Cracked Door Panel

[MAX Burner]

1 minute ago, topgun2 said:

I wonder just how many National Park stickers I can buy for that?😉

...somewhere in the neighborhood of 135 NP stickers.  Probably enough to cover both sides of the main hatch, closet door, and head door!  😜

[CRM]

On 3/27/2024 at 9:40 AM, mossemi said:

My 2017 LE2 door looks identical!  I do not think wind had anything to do with it, but maybe sun exposure.  It has puzzled me for several years and I haven’t really figured out how to fix it.  The skin does pull the styrofoam apart, so I’m not sure if replacing the skin is the answer.  I am leaning towards applying something to the existing skin, just haven’t figured out what.

Mossey

Was just thinking... Maybe a textured fabric-backed vinyl wallpaper would work even better than formica would? Much easier to fit to the door and might even look original if you could find a similar texture.

[In Pursuit]

I have to same issue with my door. Of all the campers I had I've ever owned I never seen this before. I did purchase a new replacement from Lippert, but are pretty pricy along with getting the graphic's on the outside. 

[jdmmtx]

The door on our 2019 cracked and we had it replaced at Oliver. Our crack was on the outside but started under the original clip-style window. We had a days-long period of snow, ice and single digit temperatures and noticed it after the trailer thawed out.

Edited May 6, 2024 by jdmmtx

[jd1923]

I had not noticed when replied before. Been camping for 2 weeks now, where we had the screen door closed, main door open. We have the original window.

Multiple perfectly horizontal cracks (btw shows flaw in the material) and one much larger, angled down to the handle (from use). We will live with ours as I have larger fish to fry and we promised not to spend more on ours for a while. It is purely cosmetic, goes well with our fading gel-coat!🤣

[jd1923]

BTW, the link @MAX Burner supplied for a replacement door on AMzon, currently has a “Like New” one for $90 less. Like new on Amazon means the packaging has been breached!

[Wayfinder]

I'm the only one I know of who has removed the door to reseal it. Super easy job. My door frame on my older 2016, #110 did have Olivers name on the Lippert factory sticker, so that might mean they're custom for Oliver's, or used to be. 

Would be an easy job to put on new door frame. Just have good quality butyl tape and double up the thickness of the butyl tape near the center areas of the door frame on both left and right sides. I have posted pictures on this thread

. 

Edited January 25 by Wayfinder

[RoadKingsofGA]

On 3/26/2024 at 7:41 PM, Steve-Gwenne said:

We are new to RV ownership so maybe this is to be expected; our door panel, on the inside, is cracking. See photos.

Is this normal? If not, what has caused this? 'Sun' comes to mind but I do not think that pertains to us.

What should we do? I am inclined to cover each crack with white duck tape. Is this a good idea? Or ????

I am concerned that all of the laminate, or whatever this bumpy material is, will peel totally off & leave the door looking like ???. 🙂

ty

 

 

[RoadKingsofGA]

Ours has done this and we can recreate the issue, which is the door pressed into the black back stop puck. Even when using the door hook, constant wind pressure against that back stop has caused ours to crack on the inside, where the inset is hard and susceptible to cracking when under flex/pressure. Stand and push your door into the puck and you can see it flex. Thus when opening the door, if the wind grabs it causing good whack against the back stop, then the cracking begins. We bought our trailer used, and the door never closed smoothly or easily. There was a dent on the inside of the door, but we didn’t think that affected function. Turns out, that dent was probably something hard enough to bend the door frame and then, even when latched, there was play in the door allowing flex on the back stop, so here we are. We are ordering a new door from Oliver and having it installed. 
2019 E2 hull #550

Edited February 3 by RoadKingsofGA
Signature didn’t appear

[jd1923]

5 hours ago, RoadKingsofGA said:

Even when using the door hook, constant wind pressure against that back stop has caused ours to crack on the inside, where the inset is hard and susceptible to cracking when under flex/pressure.

This truly makes sense! Our door would bang in the wind against that stop before you even got a chance to hook the door.

Never since adding friction hinges. You must add these. Our door sits 90 degrees open, even in the wind, and never pushing on the stop.

https://a.co/d/d1kftGz

[rich.dev]

51 minutes ago, jd1923 said:

Never since adding friction hinges. You must add these. Our door sits 90 degrees open, even in the wind, and never pushing on the stop.

X2 what John said! I love these friction hinges, they work wonderfully. I don’t have to use the latch = no pressure against that back stop. I can leave the door open when there is a breeze and the door stays where I put it and no more fly away door! 😊 

[Galway Girl]

I had the thought that adding the two friction hinges was the cause of our problem, because it took a lot more force to open the door....but I think our door had been flexed by wind events in the past and that may have started the problem and over time it just got worse.  

So my question and asking folks to vote:

Do I put the door back on
A) WITH" or
B) WITHOUT....
the friction hinges. 

[jd1923]

4 hours ago, Galway Girl said:

Do I put the door back on
A) WITH" or
B) WITHOUT....
the friction hinges. 

You could start a poll. You know my vote. Can’t wait to see your installation! Best wishes. JD

[Geronimo John]

This would be a great owner lead topic at the Rally at Lake Guntersville!

[MAX Burner]

We've been using the Lippert friction hinges for a couple years now.  We love them - it actually makes the lower "hook hasp" unnecessary.  Some folks may say you don't need two - but we like the 2 hinge option especially in some of the winds we've experienced in the Rockies.  The downside is some visitors to your rig may question why your door is so "stiff"....  Oh, well.

[Galway Girl]

On 3/29/2024 at 5:39 AM, topgun2 said:

Can you tell us how much?

Biil

Topgun2:

About $672.00 for the DOOR CORE, (not the frame and hinges).

Read on for more details of part number, price etc.

Our door failure...as reported elsewhere and here for convenience.
Note - we added the friction hinges (not shown) before the failure happened...but i bet the door frame was already weakened due a wind event and flexed enough that the door inner panel slid out of the narrow track and then cracked and buckled.

 

Temporary fix with white Gorilla Tape after massaging the inner lining back into the frame slot.

I was told by Mike at Service that a new door cost is $1600.00 installed at the Service Center.
(NOTE: Mike was including the whole FRAME and Door replacement as that's what they have on hand.)

I checked with Lippert and they said you can just replace the door CORE which includes the window and standard manual handle.

So I went with that and ordered the door, which by the way is custom order, non-returnable, non refundable.

 

Here is a PDF of the specific door core replacement instructions.

Requires 2 people for for best install, and about 45 Min including swapping out handle for keypad lock.

Door Core Replacment Instr.pdf

 

HOW TO Order a Door thru Lippert:

Contact at Lippert:

Alicia N.
Care Center Customer Service Representative
P: 432-LIPPERT | f: 537.534.7161
E: customerservice@lci1.com
Lippert

Alicia has configured a special part number for the Oliver EII door core only, this does not include any hardware for the door.
Once you contact Lippert they set pricing and provide you with a quote, this usually takes around 48 hours. The door arrived in about 4-6 weeks ARO.

 V001045386 - CORE R 24 X 64.5 RH WH 8211PW ISPL GCR A3HV STDWWOB W/SCN
[Core Only - Does not include any hardware for the door] ccd-0006252.pdf

They also can provide a quote for the complete door replacement which includes removing the frame and threshold.
V000629008 - 8070R 24 X 64.5 RH FW WH 8211PW ISPL GCR A3HV STDWWOB WSCD WKP NT OPSLD
[Complete Door Replacement]

After the snow melts here and the sun is out and warm, I will do the replacement project and post an update.

Craig Short  (Galway Girl) Hull 505

[Jason Foster]

My guess for the cracks is unequal thermal expansion of the underlayment combined with either aging or ultraviolet light damage.  Either poor material choices, wrong glue usage, or simple delamination.  Very likely a known issue for Lippert but too expensive for them to acknowledge.

[Jason Foster]

I would not pay $1600 for that.  I would find a much cheaper alternative to replacing it.  Something like this:  

 

 

[jd1923]

11 hours ago, Jason Foster said:

I would not pay $1600 for that.  I would find a much cheaper alternative to replacing it.  Something like this:  

Yeah, but $412 plus tax and S&H is pretty decent for the door core. I'm looking forward to seeing this when Craig @Galway Girl gets theirs installed!

I believe you may be opening a can of worms if "re-skinning" one of these doors. Better have a larger workbench, plenty of clamps, and superior craftsmen skills! Our small cracks are just fine, as-is for now, but I too would buy the core when needed. Thanks again Craig!

OTT charges a lot for accessory installation and service since it is not their core business of fiberglass hull manufacturing. I have not gone to OTT for service but have receipts from prior owners and I see it was a lot of money, even back in 2018 and 2020, without the inflation of the last 4 years! It's like their $1,500 "on sale" 30A DC-DC charger install that does not include the TV side of the installation (I estimate about $1000 for labor). Say OTT can purchase a full door assembly for $600 wholesale. That again would be $1000 for labor or close to it. Honestly, I'd rather install the DC-DC charger, both TT and TV sides, than do the work of replacing the door jamb! 

[Galway Girl]

24 minutes ago, jd1923 said:

I'm looking forward to seeing this when Craig @Galway Girl gets theirs installed!

Probably sometime in late March as we're not traveling right now (at least with the trailer) and I want a bit warmer weather before I tackle the project.I've already ordered the tracing paper, and the Oracal Vinyl in our trailers colors to cut out the stripes to match our existing door and I'm just waiting on weather.  

After I tear out the old door, I'm going to try disassembling it to see if it would be possible to simply 're-skin" the inner door lining as someone has suggested. If that's possible I may very well re-skin it and keep it as a backup door.

Craig

 

 

[Jason Foster]

On 2/7/2025 at 12:12 PM, jd1923 said:

Better have a larger workbench, plenty of clamps, and superior craftsmen skills!

I should always add a caveat to my posts so people will know that I have 600 square feet of shop for my Oliver, several large workbenches, a plethora of clamps and superior craftsmanship skills.  I just assume most people on here are similar since RVs and TTs always break and need constant repair (One of the reasons I bought the Oliver). Not to mention that I love doing this kind of work, so it isn't tedious for me.

My wife just looks at me like I live in a different world.

[topgun2]

16 minutes ago, Jason Foster said:

My wife just looks at me like I live in a different world.

Don't most of them (spouses that is)?🤪

[Jason Foster]

5 hours ago, topgun2 said:

Don't most of them (spouses that is)?🤪

True.  In that respect, us men are all in the same boat.  

[SeaDawg]

Not always. Sometimes,  wives lead the way. Or, at least help.

Every couple has different dynamics..

I care, and watch, learn, and help with planning and procurement. I know others do.

But, I was oldest (girl) in family, so dad taught me a lot. Learned more as 40 year apprentice engineer, to engineer husband. We work together. 

 

[Jason Foster]

8 hours ago, SeaDawg said:

Not always. Sometimes,  wives lead the way. Or, at least help.

Every couple has different dynamics..

I care, and watch, learn, and help with planning and procurement. I know others do.

But, I was oldest (girl) in family, so dad taught me a lot. Learned more as 40 year apprentice engineer, to engineer husband. We work together. 

 

My wife is the same.  I always said that behind every good man, there is a better woman.  In my situation, that is true.