Pivot hinge door , adjustment need help

[Rich zyg]

My 2019 Keystone Cougar has a pivot hinge door entering the bathroom. How can I adjust it I need about a eighth end, it's will not close all the way

[LHaven]

Your description is vague. Does the swinging edge of your door not fit inside the frame? Maybe a photo...

[chuckster57]

Your description is vague. Does the swinging edge of your door not fit inside the frame? Maybe a photo...
I agree. It won’t close as in it hits the door jamb, it won’t close (latch)?

[rjsurfer]

Our swinging door in the bathroom, once closed, won't open without using two hands.

I can't see any way to adjust.

Ron W

[chuckster57]

Most often adjusting a bathroom or bedroom door involves moving the strike plate. Sometimes we have to remove the plastic jamb and modify the framing behind it.

[Rich zyg]

The bathroom door is jamming on the opposite side of the strike I can send a picture tomorrow it's just about 1/16 of an inch too tight. I have to use two hands and pull the door away to close it

[Rich zyg]

I also just found out bed is called a space saver door by MoRr y d e

[jim1]

Check the bolts and lock nuts on the top of the door. Our bathroom pivot door was getting very stubborn to open and close. I found the nut and bolt that guide the door in the track had worked loose and had started to rub on the track until it finally jammed up in the slot on the track. Good idea but a crappy design. I keep a couple of 7/16" open end wrenches handy now to adjust and tighten them [don't want the DW to get trapped in there] Good luck!

[LHaven]

Now I'm curious to see this photo. I may not understand what a "pivot" door is.

Is it a bifold door? (Adjustment tips for that here (https://www.familyhandyman.com/doors/repair/how-to-fix-a-bifold-door/).)

[sourdough]

Now I'm curious to see this photo. I may not understand what a "pivot" door is.

Is it a bifold door? (Adjustment tips for that here (https://www.familyhandyman.com/doors/repair/how-to-fix-a-bifold-door/).)


It's not a bifold. Instead of hinges at the wall making the door pivot from one side, it has an arm on the top and bottom with pivot points into the door approx. 1/3 of the way into the door on the top and bottom thus becoming the pivoting "hinge" spot for the door. The top rides in a track to keep it in alignment and not flop around.

The above door design is one of the reasons we chose this model of trailer. Instead of the bathroom door taking up the entire hallway or trying to knock you back down the stairs, it pivots in the middle and a large portion of the door just swings into the bathroom leaving the hallway clear. We love it so far and it eliminated one of the reasons I would not buy a 5th wheel. Don't have a picture at the moment but they're pretty neat IMO. I know others aren't as pleased with theirs from what I've read.

[DDuncan51]

Is this it? (pivot door)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QS4lOiEas-U

[sourdough]

That would be it.

[LHaven]

Is the hardware similar to what is shown in this video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdvFyLeO4Nc)?

If so, I would use a set of calipers to measure the distance between the door body and the vertical rod at both top and bottom; if there is significant discrepancy, the door is ruined (at the factory) and needs to be replaced, hopefully under warranty...

If not, then possibly a shim under the appropriate frame mount (step #19) would move the hinge side of the door far enough from the frame to prevent binding?

[sonofcy]

My 2019 Keystone Cougar has a pivot hinge door entering the bathroom. How can I adjust it I need about a eighth end, it's will not close all the way

The adjuster is on top of the door. I had to remove some trim to be able to get at it at all and even then it is dicey. The adjustment is a mystery but once you stumble on it quickly squirt some loctite on it otherwise it will loosen and you will have to do it again. Ask me how I know.

[jimborokz]

It's not a bifold. Instead of hinges at the wall making the door pivot from one side, it has an arm on the top and bottom with pivot points into the door approx. 1/3 of the way into the door on the top and bottom thus becoming the pivoting "hinge" spot for the door. The top rides in a track to keep it in alignment and not flop around.

The above door design is one of the reasons we chose this model of trailer. Instead of the bathroom door taking up the entire hallway or trying to knock you back down the stairs, it pivots in the middle and a large portion of the door just swings into the bathroom leaving the hallway clear. We love it so far and it eliminated one of the reasons I would not buy a 5th wheel. Don't have a picture at the moment but they're pretty neat IMO. I know others aren't as pleased with theirs from what I've read.

This design is a great idea and we like it. The problem is the hardware they us is of inferior quality. The bolt and roller at the top wears out quickly and the threads strip off. Once things start to loosen up, that's when you start having trouble when opening and closing. I have had to adjust, reinstall, and modify the hardware at least 8 times in three years with ours. DW now wants to just take it out and put up a curtain. I want to make one more attempt at it using loctite on the nut on top. If that doesn't solve it then it's curtains.
:banghead:

[sourdough]

This design is a great idea and we like it. The problem is the hardware they us is of inferior quality. The bolt and roller at the top wears out quickly and the threads strip off. Once things start to loosen up, that's when you start having trouble when opening and closing. I have had to adjust, reinstall, and modify the hardware at least 8 times in three years with ours. DW now wants to just take it out and put up a curtain. I want to make one more attempt at it using loctite on the nut on top. If that doesn't solve it then it's curtains.
:banghead:


Jim, have you found any way to reinforce/upgrade any of the components or talked to anyone to see if they have upgraded them? The reason I ask is that on our previous trailer the sliding bathroom door busted off the track. One of the reasons was the cheap plastic parts used in the rollers. I contacted a dealer here in FL and they worked with Keystone to get replacements under warranty. The new ones I received were far more robust and used metal instead of plastic; never had another issue.

[jimborokz]

Jim, have you found any way to reinforce/upgrade any of the components or talked to anyone to see if they have upgraded them? The reason I ask is that on our previous trailer the sliding bathroom door busted off the track. One of the reasons was the cheap plastic parts used in the rollers. I contacted a dealer here in FL and they worked with Keystone to get replacements under warranty. The new ones I received were far more robust and used metal instead of plastic; never had another issue.

Danny,
I have made some progress but still need one more thing.
First the issues that most have is with the roller at the top. The door hangs by a bolt with a t-head that sets in a bracket on top of the door.
Problem #1- there is place for four screws for that bracket and factory put in two, over tightened so they constantly came loose. I put in four 2" deck screws and that bracket will never move again.
The bolt screws into a roller that travels in a channel on top of the door frame.
Problem #2- in many cases the threads strip out of the roller. This is because the bolt being a t-bolt doesn't turn in the bracket so it has to turn back and forth in the roller as you open and close the door. I like some others have "fixed" this by drilling out the roller and putting a nut on top.
My issue now is the nut comes loose and falls out. My next and maybe last attempt will be to Loctite the nut. It would help if I could put a nylon washer under the nut but there isn't enough clearance. Another possible solution may be to replace the bolt with a different head that allows the whole bolt to turn back and forth.

I have heard that there are improved rollers available but can't find the part no. The hinge is a RORryde product but I can't find that part. I plan to try and contact their customer service about it.
Here is a good video showing how to install it and you can see just how it works.
https://youtu.be/EdvFyLeO4Nc

Most owners fit into three categories:
1. Replace hinge with standard door hinges.
2. Replace with a folding or accordion door.
3. Replace with a curtain.

Hope this helps.

[jim1]

Keystone replaced them with sliding barn doors which I guess is okay, but it was a neat space saving idea. Too bad everything RV has to be built cheap and crappy.

[flybouy]

There are lots of pivot hinge doors out in the world. Mostly found in commercial buildings with full glass frame-less entry doors. The hinges for those doors can exceed a $1,000. Everything RV has two basic requirements:
1.must be economical
2. must be lightweight.

To satisfy both it ends up being "flimsy" and short lived. You can have lightweight and durable but that costs lots of money (think commercial aircraft type stuff) that the average consumer would not be willing to pay for.

So the result is the "Gee Whiz" and "Look at that!" bling sells campers. After that it's the consumers problem. That will never change as long as folks are unwilling to spend the extra money for quality and in our disposable mindset I don't see that changing.

[jimborokz]

After deciding that the weak point of this door hardware is the T-bolt/Roller connection. Since the bolt is constantly pivoting in the roller the threads wear out and the whole weight of the door is hanging on that roller.

So, I reversed the design. Took a 5/16-18 X 1 1/2 stove bolt, slipped it through the roller and fastened it to the bracket with jam nuts. The washer under the bolt head is oil impregnated bronze so pivoting should never cause it to gall up.



Installation is complete and door is working like new. Time will tell if it holds up but I have a good feeling on this one.:whistling:

[Jacketsbum]

IMHO that pivot door is one of the dumbest ideas in the history of RV’s. I tore mine completely out and replaced it with a slider one week after I bought our Cougar. That was 3 years ago and we’ve been happy with it ever since!

[jimborokz]

Pryor to the modification I made to the pivot door roller I had reached out to MorRyde for information.
I have since gotten a reply that there is an updated roller assembly. They sent me one at no cost and it does appear to be an improvement that I think may hold up over time. Their rep, Jennifer, was very prompt, knowledgeable and courteous.
New roller arrived today.

28169

28170

Part nos.:
SP205-517 (roller space plate)
UO136-2074 (sliding door roller)

The roller now fits into a pocket in the mounting plate, locks in and pivots quite easily. Theirs freely pivots in the bracket where as mine pivots freely in the roller. I think both achieve the same thing.

I will keep this as a spare and if my mod does not hold up I will change them out.

[sourdough]

Jim, glad you got something to help hopefully. I figured they would have an "upgraded" something in the wings like they did for my Cougar. Oddly, that design with the little locking hasp looks VERY familiar to the design they sent me when replacing the rollers on my sliding door.

[jimborokz]

probably the same part.