Prop Open Front Door

Jim28730 · 11-07-2010, 09:02 AM

This may seem like a stupid question since it's 29 degrees outside but here goes anyway.

While camping in nice weather, and opening the coach windows for ventilation, the front door wants to slam shut with the slightest breeze. We all know that's not good for the screen door if it is latched to the coach.

Is there some simple solution to keeping the front door open? Any suggestions will be appreciated.

Wayne R · 11-07-2010, 09:21 AM

There is a mechanism called posi-loc on your door. It must be broken or out of adjustment. The lock is located on the top of the door close to the hinge line. It's purpose is to keep the door from blowing closed. It is released by operating the door handle. PTL engineering can supply you with the parts to fix it.

Jim28730 · 11-07-2010, 10:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wayne R

There is a mechanism called posi-loc on your door. It must be broken or out of adjustment. The lock is located on the top of the door close to the hinge line. It's purpose is to keep the door from blowing closed. It is released by operating the door handle. PTL engineering can supply you with the parts to fix it.

Wayne,
I feel like a real dummy for not looking on top of the door before posting my problem.

Sure enough, the cam of the posi-loc is frozen in the open position. Guess exploratory surgery is in order.

Another problem solved by the Alpine wizards. What an outstanding forum!
Thanks for your enlightenment,
Jim

Mike & Mike · 11-07-2010, 06:51 PM

Jim,

I just had mine apart about a week ago. Here's what I suggest:

Get up on a ladder and take the screws out of the PTL door holding bar (horizontal 2-piece bar that goes from the top center of your door to the top center of your door frame). Once completely loose, lift up the door end (as opposed to the door-frame end) of this horizontal bar. Look for a cable that comes up from below. Have a helper move the inside or outside door handle and you can see if the cable is moving up on top. The cable is supposed to cause a "lever" (the cam you mentioned) to move and engage a "notch" in the horizontal bar. If the lever (cam) is not moving it may just be jammed.

There is a screw that holds the cable in the right position but it doesn't pinch the cable at all (remove this screw), and there is a swaged blob of metal at the end of the cable that fits thru a slot.

Once you've removed all the screws holding the top part of the horizontal bar to the door, AND the screws holding the other end to the door frame, you'll be able to maneuver the apparatus so you can get the swage fitting out of the slot.

You don't want the cable to fall down inside the door. I clamped my cable with a pair of needle nose vise grips (on top of the swaged fitting so as not to deform the cable) and just left them dangling for awhile.

Take the whole thing into the garage and clamp it in your vise.

Now, you can wiggle the "inside" (lower) lever (this is the part that, when mounted again, will be "inside" of your door) and see if the cam also moves. Note that there is a spring wound around a pin that should move the cam back to it's normal position. I had to grab my cam with vise grips and bend it away from the top plate gently but forcefully. Then I felt it needed to be a bit farther away but didn't want to "bend" it so I shoved a small wedge in between the two pieces and tapped it. With the application of a bit of WD40, the cam now moves quite nicely.

If you find that you need parts, Jason Jenuwine (spelling?) at PTL Engineering seems like quite a nice guy and I'm sure he'd be happy to send you what you need. Or, you might get lucky like I did and be able to fix it yourself.

Cheers!

Old Rv'er · 11-07-2010, 09:21 PM

My guess is Wayne; you have a similar door to mine. You have a bar on top of the door which has a pin hinge in the middle, and when the door closes, this bends together. Now, there should be a little spring catch associated with this elbow, and my guess is this has broken. PTL made the door and this hinge; the part costs around 75 dollars and needs to be ordered from PTL. There is no warranty any longer as WRV stuck PTL with 15K in unpaid bills. I was able to get them to sell me the part at cost and I had to pay the shipping. There is also a sticker on the door near the latching and dead bolt mechanism (side of the door where it actually latches into the coach) and the serial number of the door is on that sticker. PTL would most likely tell you from that number which type of door opening mechanism you have and then sell you the correct part. It's either the one I described or the other one that was described in a previous post in this thread.

Jim28730 · 11-08-2010, 07:00 AM

Mike,
Thanks for the excellent detailed instructions! I will jump on the project this weekend.

Monty,
I have the same type of door the Mike has, with the cam catch on top of the door that releases with the door handle.

Old Rv'er · 11-08-2010, 05:44 PM

Well now that you know, then his instructions will do the trick.

Jim28730 · 11-14-2010, 11:09 AM

Thanks to the excellent, detailed advice from Mike (Mike & Mike) the repair was a success.

Once removed on on the bench, the problem was obvious. The locking cam was stuck in the open position because the shaft was bent, causing the cam to bind on the exterior of the top plate. Somehow, the shaft that has the cam on the top and the spring mechanism on the bottom, got bent about 10 degrees. Some muscle and prying with the top plate in the vise was enough to straighten the shaft. A little lube and re-assembly and it works great.

Again the Alpiners come through with great advice and a willingness to help!