Community Forums

wdstrand · 11-11-2014, 03:25 PM

I have a 2003 Monaco dynasty, today when I attemped to unlock the front door, the latch would not release. the top and bottom latches appear to be open however the center latch will not release. how can I get the door open to adjust or replace the latch?

dvmweb · 11-11-2014, 03:55 PM

Is it a Trimark latch? Ours broke inside. It took drilling into the case and coaxing with an awl to get the broken part to disengage from the frame of the door. It had to be done from inside the coach. It was made of pot metal and is a known problem.

2013 FleetWood Expedition 38B

wdstrand · 11-11-2014, 03:59 PM

I will check if its a trimark, did you drill from the inside or outside? I have removed the deadbolt that was not the problem. If I could get it to release I could open the door and take it apart.

greystroke · 11-11-2014, 04:43 PM

This is dumb but I say it anyway. Press on the door real hard near the lock while trying to unlock it. If that doesn't work pull on the door real hard while trying to unlock it. I know it sounds dumb but it works on some locks.

bobguigley · 11-11-2014, 04:45 PM

Please let us know how you fixed this.

I've been paranoid about something like this happening...I cringe when my wife slams the door which then requires more stress on the mechanism to get it to release. It just seems to me that its not a question of whether but rather when that latch break.

dvmweb · 11-12-2014, 10:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wdstrand

I will check if its a trimark, did you drill from the inside or outside? I have removed the deadbolt that was not the problem. If I could get it to release I could open the door and take it apart.

Had to climb in the coach and drill from the inside so we could coax the broken piece out of the door. Afterwards I thought that maybe you could put in a self tapping screw to use as a handle to pull it out of the door frame.

The latch pin, not the deadbolt, was broken inside.

2013 FleetWood Expedition 38B

flangley · 11-13-2014, 04:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dvmweb

Had to climb in the coach and drill from the inside so we could coax the broken piece out of the door. Afterwards I thought that maybe you could put in a self tapping screw to use as a handle to pull it out of the door frame.

The latch pin, not the deadbolt, was broken inside.

2013 FleetWood Expedition 38B

As soon as I get all my remodeling in I am buying an extra latch for both the cargo and door. Mine broke and I had to take it apart from the inside the night before I was leaving to go camping. I removed the broken part for the weekend and reinstalled it when the wife came down to the campground 3 days later and brought the new latch and I put it together at the CG. I had to take half the parts from the new and combine them with the old to make it work.

bobguigley · 11-13-2014, 08:30 PM

Hey DVM,

how did you get into the coach? Thru an unlocked window?

Ray,IN · 11-13-2014, 09:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobguigley

Hey DVM,

how did you get into the coach? Thru an unlocked window?

A technician at Camping World tipped us to leaving one window unlocked for this very reason. He said that's the first thing he does to a MH he is assigned to work on-unlock a window large enough to enter. He said he has been locked out several times in his 21 years as an RV tech.
About a year ago our entry door would not unlock, I crawled through the unlocked window, cut through the plastic door covering, removed the electric lock linkage, and unlocked the door manually. The electric lock solenoid had jammed in the lock position.

dvmweb · 11-14-2014, 04:28 PM

bg,

We pulled in to gas up and couldn't open the door. I climbed out the passenger window and tried first from the outside. Went to a shop up the road and worked on it there from the inside.

As mentioned, I have begun to leave one window unlocked for outside access. You never know.
Walt B

2013 FleetWood Expedition 38B

HarveyP · 11-18-2014, 07:50 AM

Trimark locks have a "pot metal" bolt that had broken twice for us. The last time I replaced, I called Trimark, got great customer service, and learned they make a better quality latch with steel components for a higher price. Seemed well worth the price to not be forced to crawl thru a window again. Good luck, HarveyP

JSW · 11-18-2014, 06:22 PM

Because of stories like these, we only lock with the deadbolt lock on our HR Ambassador.

ColonelA · 11-18-2014, 06:46 PM

Same here guys. I use only the deadbolt on my HR Ambassador. My other door lock doesnt even work.

Mody n Domy · 11-18-2014, 06:58 PM

Look at MH problem forum under "I was locked out and DW locked inside". This happened to me yesterday and I went step by step what I did, hope this helps.