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Old 11-03-2013, 06:04 PM   #1
Dave Nowlin
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Door lock

Well it's that time again. Once again I have had a strange problem occur with my Monte. My wife and I decided to stay overnight at the Wal-Mart in Alabaster, Alabama on our way to Topsail Hill Preserve. About 3 a.m. she woke me up and said she heard a siren outside and she was afraid a storm was coming. I went to open the door to look outside and it wouldn't open. The red handle for the deadbolt just flopped around and did nothing. I said uh oh. My wife said how do we get out of here. I said calm down and I will figure this out. She wanted to call the fire department but I said no. They will destroy the door. I remembered the tool box down below had a screw driver in it. We have a 3295RK which has a dirty clothes hamper in the floor. I pulled the basket out and basically stood on my head and grabbed the tool box and pulled it up into the camper. The inside plate holding the lock set has 4 screws in it. I removed them and exposed an inner plate enclosing the lock mechanism. The screws holding the outer plate had been a bit loose and the screws in the inner plate were also loose. I ended up putting pressure on the lock set until I pushed it out of the door. Then the door opened. I went outside and got the lock set off the pavement and removed the 4 screws and found the dead bolt wasn't there. I said where did it go? I got my flashlight and looked under the steps up under the camper and there was the dead bolt and there was also an operating rod for it. This rod is about 1/8 inch diameter and has a 90 degree bend in each end. One end goes into a hole in the deadbolt and the other goes into a toggle of sorts in the operating handle for the deadbolt. With the slack afforded by the loose screws it had come unhooked from the deadbolt and that was why it wouldn't unlock. I put it all back together and tested it and everything was O.K. I went in Wal-Mart and bought some blue Lock-Tite and went back to the camper and removed the lockset again and took it apart. When I put it back together I Lock-Tited the 4 screws in the retaining plate and then reinstalled the lock set in the door. I would suggest you all do this to prevent this from happening to you. With the vibration of towing these things screws can back out. The strange thing about all of this is although our unit is a 2006 we bought it used in June of 2007 and typically take 2 trips a year to Florida. The rest of the time it just sits here at home. Many of you will haul your units more in a year than we have hauled ours since we have had it. The longer I have this thing the more I seem to learn about it. I have found that after letting it sit for several months if I try to turn the refrigerator on in gas mode it won't light. It will attempt to and then the check light will come on. This is because the line has become filled with air. I have found the best thing to do is bleed the air out using the stove burner. I turn it on and leave it on until gas comes through it. I test this by using a butane charcoal lighter to test when the gas starts flowing. After letting the stove burn a minute or so I then turn it off and start the refrigerator. It takes a couple of cycles to finish purging the air and then it lights and works just fine. Some would call a technician thinking something was wrong with the refrigerator. These are simply some tips I have learned. Hope they help somebody.
 
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Old 11-04-2013, 01:31 AM   #2
jimcol
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Dave, I took my lock apart in the driveway just to PM it. Got distracted, dropped the dead bolt in the neighbors grass. Went back to find it, GONE. I've tried several times to get the manufacture to call me just to order the little aluminum dead bolt. No luck. Anybody have luck getting the lock company to call them? If so please provide me the number. Thanks, Jim
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Old 11-04-2013, 01:41 PM   #3
Montana3800RE
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We had the same problem with the deadbolt but fortunately we were trying to lock it, not unlock it. The plate that holds the lever in was loose causing it to slip out of the hole in the deadbolt. I said to myself, we were lucky it did not happen while we were in the RV...
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Old 11-04-2013, 02:15 PM   #4
K0LCB
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I think it would be a serious problem if the deadbolt would not unlock while you were outside. It looks like you have to be on the inside to take it apart
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Old 11-04-2013, 03:03 PM   #5
Montana3800RE
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I think when we get our trailer back from Keystone, I am going to take the lock apart and put thread lock on the screws so they will never back out again just as a precaution...
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Old 11-04-2013, 03:40 PM   #6
Mrs. CountryGuy
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locked in twice. Second time replaced the lock. Called the comapny on the phone, they were helpful, directed me to a dealer that had one. CountryGuy installed in the parking lot.

Hint: set off the alarm on you truck, when it stops, set it off again, stops, set it off again, until some one comes. Have them open the door for you. We were lucky both times the door opened right up.

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Old 11-06-2013, 02:31 AM   #7
Rainer
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I swear that all of our Montanas have emergency exits out the windows. Wouldn't you like to give it a try for something this mundane first before having to use it in an actual emergency. Consider it the land-based equivalent of a lifeboat drill!
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Old 11-06-2013, 05:13 AM   #8
Dave Nowlin
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My friend you aren't thinking. The ONLY way to remove the lock without damaging the door is to do it with a screwdriver from the inside. Secondly, my wife is 75 years old and has arthritis problems. She also had rotator cuff surgery this past February. If she went out the emergency exit and fell to the ground the injuries she would sustain might very well be life threatening. You conduct that drill at your leisure if you like. I will remove the lockset from the inside and save my wife from all the injuries.
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Old 11-06-2013, 05:22 AM   #9
Dave Nowlin
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I just went and measured the distance to the ground from these 2 exits you speak of. The drop from the lower exit is 6 ft. 3 inches and the drop from the other is 8 ft. 8 inches. How many ladies on this forum who are past 70 would like to take part in such a drill? I suspect you would exit in this manner only in a true life threatening situation. What is your opinion ladies?
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Old 11-06-2013, 05:58 AM   #10
Mrs. CountryGuy
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When we were locked in, I said to CountryGuy, I am NOT going out those fire escapes unless we are burning. End of that conversation, you will note, he did not volunteer to go out them either.
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Old 11-06-2013, 06:31 AM   #11
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I think the OP was relating a couple of things he had encountered and was helping us all out by telling what he did to resolve them. I am sure the issue with his and the odd other deadbolt is not significant enough to get all worked up about.

Now that those who read this forum are aware of the possibility, they need only put a Phillips screwdriver in the fork n knife drawer and they will have a means of escaping without using the emergency exits.

Rainer I think I got it, in forty years of RVing I have never locked myself inside my RV but will have the screwdriver handy and will use the exit if need be without the benefit of a practice run. I might mention I always open and hold any door so my wife can enter/exit first, that is the gentlemanly thing to do.

There are so many things in life that we worry about, why worry about something as MUNDANE as this.

Jimcol you might check at a metal supply place and get a length of aluminum square stock to make a new deadbolt. I have not seen how they work on the inside, just a thought.

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Old 11-06-2013, 09:01 AM   #12
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Thanks Irlpguy. I thought about that just haven't gotten around to it. It is just a piece of aluminum stock with a hole drilled into the narrow edge of it to accomadate the push rod. Jim
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Old 11-06-2013, 10:03 AM   #13
Mrs. CountryGuy
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LOL, MUNDANE?? Worry about the mundane? Not get worked up?? OKKKKKKK

Well, it might be mundane now, that the fix (that screwdriver IN the drawer) is out here. We were one of the first to report this issue, so many years ago you probably cannot pull the report out of the Archives!

Only a problem if

1.) There is NO screwdriver available. (Sigh, don't ask)

2.) Your dogs are locked in the truck, full sun, 75 to 80 degree heat, and both you and the hubs are IN the rig. Time becomes an issue in that case.

Second time was in the evening in one of the few campgrounds we have ever stayed in that we did not feel secure in, and we were again, both inside.

CountryGuy and I have been chatting about this, and it seems to me that there was some concern about the lock falling apart in mega number of pieces, therefore rendering it inoperable. In fact, making it near impossible to even CLOSE the door in order to roll to a new place without replacing the lock altogether. Seems we were unwilling to play pick em up sticks with lock parts. Having leaky memories of some details, and this happening a LONG time ago, we just cannot clearly state why we were reluctant to take the screw driver to the door lock.

I think these kinds of sharing and discussions are beneficial to members of the MOC. Thanks all for sharing.
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Old 11-06-2013, 12:04 PM   #14
richfaa
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Since Helen is a skinny little thing she can fit out the emergency exit with ease then I will go out and she can cushion my fall. Never was locked in or out of our Montana's but was locked in our previous SOB but got out with the ever present screw driver.
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Old 11-06-2013, 04:16 PM   #15
Irlpguy
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For those that don't want to use the screwdriver or the emergency exits providing you have that lovely big rear window where half the bottom opens on the ladder side, there is another way out and it's right at the ladder.

Having given Jimcol some advise and because I had nothing better to do this afternoon I went and took the four screws out of my door handle and not a thing fell to the ground, I must admit because of the unlimited information on the MOC I was perhaps more cautious than I might have otherwise been. I also have to admit I did not take out the two inside screws to get a look at the shape/size of the part of the deadbolt that was not visible, sorry Jim but I had visions of small pieces departing the area before my eyes could keep up.

After 40 years of RVing, no wait, the tents did not have handles or locks, so make that 30 years, I am glad to report I have now seen some of the inside workings of a door handle.

Montana3800RE, Ron my friend, I used some of that grand pink paint you bestowed upon me last year for the inside screws cause I had no locktite, thanks again for that, you are the best, and are welcome to some of what I have left.


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Old 11-06-2013, 04:23 PM   #16
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by richfaa

Since Helen is a skinny little thing she can fit out the emergency exit with ease then I will go out and she can cushion my fall. Never was locked in or out of our Montana's but was locked in our previous SOB but got out with the ever present screw driver.
Come on Rich, have some consideration for the slender/better half of your crew. Just have her bring the ladder to the window, that way no one gets squished. Think man think, it's all about brownie points and you ain't going to keep many doing it your way.
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Old 11-07-2013, 01:51 AM   #17
bncinwv
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quote:Originally posted by Irlpguy


Having given Jimcol some advise and because I had nothing better to do this afternoon I went and took the four screws out of my door handle and not a thing fell to the ground, I must admit because of the unlimited information on the MOC I was perhaps more cautious than I might have otherwise been. I also have to admit I did not take out the two inside screws to get a look at the shape/size of the part of the deadbolt that was not visible, sorry Jim but I had visions of small pieces departing the area before my eyes could keep up.

After 40 years of RVing, no wait, the tents did not have handles or locks, so make that 30 years, I am glad to report I have now seen some of the inside workings of a door handle.
Dang Ed, you have really got to go fishing or something. When an owner starts taking unbroken parts of the rig apart just out of curiosity, that is a bad (or good?) sign of entirely too much time on their hands!
Bingo
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Old 11-07-2013, 04:05 AM   #18
richfaa
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we actually have one of those emergency exit fire ladders for the front exit. Since there is little sill on the Rv the hooks will fit over the drawers. We have seen one of these things go up while in Az a few years ago and IMO there may not be time to use the ladder. It may be head first out the exit and hope for the best.
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Old 11-07-2013, 04:53 AM   #19
Irlpguy
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quote:Originally posted by bncinwv
Dang Ed, you have really got to go fishing or something. When an owner starts taking unbroken parts of the rig apart just out of curiosity, that is a bad (or good?) sign of entirely too much time on their hands!
Bingo
Unfortunately Bingo, salmon fishing is finished locally, the next run will be Steelhead in late December. So after cleaning, oiling and replacing a pawl in my level wind reel with it's many parts I was feeling pretty cocky I could accomplish the task on the door handle. One wants to be cautious when "operating" on something you have not had apart before especially if there is no one else to blame when a part goes missing or you have one left over.

I feel that time is never wasted when you are learning, after several hours of gathering leaves, completing the final stage on my new hitch mounted step for the TV, completion of DW prescribed chores, no mind altering components there. I was left with free time and this burning desire to waste a few minutes to gain some knowledge about RV door handles.

Now I want to thank the OP for making his post and bringing up the possibility of this door lock issue. As well the method of getting the air out of your propane lines after refilling a tank. I learned something about our door locks and that is always good, thank you.

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Old 11-11-2013, 11:01 AM   #20
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I read a post a while back on this forum about problems with entry locks. Here are the sites to get replacements.

http://www.fastecindustrial.com/reca...l%20letter.pdf


http://www.fastecindustrial.com/recall/default.html
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