rebuilding/ replacing entry door?

[RickNC]

When i bought my Warrior 23, the bottom of the door inside was soft. After some poking  around it looks like there has been significant water intrusion in the bottom 10-12" of the door. A patch job isn't going to satisfy me long term. I looked at new doors(~$600) Dexter has one that will fit in the rough opening but I'm not sure yet it is available with the superior rotary latch like the original door plus the window would be smaller than original. My other option is to disassemble the current door,scrap/clean up the inside of the fiberglass skin and laminate a new one from high density foam board and 1/4" luan or okoume marine plywood.


Anyone ever tackled a laminating a new door?

[WrigleysBraveWin]

Door parts here:

http://www.winnebagoparts.com/specials/top-100-products/

Rebuild will be superior to factory, I think!

[RickNC]

Thanks, I emailed Winnebago parts yesterday on the off chance they might have or know of an oem replacement. I'm checking above the door this morning to determine where the steel header is  to see if I can use Dexter Door's 6555 Motorhome door. (26.5" x 76.25" x 1 13/16)


http://www.mobilehomepartspro.com/images/categories/Doors/dexter-6555-radius-rv-camper-door.pdf

[RickNC]

I got a reply from winnebago, Their price for a new door is $1969.86 , special order, no screen available.

I called General Supply this morning and it looks like about $700-750 including $200 shipping , including screen door for a Dexter 5050. I'm ordering without a window(-$31) and reusing the old window to maintain the original look. 

I priced out materials to rebuild the door along with new-updated lock and deadbolt, I was looking at about $275-300 including epoxy.

[WrigleysBraveWin]

Ouch $2k for door from those guys, Silly Rabbits! General sounds like the plan, wonder if any differences?

[RickNC]

I had emailed Dexter Door yesterday and they called this afternoon and set me straight on what I need to do. They said the door I need to use is part # 5055 which is a 1 3/8" thick door intended for motorhomes and thus has a rotary lock mechanism like a automobile. They custom size it to the  door rough opening (26.5 x 74). They couldn't price it so I'm waiting for General Supply to give me a price next week.
The #5050 door I was quoted has a locking system intended for use on travel trailers

The Winnebago door FYI is 1.5" thick. But since the new door will come as a unit with frame,the .125" difference won't affect installation.

[CapnDirk]

Have you thought of RV surplus places?  Couldn't hurt.


My neighborhood place is Affordable RV in Milwaukee Or.

[TerryH]

I've  been following this topic and feel I have to offer a few observations:

First, you are looking at considerable cost for replacement. What you need to determine prior to replace/rebuild is how and where the water ingress occurred and deal with that, unless you wish to go thru the whole thing again.

Second, there is a lot of vacillating on actual door thickness. I have read       1 3/16", 1 13/16" and 1 1/2". This would greatly concern me. My door, a few years older than yours is 1 13/16 outer thickness. To replace yours with something different may cause more problems than you have now.

You wrote the #5055 appears to be thinner than yours, but it comes with a frame (casing) that will make up for any difference. If you look at the inside of your casing you will likely see an offset to allow the door to fit flush to the outside. The amount of offset takes into account your door thickness, wall thickness and the screen door. Should anything be different you may encounter problems.

This sounds like a special order. At $200.00 shipping, can you return it if required? Who pays the return shipping?

Rebuilding what you have (and the door is actually a stand alone item as opposed to a side wall or roof) is relatively easy.

Advantages to a rebuild:
You reuse all of the same hardware.
Your door and screen hinges fasten as original per location.
Your lock and - very important - lock height and offset remain as original.
Your inside astragal - the plate that helps prevent someone from prying the door open from the outside - remains as original.

Further, to rebuild you will be removing the two piece outer frame from the door. Once you do and inspect the door (not casing) framing, chances are very good that you will see a water trail that you could follow to the water ingress point. It will likely be quite obvious.

Removing the framing of the door should only involve removing the exterior screws - consider SS for replacement. The bottom portion should remove easily. The one piece side and top section may be a bit more involved. When you remove the interior astragal you may find it is installed with rivnuts. These would have to be drilled out to allow spreading of the framing of the door enough to slide it up and off.
Removing any infill from the exterior fibreglass should be fairly simple.
Infill replacement and interior finish is your choice.

Main advantage here is that you have not altered thickness, casing, hinges, lock and latch, retained the exterior fibreglass, saved a wack of money, found the leak and especially know exactly what you have.

Sorry for the length, I do tend to run on.

[RickNC]

I've  been following this topic and feel I have to offer a few observations:
.......

Terry I appreciate your input. Source of leak is easy, the frame around the door itself has lost it's seal and there are no weep holes in the bottom of the door. Enough Rain or road wash hits the door and it eventually soaks the EPS. Only escape is through the miter joints

I could easily rebuild the door, However I have enough irons in this fire already. Dexter has been making RV doors for 55 years, This isn't the first replacement they have made for a Winnie .I'll let them have a chance at making me happy. 

[RickNC]

Quote for a custom sized new door was $530 plus the shipping. Less than I expected. Wife wants it more than I, so I ordered it. Should arrive around the first of October.

[legomybago]

I've rebuilt two of these now. The interior framing of the door is pine 1x, stapled together crap. Both times I used oak boards custom cut to width on the table saw, and pocket screwed and glued the wood framing back together using a Kreg tool. The first door I did was in my Beaver coach, it also had a piece of all-thread running diagonal through the inside to adjust for sag (like a fence gate).The other door off an 80's Fleetwood was identical material inside other than no adjustable all thread running through the door. This isn't a "fun" job, but after pricing "radius" top rv doors, I chose to rebuild.

[WrigleysBraveWin]

Quote for a custom sized new door was $530 plus the shipping. Less than I expected. Wife wants it more than I, so I ordered it. Should arrive around the first of October.

Happy Wife - Happy Life

Our 44th is tomorrow, btw!

[joanfenn]

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY< HAPPY ANNIVERSARY<HAPPY ANNIVERSARY<HAPPY ANNIVERSARY

[RickNC]

Happy Wife - Happy Life

Our 44th is tomorrow, btw!

That is what it's all about!  Happy Anniversary! Our 29th is Sunday 9/3.