DIY baggage door guides and latch replacement for $6, not $60

[the_fu]

Just finished a video showing how to replace your latch guides and latches on your DP baggage doors for less than $6 each. Check it out and let me know what you think.

 

[Buly]

I have one question: why use the same material? Already it has proven that it will break soon or later.
There are more durable materials like Delrin, G-10 fiberglass reinforced board, or maybe even Nylon board?
The amount of work is more or less the same.
Newmar chose this material considering price and ease to cut. Just thinc’n

 

[Rich W.]

I could see milling the guides out of aluminum if you have the ability for an absolutely permenant solution, but I think that cutting board material, whatever it is, is pretty stout stuff. The weakness though appears to be in the design. I can see why they break and when looking at new coaches, specifically New Aire, I was surprised at how much force was needed to close the baggage doors.

 

[redbaron]

They break because doors are not properly aligned and they are taking too much of a hit.

No door should ever require a slam, full swing or lots of force.

 

[the_fu]

I have one question: why use the same material? Already it has proven that it will break soon or later.
There are more durable materials like Delrin, G-10 fiberglass reinforced board, or maybe even Nylon board?
The amount of work is more or less the same.
Newmar chose this material considering price and ease to cut. Just thinc’n

I chose the cutting board material as it is stronger and less brittle than the ABS that is used by Newmar - but more importantly, for the average owner, this is material that is easily and affordably obtained. Might not be the most ideal, but it gets the job done.

They break because doors are not properly aligned and they are taking too much of a hit.

No door should ever require a slam, full swing or lots of force.

100% spot on. The doors are set to close too tightly from the factory IMO. It is a balance though as if they are not tight enough, the seal will not work properly and dust can enter the compartments. On my list is another video showing an easier way to adjust the strikers to get a proper fit. What really should have happened, however, is that the factory should have made these guides out of aluminum. It would not have cost that much to do that and they would work forever. They charge almost $50 a piece for those things now - that is criminal - especially given how easily they break.

 

[lostinfla]

I've found the door alignment changes between on suspension, dumped, or on a not level surface. Hard to properly align a door when the hole keeps changing.

 

[redbaron]

I've found the door alignment changes between on suspension, dumped, or on a not level surface. Hard to properly align a door when the hole keeps changing.

That was very true on my 2013. My 2019 had a very small difference, but was not as drastic.

It was the bay doors in the middle of the coach. It just happened that these where the large pass thru bays

 

[the_fu]

I've found the door alignment changes between on suspension, dumped, or on a not level surface. Hard to properly align a door when the hole keeps changing.

I think this is the very reason for these plastic guides. Frame can flex just enough that they need guidance to properly engage the latch. Once adjusted when at drive height, then the door is opened and closed with jacks out and does not quite align. That said, this kind of alignment is in the Z axis. The breakage is mostly occurring, I believe, because the Y axis (in out) adjustment is wrong and when the door is slammed, the latch bar bottoms out and strikes the back (weakest part) of the guide and snaps it off. In addition to proper adjustment in that direction, I am also going to test out moving the back that section of the guide such that it cannot bottom out. I think the latch can take that on better than the plastic for when/if the door becomes misaligned down the road.

That was very true on my 2013. My 2019 had a very small difference, but was not as drastic.

It was the bay doors in the middle of the coach. It just happened that these where the large pass thru bays

Ironically the "barn doors" for my bays are the easiest to close and seem aligned.

 

[lostinfla]

BTW, while you have the cover off, it's a good time to check the allen screws that hold the latch wire.

 

[lostinfla]

Just went out and checked one door to see if the plate was broken, and found the two screws that hold the latch to the door were very loose. All the rest were OK but I'm surprised this one worked at all. I've had to tighten them a couple times previous. This time I soaked the screws in red Locktite, but with the course thread, I'm not banking on it staying. Maybe JB Weld?