Community Forums

JManatee · 06-02-2013, 04:32 PM

I want to give Monaco owners a heads up. We had an accident Friday.

We came to a stop at a light in the right most straight traveling lane.

While stopped a pickup truck was passing on the right in the right turn only lane.

The service access door on the passenger side (the one without a handle that allows you to access the Fresh, grey and black tanks) decided to open.

There are two screws that are supposed to hold it closed but apparently they rattled out.

The door swung up as the truck was passing. It caught his mirror which then forced the access door harder into into his door severely denting his door ripping off his mirror and breaking his window.

As you can imagine, The RVs access door was pushed forward violently bending the door in half, bending the hinge and moving the water heater forward into the forward compartment door.

So as a warning. You should learn where the two screws are and ensure they are not rattling loose.

deSanford · 06-02-2013, 04:40 PM

Sorry to hear that. I have a couple of those "lockless" screwed doors myself. Thanks for the heads up. deSanford

TheJeep · 06-02-2013, 05:57 PM

Sorry to hear about your accident. Thanks for sharing, I need to check mine. I never thought of that happening.

Dr4Film · 06-02-2013, 06:06 PM

I have two of those doors on the passenger side. One for the tank bay just in front of the rear wheels and the other is my Fuel/LPG bay up front.

What I have done to both fo those bay doors is to mount a pair of gas springs on each of the doors similar in size and poundage as the other bay doors. Then I installed latches on the bottom to latch the doors closed when underway.

I now have easy access to each of those bays as there are places to use for storage of various items.

Dr4Film ----- Richard

deSanford · 06-02-2013, 06:17 PM

Richard could you post a picture or information on your "latches"? Do you lock the latches on the doors also? Good idea.........deSanford

Jeff753 · 06-02-2013, 08:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr4Film

I have two of those doors on the passenger side. One for the tank bay just in front of the rear wheels and the other is my Fuel/LPG bay up front.

What I have done to both fo those bay doors is to mount a pair of gas springs on each of the doors similar in size and poundage as the other bay doors. Then I installed latches on the bottom to latch the doors closed when underway.

I now have easy access to each of those bays as there are places to use for storage of various items.

Dr4Film ----- Richard

I'd like pics too please. Of how you attached the arms and which arms and latches you used.
Good idea to secure these.

Dynasty_09 · 06-02-2013, 08:45 PM

Sorry to hear about your accident. I hope it didn't happen on the first leg of a trip! I think I'll have to check those out because they swing open very wide.

Tks for the heads up!

Gary.Jones · 06-02-2013, 10:59 PM

Jeff753 and others
I also own a 2001 Dynasty tag. My door which covers the water tanks is held closed with two stainless steel latches that are like the ones that you see on tool chests: a wire loop that catches a protruding short spike on the bottom of the door, and a the loops are connected to a latch that when hooked on the spike, then snap back against the basement frame. Very solid. I am a new owner to this rig and thought it was factory installed. No screws in this rig. These snap type latches are very secure. I may be able to take some pictures.

Gary

danes-on-tour · 06-03-2013, 02:06 AM

Soory to learn about your accident. This is just bad luck that your door decided to open right there and then.

Here is what I did to mine: On the drivers side I have a door that opens with what I call a "Coca-Cola" key (this is the type key used for opening vending machines). I installed 2 locks like that on the passanger side door. Installation is very simple, and for drilling to holes in the door panel, a step-drill made work easy. This is what it looks like:

As I recall I bought the locks from Monaco, which means that i can use the same key for the new locks.

tranquility · 06-03-2013, 07:25 AM

I found the same issue on my 2010 Dip. 42 SKQ. I wanted to see what was behind this panel and found one screw missing and the other loose. The panel was held on by two bolts on one side of panel. Thanks to your problem I will recheck.

Dr4Film · 06-03-2013, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deSanford

Richard could you post a picture or information on your "latches"? Do you lock the latches on the doors also? Good idea.........deSanford

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff753

I'd like pics too please. Of how you attached the arms and which arms and latches you used.
Good idea to secure these.

Guys,

Here are the photos that each of you had requested. There are two straps and I installed one latch on each strap. It's a crude method but works and has not caused any problems. Even if I have forgotten to close those two latches the gas springs will not let the door fly open by itself. The poundage is too strong.

I like what Danes-on-Tour has done with the barrel locks but I really don't want to drill through over 2 inches of door. I just needed something simple.

Dr4Film ----- Richard

deSanford · 06-03-2013, 06:34 PM

How long is the lock's "cylinder"? Great idea from the Great Dane. deSanford

Jeff753 · 06-03-2013, 06:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by danes-on-tour

Soory to learn about your accident. This is just bad luck that your door decided to open right there and then.

Here is what I did to mine: On the drivers side I have a door that opens with what I call a "Coca-Cola" key (this is the type key used for opening vending machines). I installed 2 locks like that on the passanger side door. Installation is very simple, and for drilling to holes in the door panel, a step-drill made work easy. This is what it looks like:

As I recall I bought the locks from Monaco, which means that i can use the same key for the new locks.

I like this. I could get the same lock keyed as the fuse/battery bays. What did you do for the latching surface for th cam lock to grab? Photo?

danes-on-tour · 06-04-2013, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff753

I like this. I could get the same lock keyed as the fuse/battery bays. What did you do for the latching surface for th cam lock to grab? Photo?

Hi Jeff

I made no modification for the "grab". If you position the lock at the ideal position from the doors edge, the lock will catch the frame where the 2 rusty screws were. The locks are adjustable so you can set the "closing point" where you want it to be.

I can't offer you any pictures at the present. I am sitting 5,500 miles away from the MH in sunny old Denmark at present - sorry.

Here is where I got the locks from .

It is a Southco product. Southco part number E3-99_373_50, Monaco part number 54717.