dead bolt lock

[davinski]

Hi, all. My new used unit has a super wide door, with a screen. It only has the usual latch/lock unit. I was just noticing that most of the campers now have a deadbolt.

My question is how to add one of these to secure the inside contents of the camper. Is it hard? Could I do it myself?

Thanks in advance.

dave

 

[craig333]

If you have the tools and are handy, sure you could do it. But, looking at my door, I'm fairly sure, deadbolt or not, a thief could get in pretty easy with crow bar.

 

[jimjxsn]

Ben or Marty may chime in but I'm pretty sure it is a standard deadbolt. Of course the trick will be cutting the hole and the aluminum door frame. I just replaced mine with a standard one from the hardware store.
Jim

 

[marty]

Home depot sells a door handle drill bit kit with a hard plastic template for about 20.00. I think that would remove most of the guess work. Your door is made of a foam core so patching is hard to do. And a standard dead bolt is perfect. Have a nice day.

Marty

 

[davinski]

Marty,
THe home depot idea is great. I would assume the door is thick enough to support any deadbolt. How about the strike plate and the frame, is it hard to put a hole for the bolt? Obviously, cannot use a wood chisel!! I would assume i would have to place it just above the existing lock so that the screen door bump out plastic thingy will protect it from hitting the screen.

Any particular brands that fit better?



Thanks.

Dave

 

[marty]

Our dead bolts are centered 3 to 3 1/4 above the camper type handle and I have used several different types of locks while with four wheel and they all worked just fine. The only heads up that I have for you is to make sure you drill straight when you do the bolt hole. your door is not much thicker than your drill bit. (the small one that comes in the kit.) And you can use that same small bit to drill for the striker plate.

Marty