ATF: Bighorn - Replacement for baggage doors

[RollingHome]

Rick, I retired from E. I. DuPont, we made Imron... great product... but, that was a while ago . Getting the doors off is not the big deal that it seems. Once you take your razor knife and cut the caulk, unscrew the metal (yulk) screws (replace with stainless steel screws) the doors come off pretty easy. Then take a belt sander round off the edge/s and find a GOOD - REPUTABLE (this is the MOST important step) powder coat shop, you will have better then supplied doors... trust me, been there done that type words... Then you will become the better then average "PROFESSIONAL CAULK APPLICATOR" ya always wanted to be... little bit of DIY and off ya go. The first couple will be ugly, so start on the Off Door Side and you'll be an expert. Little bit of soapy water and a wet thumb and walla... Good luck dude, you'll do fine tho... After you are done only you and the DW will know what happened Happy RV ing...

 

[rick_debbie_gallant]

Rick, I retired from E. I. DuPont, we made Imron... great product... but, that was a while ago . Getting the doors off is not the big deal that it seems. Once you take your razor knife and cut the caulk, unscrew the metal (yulk) screws (replace with stainless steel screws) the doors come off pretty easy. Then take a belt sander round off the edge/s and find a GOOD - REPUTABLE (this is the MOST important step) powder coat shop, you will have better then supplied doors... trust me, been there done that type words... Then you will become the better then average "PROFESSIONAL CAULK APPLICATOR" ya always wanted to be... little bit of DIY and off ya go. The first couple will be ugly, so start on the Off Door Side and you'll be an expert. Little bit of soapy water and a wet thumb and walla... Good luck dude, you'll do fine tho... After you are done only you and the DW will know what happened Happy RV ing...

I have a cousin that has a chrome plating shop. Maybe I could take the frames off, remove the doors and have the door frames chromed, or do you think that would be over the top? Might even have the steps chromed and the landing gear and maybe even the pinbox and hitch. Now that would be tricked out!!!! Instead of "Pimp my ride" we could call it "Pimp my Pad"!

 

[57chevyconvt]

Rick,
I replace the large slam door about 2 months after taking delivery of the RV. The dealer was good enough to allow me to replace the door at my shop. Had to do some shimming with brass shim stock to get the door frame to fit properly. The new replacement door has worked fine. The coatings are another story. The door fame is coated steel rather than aluminum. I have touch up painted the areas where the paint (coating system) have flaked off. Most of the problems no days is with metal preparation before coatings. Sharp edges will not retain pain and therefore this is the beginning of coating failures. After I replace the door, I caulked all the screw heads in all the doors to prevent water accumulation and rusting, so far so good. Powder Coating is a different process and is less prone to have failures with sharp edges. There is a national standard, believe it is NACE, that notes the need to remove all sharp corner from especially stamped metal parts before coating. Shear cut steel components need to have the corners filed or sanded before coating.

 

[RollingHome]

"I have a cousin that has a chrome plating shop. Maybe I could take the frames off, remove the doors and have the door frames chromed, or do you think that would be over the top? Might even have the steps chromed and the landing gear and maybe even the pinbox and hitch. Now that would be tricked out!!!! Instead of "Pimp my ride" we could call it "Pimp my Pad"!

Rick, if you chrome all that stuff... ya may wanna think about putting in a way over size hydraulic pump on your landing gear. That way you can make your "PIMPED PAD" jump up and down at traffic lights while you're screaming "Ride EM BigHorn" out the window, just a thought ... Then there's the loud music with lots of bass, my ideas are endless with your PAD ( and wallet ). Remember, if Debbie ask, this was ALL your idea...

On a more serious note, let us know how ya make out - I'm sure more folks will be joining the rusty door club fix.

 

[gasman]

It appears to me that with a little bit of mechanical ability and patience, the new slam latches can be machined into the existing doors directly over the twist latches. I discussed this with the INCREDIBLE service team that was in Gillette and they felt the same way. I am going to order a couple and give it a try. You would need the strike plates also as they machine into the frame.

 

[rick_debbie_gallant]

"I have a cousin that has a chrome plating shop. Maybe I could take the frames off, remove the doors and have the door frames chromed, or do you think that would be over the top? Might even have the steps chromed and the landing gear and maybe even the pinbox and hitch. Now that would be tricked out!!!! Instead of "Pimp my ride" we could call it "Pimp my Pad"!

Rick, if you chrome all that stuff... ya may wanna think about putting in a way over size hydraulic pump on your landing gear. That way you can make your "PIMPED PAD" jump up and down at traffic lights while you're screaming "Ride EM BigHorn" out the window, just a thought ... Then there's the loud music with lots of bass, my ideas are endless with your PAD ( and wallet ). Remember, if Debbie ask, this was ALL your idea...

On a more serious note, let us know how ya make out - I'm sure more folks will be joining the rusty door club fix.

I always thought that was done with air pressure and not hydraulics. That aint a bad idea. then as money starts rolling in I could add the neon lights under the rig all the way around. or else leds that will change color along with the beat of the music. Sorry, I am thinking this is way out of the intent of the OP.