RE: Stepper Door won t open with top closed.

[MattH]

 
I know, I know.....read the manual.
 
 Am I vastly mistaken or should my stepper door be able to open with the top down and buckled?
 
 Went out for the first time last weekend and as we were getting ready to go we were unable to close the door unless the roof was up a bit. We then needed to get back in after we buckled her up and we couldn t get it open. We had to unbuckle and give it a little lift then open.
 
 The manual is in the PU and it just occured to me as I was reading some threads.
 
 Thanks

[MtnCamper]

 MattH
Mine you can open anytime, Friends same year, same model, he s got to open a tad...... Manufacturing tolerance?

[griffsmom]

 MattH
Ours doesn t open when the roof is latched down, which is exactly how it s supposed to be accordig to our dealer, and I always unlatch the roof (just the two latches on the door side) when I do open the stepper door so that I don t take any chance of damaging the rubber seal around the roof.  You have to be sure to latch them back up before you drive off though.  Don t ask me how I know this...[]
 
 I suppose if you really want to be able to open the stepper door without unlatching the two latches on the door side of the camper, you could always unscrew the latches a bit so that they don t clamp down quite as tightly.

[tlhdoc]

 MattH
I have to unlatch the latch by the door to open mine.  To close it I push up on the roof.

[rccs]

 MattH
Same here. I have to unlatch the latch nearest the stepper door then lift slightly on the roof to get the door open or closed with the roof down.

[Wayfarer]

 MattH
Ditto griffsmom, tlhdoc and rccs.

[Bearnkat]

 MattH
We have to unlatch both front and back to get our door to open easily. If the roof is down tight, its a real chore to get the door closed.
 
 C & T

[whippetwrun]

 MattH
Our Mesa has to be unlatched all the around and then I pull up a little on the roof - it moves barely a 1/4 of an inch, but it s enough that I can open the stepper door.