Door alignment

[mparmer]

Hi folks,
I have a 1999 Rockwood 1904 and I'm having problems getting the door to align properly.  I think its related to the height the top is raised.  I'm unsure of where the right place to stop raising the top is.  Anyway, I've been unable to get the door to latch because the opening is too wide.  Any suggestions would be most appreciated.  By the way, I bought it from an individual so I don't have a sales person to ask.

Thanks
marty parmer
mparmer2@comcast.net

[wavery]

Hi folks,
I have a 1999 Rockwood 1904 and I'm having problems getting the door to align properly.  I think its related to the height the top is raised.  I'm unsure of where the right place to stop raising the top is.  Anyway, I've been unable to get the door to latch because the opening is too wide.  Any suggestions would be most appreciated.  By the way, I bought it from an individual so I don't have a sales person to ask.

Thanks
marty parmer
mparmer2@comcast.net

If you are cranking the roof to the top and your door doesn't fit, you may have a stretched cable.

If the door opening is to "Wide", you could have a bent frame. That can happen if someone put a bumper jack right under the door and lifted the camper.

[Old Goat]

If you are cranking the roof to the top and your door doesn't fit, you may have a stretched cable.

If the door opening is to "Wide", you could have a bent frame. That can happen if someone put a bumper jack right under the door and lifted the camper.

How do you bend a popup's frame by lifting it up with a bumper jack placed under it's door??  I've never heard of this one before...please explain...

[Recumbentman]

the usual problem with door alignment is the PU not being level. So make sure your PU is level in both directions. I don't have a Rockwood PU, but I would think you would just crank up your roof until the crank just stops. you should be able to feel the difference in pressure.
good luck

[MotherNature]

Hi folks,
I have a 1999 Rockwood 1904 and I'm having problems getting the door to align properly.  I think its related to the height the top is raised.  I'm unsure of where the right place to stop raising the top is.  Anyway, I've been unable to get the door to latch because the opening is too wide.  Any suggestions would be most appreciated.  By the way, I bought it from an individual so I don't have a sales person to ask.

Thanks
marty parmer


I have a problem with space on sides of the door.  In our case, it's due to a bent frame (caused by DH insisting that using the stabilizers to level the PUP wouldn't hurt anything - now he knows better).

[ekakadams]

Any ideas on how to straighten frame so the door frame is square?
Thanks
Ed Adams

Hi folks,
I have a 1999 Rockwood 1904 and I'm having problems getting the door to align properly.  I think its related to the height the top is raised.  I'm unsure of where the right place to stop raising the top is.  Anyway, I've been unable to get the door to latch because the opening is too wide.  Any suggestions would be most appreciated.  By the way, I bought it from an individual so I don't have a sales person to ask.

Thanks
marty parmer


I have a problem with space on sides of the door.  In our case, it's due to a bent frame (caused by DH insisting that using the stabilizers to level the PUP wouldn't hurt anything - now he knows better).

[wavery]

How do you bend a popup's frame by lifting it up with a bumper jack placed under it's door??  I've never heard of this one before...please explain...

Old Goat.....

If you're not smart enough to figure that out on your own, nothing I can say will help you..

[wavery]

Any ideas on how to straighten frame so the door frame is square?
Thanks
Ed Adams

If the frame is bent, you may have to take the camper to a frame shop. They can true it up for you then weld on some angle or channel iron to reinforce the area to keep it from bending again. It's really not as big a job as it sounds if they have a frame machine. Most big auto body shops have them too.

[dkutz]

If the frame is bent, you may have to take the camper to a frame shop. They can true it up for you then weld on some angle or channel iron to reinforce the area to keep it from bending again. It's really not as big a job as it sounds if they have a frame machine. Most big auto body shops have them too.

Hard to tell exactly what the door is doing.  But I have found on ours that if I don't have the end stabilizers down tight, when I pull the ends out it pulls the door opening, open.  The door will close ok until we go to bed and then pop open in the night becasue of the weight ont he ends pulling the door opening.

DOn't know if that makes sense, or if that is whats happening to you...

[pistonslap]

When I bought my pop-up the door knob was broken on the outside. Being about as cheap as they come, I got out my hole saw and replaced it with a home entry knob lockset. I guess the last owner bent the frame because the gap in the door was larger at the top. Thinking this was no big deal we headed out on the maiden voyage. Thank God I hit a big bump before we hit the highway brcause the door popped open. Luckily I had a roll of duct tape in the glovebox. I haven't done it yet, but I intend to put a 4x4 across both frame rails towards the back and pick it up with a floor jack until the gap evens out. Not having easy access to a welder I was thinking about using nuts and bolts to sister on heavier angle. Would this weaken the frame?

[wavery]

When I bought my pop-up the door knob was broken on the outside. Being about as cheap as they come, I got out my hole saw and replaced it with a home entry knob lockset. I guess the last owner bent the frame because the gap in the door was larger at the top. Thinking this was no big deal we headed out on the maiden voyage. Thank God I hit a big bump before we hit the highway brcause the door popped open. Luckily I had a roll of duct tape in the glovebox. I haven't done it yet, but I intend to put a 4x4 across both frame rails towards the back and pick it up with a floor jack until the gap evens out. Not having easy access to a welder I was thinking about using nuts and bolts to sister on heavier angle. Would this weaken the frame?

Actually, if it were me, I'd find a piece of channel iron or aluminum that will fit inside my frame channel, through bolting it should do quite well (although welding is preferred). I would put as long a piece of supporting material in as possible and just put 1 or 2 bolts (with washers and lock washers on both sides) in each end and 1 or 2 in the center. Just enough to keep the supporting piece in place. If the piece fits tight enough I'd only use 1 bolt in each position. If it is lose in the frame, I'd use 2 bolts in each position). I would want to limit the # and size (5/16" max) of holes that I drill in my frame and use grade 8 bolts. Anytime that someone drills a hole in the frame there is a potential for cracking (however, small IMO).

The problem with wood is that it doesn't offer much lateral support and may sag to meet the shape of the bent frame. Wood is great for compressive support but not much good when laying horizontal. A piece of aluminum channel would be great. An old sailboat boom or mast, cut to length might do very well. (if a person could find one).

[ekakadams]

Hard to tell exactly what the door is doing.  But I have found on ours that if I don't have the end stabilizers down tight, when I pull the ends out it pulls the door opening, open.  The door will close ok until we go to bed and then pop open in the night becasue of the weight ont he ends pulling the door opening.

DOn't know if that makes sense, or if that is whats happening to you...

That maybe we will be using it this weekend so i will play a little, it is wider at the top than at the bottom, so if I did bend the frame it seems that it would be tight at the top?

[Chuck L]

I noticed my door did not match the door frame when I installed it during set up. The door would not shut at limes. I found all the fasteners that secure the roof to the lifting arms were all very loose causing the whole thing to lean toward the front. Every thing is working properly now.

[coach]

The frame doesn't have to be bent for the upper box to be not square.
The door opening causes a week spot in the box and there is no diagonal support of the upper part of the box to keep it square.

I find roof height, shepard poles tightness, awning etc to effect the door operation. My door has a metal frame so it is not possible for the gap at the top to get wider.

Seems more stabilization would close any upper gap while adding weight to the bunks would open the gap!