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Topic: Broken Plastic Slide in the Screen Door (Read 665 times) previous topic - next topic

Broken Plastic Slide in the Screen Door

Hi folks,

Well, I managed to break the plastic slide in the screen door. Fortunately, the RV park has an excellent hobby shop which would allow me to manufacture a replacement plastic slide. However, I can't figure out how to get the old slide out and, therefore, how to put a new slide in. The frame appears to be welded after the slide was originally installed.

I have attached a pic below and can provide closer shots if anyone has any ideas.

Thanks for any suggestions!

Don



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2007 Nimbus 340 quad slide
Build #6386 FMC #17360 FMCA #441779

Re: Broken Plastic Slide in the Screen Door

Reply #1 –
On mine there are white plastic "fillers" in the top and bottom channels that look like they are inserted to keep the glass slide tight.  Try pulling one of them out to gain enough room to remove the slide.

Re: Broken Plastic Slide in the Screen Door

Reply #2 –
Hi Don,

You take it to FOT and they sell a whole new door to you. Smile

Jim

2002 U320
Jim Frerichs
2002 U320 42'

Re: Broken Plastic Slide in the Screen Door

Reply #3 –

Don, I broke the sliding glass section in mine.  Snagged a belt loop on the metal knob. Thousands of bits of tempered glass to pick up.  I replaced it with 1/8" clear lexan plastic with a felt strip wrapped around the top and bottom.  I don't remember exactly how big I cut it but I had to flex the lexan maybe 3/4" to get it to fit up into the top track.  Worked well.  I added a vertical felt tape strip as well to make the seal better against insects.  And a pretty cool blue no-snag handle too.

Amazon.com: JVCC FELT-06 Polyester Felt Tape: 3/4 in. x 15 ft. (Black):...

As an Amazon Associate Foretravel Owners' Forum earns from qualifying purchases.
Roger Engdahl and Susan Green
2001 U320 3610 #5879 (Home2) - 2014 Jeep Cherokee or 2018 F150
Hastings, MN

Re: Broken Plastic Slide in the Screen Door

Reply #4 –
And if it isn't Lexan you might want to warm it up--a lot--in order to flex it enough to get the plexiglass to go into the tracks. Otherwise, if you don't warm it up you might want to make extra pieces so you have something to try after you break the first few. :))
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: Broken Plastic Slide in the Screen Door

Reply #5 –
OK here's my "temporary" fix. Been fixed for about a year now. The real fix is on the list.
Really it is.
Ric  8)
Previously:'66 VW Bus"Turtle 1";'65 VW Riviera Camper "Turtle 2";
';'91 VW Syncro Camper"Syn";'92 Barth 30' -"The Big Easy"
Currently: 2000 FT U270 40', #5634 -
"Le Bons Temps"; 2003 CRV
Ric & Leslie
"Laissez les bons temps rouler!"

Re: Broken Plastic Slide in the Screen Door

Reply #6 –
Quote from: Turtle –
OK here's my "temporary" fix. Been fixed for about a year now.
I notice you made it in a very eye-catching "Safety Yellow" color, to keep ham-fisted operators from breaking it!  ^.^d
1993 U280 SE 40' WTBI, Build: 4359
C8.3 300hp, 6-Speed, Exhaust Brake
960 watts on the roof (6 x 160)
Sorento (or BOLT) on a Kar Kaddy SS
"Surely, no age has been more fraught with insecurity than our own present time."

Re: Broken Plastic Slide in the Screen Door

Reply #7 –
Google : rv screen door slide,  all kinds of replacements come up.
91 GV U300 Unihome 40' Build 3811
6V92TA Detroit

Re: Broken Plastic Slide in the Screen Door

Reply #8 –
Quote from: Travelin' Man –
On mine there are white plastic "fillers" in the top and bottom channels that look like they are inserted to keep the glass slide tight.  Try pulling one of them out to gain enough room to remove the slide.
T-Man,

Good idea. On a closer look, I saw some black rubber fillers. Took them out and tried it, but not enough gap to remove the plastic. When I put them back in, it was apparent they were cut to a size that would cushion the sliding portion from coming too far back.

Good idea, though.

Don
2007 Nimbus 340 quad slide
Build #6386 FMC #17360 FMCA #441779

Re: Broken Plastic Slide in the Screen Door

Reply #9 –
Quote from: Roger & Susan in Home2 –
Don, I broke the sliding glass section in mine.  ........  I replaced it with 1/8" clear lexan plastic with a felt strip

Roger,

Mine came with the plastic. I'm going to see if I can pick some up and cut to size.

Thanks,

Don
2007 Nimbus 340 quad slide
Build #6386 FMC #17360 FMCA #441779

Re: Broken Plastic Slide in the Screen Door

Reply #10 –
Quote from: nitehawk –
And if it isn't Lexan you might want to warm it up--a lot--

Nighthawk,

Am definitely going to work with the Lexan. It's going to have to be a fair bit of flex.

Don
2007 Nimbus 340 quad slide
Build #6386 FMC #17360 FMCA #441779

Re: Broken Plastic Slide in the Screen Door

Reply #11 –
When I remove either the top or bottom filler on my window I gain 5/8", and the glass only needs 1/2" of vertical movement to come out.

I think PTL Engineering in La Peer, Michigan made the door; 
 PTL Engineering - Committed to quality from start to finish

Did you buy your coach new?  If not it's possible that the PO broke the glass and replaced it with plastic,
using the bending/flexing technique you've described.  Did the screen doors come OEM with plastic in 2007?

I'll bet PTL can tell you how to R&R the glass/plastic in the door frame.

Re: Broken Plastic Slide in the Screen Door

Reply #12 –
Quote from: Travelin' Man –
I'll bet PTL can tell you how to R&R the glass/plastic in the door frame.
Well, T-Man, you hit the nail on the head. I saw a reference to PTL in Beamalarm docs and gave them a call. Sure enough, they have the replacement (made of acrylic) and they walked me through removing the upper and lower spacers to do the replacement. Have ordered the replacement panel ($25 and change) and will start working on removing the spacers once it gets here and it stops raining here in Mesa, Arizona (can't believe I have the words "rain" and "Arizona" in the same sentence).

Many thanks,

Don
2007 Nimbus 340 quad slide
Build #6386 FMC #17360 FMCA #441779

Re: Broken Plastic Slide in the Screen Door

Reply #14 –
I know this is a bit late but may be of help for others. 

Belt loop caught the knob and split the plexiglass in two.  Took the 2 halves to ACE.  Had the guy find a comparable piece and cut a new one less than 1 mm shorter than the original.  He drilled a hole and reinstalled the knob on the new piece.  Interestingly enough, the new plexiglass is much more flexible than the 10 year old stuff so I could bend it enough to reinsert.  Less than 3 bucks.  FWIW.
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Mark & Mary Benko
Former coach: 2005 U295 3823
Jeep Cherokee, Honda Fit