entry door-can it be bent to fit?

[richard guthart]

I would like to make the entry door fit a little better and am wondering if
anyone has found a method to safely alter the curvature without popping the
window or otherwise damaging the door.

Mine gaps a little at the bottom, at the corner which is directly below the
latch, as though someone slammed it shut while there was something
protruding. Anyone have a suggestion, or better yet a proven method, whereby
I could force that corner to fit about 1/2 inch closer to the sill when
closed?

Richard Guthart

 

[balcom robin s]

Richard:
There's a technical bulletin that tells how to bend the door so it
fits better. My door was bent when I bought the GMC, which I surmised was
from the door swinging open too hard (too many times) and hitting the side
of the motorhome. The door would then not seal at the top and bottom on the
latch side, but the hinge side was okay. I found the technical bulletin and
fixed the door, but the whole process was intimidating, to say the least.
The process is essentially this: fabricate two clamping gizmos for the top
and bottom of the door, connect a come-along between the two, then tighten
the come-along to bend the door back to shape. I assumed that the door was
"sprung" in the area of the latch, because there's a good size cut-out in
the door right there to accomodate the latch, plus that's where the door
hits the side of the motorhome. The technical bulletin says nothing about
there being any danger of hurting the window (which was my experience), but
you need to determine what level of risk you're willing to take. The key
thing for me was the feeling I had that the door was bent right at the area
of the latch, and so would bend back in the same place.
I'll add that I put a little bit of pressure in the come-along, bent
a little bit, then took everything off to check the fit. Then everything
back on, bent a little more, then everything off to check the fit. I don't
remember how many times I did that, but it was quite a few. I used a tape
measure to keep track of my progress.
I'll see if I can find that technical bulletin.

Robin
'73 Sequoia

 

[balcom robin s]

Justin:
I made some clamps using some wood scraps, some bolts, and an eyebolt. The
wood kept things from damaging the door, but they suffered quite a bit
themselves.
Robin

 

[bartz paul]

Richard:

I have been inquiring a few owners on how to recurve the door, as I need to
do it on my coach door.

What I've learned so far is to remove the window and take the door off the
coach. One individual said he laid the door on top of a 4" x4" placed at
the appropriate location inward from each end and then jumped on the end he
wanted changed until it was reshaped.

Another said he recurved the bottom section of his door through use of a
turnbuckle and cable to apply tension to the door. Once the right shape was
attained, he said you must strike the door frame sides, in the vicinity of
the recurving, several times in order for the metal to maintain its set,
prior to releasing the turnbuckle tension. Although I don't know the term
for that process, I'm sure there is one that's commonly used in the trade.
Anyone know the term????

In your case, might you not have a sprung hinge you'll need to restore????

Paul Bartz

From: Richard Guthart [mailto:rguthart]
Sent: Thursday, January 21, 1999 11:32 AM
Subject: GMC: entry door-can it be bent to fit?

I would like to make the entry door fit a little better and am wondering if
anyone has found a method to safely alter the curvature without popping the
window or otherwise damaging the door.

Mine gaps a little at the bottom, at the corner which is directly below the
latch, as though someone slammed it shut while there was something
protruding. Anyone have a suggestion, or better yet a proven method, whereby
I could force that corner to fit about 1/2 inch closer to the sill when
closed?

 

[balcom robin s]

I'm glad I still I have a memory, the problem is it's slow acting, and works
when it wants....
On that door... I remember that I took a big piece of cardboard and made an
outline of the profile of the door, then cut it to make a template. Using
the template, I determined that the profile of the top and bottom of the
door was correct, but between the top and bottom (right at the latch area)
was where it was bent.

Robin.

 

[richard guthart]

Boy, I gather from the response to my post that mine is not the only coach
with an entry door not fitting like a Lexus. Thank you all for the ideas.

Robin & Justin, I found the Technical Bulletin that you referenced, in the
GMC service bulletin publication. Also, I'm glad you mentioned the cardboard
template idea. I just assumed mine is bent out at the bottom but maybe it is
bent IN at the latch, as was yours.

Paul, the hinges appear OK. By the way, a while ago I was looking for advice
on how to remove the hinge pins. Turns out that I had to remove the hinges
from the coach and door and drill out one of the pins with my neighbor's
drill press!

Richard Guthart

 

[bartz paul]

Richard:

There is an GMC owner, from Minnesota I believe (anybody know the name of
whom I speak???), who attends the GMCMI Convention's as a vendor. He sells
replacement air compressors, front hub bearing removal/assembly tools, and
loans other owners his door hinge removal tool at the Conventions's so they
can pull their pins to replace their hinge bushings. He also sells the
tool, but I don't recall the cost.

Max:

Can you add him to your Parts & Accessories section of your web site??

Paul Bartz

From: Richard Guthart [mailto:rguthart]
Sent: Thursday, January 21, 1999 5:42 PM
Subject: Re: GMC: entry door-can it be bent to fit?

By the way, a while ago I was looking for advice on how to remove the hinge
pins. Turns out that I had to remove the hinges from the coach and door and
drill out one of the pins with my neighbor's drill press!

 

[max e. rockafellow]

Hi Paul: Thanks for the request. However, at Marion I asked to include his
products on the WebSite and he asked me not to. He asked to stay as a low
key vendor and just display his products at the conventions. In respect of
his wishes, he is not listed on the WebSite.

Max

- -----Original Message-----
From: Bartz, Paul
To: 'gmcmotorhome'
Cc: 'Max E. Rockafellow'
Date: Friday, January 22, 1999 11:35 AM
Subject: RE: GMC: entry door-can it be bent to fit?

>Richard:
>
>There is an GMC owner, from Minnesota I believe (anybody know the name of
>whom I speak???), who attends the GMCMI Convention's as a vendor. He sells
>replacement air compressors, front hub bearing removal/assembly tools, and
>loans other owners his door hinge removal tool at the Conventions's so they
>can pull their pins to replace their hinge bushings. He also sells the
>tool, but I don't recall the cost.
>
>Max:
>
>Can you add him to your Parts & Accessories section of your web site??
>
> Paul Bartz
>
>From: Richard Guthart [mailto:rguthart]
>Sent: Thursday, January 21, 1999 5:42 PM
>Subject: Re: GMC: entry door-can it be bent to fit?
>
>By the way, a while ago I was looking for advice on how to remove the hinge
>pins. Turns out that I had to remove the hinges from the coach and door and
>drill out one of the pins with my neighbor's drill press!
>
>