Home » Public Forums » GMCnet » Door Curve
Door Curve [message #353441] |
Thu, 02 April 2020 10:05  |
MikeB
 Messages: 133 Registered: December 2018 Location: South Bama
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The PO performed the door recurve and over did the bottom half latch side. This is keeping the top and middle pushed out when closing. Has anyone actually taken some of the curve out of the door?
M Beam
75’ Avion
TBI EBL , 3.70 LSD and other stuff
Zuki Sidekick,
Dozier Al
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Re: Door Curve [message #353451 is a reply to message #353450] |
Thu, 02 April 2020 15:28   |
Bill Van Vlack
 Messages: 419 Registered: September 2015 Location: Guemes Island, Washington
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I was able to recurve the latch side at the bottom - which was too far out - by putting a 2x4 between it and the ground and pushing on the door at the latch area with my shoulder. That allowed the door to close enough that the second part of the latch engaged.
Bill Van Vlack
'76 Royale; Guemes Island, Washington; Twin bed, full (DS) side bath, Brazilian Redwood counter and settee tops,455, 6KW generator; new owner a/o mid November 2015.
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Re: Door Curve [message #353459 is a reply to message #353454] |
Thu, 02 April 2020 20:13   |
Bill Van Vlack
 Messages: 419 Registered: September 2015 Location: Guemes Island, Washington
Karma: 14
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No pictures, sorry.
If the bottom of the door hits the jamb first (and keeps the middle and top from closing)
You want to stick something (a 2x4, for example) in the door opening at the bottom, latch side corner. Then rest the bottom of the 2x4 on the ground and close the door on it gently so that it doesn't fall out. It will be at an angle with the top of the 2x4 inside the coach and the bottom outside. Now push on latch edge of the door a little and you will see the top and middle spring closer while the bottom stays where it was because the 2x4 is in the way and then spring back when you release it. Next, push on it harder. I sort of 'bounced' it against the 2x4 with resolve, took the 2x4 out and noticed that the top and middle was now closer. That gave me hope so did it some more. Eventually care, luck, resolve, and the plastic deformation property of aluminum moved the bottom of the latch side of the door out so that it had the same shape as the latch side of the coach. At that point I was done and door completely.
Before I started the process, I removed some stick-on weatherstripping on the door jamb that a PO had stuck in there to keep the breeze out because the bottom was holding the whole door away from the jamb.
Let me know if you have specific questions about the procedure I described above.
Bill Van Vlack
'76 Royale; Guemes Island, Washington; Twin bed, full (DS) side bath, Brazilian Redwood counter and settee tops,455, 6KW generator; new owner a/o mid November 2015.
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Re: Door Curve [message #353463 is a reply to message #353450] |
Fri, 03 April 2020 12:52   |
Ken Burton
 Messages: 10030 Registered: January 2004 Location: Hebron, Indiana
Karma: 10
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After watching Jim Bounds do that to a coach, I copied him and have done mine and several other doors that way same way.
Just figure out what way it has to be bent and push.
Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana
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Re: Door Curve [message #353474 is a reply to message #353451] |
Fri, 03 April 2020 20:30   |
MikeB
 Messages: 133 Registered: December 2018 Location: South Bama
Karma: 1
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Sounds good I'll give it a try.
Thanks
M Beam
75’ Avion
TBI EBL , 3.70 LSD and other stuff
Zuki Sidekick,
Dozier Al
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Re: Door Curve [message #353475 is a reply to message #353459] |
Fri, 03 April 2020 20:33   |
Larry
 Messages: 2875 Registered: January 2004 Location: Menomonie, WI
Karma: 10
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Bill Van Vlack wrote on Thu, 02 April 2020 20:13No pictures, sorry.
If the bottom of the door hits the jamb first (and keeps the middle and top from closing)
You want to stick something (a 2x4, for example) in the door opening at the bottom, latch side corner. Then rest the bottom of the 2x4 on the ground and close the door on it gently so that it doesn't fall out. It will be at an angle with the top of the 2x4 inside the coach and the bottom outside. Now push on latch edge of the door a little and you will see the top and middle spring closer while the bottom stays where it was because the 2x4 is in the way and then spring back when you release it. Next, push on it harder. I sort of 'bounced' it against the 2x4 with resolve, took the 2x4 out and noticed that the top and middle was now closer. That gave me hope so did it some more. Eventually care, luck, resolve, and the plastic deformation property of aluminum moved the bottom of the latch side of the door out so that it had the same shape as the latch side of the coach. At that point I was done and door completely.
Before I started the process, I removed some stick-on weatherstripping on the door jamb that a PO had stuck in there to keep the breeze out because the bottom was holding the whole door away from the jamb.
Let me know if you have specific questions about the procedure I described above.
Thanks, as soon as the snow melts (we got 2" today) I'll be trying it.
Larry 
78 Royale w/500 Caddy
Menomonie, WI.
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Re: [GMCnet] Door Curve [message #353476 is a reply to message #353466] |
Sat, 04 April 2020 00:46   |
Ken Burton
 Messages: 10030 Registered: January 2004 Location: Hebron, Indiana
Karma: 10
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I guess I should have said, brace the rest of the door and push on the part you want to bend.
I watched Jim get picnic table at one of rallys (I helped move it), stand on it to get up higher, and man handle the door until it fit the curve perfectly. I think we spent more time moving the picnic table than he did straightening the door.
Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana
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Re: Door Curve [message #353486 is a reply to message #353474] |
Sat, 04 April 2020 18:08   |
MikeB
 Messages: 133 Registered: December 2018 Location: South Bama
Karma: 1
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Well I started the process and made some adjustment. There's a lot of movement in the hinge mounts so that doesn't help. I did notice when the door is in its secondary latch the mid door section(latch area) is inset about 1/8" to far. Will replacing the striker with the solid version fix that issue? If it does then the bottom might be acceptable and with a little more curving of the top it might might be acceptable as well.
M Beam
75’ Avion
TBI EBL , 3.70 LSD and other stuff
Zuki Sidekick,
Dozier Al
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Re: Door Curve [message #353488 is a reply to message #353486] |
Sat, 04 April 2020 21:39   |
Ken Burton
 Messages: 10030 Registered: January 2004 Location: Hebron, Indiana
Karma: 10
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Senior Member |
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The solid door latch does help some but it is not going to fix the problem if the problem is something else. The in the regular latch the center pin had a rubber bushing around the pin to allow some minor flexing and a softer closure. Over the years I assume the rubber started falling apart. I have never seen an OEM one that would not latch if you closed the door harder.
Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana
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Re: Door Curve [message #353496 is a reply to message #353488] |
Sun, 05 April 2020 11:48   |
MikeB
 Messages: 133 Registered: December 2018 Location: South Bama
Karma: 1
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I'm not sure where I can make further adjustments to keep the center door inset level with body AND have the secondary latch engage. Right now I have to slam it and when latched it's inset about 1/8" +/- I guess I can pull striker plate, remove some material from the front and elongate the bolt holes.
M Beam
75’ Avion
TBI EBL , 3.70 LSD and other stuff
Zuki Sidekick,
Dozier Al
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Re: Door Curve [message #353498 is a reply to message #353496] |
Sun, 05 April 2020 13:11   |
Bill Van Vlack
 Messages: 419 Registered: September 2015 Location: Guemes Island, Washington
Karma: 14
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Senior Member |
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Do some searches for 'recurve', 'door latch', 'door', 'chipmunk cheeks', 'body sag' and anything else you can think of on Google, GMCNet and the GMC Photos sites. Use the prefix 'GMC Motorhome' for Google. A search on the usual FB pages might work for some anecdotes and wild speculation. Poor door/body fit is not an unusual problem, and like most of those kinds of problems the questions have been mostly asked and answered. You also might try finding a help venue that facilitates photos and including some with your question.
It seems to me that since the factory distance of the pin (strike)to the edge of the door opening is fixed (maybe there's a little adjustment in and out)and the factory distance of the two step latch in the door to the edge of the door is fixed, something is broken or worn to change one of those distances. I know that when I figured out that my latch was only holding on the first stop, I tried to move the pin out to meet it and couldn't. Then I figured out that the bottom of the door and weatherstripping was holding the door from closing all the way.
Bill Van Vlack
'76 Royale; Guemes Island, Washington; Twin bed, full (DS) side bath, Brazilian Redwood counter and settee tops,455, 6KW generator; new owner a/o mid November 2015.
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Re: Door Curve [message #353500 is a reply to message #353486] |
Sun, 05 April 2020 14:47   |
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Richard RV
 Messages: 631 Registered: July 2012 Location: Full-timer for 12 years, ...
Karma: -17
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MikeB wrote on Sat, 04 April 2020 19:08Well I started the process and made some adjustment. There's a lot of movement in the hinge mounts so that doesn't help. I did notice when the door is in its secondary latch the mid door section(latch area) is inset about 1/8" to far. Will replacing the striker with the solid version fix that issue? If it does then the bottom might be acceptable and with a little more curving of the top it might might be acceptable as well.
Mike,
If you have a lot of movement in the hinges you absolutely need to fix that first. Any movement other than rotation around the hinge pins will cause problems, and with hinge movement any effort you make in tweaking the fit of the door will be wasted. Re-curving the door comes later.
First step is to tighten up those hinges. If you can't tighten them up so they do not move at all, something's wrong. You need to investigate that and remedy.
Check hinge pins for wear, replace as necessary. Simple and cheap.
If the strike pin moves a tiny bit, that's probably acceptable. More than that you can remove the strike pin assembly and tack weld the back of the strike plate to the pin, and clamp the strike pin collar tighter around the pin (makes up for worn or missing rubber bushing material under the collar) and tack weld in a couple or three spots along the split in the collar. That was Ken Frey's recommendation and it made my door close much, much better. The solid strike pin that JimK sells is probably superior, but I don't have experience with them.
If your door is in 1/8" at the latch, then the lock on the door can be shifted inwards (towards inside of coach) by just loosening the screws, adjusting, and cranking down on those screws while holding it in place. I used a vise grips on the latch jaws and a big Phillips bit in a ratchet.
With the door now flush at the latch you can look at the hinges to see if they need to be shifted a bit or if the hinge side of the door needs to be recurved. Then you can recurve the latch side of the door.
Check the photo site for Ken Henderson's door curving jig, which allows a more precise curve than other methods, and allows you to pick the center point of where you want the door to curve. Most all other methods curve the door centered around wherever the door wants to curve, and that might not be optimal.
Richard
'77 Birchaven TZE...777;
'76 Palm Beach under construction;
‘76 Edgemont waiting its turn
[Updated on: Sun, 05 April 2020 14:59] Report message to a moderator
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Re: Door Curve [message #353502 is a reply to message #353500] |
Sun, 05 April 2020 17:18  |
MikeB
 Messages: 133 Registered: December 2018 Location: South Bama
Karma: 1
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Richard
I agree if I can get the door flush at the latch then I can go from there. I'll Look into moving the latch forward/inward.
Thanks
M Beam
75’ Avion
TBI EBL , 3.70 LSD and other stuff
Zuki Sidekick,
Dozier Al
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