it. With the door locked in the open position, that is not accessible. Since I now know it is only the bottom latches, I will probably drill out some of the bottom rivets and see if I can get something into each corner to tug on them. If that's not sufficient access, I will drill out all the rivets and try to pull the entire panel up.
 
So many opportunities, so many decisions; so many Kodak moments (is that phrase still used today?).
 
Trent
Trent and Jean Eyler
2000  U295  4003  WTFE  ISC  350
Build#5603 MC#17385
 

Re: Getting the Utility Bay Open

Reply #8 –
Trent, on ours the cable is visible above the catch, I think you can just pull on cable to release catch, may have to get DW to pull on one and you pull on other to release
Chris
1999 U 320 DGFE
Build Number 5523
Chris & Elka Lang
In the field, Lonoke AR