WaltK
Advanced Member
When I located my Eagle it was a 2007 shell model. There was no screen door, and that's essential here in Georgia. To put in a screen door you have to replace the entire door and the door was the older square design and fairly wide. So when I was at FWC during my trip to pick up the Eagle a new door with screen door was on my list. They had a round top door that was virtually new, it had been screwed onto a camper before they discovered it opened the wrong way for the customer. So I got a big break in price and got the door, with screen door, curtains, drip cover and all and brought it back with all the rest I'd bought.
I removed the old door, screws every 4" all around and the screws were plated steel, so subject to rust eventually. They were screwed through the siding and into the frame tubing around the door opening. Photos, the original square door and the opening with the door removed (note the screen door for the new door is behind the old door in the photo):
My plan to handle the slightly narrower door with rounded top was to put 1/8" aluminum strap around the frame cut to match the new door, and fill the opening to narrower with more aluminum tubing. I expected to have to use several pieces but got lucky. While hunting on Ebay I got real lucky and found a plate of 6061 aluminum that was 3/16" x 29" X 48", almost exactly the size needed to do it with only one piece of adapter plate. This was thick enough to provide lots of strength without adding much weight. The new door weighed less than the old one so weight was little difference. It took ten hours to cut the surround piece from the plate, then there was wire brushing and painting. I'd gotten it relatively cheap due to surface corrosion on the plate. Cutting the plate:
I removed the old door, screws every 4" all around and the screws were plated steel, so subject to rust eventually. They were screwed through the siding and into the frame tubing around the door opening. Photos, the original square door and the opening with the door removed (note the screen door for the new door is behind the old door in the photo):
My plan to handle the slightly narrower door with rounded top was to put 1/8" aluminum strap around the frame cut to match the new door, and fill the opening to narrower with more aluminum tubing. I expected to have to use several pieces but got lucky. While hunting on Ebay I got real lucky and found a plate of 6061 aluminum that was 3/16" x 29" X 48", almost exactly the size needed to do it with only one piece of adapter plate. This was thick enough to provide lots of strength without adding much weight. The new door weighed less than the old one so weight was little difference. It took ten hours to cut the surround piece from the plate, then there was wire brushing and painting. I'd gotten it relatively cheap due to surface corrosion on the plate. Cutting the plate:
