1976 8'co door issue

[wagoneer]

I believe the previous owner neglected proper caution loading and unloading camper the back door will not shut properly and the gerry-rig is obvious.

 

[PackRat]

Not an uncommon problem.
Look at the angled steel section below the door....it is cut down where the door closes and is subject to cracking at one or both corners. I had a similar problem with mine.

The solution was to get a couple wood shims to insert one at the corner, on the side so it lifted the ends of the angled steel. What I did was to use the jacks to raise one rear corner and insert a shim from the side. I then let the jack down to see if that closed the gap any. I next went to the other end and did the same thing.

By alternating raising and pushing the shim in further and then letting the camper down, I closed the gap and the door latch would catch much better.

An added bonus here is you have removed the yaw in the lower section of the camper which will then make it easier for the slides at the rear to go up and down when you raise/lower the top.

Effectively killing two birds with one stone...or in this instance two problems with two shims.

I do not expect them to last more than one season so I keep a couple stashed in the camper for when I do notice that there is a discernable yaw developing again. Once you determine how far you need to insert them under the rear panel ends, you can trim the excess with a box-cutter or sheetrock cutter.

 

[wagoneer]

Thanks I was thinking along those lines I have yet to install the jacks. The other issue may be the fact that I left the "bedrug" under the camper, its synthetic carpet but could have played a roll in this developing. I will have some time to play with this today. Does anyone have a photo or will take a photo of the original inside door mechanism?

 

[PackRat]

From my 1976 CO made in the R.D. Hall factory in LA.

 

[wagoneer]

very clear nice shot, Thanks Adrian

 

[PackRat]

Sounds like you and I are both interested in finding a trashed out Alaskan to scavenge parts off of....I've been looking for one for six months and no luck! Parts are hard to find!

I'm thinking the PO changed the lower door lock on yours because of the splay of the lower section. I wonder if you did a really GOOD search to see if by chance they stashed it some place in hop of using it in the future? Once you shim the corners and close the gap at the top, that lock would probably work again!

My lock barely caught but as soon as I shimmed the rear panel as described, the gap closed and the tongue of the lock made a much more positive catch.

 

[wagoneer]

Archiles heel, yah I plan on and just got some shims to work with, any one up for an informal west coast get together ?? I go to the January Quartzsite Az. meetup