Pocket door

berghild · 11-15-2008, 10:07 AM

our pocket door is hanging into the basement. the stop is broken off.....and yes we had it latched. we have tried various methods of keeping it latched.
What fixes would you recommend?

Motor31 · 11-15-2008, 10:53 AM

If the travel latch is broken you can get a spring rod from the store and use it to prop the door in the open position. That will keep it from slamming back and forth while moving. That's the easiest cheap "repair".

If the door is hanging into the basement the rail must be separating from the roof. That's what happened to ours the first time we moved it. DT only used 3 rather short screws to hold the entire assembly to the roof. DUMB!

You can start by removing the trim from the bedroom side of the rail area. The wooden strip on each side of the rail is what I'm talking about. The bedroom side trim has a couple screws hidden by wooden plugs. Pull the plugs then take out the screws.

That gives you access to the rail and the door hangers. The door hangers have a nylon lever that locks the hanger to the rail track roller. Open the lock then you have to gently lift the door and move the roller to the side. The pin is part of the door and it fits into a slot in the roller. Getting the door out is a PITA but you need to remove the weight from the rail. You might want to place something in the basement and let the door down gently in the pocket area rather than remove it entirely. Your option as to what you think is easier.

Once the door is out of the way you can get some long (2" IIRC) wood screws and secure the rail back to the roof. You'll likely need to remove the grill above the pantry as that covers the rear most portion of the rail. Once the rail is secure again you can remount the door back into the rollers. and put the trim back.

FWIW the rear "stop" that limits travel into the pocket on our rig is nothing more than a small length of wood (1x2 or 1x1) that is jammed into the rail by the folks that assembled it at the factory.

BobW · 11-15-2008, 11:50 AM

This is probably the most trouble we've had with our DT. Our door had to be replaced because it slammed around so much it broke. After replacing the door it still does not lock. Big joke. We travel with a bungee cord tied around one of the cabinet handles and to the pull latch on the door. The curtain rood does not work because it works it's way loose very quickly. Yes our door fell out of it's track. The track screws came out. I put longer screws in. Use some with aggressive threads. Last word, don't lock the door with the door locks only. They don't work.

BobW · 11-15-2008, 11:50 AM

This is probably the most trouble we've had with our DT. Our door had to be replaced because it slammed around so much it broke. After replacing the door it still does not lock. Big joke. We travel with a bungee cord tied around one of the cabinet handles and to the pull latch on the door. The curtain rood does not work because it works it's way loose very quickly. Yes our door fell out of it's track. The track screws came out. I put longer screws in. Use some with aggressive threads. Last word, don't lock the door with the door locks only. They don't work.

berghild · 11-15-2008, 07:30 PM

yep, the spring rod worked for awhile...then the "stop" broke off.....solmehow Howard fished it out of the crack.
we don't have an air return above the pantry...i have seen thenm on others and wondered why i didn't have one. door locks open or closed don't work so you are right on that one...the bungee idea is interesting tho.
the door track is still up there ...but he did remove the panel and get the door back on and evened up....now i just have to keep it in place when on the road....lucky so far that it didn't break...it fell down twice.
I would also like to come up with a new idea for the "stop"
I am going to get the ladder in here tomorrow and check out the pantry top again...there is a fake plant up there now that needs cleaning anyway. maybe i could make a hole....and put in a stop...
people putting the door in obviously have no idea what these rigs go through!
I STILL LOVE MY 5TH WHEEL!!!
aND...THANK YOU

Gunship Guy · 11-15-2008, 10:47 PM

I have had good luck with just latching the door in the closed position. But I could see how a good bump in the road could force it open.

Something I'm going to try in addition to latching the door closed is wedge a strip of foam under the bottom of the door. That should cushion it from excessive bumps and keep it latched.

jack_diane_freedom · 11-16-2008, 09:10 AM

We of course latch ours but for further insurance against it slamming back and forth we roll up our entrance door rug that is a little wider than the stairs and kind of jam it in against the pocket door. Seems to work.

berghild · 11-16-2008, 10:56 AM

yah i did that too....and it seemed to work...but for some reason someone...one of us....quit doing it...never had a problem when we did that.

Motor31 · 11-16-2008, 11:10 AM

We use the spring rod on ours but we also use some of that rubber mesh no slip shelf covering material on each end of the rod to help keep it in place. We put the rod on the bottom of the door and it has stayed in place as long as I don't kick it moving in and out of the bedroom area while we are finishing up getting ready to move out.

I learned some time ago that the door latch won't hold the door closed in transit. We always travel with it open. The sliding latch itself was a joke given the cheezy way the bottom locking catch was mounted.

The bottom rail guide under the door is also a plastic guide and subject to breaking. Ours has already broken and allows the bottom of the door to move to the side binding the door a bit.

berghild · 11-16-2008, 12:09 PM

LOL we also kept kicking the srping rod....had one at top and one at bottom....they didn't budge...probably had them too tight and that's why the stop broke...i can't remember the order of the calamities. Cyndy

kmosher6 · 11-18-2008, 07:43 PM

I had the same problem this time on the way home. You can access the pocket door through the false furnace vent above the pantry in the 06's.
I put larger screws in the rail last time but this time I must have gone around a corner to sharp and the 5th wheel flexed and the door popped off the bracket. I haven't looked at the problem I've just left it on my to do list.

Jack in Alaska · 11-21-2008, 12:56 AM

In an attempt to repair a fallen pocket door in a Mobile Suite 5th.wheel several innovations needed to be devised.
With the talents of Master carpenter "Chevman" Barnhart of Wenatchee, Wash. combined with the engineering skills of Jack in Alaska of Ninilchik, Alaska a solution to the problem was arrived at. My 33' MS does not have any access to the pocket

Problem;......The pocket door top track was only fastened in the door opening but not back in the pocket. When the door was slid into the pocket the track bent down causing the door to fall into the abyss at a bad angle. After wrestling the door out of the abyss it was removed (with great angst) from it's top rollers and set aside.

Solution:....As the pocket had no access and was only 2 3/8" wide a battery operated drill/driver would not fit so a low priced 3/8" cord driver was purchased along with several 8' 2x2's and a good Phillips bit that was magnetized. The driver handle was fastened to one 2x2 with duct tape. A string with a sliding loop was fastened around the trigger, then the string was threaded through a screw eye just below the the trigger and another eye out at the end of the 2x2. A hole was drilled in the 2x2 at a convenient fulcrum point. Then the other 2x2 was cut to a length to allow the driver and it's 2x2 to be inserted into the pocket and set horizontally on the end of the vertical 2x2. A 3" sheetrock screw was put into the drilled hole and into the end of the vertical creating a loose but secure hinge point. Now a 1 1/4" self taping screw was put on the magnetized bit and positioned in the furthermost hole in the track. Chevman held it all in position and Jack held a flashlight and pulled ever so carefully on the string causing the screw to be driven up into the wood securing the track. Several more screws were put in closer to the opening, the door reinstalled and adjusted.

It is simply amazing what two bored guys can come up with while enjoying the warm winter weather in southern Arizona.

Diesel-Gypsy · 11-21-2008, 09:35 AM

Now THAT is McGuyver ingenuity...I love that!!!
That is what it takes to be a TRUE Mobilesuite owner / operator :wink:

Rick

berghild · 11-21-2008, 09:42 AM

Now that one I will print out!
It sounds complicated....but if I can find a bored guy to help Howard we will see what can be done. our TRack is intact...the stop is gone. We are in Yuma and haven't seen any bored guys in our Escapees park....everyone seems very busy....but as the Winter wears on we may round up some help!
I'm not volunteering...it sounds like a recipe that would end up in one of us getting ugly. Hapyy Thanksgiving. Cyndy

berghild · 11-23-2008, 12:18 PM

it seems that we do have the vent opening up there behind the plant....it is closer to the door than the one I remember from the '06 MS. I hope that it will allow us to install some sort of stop up there since we can't get to the bottom.....then we try using the bungee cord thing....anything to keep it away from the "abyss" during transit! Thanks everyone....Cyndy
and, Happy THanksgiving..we are departing Yuma for Chula VIsta for the Holiday.

martins192 · 11-23-2008, 11:32 PM

I had the same problem as most of you. On rough roads the latch at the bottom of the pocket door would work its way open, and the door would slide back and forth trying to destroy itself.

My solution was to shove the latch down, drill a small hole through the sliding metal strip and into the door right above the part you shove down with your finger. Now once the screw is inserted there, the latch doesn't open. It seems to take a fairly long screw to get a bite into the door wood (I think mine is about 2 inches).

So far no more problems in 2 years, other than remembering to screw the screw in or out as necessary.

Best of luck, Marty

berghild · 11-24-2008, 11:01 AM

I wonder if you could do that with just some kind of peg....or a sliding latch at the top of the door into the rail. And isn't it difficult to make sure you go straight into the door?
DH removed the large grate above the pantry...never even knew it was there because of a decorative item...and fixed the rail and installed a screw as a stop....seems to work great. Now we just need to keep it latched, and will try a combo of all your suggestions..except maybe the bungee cord. thanks, Cyndy