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Old 07-14-2018, 08:11 PM   #1
pikespeakviewer
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Sticky door

We are having trouble getting into our trailer.

To open the door, we have to push on the edge of the door, over the latch bolt, and then the lever will move. If we don't push on the door, then the lever won't budge.

If the door is open, then the lever and latch move freely.

We also have to slam the door for it to close. In-laws barely have to push their door to have it close.

It's a Global lock on Dexter door.

Ideas?


eta: I just went out to try the door as the sun has set and it's finally getting cooler and the door is much easier to open. I'm gathering the heat is swelling something?
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Old 07-14-2018, 08:31 PM   #2
JRTJH
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Possibly the striker plate needs to be adjusted.

As for having to slam the door to close it, if your trailer is relatively new, chances are that it's "air tight" and you're "fighting the pressure" when you close the door. To find out for sure, open a window next to the door, then go outside and see if it closes with less "need to slam".... If so, that's a good thing, you aren't losing inside air which should make your trailer cooler in summer and warmer in winter (without the air leaks)......
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Old 07-15-2018, 03:27 AM   #3
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Is this the first time you have had trouble with it? On mine, if the trailer is not level I sometimes have the same problem. My door is at the rear of my camper with a stabilizing jack below it. I can usually just adjust the jack a little to fix the problem.
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Old 07-15-2018, 06:27 AM   #4
pikespeakviewer
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JRTJH View Post
Possibly the striker plate needs to be adjusted.

As for having to slam the door to close it, if your trailer is relatively new, chances are that it's "air tight" and you're "fighting the pressure" when you close the door. To find out for sure, open a window next to the door, then go outside and see if it closes with less "need to slam".... If so, that's a good thing, you aren't losing inside air which should make your trailer cooler in summer and warmer in winter (without the air leaks)......

We've moved the striker plate and it opens a little easier. We will check again in the middle of the day when it's hot.



The kitchen window (right beside the door) is usually open. The door shuts better now with the striker plate moved. Same as above, we will check in the pm and see how it is with the heat.


Thanks!
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Old 07-15-2018, 07:24 AM   #5
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Try spraying some dry lube on the bolt and operating it a few times. I have adjusted strike plates on too many units to count, and spraying the dry lube makes it even easier
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Old 07-15-2018, 07:34 AM   #6
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The heat can make a huge difference. Where ours sits in the driveway at home, it gets the full afternoon sun on the door side. Normally they open/close without any resistance at all, but when they are in the sun, especially on hot summer days, they stick pretty badly.
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Old 07-15-2018, 09:51 AM   #7
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As Chuck suggested, a little graphite or beeswax should lube it up and help.Do not use oil or grease as it will attract dirt, hands, shirts, kids fingers,etc.
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Old 07-15-2018, 09:52 AM   #8
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Originally Posted by MattE303 View Post
The heat can make a huge difference. Where ours sits in the driveway at home, it gets the full afternoon sun on the door side. Normally they open/close without any resistance at all, but when they are in the sun, especially on hot summer days, they stick pretty badly.

Is it the rubber seal that sticks, or do you have a hard time opening the pull handle thingy?


If you go to 2:40 in this video, this is what I have to do:
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Old 07-15-2018, 09:53 AM   #9
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Originally Posted by chuckster57 View Post
Try spraying some dry lube on the bolt and operating it a few times. I have adjusted strike plates on too many units to count, and spraying the dry lube makes it even easier

Can I use a dry bar of soap? Or should I head to the hardware store?
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Old 07-15-2018, 10:25 AM   #10
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I use the spray, pull the outside handle to retract the bolt and spray. This allows the lube to get inside the workings. I don’t have a bar of soap on/in my toolbox so I can’t say if it will work or not.
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Old 07-15-2018, 10:54 AM   #11
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Our Outback has what they call "friction hinges", drives me crazy that I have to use more force than I think should be required to close the door. It opens easy enough that I don't think it's out of adjustment.
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Old 07-15-2018, 11:08 AM   #12
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Originally Posted by bob91yj View Post
Our Outback has what they call "friction hinges", drives me crazy that I have to use more force than I think should be required to close the door. It opens easy enough that I don't think it's out of adjustment.

Friction hinges - those are the ones that keep the door open at any angle that you want, right? Our door had the gas strut that only allowed it to open to 90degrees. We took that strut off last summer as we like the door being opened all the way.
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Old 07-15-2018, 11:27 AM   #13
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^^^^Yes, essentially high drag hinges.
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Old 07-15-2018, 06:36 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dwall View Post
Is this the first time you have had trouble with it? On mine, if the trailer is not level I sometimes have the same problem. My door is at the rear of my camper with a stabilizing jack below it. I can usually just adjust the jack a little to fix the problem.
This would be my guess...
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Old 07-15-2018, 08:11 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pikespeakviewer View Post
Is it the rubber seal that sticks, or do you have a hard time opening the pull handle thingy?
on ours the lock/latch/handle is fine, the problem is near the bottom of the door there's a screw head that sticks out. When the sun is hitting it, the door and/or the frame expands enough that the screw hits the aluminum door frame and rubs enough to require a pretty good yank to get the door open. When everything is cool, it doesn't even touch. One of these days, I'll probably just grab my dremel and deepen the gouge it's already created enough so that it doesn't rub.
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Old 07-15-2018, 08:17 PM   #16
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If anyone else has this problem, I've rubbed a bar of soap on the latch and where it catches on the striker plate, and the door opens like it's new! I'm going to throw the bar of soap in our tool box and repeat if it starts sticking again!
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Old 07-16-2018, 04:30 AM   #17
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When you get the door open, look for rub marks where the door is hitting the frame. There should not be any. I had this problem and fixed it by just simply backing off on my stabilizers a little. Door opens and closes smoothly.
If the door latch is what is sticking after this check, try adjusting the striker and use a little spray lube on the moving parts.

Good luck!
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Old 07-22-2018, 08:36 AM   #18
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Sticky door

Quote:
Originally Posted by chuckster57 View Post
Try spraying some dry lube on the bolt and operating it a few times. I have adjusted strike plates on too many units to count, and spraying the dry lube makes it even easier
We have a2018 Alpine 3501rl with a lipert component LCI solid Step that requires slamming to close the door. Also when closed we can see daylight at the lower right corner (while in the tt). It almost appears that the door is bent but when open the door appears normal. Other than taking a large hammer to make the floor plate go down is there another way to fix this. I thought about shortening the adjustable step so perhaps after stepping on the stairs several times it may make the step plate lower so the door can close properly. Any ideas?
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Old 07-22-2018, 10:27 AM   #19
rowehg
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Tighten the hinge screws

I had a sticky door issue on my one-year-old Outback TT. I tried adjusting the strike plate, taking out the screws that were contacting the door at the bottom, and even using a 2x4 to try to “wedge” the door away from the latch. Turned out that all I had to do was tighten the screws holding the door to the hinge on the other side of the door. I had thought about it, but didn’t believe it would make much difference. However, it solved the problem completely and the door now closes with a fingertip push, just like the day I picked it up.

Who knew....
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Old 07-22-2018, 11:12 AM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rowehg View Post
I had a sticky door issue on my one-year-old Outback TT. I tried adjusting the strike plate, taking out the screws that were contacting the door at the bottom, and even using a 2x4 to try to “wedge” the door away from the latch. Turned out that all I had to do was tighten the screws holding the door to the hinge on the other side of the door. I had thought about it, but didn’t believe it would make much difference. However, it solved the problem completely and the door now closes with a fingertip push, just like the day I picked it up.

Who knew....
I was going to suggest this also. When we got to the first campgrounds with our brand new Outback, the screen door on the front door was sticky and clashed with the door frame on closing. Closer inspection revealed that Keystone had stripped the screws attaching the hinge to the screen door frame. I replaced them with pop rivets and now everything lines up as it should. I also found that, in spite of locating lugs molded into the scren door catch, the builders at Keystone had managed to grossly mis-align the catch. I wallowed out the hole for the offending mis-drilled screw and the latch now sits flush to the frame as it should. I've found other minor niggles like this, but nothing serious...so far (knock on wood).
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