Slam Latch Baggage Door Discussion

[kakampers]

I get the impression from the other posts that there are 2 different problems with the current door unit. My problem concerns the door edge scraping the top of the frame which shaves off paint and metal. What I'm hearing is another unrelated issue with the door sections coming apart.

The problem, as far as we've seen, is one in the same. Apparently after they took the door and made it swing UP instead of to the side, that's when the doors started "pulling apart". When this occured the top edge of the door came out of alignment and then started rubbing the frame.

It appears the door, in it's original design, could not handle the stress of the upward movement applied by the pistons used to move it...not sure exactly what the re-design involves, but my understanding from Jim B. is that it has been re-designed, and that the retrofits of bad doors will take a little time.

I'd imagine they will replace doors as needed. If some don't have a problem with their doors then they won't be replaced. This is not a safety issue so I'm sure they're not going to recall anything...just replace as they fail. The door latches failing is another issue altogether, and again, I think they will replace them as they are reported by owners.

We we're scheduled to have our doors retrofitted on our 08' before we got to the Goshen rally. However, on the way up we saw new units with door problems, and also on the new units on display at the rally, and decided to hold off and give Mor-Ryde a chance to correct these problems first. They are a good company and they will make it right...sometimes this is the problem with a brand new product...they got to work the bugs out...

 

[rgirouard]

Slam Baggage Door

You have the same problem. If your door is rubbing against the frame, the door is starting to separate. Right now my door can only open to the horizontal position as it is stopped by the frame. Does nasty stuff to it also.
When it started failing, it would rub and them pop up to a fully opened position but now it can't even do that.

Hope my new door is a NEW door (design)

Bill,

My problem is exactly the same as yours. Rubbing on the top and scrapping the paint away. I'm not sure if it is a different problem or just that you stated it differenty than others. It seems we all have issue with the door rubbing and not being able to re-align it.

Keith

 

[Bobby A]

I get the impression from the other posts that there are 2 different problems with the current door unit. My problem concerns the door edge scraping the top of the frame which shaves off paint and metal. What I'm hearing is another unrelated issue with the door sections coming apart.

The two slam baggage doors I have had thats gone bad started rubbing on the top corner of the frame and then eventually started to seperate the inner from the outer. So I think its the same problem. Also, I was under the impression the new doors are not a new design, just a fix from the original design. I'am awaiting my 3rd door and hopefully the last.

 

[KENNY COCHRAN]

Your doors are scraping on the top of the frame, because they are coming apart, have your wife open the door, stand on the end of the door where it is scraping and you will see the door separating from the white foam inside the door.

 

[palebluedot]

Thanks to everyone for all the good info. This is my 3rd door. When we purchased the 3610RE the original was doing the scraping thing. The dealer pulled one from another Bighorn and replaced it before we left the lot. Less than a month later and the second unit was doing the same thing. They then ordered and installed this one. I guess the 4th one will maybe the new design. If this one goes bad, I think I'll live with it until Heartland releases the real fix. I can't see the wisdom of replacing bad units with another defective one. JMHO.

 

[2010augusta]

I guess I am lucky I got the early style side-hinged doors. I love them and I don't hit my head trying to access stuff in the basement. They do catch the wind on occasion, but they function great. I still do not understand why HL/mor-ryde changed to the top-hinged style. It seems like the change over was not well thought out.

 

[RVerFulltime]

So....The slam door that people are having problems with is ONLY the awning side slam door that opens up/down? The other slam doors that open to the side are fine?

 

[ralphpam]

We have 3 of our slam doors that are rubbing on the frame. The only one that is not is the propane door.

 

[klindgren]

I guess I am lucky I got the early style side-hinged doors. I love them and I don't hit my head trying to access stuff in the basement. They do catch the wind on occasion, but they function great. I still do not understand why HL/mor-ryde changed to the top-hinged style. It seems like the change over was not well thought out.

Wait a minute. You got two "basement/baggage" slam doors that open sideways??? How'd you get so lucky???

Of course that begs the question, if Heartland (Mor-Ryde) has to repace the door and frame then why couldn't they put in a side swinging door like 2010augusta's in place of the up swinging door they have in my rig.

Keith

 

[2010augusta]

Wait a minute. You got two "basement/baggage" slam doors that open sideways??? How'd you get so lucky???

Of course that begs the question, if Heartland (Mor-Ryde) has to repace the door and frame then why couldn't they put in a side swinging door like 2010augusta's in place of the up swinging door they have in my rig.

Keith

Our Landmark was built the first week of November 2008, and was one of the very first unit with the "slam" doors, and at that point in time all the slam doors were side hinged. The factory could not even tell me if the unit had the old doors or slam doors until it came back from paint and they could see it again. the factory only installed two side hinged doors for about a month or so. here are a couple shot as proof.

 

[jbeletti]

...I still do not understand why HL/mor-ryde changed to the top-hinged style. It seems like the change over was not well thought out...

Alan and others wondering,

The move to a top-hinged door for the door-side baggage door was driven by dealer and prospective customer feedback. We had the new units at RV shows all winter and the feedback was resounding.

That does not make it the best way to do it but it seemed like it was what people really wanted. Taking nothing away from Alan's side-hinged door, the feedback we were getting was that the wind can catch it and use it as a sail and swing it all the way open in a sort of hyper-flex way.

This pre-hung, slam-latch door design is rather new on "fifth wheels" and as we all know, our supplier, Mor/ryde has gone through some design improvements based on field experience with the new doors.

I mentioned this somewhere on the forum... In June, at the Goshen rally, I stopped by Mor/ryde and had a chance to speak to a couple engineers. They told me and Terry H that they had further improved the design and they seemed confident in the new design. Time will tell.

Anyone who has had the bowing/delamination issue with their door-side slam latch door that is having it replaced under warranty now, should be getting the latest design. Others like BobbyA who had one of his replaced early on, likely got the original design as a replacement, before the root cause was known.

Jim

 

[palebluedot]

jbeletti,

I just had the slam door replaced on July 16. Is there any way to tell if it is the new design?

 

[jbeletti]

Sorry Bill - I don't have slam latch doors on my unit - so I can't explain the visual differences to help you determine what you have. Jon (jnphobe) had the doors added in June as a retrofit to his BH. You and he may be able to compare.

Jim

 

[RVerFulltime]

I now see the awning side SLAM DOOR for the basement that goes up/down starting to rub on the frame.

From what I am reading on this forum, SLAM DOORS that open up/down and sideways are going bad.

Since I would like to only go to the dealer once for SLAM DOOR replacements, should I wait for the rest of the SLAM DOORS to go bad?

What is the warranty period on the SLAM DOORS? One year or two year from date of purchase of the Fifth Wheel?

 

[aatauses]

We have a 2010 BH 3670 and all our doors except the one for the battery box are hitting on the frame with the worst one being the baggage with the lift. If we call our dealer will they be getting the 'new doors' so as not to have to go through this again??

 

[DickO]

Slam Door

Thanks to Jim Beletti & Jim Fenner at Heartland our 2nd slam door is on order for our 2010 BH 3055. First one, the hinges were broken when we picked it up. 2nd one scrapes.

 

[2010augusta]

We have a 2010 BH 3670 and all our doors except the one for the battery box are hitting on the frame with the worst one being the baggage with the lift. If we call our dealer will they be getting the 'new doors' so as not to have to go through this again??

aatauses: Are your propane doors scraping too? The only issue we have is a very slight rub/scuff from the screw heads on the very top and bottom of the baggage doors, but it is not enough to worry about.

I am still interested in this problems, and will like to see pictures of a few "bad" doors. I cannot believe that no-one has post any pictures as of yet.

 

[KENNY COCHRAN]

I have one old door in storage and one damaged door still on my rv waiting on a new door. Too lazy to take a picture and try to put it on here.
Picture 2 outer metal sides to the door, in the middle is a piece of 1/2 or 3/4" white styrofoam which the outer sides are glued too. What is happening is the glue is not holding to the foam. It comes unglued on the door and then rubs on the top of the frame when it is opened.

 

[palebluedot]

We have a 2010 BH 3670 and all our doors except the one for the battery box are hitting on the frame with the worst one being the baggage with the lift. If we call our dealer will they be getting the 'new doors' so as not to have to go through this again??

We had to wait over 3 weeks for the dealer to receive the third replacement
door from Heartland. I am hoping the delay was due to the factory being out
of the "old" units and having to wait for the new design. The dealer had no idea if it was the old or new. If it is new, I can't tell any difference just by visual inspection.

 

[aatauses]

2010augusta: The baggage door is the worst with the "popping" that everyone is having. The other two doors are "sagging" to a point where they need to be "lifted" to close properly. I have tried all the adjustments I can get to with no results. The door for the battery compartment appears to be doing ok.
We are currently moving up the East coast and I had a dealer in WV look at them and he concluded that the doors should be replaced, may wait until we are sure we will get the "new design".