Warped Scamp Door, How to repair Options

[Thomas Miller]

Hi,
I just found this page while looking for fiberglass supplies. My Scamp door is badly warped. I think someone tried to break in but, while trying to fix it, I discovered it was full of water! Anyway, I cut several kerfs across the width at the bottom on the inside and attached metal bars to reshape the door. I think I can make it look a lot better by eliminating the bars and using fiberglass resin. Anyone out there ever try this? What could have made the door warp so badly?
Tom

[Donna D.]

Welcome to FiberglassRV Thomas, we're glad you're here

I'm trying to track down some VERY good information regarding the Warped Scamp Door and when I make contact with the writer/photographer I'll see if we can post the information right away.

In the meantime, hopefully someone will jump in and give you a hand.

[Jackie]

Let me preface this by saying that this is NOT my fix...it belongs to Nevin Lescher. I just happened to have printed it out for my own use, and am now re-posting for others to come. I do apologize for the graininess of the photos - I am scanning in from prints on poor-quality paper.

I understand Nevin has left the board...but he will long be remembered and copied for his door repair

 nevin.jpg ( 58.55K ) Number of downloads: 470

 

[Jackie]

In Nevins own words:

“After several weeks mulling over how to fix my problem with the warped entrance door on our Scamp, I bit the bullet and removed the door. I thought to myself as I put the door on a couple of sawhorses, that this thing seems almost as heavy as the whole trailer and at that instant water began dripping out around the small window. The whole core of the door was completely saturated with water! As there was no way to get to the core which is sealed by the inner fiberglass covering, several holes were drilled at the bottom after removing the soaked carpet-like lining and the door set aside in the sun for a couple of days to drain and hopefully dry out.

It did dry out and the job of stressing the lower portion back to its original contour began. Two 1” pieces of angle iron were bolted to the lower portion about 18” apart with pre-drilled holes for (3) 1/4” threaded rods.

The door was then rehung on the trailer and the top nuts on the threaded rods tightened from inside the trailer. Slowly but surely the door took on its original contour and the gap closed.

The door was removed and recovered with a felt type material, the window recaulked and the edge molding reinstalled. To finish up the job a cover was made from 1/8” masonite, covered with the same felt material and two small speakers wired to the stereo sound system added.

The whole idea of stressing the door is akin to the early principles of airplane wing design where the pilot controlled his flight by merely warping the wing airfoil!

Here are a couple of pictures of the finished project.”

 door.completed.jpg ( 70.14K ) Number of downloads: 803

 

[Jackie]

Interior of completed door

 door.1.jpg ( 74.55K ) Number of downloads: 604

 

[Jackie]

Corrected lower door contour

 door.2.jpg ( 74K ) Number of downloads: 309

 

[Jackie]

There were also a couple of other interpretations of this type fix. I don't remember who posted this one. They added a wire basket to the framework and made it into a trash container.

This post has been edited by Jackie: Nov 17 2005, 09:37 AM

 another.door.1.jpg ( 72.47K ) Number of downloads: 371

 

[Jackie]

And, I believe Thomas Haney posted this one, going the full length of the door for the aircraft cable:

 another.door.2.jpg ( 69.28K ) Number of downloads: 534

 

[Thomas Miller]

Hi all,
I just did a successful repair to my warped Scamp door. I traced the contours of the door frame onto plywood and built a mould. I cut saw kerfs in the bottom part of the door to give it flexibility and fitted it properly into the mould. Then I re-fiberglassed the bottom half with resin and 'cloth'. Oh happy days, it fits perfectly and is much stronger than the original. The hardest part was cleaning up the mess I made during the first 'fix'. I had to clean off all the flooring adhesive from re-upholstering. I also drilled drain holes across the very bottom on the inside, of course. I'm now heading to town to look for some suitable fabric to finish it. Now.......... come on Spring! Thanks for your responses.
Tom

[Gary Little]

Hi all,
I just did a successful repair to my warped Scamp door. I traced the contours of the door frame onto plywood and built a mould. I cut saw kerfs in the bottom part of the door to give it flexibility and fitted it properly into the mould. Then I re-fiberglassed the bottom half with resin and 'cloth'. Oh happy days, it fits perfectly and is much stronger than the original. The hardest part was cleaning up the mess I made during the first 'fix'. I had to clean off all the flooring adhesive from re-upholstering. I also drilled drain holes across the very bottom on the inside, of course. I'm now heading to town to look for some suitable fabric to finish it. Now.......... come on Spring! Thanks for your responses.
Tom

Hi Tom,
I have the same door problem on my 1986 13ft' Scamp. This sounds like a pretty common problem. What I don't understand is, where does the water come from that is soaking the fiberboard core? And what purpose does the core have? Is it to only make the door thicker to accomadate the window?

thanks,
Gary Little
N.C.

[Thomas Miller]

Hi Tom,
I have the same door problem on my 1986 13ft' Scamp. This sounds like a pretty common problem. What I don't understand is, where does the water come from that is soaking the fiberboard core? And what purpose does the core have? Is it to only make the door thicker to accomadate the window?

thanks,
Gary Little
N.C.

Hi Gary,
I have the same question. I think it's just for insulation. After cutting into it, it sure looks like insulating material. The water had to come from around the window, somehow, I would think. I drilled drain holes across the bottom (inside) to keep it from filling up again. I read somewhere that sitting in the hot sun in extreme temperatures caused the warpage over time. We always assumed that someone tried to break into it. By the way, mine is an '85.
Tom
PS You could be right about the need to accomodate window thickness.

[Chester Taje]

My Boler door on my 13ft was a plywood core.I did same thing and drilled holes on bottom inside.Man what a lot of water I had.

[Donna D.]

I wouldn't THINK that the door thickness has anything much to do with accommodating the window. After all, there's windows all the way around the trailer and the walls aren't all that much thicker than the rest of the shell at those points.

I'd THINK it would have more to do with giving the door more structure because it's a relatively small piece that's constantly in motion....opening and closing. The door would really have problems if it was the same single-wall thickness as the rest of the trailer.

None of the windows on my Scamp have silicone around the outside...except the door window. It goes out and around the window a good half inch...and because the door is curved pretty drastically....the top sticks out more than the bottom to keep the window straight up and down.

If it's a continuing problem...how about putting E-Z Gutter around the top of the window to wick the rain around the window???

[JIM KRAMME]

I guess I'm confused but if you drill holes on the inside of the door, what happens when it rains. Does the water drain inside your trailer ans soak the carpet etc??

[Chad R.]

I had the same problem with my door. I drilled 4 small holes in the bottom without going all the way thru. Then, Wa La, water started dripping out of the door. I was amazed at how much water came out. I simply opened the door all night and let it drain. The door didn't totally come back to shape, but it did come back pretty well. There is still just a little gap at the very bottom and I haven't noticed any more water over time.

I guess I'm confused but if you drill holes on the inside of the door, what happens when it rains. Does the water drain inside your trailer ans soak the carpet etc??