Foretravel Owners' Forum For owners and Fans of Foretravel Motorcoaches September 10, 2025 ...

Opening the Generator Door

October 10, 2022, 08:29:40 pm

I have not been able to open my generator door for several months. We are getting ready to leave on our Winter trip South. This year we were planning to check out central Florida. Fortunately, most of our reservations are North of Hurricane Ian's path, and don't expect that historical event to affect our five-month-winterizing procedure.
 
I have researched my problem using the forum search, but none of the previous threads appear to address our particular problem.
 
When I pull on the opening handle, it pulls out and stops, much too easily. I suspect that the end of the cable has come separated from its attachment point. The metal mechanisms do not seem to move at all.
 
From underneath the coach, I can grab the cable and pull on it which does cause the mechanism to move, but not enough to release the latches to open the door. It is hard to see what is really happening, but there is a small opening at the very bottom, through which I can see the "bellcrank" and the two metal bars that move horizonally to each side. Pulling on the cable under the coach, and watching the two bars, they both seem to be bowing along their length. This may be why my latches will not release. (??)
 
I tried using two fiberglass rods from a Harbor Freight wire running kit, each with a hook on the end. I could hook a wire cable and pull some of the individual latches, open, but they latched again when I stopped pulling on the rods. Because of the very narrow opening, I have very little access to everything I need to realease to allow the door to open.
 
At this point, I have tried and tried again, but cannot open the door.      I can't be the only one who has had this problem. Would someone who has discovered the holy grail please share their secret with me? All ideas or advice greatfully accepted. 
 
Thank you for any experiences you can share with me,
 
Trent

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Re: Opening the Generator Door

Reply #1 – October 10, 2022, 08:32:25 pm

I used a coat hanger with a good hook grabbed in where the cable end is suppised to pull and pulled while someone pulled out on door

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Re: Opening the Generator Door

Reply #2 – October 10, 2022, 09:15:37 pm

Go under the coach with a rod a couple of feet long and push up on the latching mechanism
on each side and it will open.

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Re: Opening the Generator Door

Reply #3 – October 12, 2022, 08:37:24 pm

Push in to relieve pressure on latch BEFORE manually releasing latch any way you can. Takes couple people.

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Re: Opening the Generator Door

Reply #4 – October 12, 2022, 10:16:16 pm

Yeah I had that same problem last winter in mexico. I had a replacement cable because my problem was that the mechanism had bound up in the metal housing next to a lever. I think it was bent. What I had to do was to remove the two screws that hold the metal brace that secures the end of the cable housing and then you can pull on the cable and that should at least in my case then release the mechanism with somebody pushing in on the generator door to relieve pressure at the same time. I used a really small ratcheting screwdriver to do that. It's a square head drive. Unfortunately the Glendinning cable I bought on eBay that had been recommended by another member did not work for me so I have not fully repaired that yet. What I did do was to leave the catch off so I can pull on the cable while also putting some parachute cord around the yolk that pulls it and releases it as well. I can reach up underneath the front and grab a hold of the parachute cord.
That may not help you though as it sounds like it may have come across apart at the mechanism. It does help to have somebody pushing on the door to remove the pressure and then you should be able to get your arm up there and undo the latches. The other thing I had to do was to remove the bottom rubber pieces that it rotates on? I'm not sure what it's called and that way I was able to pull the bottom of the door away to get my arm up in there easier.
Good luck hope that helps

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