Bathroom door won't stay shut

[radcad]

Hi,

This problem has been with my trailer (2017 Jay Feather 22FQSW) since the purchase last year. When we purchased the trailer, the latch bolt was barely being held by the strike plate. I improved this by spacing the strike plate out as far as possible. Even so, during travel, the door will somehow open up. I'm guessing the trailer is flexing enough to allow the latch bolt to come free. Hard to imagine how the trailer could flex this much!

Has anyone else experienced this problem? I'm concerned about the structural integrity of this unit.

Thanks!

Ray

[oldmanAZ]

HI and welcome to the forum.

Our bathroom door doesn't like to stay latched either. While on the road, we keep it open and stop it from swinging with a bungee cord. With an extra tug, it will latch when we are stopped.

I believe there is significant flexing of trailers while towing. It's difficult to imagine they could make an RV light enough if they eliminated all the flexing. Have you ever looked at flex of an airplane wing?

[nunyadamn]

If your trailers are truly flexing enough for the doors to open, I would have it looked at. I get that there will be some flexing, but I would hate to have major problems later down the road after the warranty is up.

[RogerR]

If the dealer can't do anything to help you might consider:

1. Getting a magnetic latch like they use in cabinets as long as you won't hit it with your head.

2 Finding a door handle set with a longer door latch bolt.

3. Adding a simple hook and eye at the top of the door.

[skids]

Its kind of weird, but our BR door was like that at first, but after a while, the door was staying latched. I am not sure why, but it may have had something to do with slight twisting of the frame with the rear stabilizer jacks when parked. 1995 195RB trailer.

[skids]

You might also try shimming the hinges to close the gap even more.

[radcad]

Thanks for the replies and suggestions! I can't shim the strike plate any more or the door won't close at all. I have an appt with the dealer on Monday for another problem which may be related. I noticed that the front top area of the trailer is starting to delaminate! BTW -- this is the 5th trailer we have had over the years. Never had an issue with the bathroom door before. I have noticed that the construction is tailored to making everything lighter. I would like to mention another oddity with this trailer. When it's dark inside I can see light through the front fiberglass. Had no idea that fiberglass would transmit light ...

[Merrick]

I don't have an answer, but someone posted a video here of a camera recording inside during TT transport down the highway. Yeah, they flex alright.

[radcad]

Wanted to post the fix that I eventually found in case anyone else has this problem. I purchased a regular door stop (rubber) and glued a palm sander pad (about 1/4" thick) to the bottom to make it taller. Trimmed the sander pad to match the door stop. Insert this under the door before travel and the bathroom door stays shut.

[nunyadamn]

I would keep taking it back to the dealer and make them fix it if still under the 2yr warranty. You paid a lot for that warranty. Its a pain, but you literally gave them money to fix stuff like this and by not using that warranty you are throwing it away.

[Tunce the traveler]

You might tweak the hinges ever so slightly using a “C” clamp and a few pieces of wood to bend the center maybe 1mm. or less. I’ve done it over the years in older homes.

[MNWild]

We had that same thing on our 2018 25BH. They fixed it (along with 17 other problems) over the winter what they found on the door was a bowed stud on the wall and replace it.Works great now.

[radcad]

Thanks for the replies .. I do plan to take the TT back to the dealer before the warranty expires. Perhaps they can fix the problem by replacing a stud and squaring up the door frame.