Door hard to close/latch

pmfinnegan2 · 06-16-2018, 04:15 PM

Was curious if any one else has this same problem and if there is a fix? The door on our 2018 Jay Flight is hard to latch when you close it. What I mean is in order to close the door you have to hold open the latch as you close the door and then release the latch once the door is closed in order for it to stay closed and for the latch to catch in the striker plate. I have tried move the striker plate to forward and backwards but it doesn't help. Had the same exact issue on our 2013 whitehawk. Other campers I have been in (non jaycos) don't have this issue. When you pull off push the door closed you don't have to hold the latch open for them to close properly. What gives?

Riverman · 06-16-2018, 04:37 PM

Mine did that and I took the lock/latch/door handle off the door, cleaned and oiled it good and it has worked perfect ever since. The lock inside was bone dry and needed oil.

Just spraying the latch from the outside is useless. WD-40 worked for me.

If and when it starts acting up again, I will use a better grade of oil, but the WD-40 was all I had at the time. It's worked for a year though.

White Ox · 06-16-2018, 05:10 PM

Same for me, take it apart and give it a good lubing... I used white lithium.

A Savage Adventure · 06-17-2018, 09:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pmfinnegan2

Was curious if any one else has this same problem and if there is a fix? The door on our 2018 Jay Flight is hard to latch when you close it. What I mean is in order to close the door you have to hold open the latch as you close the door and then release the latch once the door is closed in order for it to stay closed and for the latch to catch in the striker plate.

I have the exact same issue on my 2018 Jay Flight SLX 212QBW. It's worse when the door gets hot from the sun shining on it. Then I can't close it from the inside at all because it is slightly warped. From outside I can push it closed though.

Kozmo · 06-18-2018, 10:49 AM

Same situation. I moved the strike plate as far outward as possible and it improved but still the door was hard to shut. I took the strike plate off and filed it down to make more clearance which helped. You might look and see if the wood needs chiseling to allow more space. Kind of annoying.

NCMFFD · 06-18-2018, 01:28 PM

Experienced the same issue too. Opened it up and some DuPont Silicone Lubricant worked on the hinges and latches worked for us.

pmfinnegan2 · 06-23-2018, 06:37 PM

Thanks for the replies. It's not that the door is hard to close, it closed just fine. The problem is when the latch hits the strike plate it's hard to close. You can't just push it closed and allow the latch to slide into the handle. You have hold the handle open and close the door and then release the handle which then allows the latch to enter the strike plate

Magnolia Tom · 06-23-2018, 06:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pmfinnegan2

Thanks for the replies. It's not that the door is hard to close, it closed just fine. The problem is when the latch hits the strike plate it's hard to close. You can't just push it closed and allow the latch to slide into the handle. You have hold the handle open and close the door and then release the handle which then allows the latch to enter the strike plate

I believe what others have suggested will help ease the closing of the door without holding the handle. The theory is your strike bolt is sticking or sticky making it hard to close. If you lube it well, it should more easily go inward when it hits the strike plate.

lumana · 06-23-2018, 07:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pmfinnegan2

Thanks for the replies. It's not that the door is hard to close, it closed just fine. The problem is when the latch hits the strike plate it's hard to close. You can't just push it closed and allow the latch to slide into the handle. You have hold the handle open and close the door and then release the handle which then allows the latch to enter the strike plate

I have the same exact problem on my 17RK Jayco Hummingbird. I thought the door was broken. I tried to close it one day and it wouldn't close I had to actually do exactly what you have to do, pull the handle out and close the door and push until it clicks closed. Inside is worse it doesn't catch and the door goes flying out and Im left standing there cursing at the darn thing. Inside I have to pull the door closed and pull even more towards me to hear it click into place. So frustrating.

Shootr · 06-25-2018, 08:00 PM

Just wanted to thank you for the detailed info on the lock issue - just took mine apart and lubed it up - wow - it's beautiful now! (2017 Hummingbird FD)

MnBob · 06-25-2018, 08:08 PM

I'm having same trouble on my 212QBW. I am happy to see that there is a solution.

pmfinnegan2 · 07-03-2018, 09:35 AM

Thanks everyone. Took it apart, lubed it up, and it works beautifully now.

jaycojay · 07-04-2018, 08:30 PM

been holding the handle open for years..... thats how they operate.... no "super lube"

Buzzbait3 · 07-05-2018, 07:25 AM

Mine was also hard to latch. On our last trip, I visited the local Walmart and bought a can of 3 in 1 door lube. It's a dry lube just for door locks. It made a huge difference. I just stuck the supplied straw in and sprayed it in there without taking anything apart.

happyplace · 07-05-2018, 01:05 PM

I was able to correct this problem on my 2018 jay flight 212QB by removing the door latch and slightly change the angle on the latch door mounting tab/edge.

dholliday · 07-07-2018, 01:02 PM

Its not just the new ones. My 2007 Seneca does the same thing. I would take it apart and lub it but after a while it would stat to be hard to close again.

I finally bought a new latch which worked for awhile and then stated to be hard to close again.

I think to only solution is to continue to remove it and relub when it becomes hard to close.

Hollander Mutthaulers · 07-07-2018, 02:02 PM

Door issue with a Jayco???! Who'd ever guess!!!

My tool box is right by the back door and the screw driver gets used pretty often. Perhaps from flexing, perhaps from not quite perfect design, perhaps from the Jayco bird of door issues...

Once in a while we get to a destination and the door doesn't work right. So far it's just been a matter of adjusting parts and using bigger better screws to hold them in place. All-in-all not a terrible issue but if Jayco is as good as they think they are it would not happen.

Still like our XRB - it's perfect for us.

Shootr · 07-07-2018, 02:45 PM

My take on this issue is to keep in mind that excess friction is what seems to cause the latching problem.

Beside the visible bolt and strike plate, remember that there are several internal parts trying to slide past each other too. It's this combination of surfaces all rubbing together that adds up to "hard to latch" symptoms.

That's why, as much of a pain as it may be, taking the latch mechanism cover off and lubing the internals does a world of good to getting it working smoothly.

Smurf · 07-07-2018, 02:45 PM

We installed the RVLOCK V4.0 - RIGHT HAND W/ INTEGRATED KEYPAD FOR RV'S. Love it!

Curious by Nature · 07-07-2018, 04:50 PM

Our 2012 28BHS has a wedge on the bottom of the door below the latch. We found that it was to high and was warping the door and not letting the bottom come in fully when closing. Took it off, screwed to the picnic table, and used a wood rasp to take it down level with the screw head. Works perfectly now. We did take the latch apart and coat the moving parts with Vaseline, clicks shut with just a light push.

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