Foretravel Owners' Forum For owners and Fans of Foretravel Motorcoaches September 12, 2025 ...

Storage Bay Latch Issue

April 09, 2024, 05:22:01 pm

I spent the day cleaning the bays out and also cleaned and lubed the bay door mechanism.  One of the nuts attaching the right latch arm to the door handle mechanism was missing so I found a replacement nut.  There are two holes on the arm and I selected the one I assumed the arm had been attached with (see picture of the arm and securing nut from the adjacent door.

However, when I shut the door and tried to reopen it only the left sided unlatched.  I've determined the hole I used on the right arm isn't allowing the latch to pull far enough to unlatch.

The problem is that this door is the one for the water pump/heater so there's no access from the rear.  I'm not sure how to access the latch since the bay has a closed bottom.  So far the only thing I can figure out is I may have to drill a hole in the wall of the  adjacent storage bay.

Is there an easier way?

Randy

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Re: Storage Bay Latch Issue

Reply #1 – April 09, 2024, 06:08:10 pm

Randy, call me.  Rudy Legett. 7 one 3. 8 one 8 3234

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Re: Storage Bay Latch Issue

Reply #2 – April 09, 2024, 11:02:22 pm

If I am understanding your post correctly, you cannot get the door to open now that you have closed it because one of the latches is sticking. I had a similar problem with the door at the front where the generator radiator is located. It was stuck completely closed. I bought an inexpensive endoscope camera on Amazon (less than $20) and pried the door bottom open enough to insert the flexible camera into the compartment so that I could see the latch. I then inserted a thin piece of lattice wood into the bottom gap and used it to manipulate the latch and open it. A thin strip of metal would probably work as well. A bonus is that the endoscope camera has proven useful several other times as well; I wouldn't be without one now.

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Re: Storage Bay Latch Issue

Reply #3 – April 10, 2024, 08:37:26 pm

I have learned over the years that the best thing to do is leave the door open and manually close the latch, then pull the handle and see if it unlatches. Of course this is a little too late now but for future reference to others as well.

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Re: Storage Bay Latch Issue

Reply #4 – April 11, 2024, 04:17:58 pm

Success.

FIRST- what Ron (Red Tractor) said...prevent problem by manually trigger and releasing latch while open and after reattaching arms. Know that it will work before closing the door.

Second, Dave suggestion of the cheap bore scope allowed me to "see" inside the bay.

Third, Rudy's suggestion of prying open the side that would unlatch gave room to move inside.

Finally, the rubber seal running along the bottom of the bay can be pushed up and removed.

Now with space and visibility I was able to insert a long screwdriver in from underneath and push up on the right actuator arm releasing the right latch.

With the door open I was able to shift the right latch arm into the correct hole and test before closing and latching.

Thanks to all...as always

Randy

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