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View Full Version : Need Help Please - Outside Door Won't Stay Closed


wallet14
01-25-2014, 03:43 PM
We parked our travel trailer at my mom's where we store it in late October, and we have been in it numerous times since then with no problem. That was no problem UNTIL this Wednesday when I needed a tool from it. When I went to enter I realized the main cabin exterior door was opened slightly. I pulled it and realized it was still dead bolted but it wasn't holding it shut. We have experienced the extreme colds here and I expect that this is cause long our problems as I can think of no other logical causes. I only had an hour of time available and I was working in the extreme cold so I went for a quick, temporary fix which resulted in me pulling off the metal piece in the door with the hole that the deadbolt slides into (sorry I can't think of the name) and putting some rolled up duct tape there to build it up to allow the deadbolt to hold it closed. The first time I built it up/out too much and when I tried to turn the key for the deadbolt I broke the plastic part of the key. Once I reduced the size the deadbolt could be locked and the door would still open. Finally the normal latch caught once. So I put the door handle across the door and put a cement block on the top step. The next day it was cracked open again(the handle and block merely keep it from opening far but not from opening at all).

Has anyone else experienced this? How should I proceed to a permanent fix?

Thanks in advanced for any help!

Bridgester
05-06-2014, 07:51 PM
I park our trailer outside near the house over the winter and my wife and I both discovered the outside door open this winter on a couple of occasions. I ended up placing washers around the screws and behind the strike plate to shim it out similar to your duct tape solution. On my trailer the gap between the door and the frame is not uniform and is widest near the lock catch. My theory is that the metal contracts in the cold and whalla the door pops open. This really is just poor workmanship and the only proper repair I can think of is to pull the door and build out the jamb plumb. However the door frame captures the end of the tin siding and I do not know how much overlap there is. If I move the frame over, toward the door, and it goes beyond the tin I would have a real mess so I just decided to "let it be". Please let me know if you have a better notion.

2013 Hideout 24BHWE (newbie)
2005 Ram 1500 with a few mods.

wallet14
05-11-2014, 06:10 PM
We were at the camper a few weeks ago and I realized the door was too tight now. I agree that the washers are the correct choice but we store it at my mother's house and we live 30 minutes away, so duct tape just happened to be there. I guess I will purchase a couple thin washes and see if I can find the happy medium where the door still properly functions in the heat and doesn't pop open in the bitter cold.

Thanks for the feedback. Now I know we are not alone.

canesfan
05-12-2014, 06:14 AM
I've never had this happen before, but I've had both of my doors come open while towing this trailer. Not on the same trip and the fold over grab bar kept them from opening all the way. I don't usually lock the doors when traveling, but make sure they are closed good. Guess it's time to investigate and/or start locking the doors.