Warped hab door .. (1 Viewer)

Jaws

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When we collected the new van we noticed the hab door did not shut fully at the bottom.

I put this down to the lock striker plate not set right

I was right ( sort of ) but the reason was the lock bars had actually broken away from inside the door

Must have been like it a LOOOOOONNGGG time too

So, striped off door ( loadsa fun ! ) and made up new plates etc and reattached the mechanism where it should be.

Reset the striker plate where it should have been and then discovered a bit of a bigger problem.

The bottom of the door is warped out by about 5mm.
When out side and we shut the door I can lay some of my weight on the bottom and give it a heave to shut it ( still not quite right but in close enough to stop the massive gap that was there )

Of course the issue is that when inside, we cannot fully close the door as the bottom of it is 'out' ..

Soooo.. any one got any ideas how to get the fibreglass door un-bent ?

About all I can come up with is to use a similar method that I use of fibre glass motorcycle huggers.. HEAT ( a lot ) and hold.

Problem is of course getting that much heat in to the thing without causing damage.

I have considered using a steamer of some sort but have a feeling that will not do the deed.

Any help or ideas greatly appreciated :thumb:
 

TheBig1

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the easiest and most expensive cure is replace it of course. however I have had success bending warped doors straighter using a rolled up towel and some pressure. place towel against open frame where bend on door is. close door onto towel and apply pressure against bent part whilst holding straight part steady. you need to be brave when doing this as there is never a guarantee it will work. heat as you know also carries the risk of further warping

the other option is fit a pull handle low down inside the door so you can pull it shut from inside. not pretty but it works
 
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Jaws

Jaws

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the easiest and most expensive cure is replace it of course. however I have had success bending warped doors straighter using a rolled up towel and some pressure. place towel against open frame where bend on door is. close door onto towel and apply pressure against bent part whilst holding straight part steady. you need to be brave when doing this as there is never a guarantee it will work. heat as you know also carries the risk of further warping

the other option is fit a pull handle low down inside the door so you can pull it shut from inside. not pretty but it works

Pretty much my thoughts but with the addition of heat..

as the bottom of the door is at the bottom of the step it would be pretty much impossible to get a handle in the right place.. and the force required to shut it would mean the only way would be to drill right through the door and put a plate on the out side !!

I have already contacted autotrail.. 10 to 12 week delivery time and a £630 bill !!! So that is just a non starter I am afraid !


THAT aint a hammer.. THIS is more like what is needed !!

craftswoman-holding-huge-hammer-28009011.jpg
 

Terry

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Hi John hard to explain but at the fix it meet Dave's door (lugnutt) was as you describe--I adjusted the keep etc but it still did not shut properly until I took the lock apart -upon stripping it down you could clearly see that there was a lot of movement on the lock sliding bit itself allowing it to move without giving full pressure/holding the door shut properly -- I screwed a self tapping screw onto the plate /touching it so that it still slid but did not allow it to move back and forth side ways.:thumb:This ended up allowing a nice tight seal that pulled the door to where it should be :thumb:IT ONLY appeared to be about a 1/8 ins movement on the latch but it resulted in the gap-prob let the latch seat tightly and pulled onto the bubble seal --hope you understand what I mean :winky:
terry
 
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Hi John hard to explain but at the fix it meet Dave's door (lugnutt) was as you describe--I adjusted the keep etc but it still did not shut properly until I took the lock apart -upon stripping it down you could clearly see that there was a lot of movement on the lock sliding bit itself allowing it to move without giving full pressure/holding the door shut properly -- I screwed a self tapping screw onto the plate /touching it so that it still slid but did not allow it to move back and forth side ways.:thumb:This ended up allowing a nice tight seal that pulled the door to where it should be :thumb:IT ONLY appeared to be about a 1/8 ins movement on the latch but it resulted in the gap-prob let the latch seat tightly and pulled onto the bubble seal --hope you understand what I mean :winky:
terry
I was just abut to tell him to PM you:thumb:

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Oct 20, 2013
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Pretty much my thoughts but with the addition of heat..

as the bottom of the door is at the bottom of the step it would be pretty much impossible to get a handle in the right place.. and the force required to shut it would mean the only way would be to drill right through the door and put a plate on the out side !!

I have already contacted autotrail.. 10 to 12 week delivery time and a £630 bill !!! So that is just a non starter I am afraid !

#
THAT aint a hammer.. THIS is more like what is needed !!

craftswoman-holding-huge-hammer-28009011.jpg

you just want the girl
 

Theonlysue

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warped door

Can you not contact the dealer you . bought it from ?
 
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I know you are a handy guy Jaws, so couldn't you make a new outer panel for the door? You can buy sheet aluminium with the coating on same as used by Caravan manufacturers. On self builds for doors like that you buy the frame premade and use the cut out trimmed down as the panel. If memory serves it is called coil coated aluminium but don't quote me on that.

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I am not sure about the construction of your door. Would it be possible to strip it down and reuse the frame with a new flat panel in it? Quite a bit of work involved but I would guess much much cheaper than a new door.

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Jaws

Jaws

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Hi John hard to explain but at the fix it meet Dave's door (lugnutt) was as you describe--I adjusted the keep etc but it still did not shut properly until I took the lock apart -upon stripping it down you could clearly see that there was a lot of movement on the lock sliding bit itself allowing it to move without giving full pressure/holding the door shut properly -- I screwed a self tapping screw onto the plate /touching it so that it still slid but did not allow it to move back and forth side ways.:thumb:This ended up allowing a nice tight seal that pulled the door to where it should be :thumb:IT ONLY appeared to be about a 1/8 ins movement on the latch but it resulted in the gap-prob let the latch seat tightly and pulled onto the bubble seal --hope you understand what I mean :winky:
terry

I have already sorted out the latches and striker plate and it is all set up correctly Terry

The issue is that is was left wonky for so long that the door is def warped.

As mentioned elsewhere mate, I can close it fully with pressure from the out side, but from the inside it is not possible.

I have now discovered the temp fibre glass will move at.. 130c but have been told it should flex enough if I can get it to 80 and cool it down from there whilst maintaining the profile

Can you not contact the dealer you . bought it from ?

Yessss... but in reality what can they do short of replacing the door.. A 400 mile round trip and a couple of days lost income ? Aint work it Sue.. I will suss it out some which way mate :winky:
 

funflair

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If you get the external fibreglass too hot the gel will go soft and the fibre will print through. The temperature you need depends on the type of resin used and the cure schedule used in manufacture so if not set in stone.

Martin
 

Terry

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I have already sorted out the latches and striker plate and it is all set up correctly Terry

The issue is that is was left wonky for so long that the door is def warped.

As mentioned elsewhere mate, I can close it fully with pressure from the out side, but from the inside it is not possible.

I have now discovered the temp fibre glass will move at.. 130c but have been told it should flex enough if I can get it to 80 and cool it down from there whilst maintaining the profile



Yessss... but in reality what can they do short of replacing the door.. A 400 mile round trip and a couple of days lost income ? Aint work it Sue.. I will suss it out some which way mate :winky:

Hi John I am sure you know what your on with :thumb: but if it shuts with pressure from the outside that suggests its a lock movement issue onto the keep --I thought the same as you with Dave's door --try a straight edge on the door to see if it is bent :thumb:
Dave's door was real easy to adjust the keep but the play in the lock prevented the door closing tight to the seal -it would not adjust or close from inside -just as you describe a good shove from outside did it ---but from inside it either did not shut or after adjustment had the gap at the bottom :Doh:--Once I took the movement out of the lock and adjusted the keep again worked perfectly - the movement was on the latch bit that goes in and out -only a small bit but it was enough :thumb: At first I though a new lock but once I stopped the movement bingo it all went well :thumb:Well worth a try :winky: Wish I was there because it sounds daft but solved the problem -prob 4/5 mm play from back to front which translated to 1/2 mm at the latch bit -once I took the 5 mm play out the latch did not move at all so enabled the door to latch as it should and the gap gone :thumb:

Hard to describe but the latch bit is att to a sq plate that move back and forth allowing the latch in and out -the plate had 5 mm of movement back to front not in and out ,nothing to stop this movement--- once I stopped it no more play on the catch --well worth a try before heating up your door -Takes less than 10 mins to do but me an hour to type ::bigsmile: even then I am not sure I have explained it right to you :winky::Smile:
terry

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Last edited:
Feb 24, 2013
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I have no significant skills or knowledge, but if you shut the door, park it with the door side to the sun for a few days with the door shut and holding the right shape, maybe that might give it enough heat for it to revert to original shape in the same way it has gone out of shape
 
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Jaws

Jaws

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Hi John I am sure you know what your on with :thumb: but if it shuts with pressure from the outside that suggests its a lock movement issue onto the keep --I thought the same as you with Dave's door --[HI]try a straight edge on the door to see if it is bent [/HI] :thumb:
Dave's door was real easy to adjust the keep but the play in the lock prevented the door closing tight to the seal -it would not adjust or close from inside -just as you describe a good shove from outside did it ---but from inside it either did not shut or after adjustment had the gap at the bottom :Doh:--Once I took the movement out of the lock and adjusted the keep again worked perfectly - the movement was on the latch bit that goes in and out -only a small bit but it was enough :thumb: At first I though a new lock but once I stopped the movement bingo it all went well :thumb:Well worth a try :winky: Wish I was there because it sounds daft but solved the problem -prob 4/5 mm play from back to front which translated to 1/2 mm at the latch bit -once I took the 5 mm play out the latch did not move at all so enabled the door to latch as it should and the gap gone :thumb:

Hard to describe but the latch bit is att to a sq plate that move back and forth allowing the latch in and out -the plate had 5 mm of movement back to front not in and out ,nothing to stop this movement--- once I stopped it no more play on the catch --well worth a try before heating up your door -Takes less than 10 mins to do but me an hour to type ::bigsmile: even then I am not sure I have explained it right to you :winky::Smile:
terry

Yup, that is how I came up with the 55mm warpage figure :thumb:

I have no significant skills or knowledge, but if you shut the door, park it with the door side to the sun for a few days with the door shut and holding the right shape, maybe that might give it enough heat for it to revert to original shape in the same way it has gone out of shape

That is what I am doing at the mment..
It is a good option cos I means I sit back and relax.. The only effort required is to cross my fingers !!
 

Theonlysue

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You said it's a 400 mile trip but would that not be worth the £630 door plus labour?
Just in case you get this sorted and it will occur again or tie it in with a trip?

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Jaws

Jaws

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5mm Terry ! My finger stuttereddddddddd !

Sue.. Nahhh
Would you wanna go back to Halifax if you could avoid it !!

400 miles would get us almost to Austria.. WAY better direction to travel in !
 
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Jaws

Jaws

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Wellll..
every time I have gone to the van to do a bit of tinkering I have rolled up a towel, placed it half way up the door and pushed in on the bottom ( of the door ! ) for about a minute or so.

It has slowly come round and is almost straight now.
Another week of the same and hopefully it will be true and straight
Once the warpage ( ::bigsmile: ) has been eliminated I will then set the door latches to where they should be and the job will be done and dusted :thumb:

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DuxDeluxe

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So you were somewhat warped but are now straight - the towel trick really was a top bit of advice:thumb:
 

sedge

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If it had been someone no-one knew very well suggesting that, I'm afraid most of us would have said 'Oh yeah mate?' and ignored it. Being as it was Terry I for one was slightly less incredulous - but ?? really ?? - wait and see what happens next anyway as it isn't ours etc ............

Well - how about that! Brill !!
 
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Jaws

Jaws

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And this afternoon I can confirm it is dead straight and shuts properly all the way down !

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