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Old 01-05-2015, 01:19 AM   #1
"Formerly Diplomat Don"
 
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Newmar Owners Club
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Moorpark, Ca.
Posts: 24,124
Dutch Star Front Door

As many have noted, their front door is hard to close when new. To do a true adjustment, the interior wood frame has to be removed which I never had done. I didn't want that frame removed and then hope that it would look right afterwards (I'm not near the factory).

Through the first six months, you really had to slam our front door to get it to close all the way. It's better now, but I worried about the damage it might be doing to the door frame on the latch side. When I close my door for travel, I got in the habit of bracing the door frame with one hand closing the door firmly with the other.

We returned from a trip today and as I was getting fuel, I stepped out and closed the door. I noticed that horizontal rub rail, where it meets the vertical door frame trim was moving where the two meet. It's just a silicone connection, but I hadn't seen this before. Apparently, my concern had come true, the door frame was moving.

I was a little angered that this had become an issue. I parked the coach at home and before I even unloaded it, I had to take a look. I wondered if the door frame could be tightened to the frame (could there be loose bolts).

I looked around the door frame and saw plastic caps in various spots on the frame. Two on the bottom (horizontal frame) One on the vertical frame wall about 4" from the floor, two just below the latch and two above the latch and one near the top, about 4" from the horizontal roof frame.

I pulled the plastic caps and found 5/16" headed self tapping screws under the caps. They were all snug......except the one on the vertical frame just above the lower horizontal frame (floor). When I removed the cap, there was NO screw, one had never been installed. This was the lower corner of the frame where I was getting movement. I also found that they didn't install one on the lower horizontal frame on the door hinge side.

I installed new self tapping screws (2") in the two vacant spots. I closed/slammed the door and for the first time since I owned the coach, the door frame didn't move.

I doubt that many will find screws missing, but it only takes a moment to check. My door is now closing better than new.
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Old 01-05-2015, 06:40 AM   #2
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A couple of adds to your QT's # 3 Mod Section this morning, I see.
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Old 01-06-2015, 05:57 AM   #3
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You were lucky! Our 2014 Canyon Star has had a problem with the door since we purchased it January, 2014. First wind noise, then a sqeaking sound. The factory has worked on it twice last year - and we still have the loud squeaking sound!

The door was taken apart at the factory service center in October - the noise went away for 200 miles and started up again! Now with plenty of grease on the door latch, I can keep the noise to a minimum.

It is a great coach but some design issue with this door!
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Old 01-06-2015, 10:52 AM   #4
"Formerly Diplomat Don"
 
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bwaller.....I have a fix for your noisy door if your latch is the same as my Dutch Star.
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Old 01-07-2015, 10:55 AM   #5
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Don't even get me started talking about all the issues with our door, what a POS design! Noise, slamming, not fitting right, etc.

Don - Do you know what that thing is on the lower left (standing outside as if you were walking into the coach)?

I was checking my screws behind the plastic caps, and went to remove what I thought was a plastic cap like the others, but this one is a bit bigger, mine was cracked and broken but thats just another issue. Anyway, when pulling it out it seemed to be on some type of bungee or ....something. Didn't want to pull to hard on it. Its lower left side, just above the lowest cap.

Also, the lowest cap on the left side (below the item I asking about above) didn't have a screw, nor did it look like the others....it was some type of threaded insert that didn't have anything in it........got any idea what that is, and is yours the same?

Thanks
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Old 01-07-2015, 02:22 PM   #6
"Formerly Diplomat Don"
 
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Randy....On mine, on the bottom left, there are two larger diameter plugs. Those are electrical sensors for the door. When I pulled one out, it had wire on it like a bungee cord.

When I looked at the lowest one on the left, it had no screw, but the hole was threaded for about 1/8". I thought maybe it was suppose to have some type of threaded adjuster. I pulled one of the other screws in the frame and they are all threaded like that. It's like they used a support bracket in the corners that may have been for something else or tightened in another way.

I went ahead and drove a self tapping screw through the hole and one on the bottom near the hinge.
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