cargo door bolt replacement, help? Heh OLD GUYS

[lonfu]

so, I've acquired a 99 pace arrow 35u (fleetwood) it needs several repairs.

The first one is the cargo/luggage door latches are broken. I need to replace 12 of them. Like my 98 Itasca, the door latches are located on the "inside" of the frame rather than the outside like most RV's of later years. My Itasca has the white nylon latch buttons and have never broken because I keep them lubed. But the ones on the pace arrow are black, brittle and snap off. Both coaches use fiberglass panels with a foam core.

So, rather than pull 10 doors completely apart has anyone tried routing a hole behind the latch, replacing it, then making a cover for the hole?

Any suggestions on how big to make the hole?

Any idea how thick the wall material is?

The latches are held in place with a nut and bolt set that are 3" on center. Trimark latches. Yes, I've seen the metal ones, don't like the $$..... Yes I see the square head roberts screws holding the door edge to the top and bottom frame member.

Sadly, my Itasca uses rivits in place of these screws, so when one does break I would like to have a solution for both. Clearly a mechanic was not involved in the design of something stupid as this. The latch rivited on the outside is a much better design and all companies eventually "figured it out" after listening to the cursing, screaming and yelling in the service department for a while. True, the inside latch does look better, but........

[lonfu]

Some of you fellas are thinking 12 door latches, is he nuts???? did he get a great buy or something???

WELL, it goes like this, 1999 fleetwood pace arrow 35u, ford v-10 Triton, yes that means it is a 36 foot coach with rear queen, mid rear bath, mid kitchen, front L shape couch with 3 picture windows in front of the couch, levelers, kit table with chairs and 77k miles. Even my wife loves the floor plan. Ok, so stop holding your breath, yes I'm going to tell you the price.

No, not $60,000.00 dollars, but $6000.00, title says new it was $93k.

yes, it needs some stuff. Roof coat, LATCHES...., perhaps a new frig and intake manifold gasket. Batt terminals needed cleaning and electrical system fired right up fine. Got it from a private party......So, it needs some stuff, been sitting for 2 years, so you know what that means.....

[Golfer Guy]

Take a look at HTFHardware.com they have every kind of latch you can imagine for the RV industry. I just got two for my bay doors from them.

[FIRE UP]

Well Sir,
First off, don't kid yourself about the "White" latches in Itascas not breaking. Our coach, an '04 Itasca Horizon 36GD with the C-7 330HP CAT, is now around 13 years old and, I've replaced at least 4 of those WHITE "slam-latch" latches. Even if you lube them, they still get brittle after time. Now, on this coach, it's really not a big deal to replace those latches. Remove the cover off the inside portion of the handle, remove the latch links from the handle, and, drill the rivets. Install new latch, and re-rivet, then re-connect latch links and, button things up, DONE!

Now, on our previous coach, a '99 Fleetwood Bounder 34V with the V-10 and F-53 chassis, we replaced probably around a 1/2 dozen or more of those same type latches but, like yours, they were black. And, like yours, the door had to basically come apart to replace them. Probably not the best designed latch attachment system on the planet but, it wasn't the end of the world for replacing them.

It's your coach so, you'll have to do what you think is the better/easiest way for replacement of those latches. If it were me, I'd still take it one door at a time. Do what you have to do to gain access to those latches. Replace them, and re-construct the door. You'll then have standard looking doors when done. You may, or may not be the last owner of this coach. And if not, then the next owner will appreciate a CLEAN repair job on each of those doors/latches.

I'm not saying you'll do a "hatchet" job on them but, while some effort will be needed to do it the correct way, I personally think you'll have less issues (many maybe unseen 'till you carve away at the interior door skins) if you do it by dissembling the door. How long does it take to do one door, both latches, start to finish?
Scott

[lonfu]

Originally Posted by FIRE UP

Well Sir,
First off, don't kid yourself about the "White" latches in Itascas not breaking. Our coach, an '04 Itasca Horizon 36GD with the C-7 330HP CAT, is now around 13 years old and, I've replaced at least 4 of those WHITE "slam-latch" latches. Even if you lube them, they still get brittle after time. Now, on this coach, it's really not a big deal to replace those latches. Remove the cover off the inside portion of the handle, remove the latch links from the handle, and, drill the rivets. Install new latch, and re-rivet, then re-connect latch links and, button things up, DONE!

Now, on our previous coach, a '99 Fleetwood Bounder 34V with the V-10 and F-53 chassis, we replaced probably around a 1/2 dozen or more of those same type latches but, like yours, they were black. And, like yours, the door had to basically come apart to replace them. Probably not the best designed latch attachment system on the planet but, it wasn't the end of the world for replacing them.

It's your coach so, you'll have to do what you think is the better/easiest way for replacement of those latches. If it were me, I'd still take it one door at a time. Do what you have to do to gain access to those latches. Replace them, and re-construct the door. You'll then have standard looking doors when done. You may, or may not be the last owner of this coach. And if not, then the next owner will appreciate a CLEAN repair job on each of those doors/latches.

I'm not saying you'll do a "hatchet" job on them but, while some effort will be needed to do it the correct way, I personally think you'll have less issues (many maybe unseen 'till you carve away at the interior door skins) if you do it by dissembling the door. How long does it take to do one door, both latches, start to finish?
Scott

Yes, that is what I've been considering. Once I make a clamp on temp plate it will only take me a minute or two to route out an access port. Certainly less time than to pull the door apart. Then making aluminum covers for each port is easy production work. The thing is the access port will be there next time the latches break and reduce the install time. If I were then next owner I'd appreciate the access ports. If they were not a regular occurance I wouldn't bother. 12 latches out of 20 latches broken?

It would be nice if the 12 latches were on 6 doors, but I have to pull apart 10 doors. That is why I'm looking at just routering a hole, besides with the temp plate I can do it right on the coach with removing the door. I have the latches ordered. Using a formica edge trimmer with a small cutting bit to route out a neat rectangle with curved corners will make the job look professional. I'll spray the covers with acrylic enamel automotive paint. Got to remember I've got to make 20 of these things.

[FIRE UP]

With that approach, I see what and how you're getting at this project. And yes, if done in the way you're intending, the newly made covers would sort of blend in and, yes, if attached with either small sheet metal screws or, you could even use industrial velcro around the perimeter of the hole, just a thought. But, if you go ahead with this plan, do be careful that your router bit does not exceed too much depth or, you might be "routing" the actuation arms of the latch,
Scott

[lonfu]

Made up my template yesterday it is a 2x3" hole. Iv'e decided to try my "wiggle" saw first. (occillating saw) Simply use the template to draw my line then wiggle saw the hole. seems the fastest way to do it. figured I'd use self tapping sheet metal screws with built in washer head to lay down the cover plate. You, know the same ones that I used when I built my steel house. A little dab of silicon for water proofing around the edge. I've experimented with the hole size a bit in the shop but you know how that goes. Something learned about moho's in 1980: screw and glue, never or the other.

[4x4van]

Pics would be really helpful for others facing the same issue!

[Ray,IN]

Hopefully this

utube video

is helpful.

[lonfu]

Thanks for the link, I watched this but the problem is that fleet wood on this particular model, mounted the slide bolt on the inside of the door frame. This video shows it mounted on the outside of the frame and is very easy to replace. I haven't found any vids on when it is mounted on the inside of the frame. My itasca is made the same way. My itasca has the doors rivited together, so figure I've got to come up with some way to replace the with out pulling the doors all apart. thanks...

[Ray,IN]

I couldn't find it, but there is a video of a man who cut holes in the inner surface, replaced the latches, then screwed covers over the holes. I didn't think it was good workmanship, but it satisfied him that's all that counts.

[lonfu]

Ok, got it done. Yes, used a template to draw out a 2x3 hole, had to adjust it in slightly to allow for the thickness of the door frame edge metal thickness. about 1/8". Then drilled holes in each corner to prevent cracking and running. Used wiggle saw (occillating saw) to cut holes being careful to not cut to deep to prevent cutting the aluminum pull arms running to the slide latch. Had to drill out the screw heads, knock them off with chisel and hammer, some fool put lock nuts on the inside of the door. Couldn't get to them. Faster to drill out the screw heads with my dewalt 3000rpm hammer drill. Then use big pliers to pull out and re-install the new latch. Used my finger to smear some clear silicon around the opening and installed a 3x4 steel plate over the hole. I used TEK 1/2" self tapping screws with wide heads. First one took about 10 mins, after that 3 to 5 mins each. Trick to save time was drilling out the screw heads. Re-installed with hand rivet gun. Used the larger rivet's 1/4" long, they catch the slide bolt holes with no problem. In a pinch I may be able to use a box knife to cut the inside of the door skin, it was pretty thin. Wiggle saw was much faster.

[lonfu]

here are some pix.

[lonfu]

here are some more.