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Old 02-27-2020, 09:24 AM   #1
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Unhappy Outside compartment doors

We recently purchased a 2018 Forza 34T. Does anyone have a fix to stop the compartment doors from flying open while traveling? We’ve only owned ours for a few weeks and it’s already happened to us. Winnebago has no answers at this time.
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Old 02-27-2020, 10:46 AM   #2
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Compartment Doors Opening

"If" you aren't already doing so, Lock the doors before travel so they don't work loose. On our 22M We swapped a lock on the generator door with the non locking one on our big rear storage door and it is much more stable and cannot be "easily" pried open now. That might be a fix for you as well ?
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Old 02-27-2020, 10:56 AM   #3
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Outside compartment doors

Thank you. We’ll try and see if it helps.
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Old 02-27-2020, 12:39 PM   #4
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I find this is a problem on our 2015 Vista 31 foot. It happens as we gpo across dips like at driveways, etc. and does it with the doors locked or not. Apparently the frame twists enough to move the latch and open? Sounds bad for the rest of the unit, right?
But it does it and the latches appear to be good, so I've moved on to other solutions. Step one is to locate a metal part just inside the door, drill a hole and add a bungee to act as a backup for when the latch fails! With a small diameter bungee about 6 inches long, I can hook it to the door and frame by stretching it a bit and then when the latch fails, the bungee keeps the door from swinging out in traffic! Not a good solution but better than folks flagging me down to close the door.
At campgrounds we leave the cord off but make it part of teardown to make sure they are all in place again.
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Old 02-27-2020, 01:51 PM   #5
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Wow, the fact that the unit is flexing/twisting enough to allow the latch to "unlatch" is a scary thought. What other parts are being over-stressed, and will fail in the future?
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Old 02-28-2020, 10:30 AM   #6
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We had the same issue when our Suncruiser 32H was new. I found a pretty good slam and then a yank on the latch helped to ensure they were latched securely. After a couple years the gaskets became compressed a bit and the doors closed and latched better. I also used a dab of white lithium grease on the tang which seemed to ease the latching too.
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Old 02-28-2020, 03:29 PM   #7
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In our case it is not that we don't get them closed as we have had a long term habit of checking each door by yanking on it before each trip. Last time we had a door fly open was when we had gassed. Before getting back in, I did the walk around and all was secure but as we pulled out of the drive, there was a dip and the door flew open! When crossing a dip like that the whole body is tilted different ways across the low spot and it seems to move enough to pop open. I have laid out in the storage space and had my wife try to pop the door open while watching and it can't be done when on normal more or less flat ground. Since I don't want to ride in the storage, I have never seen how it moves when it pops open! Just magic, I guess?
I went for the bungee idea before trying to figure it out.
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Old 03-29-2020, 11:46 AM   #8
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double latches on our unit

Our Winnie has a storage door design with a single lock in the center connected to latches on both sides/ends of the doors. I think if twisting occurs then one could be loosened but the other would be even more engaged.

I take two steps to make sure they don't open: 1. use my knee at each lower corner to press in until I hear it latch. 2. lock every door.

Bungee cord idea has merit.
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Old 03-29-2020, 02:07 PM   #9
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Our procedure is to lock all doors most of the time even while set in place, Then as part of the walkaround we do jerk on each handle to assure it is closed and locked. Our smaller doors on a smaller 31 foot RV only have one latch but we do make sure it is locked and solid. As they swing open with the hinge in the front on several, having them swing open as we come to a stop makes me willing to go with the bungee to keep them from opening any more than a few inches, rather than out into the next lane of traffic.
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Old 03-30-2020, 12:00 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by David_Laura View Post
[...]

I take two steps to make sure they don't open: 1. use my knee at each lower corner to press in until I hear it latch. 2. lock every door.

Bungee cord idea has merit.

Same thing with the knee. My slide out door definitely needs the knee top and bottom.

You may consider adjusting the latching post to have more of a "bite" on the door mechanism.

p.s., I never slam the compartment doors. If I don't hear a click by just pushing it closed I'll use the knee.
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Old 04-05-2020, 06:34 AM   #11
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Firstly, just don’t slam them and expect them to stay shut. Push with your knee and be sure to hear them “click” shut.
Also, there are two double locking small nuts on the latch top and bottom. These can be adjusted to allow the door gasket to push (seal) differently against the frame.
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