Exterior Compartment Door will not unlatch on one side.....

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mikeylikesit

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 15, 2017
Posts
116
Location
Oakboro NC
It worked yesterday!

96 Pace Arrow 35J - the access door to the propane tank, so there is no lock in it.....but one side will not unlatch.

anybody know of a trick to get it open, so I can generously lubricate the darn thing?

thank you.
 
Is the compartment open on the bottom? If so, reach under with a pair of pliers to rotate the tab.
 
kdbgoat said:
Is the compartment open on the bottom? If so, reach under with a pair of pliers to rotate the tab.

If that doesn't work, get a 3/16" drill and just drill it out. Just make sure you start drilling exactly in the center. Someone else had that same issue back 2 or 3 months ago and that's what they did.
 
    I get some stubborn one to unlock by pushing in on the door with my knee while pulling the handle.  You could try releveling or taking off jacks completely.  If the latch is broken inside and you cannot reach in from underneath you may have to pry it open and repair what breaks.  Does the handle show any resistance when you pull on it or is it free as if the linkage has broken?
 
I was thinking it may be something like this where it's only for a propane compartment door.

https://www.amazon.com/Camco-44323-Thumb-Operated-Offset/dp/B002UC8U30/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1510255623&sr=8-3&keywords=rv+compartment+door+latch&dpID=31pEl0iicBL&preST=_SX300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

Instead of drilling it, you may be able to put a pair of vise grips on it in order to overcome the spring and ball. Most likely the spring has rusted not allowing the ball to release.
 
Lucky you, it's the propane door. You should have access to the back side of the door. Just slide under with a screw driver and carefully pry the latch back.
Then remove the 4 screws on the center back side of the door and take every thing apart and clean. If you lube those latches they will jam with road crud more quickly.
It would also be a good time to spend some time on the rest of the doors.
 
Maybe you can do like the home burglars do and slide a credit card in the small gap between the compartment door and the RV to push the latch plunger to the open position?
 
thanks everybody.....yes, it's the propane door.

I got underneath and removed the 4 screws securing the (handle) latching mechanism in place, and removed it.  I can manually retract both sides, both of them are spring loaded and appear to be retracting the door strikes.  However, the right side still won't release.

I sure hate to just go prying on it.....  I'll try the credit card trick from the back, but I think the strike is already released.  I might get some wide strip of aluminum to wedge under the bottom edge of the door so I won't destroy the door by prying....

I'll let ya know how it goes.  Thanks again!
 
Rene T said:
We're all speculating what style latch the OP has. We need to hear from them.

I wasn't speculating. I know exactly what style of TriMark latch the OP has.
But what I didn't anticipate is the chance of a plate welded on the back side of the door opening, prohibiting access to the latch bolt.
If the propane door is next to another compartment door, access to the latch bolt can be had by opening the adjacent door.
It's the very same that's on my 95 Bounder.
 
So.....mission accomplished...........sort of.  :eek:

thru careful prying and using backing plates so as to not damage the door/frame, I was able to get enough room to at least see the strike/bolt.  It was not moving at all by retracting the rod, which still had spring pressure. Tried the credit card method, but could not get into the gap...
examining the other doors, I realized that the bolts are plastic.    Now, I'm realizing that since the retracting rod is not pulling the plastic strike back, the plastic strike is probably broken...........so, I just carefully applied pressure and broke it off.

Upon further examination, the part of the strike where the retracting rod attaches had broken off, allowing the rod to move without moving the strike.

Yes, so glad this was not a locked compartment!  Unfortunately, it was the right side of the door, so not adjacent to another compartment.

hopefully I can disassemble the door (looks like the ends can be unscrewed) and get another strikebolt.  If not, I don't think it's much of an issue only having that door secured with only one side latched.....

Thanks for the help folks! 
 
You can eliminate that possibility in the future by replacing those "bolts" at each end with metal ones..Look in the ad section of the FMCA monthly magazine and find the company that makes/sells them,,easy to replace.>>>Dan
 
utahclaimjumper said:
You can eliminate that possibility in the future by replacing those "bolts" at each end with metal ones..Look in the ad section of the FMCA monthly magazine and find the company that makes/sells them,,easy to replace.>>>Dan

I made a pair from aluminum bar stock.... It will have to break somewhere else next time
 
Here's a little food for thought. Don't slap the door shut. That puts a lot of pressure on the whole latching system. Especially the plastic bolt.
Lower door until you can pull on latch handle, close door, release handle and push with knee until you hear a click.
My 22 year old latch bolts have not failed.
 
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