Entry door issues

[jasin1]

so i’m really really hating my friction door hinges on my fifth wheel..seems to be tightening up and binding about 3” from fully closed..wife can barely close it and both of us are muttering obscenities every time we go in or out.

just got back from a few days of camping and i just sprayed some silicone lubricant and the door “seems” easier to close but still have to slam it or pull real hard to fully engage door latch so it won’t pop open….it’s the only complaint i have with my rig…read thru the forum where people have drilled out the pins and filed and lubed and yada yada…tempted to replace the hinges

[jim1]

Hey jasin1, I had the same issue but didn't seem that bad. I noticed the door dragging a bit on the step hinge area after being set up for couple of days. What the??%$# now. So I put the stairs back in and went to the auto level and hit auto level. It did some re-adjustments to the landing gear, nothing really big or noticeable. But I put the stairs back out and all was good for the next 8 days. I've had to do this twice since then at 2 different places, so not sure if it might help your issues but I think my trailer settles a bit after set up. Or the Keystone Gremlins are BACK!! P.S and I do use some nice hefty 16"x12"x6" blocks under all the legs. Good luck!!

[jasin1]

Originally Posted by jim1

Hey jasin1, I had the same issue but didn't seem that bad. I noticed the door dragging a bit on the step hinge area after being set up for couple of days. What the??%$# now. So I put the stairs back in and went to the auto level and hit auto level. It did some re-adjustments to the landing gear, nothing really big or noticeable. But I put the stairs back out and all was good for the next 8 days. I've had to do this twice since then at 2 different places, so not sure if it might help your issues but I think my trailer settles a bit after set up. Or the Keystone Gremlins are BACK!! P.S and I do use some nice hefty 16"x12"x6" blocks under all the legs. Good luck!!

ok thanks ..i will try that. funny i did get my level out because i thought the rv wasn’t level …..also i was eyeing my steps up all weekend but convinced my self that they were all the way down against the threshold..now that i think about it i wonder if the steps are adjusted too low then maybe that will introduce a little bit of flex in the door frame …i’m gonna check them with a level tomorrow. the site i was at was pretty level but i will start checking for now on

[travelin texans]

Originally Posted by jasin1

ok thanks ..i will try that. funny i did get my level out because i thought the rv wasn’t level …..also i was eyeing my steps up all weekend but convinced my self that they were all the way down against the threshold..now that i think about it i wonder if the steps are adjusted too low then maybe that will introduce a little bit of flex in the door frame …i’m gonna check them with a level tomorrow. the site i was at was pretty level but i will start checking for now on

Reading this & other forums it seems those friction hinges rank up there with the In-Command systems & KeyTV systems as being nothing more than a PITA since they all came on the scene.
Seems rv manufacturers are more interested in new doodads & gadgets than building quality units.

[sourdough]

Originally Posted by travelin texans

Reading this & other forums it seems those friction hinges rank up there with the In-Command systems & KeyTV systems as being nothing more than a PITA since they all came on the scene.
Seems rv manufacturers are more interested in new doodads & gadgets than building quality units.

Those friction hinges, IMO, seem to be one of those solutions looking for a problem....or "supposed" innovation? I had no problem with the doors that had the hook behind them to hold them open, the only problem was if they weren't hooked and just "swinging" they could really slam one way or the other. My friction hinged door has given me no problems (knock on wood/head) and has not been problematic so I'm thankful and hope I didn't jinx myself.

[bsmith0404]

The steps can definitely cause the door to drag, especially the last couple inches like you describe. I’d look at that really close.

[{tpc}]

Ya the friction hinges aren’t that great. I had a time where mine were squeaking so loudly you could wake up the campground. So I got some silicon spray (I don’t recall exactly what kind, might have been a wd-40 brand?) and I sprayed the heck out of them and kept working it in. I probably spent an hour on it. Hasn’t made a noise since and is easier to open but still has some “friction” left.

In both trailer I’ve owned I’ve never had great luck with the doors lining up to anything on either side of the door either. Yet my friends all open and close like butter. Guess I’m cursed lol.

[jasin1]

Originally Posted by bsmith0404

The steps can definitely cause the door to drag, especially the last couple inches like you describe. I’d look at that really close.

yeah mine do not hit the steps..i realized that early on when i stopped at a koa with a concrete patio ( had to remove the adjustable legs to get the door to close) ….what i was referring to above is if i don’t have the adjustable legs extended long enough then maybe it’s causing the step treads to be past level and the steps are at a down angle instead of level. there is a lot of weight and leverage on those steps

thinking this may be causing the threshold to twist slightly and affect the door frame riser on each side to flex slightly….the door itself doesn’t seem to be hitting anything but it’s hard to tell with the screen door in the way…and you can’t see if the door is flush to the jam all the way around

but the overall problem is when it gets to about 3” from closed it just kinda floats there unless you push it harder.. slam it ..the silicone seems to help..i’m gonna mess with it today.

from outside its not that big of a deal but inside it’s a pita

the screen is in the way and you just have the flimsy plastic door handle to grab and pull with one hand while you try and push the door latch paddle closed with the other.

[wjg315]

I found out that the little rubber plug in the top of these hinges can be removed. I do that and drop a few drops of 3in1 oil and it works down and lubricates the hinge. I do this on the top and bottom hinge. The middle one isn't a friction hinge.

[jasin1]

Originally Posted by wjg315

I found out that the little rubber plug in the top of these hinges can be removed. I do that and drop a few drops of 3in1 oil and it works down and lubricates the hinge. I do this on the top and bottom hinge. The middle one isn't a friction hinge.

great! i will check that out

[sourdough]

Brian what kind of steps do you have? I had the MorRyde type on mine before changing them to the Glow Steps. That MorRyde has a big brace on each side that runs up the interior side of the door frame so doubt the steps are being twisted. It's also screwed through the floor.

It does sound like its twisting in some manner. If you have self leveling jacks maybe you could tweak the corners to see if it made any difference?

[jasin1]

well i figured it out…the rv lock keyless lock was the culprit. i guess it wasn’t latching properly..needed to be lubricated? i installed the factory door latch and wow what a difference ..the factory door handle is all steel where the rv lock internal handle is plastic…it was bending slightly when we tried to pull the door closed ( fatigue?) ..either way between lubricating the hinge and putting the oem lockset on it now closes like new.. i changed it shortly after purchasing the rv and just got used to it i guess

i like the convenience of the keyless lock but the door issues are not worth it after 2 years…and i was a big fan of the rv lock

[jasin1]

Originally Posted by sourdough

Brian what kind of steps do you have? I had the MorRyde type on mine before changing them to the Glow Steps. That MorRyde has a big brace on each side that runs up the interior side of the door frame so doubt the steps are being twisted. It's also screwed through the floor.

It does sound like its twisting in some manner. If you have self leveling jacks maybe you could tweak the corners to see if it made any difference?

how do you like the glow steps ?

[maccam1]

my 2018 cougar,had to have the door and frame replaced.because of the slamming you had to do to close it.

[sourdough]

Originally Posted by jasin1

how do you like the glow steps ?

Sorry for the slow response, I missed this. I like the MorRyde steps much better than the Glow Steps with one exception - I can adjust the Glow Steps so that I can use them inside our storage facility. The MorRyde steps required me to put the trailer off center in the barn to be able to use them and I didn't like that. The Glow Steps are cumbersome, "wiggly" and flex. Bottom line they're OK and let me get in the trailer while in storage....but, my MorRyde steps are sitting right there on the wall if/when these irritate me too much.

[Gumby52]

Someone has probably already mentioned this, but on my 2018 those hinges started getting so stiff they were starting to deflect the frame of the door. Tried all the traditional lubricating solutions, silicone/ oil in the top of the hinge/ etc. What I found out was the bottom leaf of the top and bottom hinges is what had to resistance.
I disconnected the bottom leaves of those 2 hinges (there is still an upper leaf to those hinges connected) and the door swings easy. As was mentioned the center hinge doesn't have any friction resistance, just swings free like a hinge should.
The door now opens and closes easily, it doesn't flop around, and stays in place wherever you position it.

Those bottom leaves? I can't even get them to move with a pair of pliers. YMMV but it worked for me

Gary