|
06-12-2022, 12:30 PM
|
#1
|
Junior Member
Alpine Owners Club
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Posts: 18
|
Engine Bay Door
Has anyone had the problem of the engine bay door coming off. We last traveled from Arizona to Florida. About half way there, I started having a problem of the engine bay door latches not holding and the door going up. The door seemed to be well secured to its brackets, so I didn't worry about it much. I would close it at every stop and try to get the latches to hold. At almost every stop, it was open again. (By the way, the roads were rough as hell) Finally, on our return in about the middle of Texas, I had a lot of people signaling me there was a problem at the back of my coach. At first, I thought they were just signaling me the door was open, but during the whole trip, only one person had tried to tell me about the door being open. Now I got 4 people signaling me within a few miles. I pulled off the highway and found the door completely disconnected on one side and hanging down, bending the bracket on the other side. I removed the door, stuck it in my tow vehicle, and went on home.
Now, my questions is, what is the best way to re-attach the door. It appears that there is a piece of wood fiberglassed into the back side of the door that the brackets are just wood screwed into. My thought is to epoxy some wood dowels into the screw holes and just re-attach with wood screws. Once re-attached, I will have to figure out why the latches are not working. It's a little difficult to see the closed latch with the door closed. You can see up from the ground, but I don't know how well yet. I had the spoiler on the back at the roof do the same thing a couple of years ago. These rough roads are beating the crap out of my poor coach!!:
|
|
|
|
Join the #1 RV Forum Today - It's Totally Free!
iRV2.com RV Community - Are you about to start a new improvement on your RV or need some help with some maintenance? Do you need advice on what products to buy? Or maybe you can give others some advice? No matter where you fit in you'll find that iRV2 is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!
You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with other RV owners, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create an RV blog, send private messages and so much, much more!
|
06-12-2022, 01:15 PM
|
#2
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: So Cal
Posts: 827
|
Wow that sucks, at least you didn’t lose the door.
The tabs they latch too are just a little too short. My latches did the same thing when I first bought mine. I removed the two tabs that the latches contact, I believe they’re riveted on. I cut a couple of pieces of metal and shimmed them both out about 3/16”and that took care of the problem. I think I bolted them back on.
Hopefully you will have enough good wood to dowel and reattach too. I’m sure the wood could be cut out and a new piece glassed in. I’ll check mine out and make sure the wood is still solid.
Good luck, Terry
__________________
2005 Alpine
40 FDTS
Alpine Coach........That's how Jaguar would've done it!
|
|
|
06-13-2022, 12:50 PM
|
#3
|
Senior Member
Alpine Owners Club
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Lake Havasu City, AZ
Posts: 3,013
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by jgsomerville
Has anyone had the problem of the engine bay door coming off. We last traveled from Arizona to Florida. About half way there, I started having a problem of the engine bay door latches not holding and the door going up. The door seemed to be well secured to its brackets, so I didn't worry about it much. I would close it at every stop and try to get the latches to hold. At almost every stop, it was open again. (By the way, the roads were rough as hell) Finally, on our return in about the middle of Texas, I had a lot of people signaling me there was a problem at the back of my coach. At first, I thought they were just signaling me the door was open, but during the whole trip, only one person had tried to tell me about the door being open. Now I got 4 people signaling me within a few miles. I pulled off the highway and found the door completely disconnected on one side and hanging down, bending the bracket on the other side. I removed the door, stuck it in my tow vehicle, and went on home.
Now, my questions is, what is the best way to re-attach the door. It appears that there is a piece of wood fiberglassed into the back side of the door that the brackets are just wood screwed into. My thought is to epoxy some wood dowels into the screw holes and just re-attach with wood screws. Once re-attached, I will have to figure out why the latches are not working. It's a little difficult to see the closed latch with the door closed. You can see up from the ground, but I don't know how well yet. I had the spoiler on the back at the roof do the same thing a couple of years ago. These rough roads are beating the crap out of my poor coach!!:
|
Which year and model is your coach?
__________________
Paul & Jean
2001 Alpine 36FDDS (74291)-3900W Solar, 13,440Wh (525Ah @24V) LiFePO4
2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk (Hemi)
2006 Alpenlite 32RL - Sold
|
|
|
06-13-2022, 03:44 PM
|
#4
|
Junior Member
Alpine Owners Club
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Posts: 18
|
It's a 2005 36 FDTS
|
|
|
06-14-2022, 01:18 PM
|
#5
|
Junior Member
Alpine Owners Club
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Posts: 18
|
Thanks for the input. I bought some good rivet equipment when I had to repair the spoiler so I should be able to drill out the rivets on the latch brackets, make some new ones and rivet them back on. I appreciate the help.
|
|
|
07-03-2022, 07:20 AM
|
#6
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: So Cal
Posts: 827
|
Just curious if you resolved your engine cover issue and wondering if you thought about having a couple of vents cut in while you had it off.
Terry
__________________
2005 Alpine
40 FDTS
Alpine Coach........That's how Jaguar would've done it!
|
|
|
07-04-2022, 12:18 PM
|
#7
|
Senior Member
Alpine Owners Club
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Lake Wales, FL
Posts: 3,113
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Terry W
Just curious if you resolved your engine cover issue and wondering if you thought about having a couple of vents cut in while you had it off.
Terry
|
Terry, try putting the vents up high, there is a “pocket” above the access hatch that traps a lot of hot air. I think the higher up you put the vents the better.
__________________
Dave, Bobbi and Fenway
2005 38' FDTS Alpine Limited, 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited
Lake Wales, FL
|
|
|
07-05-2022, 06:55 AM
|
#8
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: So Cal
Posts: 827
|
Dave,
Like you said, the top seems like the best place for the vents. I’ve seen a couple of vented doors but I haven’t seen any vents in the upper portion of the rear. I haven’t read on here about anybody doing it, I’d like to see a pic if anybody has done it.
I just figured if he had the door off it would be a pretty easy modification.
Terry
__________________
2005 Alpine
40 FDTS
Alpine Coach........That's how Jaguar would've done it!
|
|
|
07-05-2022, 09:57 AM
|
#9
|
Junior Member
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: MYRTLE BEACH SC
Posts: 8
|
I need to replace my windshields
Can anyone please tell me where I can get my windshields changed?
|
|
|
07-05-2022, 11:11 AM
|
#10
|
Junior Member
Alpine Owners Club
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Posts: 18
|
Still working on the door. I drilled out the locations where the original screws were and used JB Weld epoxy to install wood dowels. I am still trying to decide what type of screws to use. Wood screws don't seem like they would have enough "staying power". Actually, just screwed into wood doesn't seem like that great of design to begin with. I love most things about this coach, but every now and then........
I hadn't thought about installing vents, but now I am. Higher up seems like a good idea. I will start looking around for a suitable vent. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Again, thank you for the suggestions.
|
|
|
07-11-2022, 12:11 AM
|
#11
|
Senior Member
Alpine Owners Club
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Lake Wales, FL
Posts: 3,113
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Terry W
Dave,
Like you said, the top seems like the best place for the vents. I’ve seen a couple of vented doors but I haven’t seen any vents in the upper portion of the rear. I haven’t read on here about anybody doing it, I’d like to see a pic if anybody has done it.
I just figured if he had the door off it would be a pretty easy modification.
Terry
|
I remember a pic of one years ago, good luck finding it!
__________________
Dave, Bobbi and Fenway
2005 38' FDTS Alpine Limited, 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited
Lake Wales, FL
|
|
|
07-11-2022, 01:05 PM
|
#12
|
Senior Member
Alpine Owners Club
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Sugar Grove IL
Posts: 409
|
https://www.irv2.com/photopost/showp...hp?photo=18937
This link has very nice engine vent grills that were added to an Alpine.
__________________
Mack Mover
2003 Alpine 40 MDTS
400 ISL
|
|
|
|
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
|
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
|
» Recent Discussions |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|