New Door Needed

[topgun2]

Hull # 117 looks like the day it left the factory - no cracks at all.

Bill

[Patriot]

1 hour ago, topgun2 said:

Hull # 117 looks like the day it left the factory - no cracks at all.

Bill

Same here Bill, 

Possibly Lippert had a bad run at some point? It sure is a costly replacement for something that should last a long time. 😒

[Mike and Carol]

20 minutes ago, Patriot said:

Same here Bill, 

Possibly Lippert had a bad run at some point? It sure is a costly replacement for something that should last a long time. 😒

Maybe I can glue some astroturf to the inside of the door.  Or, use some of the rat fur that’s inside a Casita?  

We’ll probably just live with it.  Mike

[Patriot]

21 minutes ago, Mike and Carol said:

Or, use some of the rat fur that’s inside a Casita?  

That’s funny…never heard it called that before. 😂

[Mike and Carol]

12 minutes ago, Patriot said:

That’s funny…never heard it called that before. 😂

I learned it from a Casita owner….

[ScubaRx]

11 hours ago, Mike and Carol said:

I learned it from a Casita owner….

I heard it from a naked rat. 

[Geronimo John]

 $1,600 for a replacement door?  That's more than insane. 

What's even worse is buying from the same source that provided a badly designed door.  

Why not in place re-laminate the interior as suggested above?   Can some of our plastic guys shed some brain cells on the concept.

GJ

[Geronimo John]

At 5:31 in the above video is one way to re-skin a trailer door.

 

At 5:31 in the above video is one way to re-skin a trailer door.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftNdzpe6_To

[jd1923]

6 hours ago, Geronimo John said:

Why not in place re-laminate the interior...

For $1600, Craigs tape job looks really good to me! Thought when I looked a year ago these doors were under $900.

Like Mike, our few lights cracks will stay as is no tape required, but I would do the same it the laminate was coming out of the frame as pictured.

To remove and replace the surface will not be easy, given you want it installed within the frame like the original. The only removeable section is the bottom cross-member (see door bottom pictured) and the window surround and door handle.

You can buy 4x8' sheets of similar material at Depot and other stores. Cutting smoothly to size with top radius corners is not easy but doable. The trick would be after getting all the old material out would be slipping the new surface into place. You would likely have to chisel and file the core of the door to make extra room for material that would be a few mils thicker.

Or you could just glue it over the frame. 🤣 I'll replace our door ONLY after we have trouble opening and closing it!!!

Edited November 30, 2024 by jd1923

[Boudicca908]

Re-reading this post....  I have seen damage to lanai doors that seem to have a similar construction (materials) and we thought it was due to long bouts of strong sun exposure on one side of the door, with cooler shaded side reacting differently. That may be wrong, but I wonder.  Foams and plastics are light weight, but sun and heat can really break them down. 

Edited November 30, 2024 by Boudicca908

[Geronimo John]

19 hours ago, jd1923 said:

To remove and replace the surface will not be easy, given you want it installed within the frame like the original. The only removeable section is the bottom cross-member (see door bottom pictured) and the window surround and door handle.

19 hours ago, jd1923 said:

Or you could just glue it over the frame. 🤣

JD:  It was never my intent to remove the door and disassemble it.  Noor was it to look exactly like original.  For those that need that level of perfection, I 100% agree with you.  Let them eat cake and fully enjoy their beautiful new OEM $1600 door. 

My point of the video was to just say it is possible to reskin a door on an RV. Not a path likely you or I would wander down.  But it is possible to do so.  Hence my hint "One Way".

20 hours ago, Geronimo John said:

At 5:31 in the above video is one way to re-skin a trailer door.

Now that I have better clarified that my intent is to suggest laminating Edge to Edge on top of existing:

• With a thin white sheet of material (Likely aluminum), one could trace the existing door shape directly onto the new aluminum.  Cut and paste then SS rivet or flat head screw it in place.  Simple, fast, and relatively inexpensive.   Only concern would be if the thin thickness of the new skin material could be absorbed by some hinge slop. 

When my fails, I would rather execute the reskin in place concept before spending $1600!   That said, hopefully someone out there in the RV door business will offer a better more cost effective solution.  Time for us is on our side... for now.

 🙂

[Galway Girl]

I'm in touch with Lippert about the door.  

They are going to provide me a quote for the "door CORE" and a separate one for the whole door assembly.

The door CORE would not include hinges, door frames and jamb (which is already attached to the trailer) or the latch.  
I would unscrew the existing door from the hinges, take it off and replace with a new core and re-use my latch/lock assembly.

Once I get the quote and part numbers I'll amend them to this post.

Craig

 

[jd1923]

2 hours ago, Galway Girl said:

I would unscrew the existing door from the hinges, take it off and replace with a new core and re-use my latch/lock assembly.

Unless there is anything wrong besides the door panel delaminating, you would not want to remove the jamb and do all that work, resealing etc. hope the price of the “core” is reasonable! Yes, let us know and thank you.

[mountainoliver]

On 11/28/2024 at 9:42 AM, Mike and Carol said:

Maybe I can glue some astroturf to the inside of the door.  Or, use some of the rat fur that’s inside a Casita?  

We’ll probably just live with it.  Mike

Mike, why don’t you just use some of the leftover orange shag carpet from your Chevy van project? 🤣

[Mike and Carol]

3 hours ago, mountainoliver said:

Mike, why don’t you just use some of the leftover orange shag carpet from your Chevy van project? 🤣

Ken, why didn’t I think of that?  I’ve got enough leftover for the floor too!  I just need to remember where I put  my lava lamp….

Edited December 18, 2024 by Mike and Carol

[SeaDawg]

3 minutes ago, Mike and Carol said:

Ken, why didn’t I think of that?  I’ve got enough leftover for the floor too!  I just need to remember where I put  my lava lamp….

I actually have a 70s lava lamp in one of the guest bedrooms.  No shag carpet, though. Lol

[Galway Girl]

Update:

I was able to work directly with Lippert to order a "door core" which is just the door including the window.
(The door frame, hinges, and threshold all stay in place, and only the door core is replaced.)

The factory wanted $1600.00+ taxes for the replacement, and direct order cost is $676.21.  ($1k savings)

The installation is like replacing a pre-hung door so I feel confident I can do this repair at home.

Hope this helps anyone else who requires a door repair.
Be careful to look at how your door hinges are attached as they have changed from older models to newer models.

When I do the replacement I'll repost with photos.

Lippert Part Order Detail: For Hull 505 (2019 Model Year)

Lippert Custom Part : V001045386 -CORE R 24 X 64.5 RH WH 8211PW ISPL GCR A3HV STDWWOB W/SCN
$411.95 + to my location shipping $264.26  = Total $676.21
Lead time is 5-10 business days for production + transit.
Shipping is calculated specific to end location at the time of ordering. 
To place an order please call 432-Lippert (432) 547-7378

The installation instructions they sent for removal of the door core:

ccd-0006252.pdf

[Geronimo John]

4 hours ago, Galway Girl said:

$411.95 + to my location shipping $264.26  = Total $676.21

Great info, thank you for doing the leg work for us!  Just over $400 takes this effort into the affordability range for many owners.  Even the shipping to Washington from Indiana was reasonable.  Likely a lot more than most of us would need.

Looking forward to your DIY install.

GJ

Edited December 20, 2024 by Geronimo John

[jd1923]

8 hours ago, Galway Girl said:

I was able to work directly with Lippert to order a "door core" which is just the door including the window.

Excellent work on your part and the price is amazing considering prices today! Thank you.

[Galway Girl]

Final Verdict - NO Go on Door Core Replacement.

After buying and trying to replace the door core *which Lippert  said should be an easy fit, I have bad news.  

The new door core when installed was out of alignment by about 1/4" even though we meticulously measured and remeasured the placement of the holes for the hinges.

I reinstalled the old door and it fits perfectly fine and I'll be doing some re-taping of the ugly cracks. 
It appears perhaps the event that triggered the start of cracking may have also bent the hinges just enough that they no longer fit for a new perfect door. 

Oliver has suggested that the best action is to drill out and replace the full door and frame.   (Back to the $1600 cost and I will consider having Oliver do a full door and frame replacement when I go back for factory service this fall.)

The new door core has brand new latches, new windows etc.   If anyone else needs a door core let me know as it's NOT returnable. 
I could bring it to the rally or keep it as a part's door for the window and door latch.

By the way, these door cores are constructed by laminating together the outer skin, and inner skin with glue which is also used on the edge channel of the door.   So you cannot simply pull out the core of the panel and swap into the old door frame. 

So much for saving money on the repair. 

Craig

 

 

[HDRider]

This sucks all the way around.  I wonder what percentage of Oliver owners have this problem.

[Mike and Carol]

1 hour ago, HDRider said:

This sucks all the way around.  I wonder what percentage of Oliver owners have this problem.

I think a lot of us with older trailers have the cracks.  

[jd1923]

4 hours ago, Mike and Carol said:

I think a lot of us with older trailers have the cracks.

I believe those of us with slight horizontal lines in the interior door skin were caused by wind, where the door flew open (several times through the years) hitting the black rubber stopper which stresses the door, causing these cracks.

The damage to Craig's door is more extreme, likely something defective in its construction vs. more wind damage than the others. I'd rule out sun damage in either case since there is no damage to the exterior skin. The interior skin on Craig's door buckled, came out of the inside frame and separated from the core to do so! Did they miss gluing this area?

Here again is the picture I took to show the Lippert Friction Hinges installed. I hadn't paid attention to the cracks on our door until this thread was started Nov '24, since the cracks are minor and often hidden by the screen door. I believe if Lippert or OTT made Friction Hinges standard, we would not see this wind damage, but not Craig's issue which looks like a manufacturing defect.

Were the doors made differently through the years? I think not, except perhaps for Chris' @CRM with his one-off 2010 hull. Bill's @topgun2 door has no cracks. Mike @Mike and Carol and I both have minor cracks. These hulls are all 2016 and the doors likely came from the same Lippert batch.

Perhaps Bill kept his door from banging on the stopper better than Mike did and I did (including prior owners). I know before I installed friction hinges the door flew out of my hands several times banging against the stopper as I cringed! It's often very windy where we camp! No more door bangs, no further damage since the friction hinges were installed.

Craig, I'm very sorry to hear of your misfortune. I believe Lippert owes you a door. Your damage is not from abuse. At a minimum, ask them for money back on the core you paid for, that should still be under warranty, towards purchase of a new door. Make some noise and hope for some help! Best wishes, JD

[CRM]

29 minutes ago, jd1923 said:

Were the doors made differently through the years? I think not, except perhaps for Chris' @CRM with his one-off 2010 hull. Bill's @topgun2 door has no cracks. Mike @Mike and Carol and I both have minor cracks. These hulls are all 2016 and the doors likely came from the same Lippert batch.

 

I would assume that I have the same door as all the early Elite 1 models. I wonder if any of those have failed? 

 

[jd1923]

16 minutes ago, CRM said:

I would assume that I have the same door as all the early Elite 1 models. I wonder if any of those have failed? 

@SeaDawg ?