Entry door

[Bob Jones]

As others have said, the door needs to float. Because I'm parked long-term I run the unit once a month along with the genset until both reach operating temperature. When I do that, the air suspension raises the unit off the jacks. I have noticed, every time, that the door realigns itself. It goes from being difficult to smooth each time. 

My observations tend to prove that it needs to float and that the door re-aligns itself to the proper position. I use the door getting sticky as a sign that it's time to run the unit. Now before everyone states that you should never idle the unit, on mine you can raise the idle fairly high and this allows it to get to operating temperature. It is always better to take the unit out for a drive to work the transmission, brakes, tires etc. 

[Steve P]

HELP!   I made a new Flange bushing and got it on the post with the flange to the outside of the door. The door handle wouldn't move the lock tab at that point point. So I so I gently removed the flange bushing, expecting to have to thin out the bushing some more, and now the outside door handle just flops back-and-forth.. It has no tension on it. So it doesn't move the lock tab at all of course.  The inside handle appears to work, although I am afraid to close the door for fear of being locked in or out.  What have i done to disengage the outside handle and how do i fix it??

Edited September 11, 2021 by Steve P
spelling correction

[miacasa_2000]

I would slowly go over every pc. with the pictures and diagrams on this site something did not get put back in right. Or just happened to break right at this same time. Also adjustments could have been made to take up the slop from not having the bushing in place and now with one in place you need to adjust again. that also could be what broke something if in fact that's what you find.  Put a step ladder up to a large unlocked window as you play with this from either side for you escape or entry. 

[Steve P]

My first task is to figure out how to get the rusted screws out of the inside window trim...   

Oddly the door opens easier now (don't have to pop the door handle).

This will have to wait for a few other projects to get done, but I will be drilling a hole to get to a window latch!

Thanks everyone! 

[drewat2]

Finally decided I could do the adjustment after reading this thread. Been a problem for a long time that required the outside magic opening procedure. The task of adjusting was easy and only a couple minutes to get it right. Unfortunately took several hours to get to get the inside door skin removed due to so many of the fasteners being buggered up requiring using an extractor among various other methods . We park for months on the beach in Mexico with the door open most of the time which led to the fasteners condition. The happy ending is all new fasteners and a door my wife now easily opens without me reminding her to push in and pull to the left to open

[Bill C]

On 9/5/2021 at 6:31 PM, Steve P said:

 

 

I'm glad to have read your (Steve P) post about the "missing" bushing. I too do not have a bushing on mine, I was wondering if I ever had one.

Steve P - did you make a final determination that you, in fact, were missing the bushing? Did you find one, or make one, that worked, installed it, and it solved the problem? Before I go down that rabbit hole I wanted to see what you have learned?

[isptbart]

On 9/1/2021 at 9:48 PM, isptbart said:

Hi All! I experienced the same problem, same symptoms & difficult to open from the outside, I did all of the external & then internal adjustments. Finally found out about the brass bushing & mine was almost completely worn out. I turned another bushing to spec. & that solved all of my problems. Sure was happy to just have to replace a simple brass bushing!

Bart from VA

07 HR 42PDQ w/ GMC 2500 HD in tow

While I turned my own bronze bushing, I later found an off the shelf bushing which I think is close to the required dimensions in order to work. It is a Hillman product from Lowes Item # 215870  Model #882991. It now shows as having 2 set screws, but mine has no set screws. Came as a package of 2. My door would not work properly w/o a bushing & trying to get the door latch adjusted w/o a bushing might work, but steel to steel would cause unnecessary wear & tear on your latch assembly.

6 hours ago, Corkman said:

I'm glad to have read your (Steve P) post about the "missing" bushing. I too do not have a bushing on mine, I was wondering if I ever had one.

Steve P - did you make a final determination that you, in fact, were missing the bushing? Did you find one, or make one, that worked, installed it, and it solved the problem? Before I go down that rabbit hole I wanted to see what you have learned?

While I turned my own bronze bushing, I later found an off the shelf bushing which I think is close to the required dimensions in order to work. It is a Hillman product from Lowes Item # 215870  Model #882991. It now shows as having 2 set screws, but mine has no set screws. Came as a package of 2. My door would not work properly w/o a bushing & trying to get the door latch adjusted w/o a bushing might work, but steel to steel would cause unnecessary wear & tear on your latch assembly.

Bart from VA

[isptbart]

My bushing was very worn out & I finally found it in the bottom of my door after disassembling. I turned a new one & installed & all work great with no issues from my DW! I later found a premade bushing from Lowes as follows: Lowes has a Hillman #215870 1/4x3/8x15  Package of two & they are about perfect for our needs!

Bart from VA                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            07 HR 42PLQ, GMC 2500HD in tow                         

 

[miniedmo]

Thanks for the heads up on the part at Lowes. Drilled the center with 9/32 and fit perfectly. 

[mjhannan]

On 8/31/2021 at 5:05 AM, dleeadkins said:

Here is the adjustment I made highlighted in yellow. It shortens the length of pull and removes “slack “ in the outside door handle.

Door Bushing Replacement & Latch Adjustment.pdf 985.13 kB · 77 downloads

Kudos to you for uploading this.  It's exactly what I need to get my new door handle put on.  

 

MJ 

[hex_nut]

I thought I would add my two cents to this topic if you are far from home and need a quick fix to the entry door opening issue.  Last winter in South Texas my entry door became more and more difficult to open.  I remembered the temporary fix of adding a bushing to the activation pin to compensate for the years of wear in the mechanism.  However, I was far from anywhere with no way to locate or fabricate a bushing.  I scrounged through all my "stuff" to find something that would work.  Finally picked up a chrome metal valve cover cap.  And, guess what, it was the right size.  I cleaned the activation pin and JBWelded that valve cover cap onto the door handle activation pin.  It has worked flawlessly since.  Just something to keep in mind if you are in that position.

Richard  

[Gary 05 AMB DST]

5 hours ago, hex_nut said:

I thought I would add my two cents to this topic if you are far from home and need a quick fix to the entry door opening issue.  Last winter in South Texas my entry door became more and more difficult to open.  I remembered the temporary fix of adding a bushing to the activation pin to compensate for the years of wear in the mechanism.  However, I was far from anywhere with no way to locate or fabricate a bushing.  I scrounged through all my "stuff" to find something that would work.  Finally picked up a chrome metal valve cover cap.  And, guess what, it was the right size.  I cleaned the activation pin and JBWelded that valve cover cap onto the door handle activation pin.  It has worked flawlessly since.  Just something to keep in mind if you are in that position.

Richard  

Richard, could you point out your place of application for your fix on mjhannan's numbered picture?  Thanks.

Gary 05 AMB DST

[hex_nut]

Gary

The activation pin is not a numbered item in that description.  It is between items 4 and 5 in that diagram.  It is easiest to see in the picture posted by Steve P..  It is a small round barrel shaped post (just over 1/4 inch in diameter) that fits into the half-moon detente in the lock tab.  I will repost Steve's picture here so you can see the wear on the  mechanism.  I simply glued the valve cap over the post in place of the bushing.  When I have the opportunity, I will replace the valve cap with a proper bushing, but the valve cap certainly got me out of a jam and provided a temporary fix.

Richard

[Gary 05 AMB DST]

Thanks hex_nut, that was easy.

Gary 05 AMB DST

[grizzly]

On 8/31/2021 at 5:05 AM, dleeadkins said:

Here is the adjustment I made highlighted in yellow. It shortens the length of pull and removes “slack “ in the outside door handle.

Door Bushing Replacement & Latch Adjustment.pdf 985.13 kB · 101 downloads

I have an issue wit my 07 Monaco Signature entry door. I pulled the outside handle last night and it sounded like something popped and now handle is totally loose going back and forth. I looked at the above diagram and # 2 goes somewhere else. Irt goes to the key lock then up to the actual lock  #3 is not bent like in the diagram .I do have the little tab sticking out that goes behind #2 but can't figure out how the door handle moves anything to open door latch. Any ideas ?