PTL door hold mechanism doesn’t hold

[Guest Hinton8888]

I have a 96 Exec.   Yesterday the Ptl hold mechanism quit holding the door open. Does anyone know on my door if the hold is controlled by the cable or by the arms at the top of the door.?   If it is the arms anyway to fix without buying new arms   Thanks Steve 

[Ivan K]

Steve, if you have the same Pos-a-Lock mechanism, the upper lock is released by door handle and yes, there is a cable between those two. Either the cable gave up, stretched or unhooked or a spot weld holding the arm to vertical shaft going down inside the door broke. I had that broken weld happen. Easy fix if you have a welder handy, just weld in correct position the first time.... If this is the case, mark the arm and shaft before removing it and the original weld mark should help too. The whole arm assembly can be removed and lifted out of the door relatively easily and the cable unplugged to work on the assembly outside of the door. It's been few years and no problem anymore. Good luck, it is awesome when it works.

[Guest Hinton8888]

Hey Ivan. Thanks I got it fixed. where the arm has a notch and a metal piece acts a stop then connects to the cable inside the door needed to be lubed.  Works great now.   Never knew after 25 years how the thing works now I do. Steve 

[Ivan K]

Great deal, Steve, glad it was that easy.

[Guest Tim503]

My motorhome was broken into when I was out of town and my father checked it out as someone told me the door was open. Instead of calling me about the door release he forced it closed and bent the mechanism. He called me afterwards and told me it was hard to close but assured me the door was securely shut. Thanks Dad.

[Mel S - '96 Safari]

13 hours ago, Tim503 said:

My motorhome was broken into when I was out of town and my father checked it out as someone told me the door was open. Instead of calling me about the door release he forced it closed and bent the mechanism. He called me afterwards and told me it was hard to close but assured me the door was securely shut. Thanks Dad.

Tim503

If you're dissatisfied/disappointed with your father's help I suggest you "check out" your own motorhome next time.

[Guest Tim503]

On 10/25/2020 at 10:31 AM, Mel S - '96 Safari said:

Tim503

If you're dissatisfied/disappointed with your father's help I suggest you "check out" your own motorhome next time.

Or never leave the motorhome so I don't get broke into. I was a thousand miles away at the time. The gist of my comment was people are not used to a door that does not close. They don't know the ways of a PTL door. Maybe the manufacturer should put a warning label on the door to tell people how to close it.