Basement door latch part

[Buly]

Yesterday I decided to take care of the wet bay door latch misalignment, and check overall the latch mechanism? Lucky I did.
The short braided wire piece of stainless steel wire that pulls down the latch trigger, was holding by two strands. All the rest were broken.
From the two 1/4x20 nuts holding the latch together, one was loose and ready to fall off.
If any of the two had failed, I could have been stranded somewhere with full waste tanks, and no way to do anything about it for a while.
Hope Newmar sells just the stranded wire part?
BTW, from all basement doors, that’s the only one that I had no time to install external latch release before we left for the 4 month summer trip.

 

[Frank]

I checked all mine when I got the coach home the first time, many were not all that tight as well as the locking screw/barrel at the end of the cables. My concern is if one of these break or come loose, how would you get the door open at that point? The whole mechanism seems very poorly built and not durable to me. Keep us posted on your repair and parts or any ideas on how to open a door with broken wire!

Thanks

 

[Buly]

Frank, I installed external release on the basement doors. Had a post with description and photos earlier this year.
Will have to look for it.

 

[Buly]

Frank, I think I found it. It is from March 26th
All basement doors locked

 

[Neal]

London Aire?

 

[sheridany]

There goes @Neal again hinting. Just sign the darn order form and get us some pictures what you picked. Inquiring minds want to know.

 

[Neal]

Sorry! I didn't even realize I did it...or something like that.

 

[Buly]

Something bothered me about the wet bay latch, so I took a close look at it.
Another one of the stranded wire strands were all broken except two. If it breaks with the door closed (specially in the wet bay) there is no way no how to unlatch the door, even if it is not locked. On the other doors, you may be able to crawl thru other doors, but not the wet bay. You must remove the hinge? or destroy the door? That's why I think having a trigger line installed on all doors is a must. Me thinks

 

[Webz]

I noticed the set screw that holds the cable seems to be the problem. I bought bicycle brake cables and crimp cable ferrules and replaced most of the latch cables. Works great so far.

 

[ARD]

I could have been stranded somewhere with full waste tanks, and no way to do anything about it for a while.

Been there, done that. Thank goodness you followed your intuition and checked. Worst case scenario, you can take the door off. That was how that amazing mobile tech in CO who has now moved to Texas was able to get me into my wet bay.

 

[ARD]

You must remove the hinge? or destroy the door? That's why I think having a trigger line installed on all doors is a must. Me thinks

No, no, no. You don't have to destroy the door. I will find my post from the other place on how the tech took my door off.

 

[lostinfla]

I've installed the "emergency cable release" on all my bay doors because I had one fray the wire and wouldn't open. I finally got it open, but now have a slight dent in the Summit stainless trim because of it.

 

[osuallen]

I noticed the set screw that holds the cable seems to be the problem. I bought bicycle brake cables and crimp cable ferrules and replaced most of the latch cables. Works great so far.

can you provide more detail on your fix?
Thanks

 

[Webz]

Osuallen,
Installed the factory end of the bicycle brake in the latch end after adding a couple pieces of heat shrink and a small zip tie to keep it from falling out during assembly. Cut the cable and slide it into the hole with the set screw. Then crimp a cable stop on the cable.
When cutting the cable, wrap it in tape where you cut it and use sharp cutters to avoid fraying the cable. I left the set screw installed but not tightened in case this didn't work.
Let me know if you have any questions.