Emergency HELP NEEDED

[Tom Cherry]

I just got this email.  Can someone that understands how to work the doors and get out of the "Locked In" situation please call JJ.

Phone is 404-374-1700

Thanks

Good-morning Tom and Happy New Year.  Hope 2021 is a better year for us all.

Can you please send me your info on adjusting the front door?  Also, do you have any suggestions on how to open the door when it is closed and you’re inside and even banging on the frame doesn’t open it?  I am guessing that I waited too long to adjust it as I am now locked in.  Could be worse, I could be locked out.  I have tried adjusting the torque by changing the air levelers.  Any suggestions?  I tried getting on Monacoers but I got locked out and don’t want to spend all my time with no results. 

I do have a repair man on his way sometime today to change out my Omega slide awning spring and I’m hoping he’ll be able to help but having the info up front could be a big help. 

Thanks, 

JJ Tucker
03 Camelot
Air levelers only
404-374-1700

I will remove or revise this and take out his phone afterwards.
 

[Darren A.]

Hope this helps 

[JDStew]

I just called JJ and gave her some help. She may post some more questions and/Or call me. She’s a sweet gal and has figured out how to get out. Now to adjust the front door!

JJ - when you see this message, please update us on your progress and fix

[Tony G]

I adjusted mine about 6 months ago as the rods seems to stretch and loose tension and opening difficulty ensues.

If you can make small holes near the rod ends where the square brass part is (watch video) you may be able to reach in with a screwdriver and manipulate the latch open.  I had the thought to add some access panels for easier adjusting when I had the thing apart.  The same added access panels could be used to open if a lock-in were to occur.

 

[Tom Cherry]

Folks,

Thanks for all your help

JJ is LOCKED, for some reason and I will ask Scotty to assist later on, and can NOT get into Monacoers.

Therefore, any pertinent or timely advice or info should be given via the phone number

I texted the video to JJ earlier.

Thanks for all your help today

[MHRookie]

Great info!  I wish there were more show & tell type videos for jobs that people tackle.

thanks!

[JDStew]

Got this text update from JJ at 7:30PM ET 1/6/21:

Quote

My door is fixed and works better than it ever has.

BTW - Darren - I watched that video before I fixed my door last month. Love that guy and his videos!

[jtucker201]

Good-Morning all,

Wanted to give an update. First thanks Scotty for checking my account and I am now able to sign on. 

After fiddling with the door handle it finally allowed me to leave the coach.  I knew that the door needed an adjustment but I waited a day too long to do it or have it done.  Dan’s RV Mobile repair arrived to attach a couple of other problems but went straight to work on the door.  He did show me that you don’t have to take as many screws as you would think.  He didn’t take any out of the windows or the side of the door.  He took off the panel that covers the handle and the pull handle and the dead bolt lock, also the catch for the screen door to latch to the main door.  He then reached into the opening and worked carefully the white door cover out of the frame of the door side and worked that way.  A little tight but enough room and he had large fingers.  He adjusted the rods and now it works better than it ever has.  i barely have to pull the handle and the door unlatched.  Hurrah! 

He then tackled the next problem which was a major air leak.  He did brace the front of the coach before going under. After a few minutes it was confirmed that the ride height valve was the problem.  He removed it and will be back this morning (if he can get the part) to replace it. 

My over the table window day/night shade had broken and I had removed the surround and was taking it apart when he came in to wash his hands and saw it laying on the sofa.  As usual, one should always look for the easy solution.  Seems all that had happened was the little clear plastic part that keeps the tension had broken.  Replaced that and put the window back up, tightened it all and it works also, just the way intended.  Good thing too as it got right chilly last night and it keeps the coach a bit warmer when that is closed. 

Next he went to my topper awning over  the bedroom slide to replace the spring that I had already purchased from Talon.  After getting the cover off and the acorns and one dead piece of oak tree out the awning just rolled up as neat as can be.  Another time where the cover just needed cleaning out and everything worked as designed.  

I also have the Howard Power Steering that I’ve not been able to use due to a cylinder leak.  He is going to remove it and bring it to a cylinder repair place to see if it can be repaired.  I hope so as I really like the security and control.  I have installed Watts Links on front and back as well as a cross bar in the back and tightened my TRW steer box (as far as it can go I’m told) and it has become a dream to drive. 

Dan must do a lot of the repairs at Mt Olive Shores South as people kept coming by to say hi and wish him a happy new year. He is in the process of moving to Polk City so will be even closer and I already have his number on my speed dial.  

I can’t thank you guys enough for your help and Tom Cherry for posting my email to him when I couldn’t get on.  I received many phone calls that were very helpful and I think all you that called too.  Even had a long talk with Jeff that also has an 03 Camelot and we discussed changes that we had both made.  I’m sure we will be in contact again comparing notes. 

Again thanks for being there and hope to see you down the road. 

JJ

03 Camelot

00 Honda Odyssey that was rear ended the day before travel south that is waiting to get OK from insurance to be repaired. 

 

 

Edited January 6, 2021 by jtucker201

[Mike H]

Very informative video.  Many thanks for posting it Darren.  As he says, the door should have an access to the adjuster nuts.  This almost wants me to go out and drill holes in the top and bottom of the door and seal them up with rubber plugs.  Either that or get rid of the screen door but I don't think I want to go that far.  If this ever happens to me at least I now know what I'll have to deal with.

[Tom Cherry]

Glad it is fixed and did not require any "monkey business" regarding the egress via a confined opening....

 

[a4epilot]

21 hours ago, Darren A. said:

Hope this helps 

Thank you so much for posting this video! My 06 Windsor door is just about to fail as did this door. I've read prior postings but they were not clear so I've delayed taking corrective action. My first task today is to make the adjustment and save myself a lot of grief that is heading my way.

Again, most appreciate you taking the time to post.

Gary K

[AlanC2]

We were also locked in our coach while we were on the way to the Maintenance Session a few years ago.  The door was working fine when we got in departing Maryland, and when we got to a campground in Ohio we could not get out.  The roads on the way west were awful, and it  turned out that the top striker bolt had vibrated loose and unscrewed from the frame and into the door, enough so that it keep it from opening. As I recall, the latches released, but it would not open.  I had to use a pair of needle nose pliers squeezed between the door and the frame to screw it back in (destroying a section of seal) so we could get out.  I put loc-tite on the threads and now check the bolts often so that doesn't happen again.

 

AlanC2

2002 Windsor PST

[Roger 2006 HR Endeavor PDQ]

On 1/5/2021 at 11:42 AM, Darren A. said:

Hope this helps 

Darren A,

Timing is everything!

Our '06 Endeavor door has been getting more and more out of adjustment. After watching this I gathered up my tools and tore into it. A couple of hours of work and the door works better than ever. Smooth and easy to open and closes without slamming. Thanks for posting the video. It took away all of the fear!

Roger, '06 HR Endeavor PDQ

[a4epilot]

52 minutes ago, Roger S said:

Darren A,

Timing is everything!

Our '06 Endeavor door has been getting more and more out of adjustment. After watching this I gathered up my tools and tore into it. A couple of hours of work and the door works better than ever. Smooth and easy to open and closes without slamming. Thanks for posting the video. It took away all of the fear!

Roger, '06 HR Endeavor PDQ

Darren A,

After watching the video this morning, I tore into it on my 06 Windsor and now it works perfectly but best of all, I understand the mechanism and can repair again if needed.

My door was on the verge of failing so this came at the perfect time!

Without the video, could never have done it so efficiently or possibly not at all! 

Many thanks!!

Gary K

[Darren A.]

Glad the video help

[96 EVO]

Looks like access to the adjustment nuts is about 1 1/4" above, and below the cutouts for the striker bolts, correct?

[bpperk]

Yes, those are the locations of the rod ends that you can adjust. Also, I just adjusted my door. The inside of the door is covered with a heavy vinyl fabric which is glued to and covering a heavy plastic door skin. I was able to pull this fabric loose and then drill a 2 1/2 inch hole just below the bottom latch to adjust the lock release. The top one can be accessed by removing half of the window molding and then finessing the door skin back. My top release was more than 1/4 inch out of adjustment. This was completed without any sign of the access hole because I just re-glued the fabric and replaced the window frame. The door now works better than ever. That's the way is is on my 2004 Signature.

[ok-rver]

I have read posts were the individual tried adjusting the coupling nut between two rods at the handle and it did not solve their problem. My outside latch would barely unlock the door. It did help to push in the door to take loading off the latches but I decided I did not want to get locked out and it warmed up today a bit in Corpus Christi so worked on it today. Disassembly was similar to the video above. I removed the bottom right screws around the window to allow the frame to flex out with the panel. I also left the top two screws in the frame along the edge of the door as the inner plastic surface could be pulled out after getting all the other screws out. Lubing all the pivot points allowed every thing to move a bit freer but unlatching was still difficult. I wedged a can of seafoam between the door foam and inner cover to get enough room. The coupling nut is not a left/right threaded nut. I pulled the upper bent end of the rod out of the rotating bracket and screwed it in two turns, then reinstalled. That was enough to have a little tension in the rod against the bracket and the door unlatched when the lever was half way thru the  travel.   I would guess that over thousands of openings, the rods and brackets have seated into each other and enough slop developed so the latch was trying to unlock too late in the rotation.  Hope this helps anyone attempting this adjustment.

One other thing, the tapered ring around the dead bolt key was painted as part of the coach. I should have carefully slide the inner cylinder out and not broken the paint on the ring. I now have a very slight white ring around the cylinder. One view in the video above shows the ring still on the side of the door with the inner cylinder out.