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Topic: Screen door seal replacement (Read 1227 times) previous topic - next topic

Screen door seal replacement

The rubber bulb seal on our screen door has torn. I purchased the replacement seal from Foretravel and removed the door and existing seal. I am perplexed, however, on how the rubber seal was so perfectly cut, at 45°, and joined at each of the four corners. As you know, the bulb seal is attached to a rigid plastic mounting strip with metal inserts to hold the seal to the steel door edge.

After a couple of practice cuts, it was apparent that getting the 45° cut and trimming up the mounting strip would not produce the clean 45° angle necessary. I understand from Red Tractor that the factory used superglue to join these joints. While that seems straightforward, having less than perfect cuts will make the gluing process more difficult.

We considered leaving square corners by leaving the long edges tall enough to overlap the top and bottom short edges. We considered these vertical flat cut joined with superglue where the edges of the top meet the vertical at 90 degrees rather than 45 degree miter cuts. Assuming a relatively solid joint with superglue seems like it should work but before we attempt, I thought I would see if there were any better ideas for the original 45° cuts.
Randy (N4TDT) and Karen Crete
Sarasota, Florida
SOLD:  2000 U270 34' WTFE Build 5756 "Ole Red"

Re: Screen door seal replacement

Reply #1 –
Miter saw?
Learn every day, but especially from the experiences of others. It's cheaper!  - John C. Bogle

2000 U320 36' non-slide / WildEBeest Rescue
2003 U320

Re: Screen door seal replacement

Reply #2 –


I used my Craftsman cutters similar to the one below. I would use an angle tool like below to get the first cut then lay the next strip and match it to the first one and so on around the door.


ForoGore Stainless Steel Protractor 180 Degrees Two Arm Ruler Adjustable...

Ronan Multi-Cut Rubber Cutter: Amazon.com: Tools & Home Improvement
As an Amazon Associate Foretravel Owners' Forum earns from qualifying purchases.
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: Screen door seal replacement

Reply #3 –

After cutting, 3m weatherstip adhesive can be used to join the two halves. Comes in black, and if properly done will not tear or pull apart at the point of the glue. Ive been using this stuff for classic car gaskets, and repairs on new rubber seals for well over  30 years, good stuff.

Amazon.com: 3M 08008 Super Weatherstrip Adhesive, 08008, Black, 5 oz Tube :...

As an Amazon Associate Foretravel Owners' Forum earns from qualifying purchases.
Mike in AL
2001 U295
8.3 ISC 350
Build 5918

Re: Screen door seal replacement

Reply #4 –
Seal installed.  Had Paul Yasbeck do it after our unsuccessful attempt. Bulb portion of seal is quite round when new resulting in door hard to close and even harder to open after replacement. Inner bulb will eventually compress making door easier to close.  Even screen door requires a push to close and with outer door closed takes a big push against the door from the outside to open. From inside requires a meaningful pull on inside handle to be able to open.

Apparently the PTL door was redesigned in 2001 to remove outside door seal to be removed. For our year screen door bulb seal provides rain seal for door.

With our door seal removal and replacement should be good for another 20 years. Should be quieter inside too.
Randy (N4TDT) and Karen Crete
Sarasota, Florida
SOLD:  2000 U270 34' WTFE Build 5756 "Ole Red"

Re: Screen door seal replacement

Reply #5 –
Replacing the bulb seals as made the main door hard to close...and especially....open.  The seal at the hinge side, in particular, was pretty flat on the old, 20 year old seal.  Now with new rubber the bulb is still quite round making the door hard to close and even harder to open.  To open it requires using against the outside of the door near the striker to take sufficient pressure off to allow the outside handle to unlatch.  From the inside it means pulling pretty hard on the inside chrome handle to again take sufficient pressure off the striker to unlatch.  I'm concerned DW may not be able to get into or out of the coach on her own!

Any ideas on how to hasten the compression of these seals? 
Randy (N4TDT) and Karen Crete
Sarasota, Florida
SOLD:  2000 U270 34' WTFE Build 5756 "Ole Red"

Re: Screen door seal replacement

Reply #6 –
My seals loosened up after 2 trips. Really like the tightness of the door. My brother has a '05 Monaco and on vacation he used the door and wished his was that tight..
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: Screen door seal replacement

Reply #7 –
We had our seal replaced more than 2 years ago and while it has gotten better, it is still hard to open and close. There were times I could not open the door and had to have Jimmy come open it for me! The outer door STILL does not quite touch the side of the RV and I fear one day the door handle will break.

Keith played with ours a bit and got it to close a bit easier, but in order to lock it, we still have to slam the heck out of it -  hard enough that it triggers our dash cam... every time!

Wish I had a solution, but nothing we have tried (except time) has made a bit of difference.

We were repeatedly assured that it is the correct seal, but I do wonder it it really was...


Christine & Jimmy
Nomadic, Full-time Life in Progress...
1997 U295/36/C8.3
600 AH BB-LiFePo/1080 Watts Solar
2020 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk
** Social media: curiosity-in-motion

The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity. ~Dorothy Parker~

Re: Screen door seal replacement

Reply #8 –
Quote from: floridarandy –
Replacing the bulb seals as made the main door hard to close...and especially....open.  The seal at the hinge side, in particular, was pretty flat on the old, 20 year old seal.  Now with new rubber the bulb is still quite round making the door hard to close and even harder to open.  To open it requires using against the outside of the door near the striker to take sufficient pressure off to allow the outside handle to unlatch.  From the inside it means pulling pretty hard on the inside chrome handle to again take sufficient pressure off the striker to unlatch.  I'm concerned DW may not be able to get into or out of the coach on her own!

Any ideas on how to hasten the compression of these seals?
I had mine replaced at FOT about a year ago, it was very tight then, it's still tight now and often catches while opening, but yours sounds worse than mine.
The only ways I know to help compress it is to use it a lot, or you could also try careful application of a heat-gun or hairdryer to soften it but I urge caution on this method. Perhaps a combination of both would be best?
Are there any signs of the seal catching at the latch? Would some careful trimming there be the solution?
1998 U295 36'
Build# 5358

SMILE!....it makes people wonder what you have been doing.

Re: Screen door seal replacement

Reply #9 –
Quote from: Kiwitex –
I had mine replaced at FOT about a year ago, it was very tight then, it's still tight now and often catches while opening, but yours sounds worse than mine.
The only ways I know to help compress it is to use it a lot, or you could also try careful application of a heat-gun or hairdryer to soften it but I urge caution on this method. Perhaps a combination of both would be best?

Are there any signs of the seal catching at the latch? Would some careful trimming there be the solution?

No catch, trim is OK.
Randy (N4TDT) and Karen Crete
Sarasota, Florida
SOLD:  2000 U270 34' WTFE Build 5756 "Ole Red"