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Care For Recreational Vehicle Doors

There is routine maintenance items that should be handled on a regular basis.

Strike Plate And Bolt Adjustment -- The door in your Trailer was installed and adjusted in a level position from the factory. The striker plate and or bolt may change over the coarse of time and road conditions and that setting may need to be changed or adjusted to insure that your door operates as smoothly and efficently as it should. ( Caution: Only adjust the lock when the unit is level) All doors with the exception of the 6555 philips door are built with a camber in the door. The camber is designed in the door to assist in obtaining a tight seal at the top and bottom of the door. To adjust the strike plate you will need to loosen the two set screws holding the strike plate to the jamb system. Move the plate in or out as needed to obtain a proper seal and closing force and retighten the screws. To adjust the strike bolt in the rotary lock, loosen the bolt with a 5/8" socket or box end wrench. Move the bolt in the direction needed and re-tighten the bolt to 35 foot pounds of torque. The door in your unit operates much like an automobile door and must be closed firmily to enable the lock to engage the secondary locking or fully closed position and to compress the seals in the door. Adjusting the lock to lesson the effort needed to close the door will cause the door to not seal properly.

Locks -- The key cylinder in your lock needs to be lubricated on an annual basis or as needed. Always use powdered graphite, never petroleum products. The petroleum product will gum up the cylinder and cause it to not operate properly. Apply a light coating of white lithium grease to the face of the lock bolt to obtain a smooth closing. 

Hinges -- The hinges on your door should be lubricated annually or as needed with any high quality spray lubricant.

Fiberglass Skin -- To maintain good apperance and long service life, Philips door skin panels should be washed and cleaned periodically. Cleaning removes the accumilated dust and dirt, which can combine with sunlight and wind to attack exposed surfaces both chemically and abrasively.

Recreational Vehicle Door Installation Instructions

General -- Proper installation is essential for the acceptable performance of the door. These instructions are for Philips Products, Inc doors. These instructions represent an acceptable installation method. Other methods may also be acceptable. Proper protective equipment such as safety glasses, gloves, steel toed boots, etc. should be worn during installation. It is the installers responsibility to use proper safety devices and actions when installing a door. ( Do Not Leave Doors In Direct Sunlight When Wrapped)

Removing Old Doors -- On the outside looking at your door their should be a white or colored vinyl strip just outside your door perimeter covering your screw or bolt heads. If so remove this strip of vinyl with a screw driver being careful not to scratch the surface. On older models the vinyl will be brittle and come out in pieces. Once the vinyl is removed it will expose all the screws holding the door in place from the outside. Remove all but the two top screws. Also check for additional screws that may be on the other sides of your door. I have seen many add ons with doors holding them in place or additional screws were used to fasten door after it was manufactured. Once the caulking and putty tape has broken free the door should be esaly removed by removing the remainder of your screws from the top. ( Be careful when attempting to remove having someone on the inside of trailer to insure it is not attached to the inside also. If so remove all nails, screws, etc holding door in place.)

Inspection Of Door Frame -- Inspect for water damage, pretuding screws, staples, nails, etc..Bottom of door frame would be your greatest risk of water damage to the floor. Clean all calking and putty tape from door frame.

Ordering Your Door -- You can order online and have it shipped to your door. Last time I checked doors run around $400.00 to $500.00 depending on door and features. To insure you get the door you want provide proper info about your door to your supplier. Door frame opening size width x length, looking at your door from the outside what side is your door hinges are on, color inside and out, Lock style, does it also have a dead bolt, smooth surface or bubble surface, door window, clear or tinted window, etc... Make sure you get a comfirmation of their order to the manufacturer or if in stock what they are sending you before you exchange money to insure the door you are ordering will fit and is what you want. Shipping can be very expensive. Usally $100.00 from U.P.S. Once you have recieved your door inspect it for any freight damage imediatley before the shipper leaves. If you find damage have the shipper document it imediately so that you have confirmation from shipper for a return.

Installation -- Door must allways be closed during installation. Philips doors are shipped with a spacer block or installation clips to assist installation by maintaining a reveal between the frame and door core until the door is fully insullated. Fill any gaps or voids between the door mounting flange and the exterior perimeter of the rough opening. Gaps and voids in this area may provide a path for water and air to enter. Door opening including floor must be level and square. Below Left drawing shows how to apply caulking at bottom of rough opening before installing door. Apply a 1" bead of caulking or sealant tape on the bottom and  6" up on both sides. This will insure the door bottom is sealed both from the inside and out side of the trailer. On the back side of the door apply a 1/4" continous bead of sealant or sealant tape to the back side of the door mounting flange in line with the pre punched screw holes on the mounting flange. Place the door in the rough opening with the door sill resting on the rough opening floor. Center the door in this position and push in place. Use only 1" corrosion resistant fasteners. While holding the door frame flat against the exterior of the wall, fasteners should be installed in both jambs and at the head to hold in place. Do not overdrive fasteners. As you fasten the door in place make sure the gap between the door and door frame is consistant all the way around the door. This will insure a tight seal. Install the New top drip cap to top of drip cap to top of door insuring proper caulking. Fasteners should be installed in every prepunched holes. Once the door is securely fastened in place, remove any presquaring clips and install any rewmaining door hardware. Adjust strike plate so that when testing for proper operation the door closes and seals properly.

If you are not comfortable in doing these projects yourself  have your local repair shop do the work for you. These instructions are only to help guide a confident individual be successful in his Do-It-Yourself-Repairs. The correct installation is the responsibility of the installer.

RV Window Repair Or Replacement

Class A and C Motorhome front windows cannot be replaced by your Do-it-yourself person. It takes special equipment and must be done by a professional for safety reasons. Your Travel Trailer / Camper / or side windows can be replaced by you if your comfortable and have the skill set to do the job. Most all windows can be ordered through your RV manufacturer. Measure your window size and also have available your make, model, year and serial # when ordering. Opon arrival of your new window inspect the package for any damage.Open the package imediately. Make sure it is the window you ordered and that their is no damage. The inside of the window frame has a series of screws. The screws are what hold the outside of the window to the inside of the window together on the wall. The removal of the window must be accomplished using two people, one on the outside of the window holding it in and up and one on the inside loosening the screws. Once your screws are loose use a putty knife from the outside and carefully break loose the putty tape and calking from the window. Once this is done the window can be removed. Clean the window opening making sure  all the putty tape and caulk is removed. With a fresh roll of butyl tape, install a new layer around the window opening. If you have a smooth fiberglass surface one layer of butyl tape should be enough. If you have metal siding with an uneven surface two layers of tape will be needed. The first layer of tape can be cut into strips long enough to be placed into low end of the metal siding. The secound layer can be layed continousely around on top the first layer. Install your new window being careful not to break it. Apply pressure to the outside of the window pushing it against the tape. Use the screws and frame on the inside and tighten working back and forth in a pattern to insure the window is tight. When you are satisfied the window is properly sealed, run a light bead of silicone across the top and sides of your window from the outside. Use your finger and smooth for a great apperance.

RV Rubber Roof Replacement Kits

We sell replacement kits at RV Parts, Hardware Suppliers. Click on this link to view.

First remove every component from the entire roof area, A/C, all vents, antenna, running lights, storage pods, racks, ladders, etc. All the side trim, awning rail, drip molding, etc., will also have to be carefully removed. Typically the rubber membrane is cemented to the plywood substrate and folded over the sides of the RV and stapled prior to the trim pieces being attached. At the front and back there may be a flat molding strip or the membrane might simply tuck under a fiberglass cap. Remove all the rubber membrane and locate the damaged plywood sections. If there are many, simply remove them all to inspect the inside of the roof. In some cases, the water may have permeated the foam insulation and possibly the interior ceiling paneling. Replace all damaged or warped wood rafters with new. Gradually taper the rafters to the ends so that they are thicker in the center. In other words, create a slightly crowned roof. This will eliminate low areas and ensure proper water drainage, especially at that sunken air conditioner location. Once all the new insulation and rafters are secured, cover the entire roof with new plywood. In some cases I recommend 3/8-inch plywood, though 1/4-inch will usually suffice. Take care to make tight seams between the panels. Be sure no screws or staples are sticking up above the level of the plywood. Pay close attention to the seams. They must remain flush and smooth so the EPDM rubber will not tear or crease during installation. Likewise, bevel the edges of the plywood slightly at the sides of the roof. This whole preparation stage is crucial! If the cement is a bonding-type, such as contact cement, it must be applied to the bottom ply of the EPDM as well as the plywood substrate. When a water based adhesive or pressure sensitive cement is used, it is applied only to the plywood. Purchase enough EPDM rubber so it can be rolled out the entire length of the RV. It should also extend over the sides of the RV; enough to fold down behind the drip molding or awning rail. Fold back the membrane front to rear about halfway and apply the cement by brush, roller or spray gun. If you use solvent-based contact cement, apply it to both the substrate and the membrane and allow it to dry. If you are supplied with a water-based, pressure sensitive adhesive, apply the membrane while the cement is still wet. Roll out all air pockets from the centerline of the coach to the sides with a lightweight roller or a push-type broom. At the RV sides, fold the material over the edge of the roof and staple it to the sidewall on top of the siding material. Apply butyl tape or caulking to the back of a drip channel or awning rail prior to reinstalling it to the sides of the RV. Excess material hanging below the molding or rail is simply trimmed off with a razor knife. After the roof is completely cemented in place and secured around the perimeter, cut all the openings for the sewer vents, the refrigerator vent, the 14-inch vents, the roof air conditioner opening etc., with a sharp pair of scissors. When cutting the openings, always radius the corners to eliminate the possibility of the EPDM tearing. If possible, have excess rubber fold into the opening and staple it to the sides of the opening. Apply butyl tape and install the vents as usual and seal all screws, flanges and edges with the appropriate lap sealant. When working with EPDM rubber and lap sealant, do not smooth out the bead of sealant after application.  

Replacing a Roof Vent

Replace a Toilet

We sell toilets at RV Parts, Hardware Suppliers. Click on this link to view.

First step is to make sure the water to the RV is off. Next let pressure off the lines by flushing the toilet. At the bottom of the toilet there is a plastic cover that can be removed by pulling it out sometimes slightly up, some models have one on each side other models have just one that wraps all the way around remove it. You should now see a bolt on a screw, unscrew this bolt. There is one on both sides unscrew both of them. Don't lift toilet Yet. In behind the toilet there will be a hose connected to the top back of toilet. You should be able to unscrew this with a   sometimes it is only finger tight. Unscrew this but put a towel down to catch the little water that still may be in the hose. Remove toilet from floor do this carefully to make sure that the bolt stay in the floor (sometimes the toilet will be stuck from being attached so long gently rock it.) PULL STRAIGHT UP. Get new toilet on the bottom ring that attaches to floor there will be a rubber seal kind of cone shaped make sure the new one is in place.(this prevents sewage from leaking into the floor)Place the toilet on floor making sure the bolts go though the holes in the toilet. Replace the nuts on the bolts tighten evenly. making sure they are snug and tight to prevent leaks. Attach hose to the back of toilet snug with fingers first and then about 1/4 of a turn with a pliers. MAKE SURE NOT TO TIGHT or you will stripe the connection and that is a bigger job because rv hoses are hard to replace and not have any leaks.Turn the water on and check for leaks if any make sure bolts are tight and hose on the back is tight. replace plastic cover(s) for looks. Make sure to clean up any drips of sewage with cleaners.