Door Problems Again!

GCAKIA · 11-07-2018, 07:01 PM

I'm about to have my second door replaced on my 2015 39 MB. The hinges are coming off. The door seems warped and won't close properly. When we finally get the door shut, there's about a half inch opening all along the top of the door.

Dealer believes this door can, again, be replaced via warranty. My concern is that Redwood seems to be fixing the symptom and not the root cause of the problem. I don't know what the root cause is, unless it's the hinges or the type of metal used in the door that allows it to warp.

I hate the thought of being in this same situation 2 years down the road where for the life of the RV, we need to plan on replacing the door every two years.

Dealer tells me that Redwood has replaced an awful lot of doors, but doesn't seem to have a solution for the what's causing the problem to begin with.

Any ideas or other experiences anyone has to share? I'm now getting a name and phone number for Redwood customer service to see if a customer can get some feedback that would make me more comfortable with Redwood as a manufacturer.

xtasee · 11-07-2018, 11:31 PM

When I ordered my 2017, I requested that it not be built with the friction hinges. There was a new one on the lot that was almost impossible to close. I knew that it would get damaged just the way you had to slam it shut with a great deal of force. I have a friend with a 2018 Bighorn and it is the same way...

My 2017 has regular hinges and closes with the touch of a finger and has the old style retainer to hold it open mounted on the coach.

I am not sure if that was a production change, or if they listened to my request on the build. My opinion is that the friction hinge is the problem behind the door issue. YMMV

Char & Steve · 11-07-2018, 11:59 PM

A year after our purchase RW had to replace both our doors. We do have the friction hinge that I hate but since replaced have had no problems. Ours was not falling apart but it was because of very poor workmanship on not installing straight.

Service center did a fantastic job on the replacement and matching all the paint.

Steve

GTXRAS · 11-08-2018, 05:32 PM

We had our door changed and as soon as they were done you could see the friction hinges pulling it apart. We got the hinges changed to the non-friction at the service center a couple months later and have not had any issues. That was over 2 years ago.

Rick

GCAKIA · 11-08-2018, 07:36 PM

Here's some pictures of the door and hinges. You may need to click on the image to get it upright.
IMG_1920.jpg

IMG_1938.jpg

MuddFlap · 11-08-2018, 11:23 PM

My door would bind on the fold down steps. It would bind so badly that it would distort the hinges. The Redwood techs fixed it at the rally. Now the door closes easily with 1 gentle finger push.

Barnjess · 11-09-2018, 12:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xtasee

When I ordered my 2017, I requested that it not be built with the friction hinges. There was a new one on the lot that was almost impossible to close. I knew that it would get damaged just the way you had to slam it shut with a great deal of force. I have a friend with a 2018 Bighorn and it is the same way...

My 2017 has regular hinges and closes with the touch of a finger and has the old style retainer to hold it open mounted on the coach.

I am not sure if that was a production change, or if they listened to my request on the build. My opinion is that the friction hinge is the problem behind the door issue. YMMV

We have a 2017 and are in route to the dealer to get the door “fixed”. We too have to slam it to get it to close. I hate it. Wondering if we need to just get regular hinges and a door stopper. ???

RWJSIM2003 · 11-09-2018, 04:56 AM

We had ours replaced about two tears ago. Have not had any issues since change out newer friction hinges are not as strong as the original. I check often I was told that if it failed again it would be covered. Not that I trust RW to keep there word.

larryg · 11-17-2018, 05:57 PM

We to had our Door replaced about two years ago along with our fold out steps. Both seemed warped and or bent. Two years later we are starting to have the same issues with the door starting to warp making it harder to open or close and the steps starting to bend making it hard to fold out or in.
Was wondering if it has something to do with the stress on the Trailer during the operation of the level up system?

ET156 · 11-18-2018, 02:27 AM

we had to slam our door closed a few weeks ago so I adjusted the latch keeper and now door closes properly

Randalf · 01-23-2019, 02:16 PM

We decided to try wintering over in SW Colorado without doing anything special to prep our 39RD for the cold, other than buying a heated water hose. So far, so good, even at -7 degrees.

Good, that is, except for our door. Those damnable friction hinges have sprung the door out about an inch at the bottom, and you can see daylight coming in. Yesterday my wife reported that she and our daughter almost got trapped inside because the striker side was jammed so tightly that the door wouldn't open. They were able to shoulder the door open, but now they're worried that they'll get trapped outside in the cold because they can't pull the door open.

I'm 900 miles away in Texas and not due to go back up there for two more weeks. Can anyone recommend a temporary fix until I can get back-- hinge lube, removing the lower hinge, anything? There has been lots of snow and rain there, so I wonder whether water is getting into the hinges and freezing, thereby making a bad design even less functional. All suggestions are welcome, I'm a desperate man!

atom ant · 01-24-2019, 04:13 PM

Had a freeze in SW Colorado ourselves that kept us out of the Redwood most of the morning by Durango. But our 2014 had the old hinges. The Dealer had washed it that night, and nothing would open, not even the cabinets.

It's unnerving to think about actually, as I don't think my wife or daughter could get out if the door got stuck like that, and I don't think the emergency windows would open either in a rain/freeze type weather that hit the side.

Randalf · 01-27-2019, 12:17 AM

Our dealer's tech advised my wife to use some type of "petroleum-based lubricant" on the hinges, and she enlisted the camp host to help her work the door back and forth to loosen it up. She said they also "shoved the door over at the bottom" and now it opens & closes easily, and there is less light showing in around the lower hinge.
Problem solved for now, and I didn't have to pack up & race back to Colorado a week early! When I get back next week, however, I'll only have one week left on our two year factory warranty, so if it needs major corrective surgery I'm going to have to hustle to get it done.
Atom Ant, we are in Cortez, less than an hour from Durango, and having them get stuck inside was definitely a scary thought. My wife's biggest fear was getting locked out with our two year old grandson inside. Problem averted for now.

Pockets52 · 12-23-2019, 07:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GCAKIA

I'm about to have my second door replaced on my 2015 39 MB. The hinges are coming off. The door seems warped and won't close properly. When we finally get the door shut, there's about a half inch opening all along the top of the door.

Dealer believes this door can, again, be replaced via warranty. My concern is that Redwood seems to be fixing the symptom and not the root cause of the problem. I don't know what the root cause is, unless it's the hinges or the type of metal used in the door that allows it to warp.

I hate the thought of being in this same situation 2 years down the road where for the life of the RV, we need to plan on replacing the door every two years.

Dealer tells me that Redwood has replaced an awful lot of doors, but doesn't seem to have a solution for the what's causing the problem to begin with.

Any ideas or other experiences anyone has to share? I'm now getting a name and phone number for Redwood customer service to see if a customer can get some feedback that would make me more comfortable with Redwood as a manufacturer.

I know this a reply to a posting but wondered if you ever got a RedWood contact other than a crossroads rep who only says take it to nearest service center? Most of these don’t even have a redwood on the lot in my area. I have several factory type issues on my 2016 39MB that we full time in that I have got to be addressed.

Bob & MariaVictoria · 04-19-2020, 07:52 AM

Take 4 ft. 2x4 at top off side hinge set the 2x4 with 4" side facing out , hold 4ft at angle and push door in at bottom (((DO NOT CLOSE THE DOOR, you will cuss for many hours if you do)))) may nee to do this sever times to get the correct posistion . mine is a 2014 GK and has worked for me.

Ed Hedge · 05-05-2020, 03:56 AM

Steve,

I am in CT to and My 2016 36RL entry door is separating. of course I am out of warranty so the factory will not replace it and cannot recommend a dealer but I just want to have it fixed or replaced but I contacted a authorized dealership here it CT and they politely declined to even attempt to replace the door stating that they would have to replace the entire frame. I am a full-timer and do not want this door to come apart during the winter. Any suggestions?

ED

wintertree · 05-05-2020, 03:53 PM

Im sure that a well rounded cabinet shop....or a motivated (thinks outside the box) service tech could repair the door...If nothing is actually broken....and the adhesives used during bonding are letting go...surely it can be repaired...Quality of tradesman is important...as the door will need to be held perfectly flat while its repaired so not to build in a warp....

Good luck

travelin' texans · 05-05-2020, 04:48 PM

And replace the friction type hinges with regular hinges.

GTXRAS · 05-05-2020, 05:17 PM

Here is how I "fixed" our door before it was replaced.

I worked on the entry door to see if I could “fix” it.
Went to Lowes and got 4 - ¼ 20 Tee/Pin Nuts and 2 - 3 foot ¼ 20
threaded rods. I drilled one hole 31 inches up from the bottom and
another 42 inches up, 5/16 bit. I drilled the holes close the fiberglass so when
tightening, I would not just crush the Styrofoam. Our door was separating
the worst around the middle hinge and latch.

The hardest part was getting the threaded rod through to hit the hole on the other side.
I used a 5/16 steel tube to drive through the Styrofoam to make it easier.
After installing the threaded rod with the Tee Nuts finger tight to the frame, I bent the rod so I could hang onto it while tightening the Tee Nuts. I used 90 degree snap ring pliers to tighten the nuts. I could not find a Pin nut wrench small enough.

Got all the play out the frame and tightened it up against the fiberglass panel.
I also removed one each of the top and bottom hinges. The door now closes like it should, light pressure and it latches.

My wife can open and close it finally.
I did this before we got a new door in 4/2016. The new door had the same problem. Removed 1 of the top and bottom friction hinge fingers to lighten the load on the door. When we were at the service center after 2016 rally, I told them I did not consider the door issue resolved. They had LCI come over and replace the friction hinges with normal non-friction hinges.

Rick

GTXRAS · 05-05-2020, 05:25 PM

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