Southern California Boler - Help w/ Repair?

[jennifer]

Hello All: I have a 1972 Boler 13' trailer which we have been tooling around in and enjoying for about a year. When purchased, I had noticed that the door, when closed, sat a little crooked in the door frame area. Since there was a minor fiberglass crack above the door, I thought it was due to the crack. However, the more we drive, the more that the door seems to hang incorectly in the door frame--- so much so that the lockset seems to become disengaged over bumps in the road allowing the door to swing open. (This was least entertaining on our trip to the OR coast-- door popped open on the Golden Gate) We have created a short term fix (which involves bungie cords )played around with the hinges and noted that the original hinge holes in the door appear to have been redrilled at some point which may also account for some of this slipping.... Regardless, our retweaking of the hinges and tightening don't appear to be what we need...seems like it may be time for actual fiberglass repair.
We are in San Diego....any suggestions on folks who might be willing/able to effect a permanent and professional repair on this?
Thanks in advance.
Jennifer

[Byron Kinnaman]

Hello All: I have a 1972 Boler 13' trailer which we have been tooling around in and enjoying for about a year. When purchased, I had noticed that the door, when closed, sat a little crooked in the door frame area. Since there was a minor fiberglass crack above the door, I thought it was due to the crack. However, the more we drive, the more that the door seems to hang incorectly in the door frame--- so much so that the lockset seems to become disengaged over bumps in the road allowing the door to swing open. (This was least entertaining on our trip to the OR coast-- door popped open on the Golden Gate) We have created a short term fix (which involves bungie cords )played around with the hinges and noted that the original hinge holes in the door appear to have been redrilled at some point which may also account for some of this slipping.... Regardless, our retweaking of the hinges and tightening don't appear to be what we need...seems like it may be time for actual fiberglass repair.
We are in San Diego....any suggestions on folks who might be willing/able to effect a permanent and professional repair on this?
Thanks in advance.
Jennifer

Two possible place to look, one autobody shops that specialize in fiberglass bodies like Corvettes. The other is boat repair places. If it was me I'd call around first, then drag the trailer around and get a couple estimates

[Larry&Carrie]

I experienced the same problems on my 83 Scamp. I repaired myself, including a complete square tubing door frame. I'll post pictures if you are interested of what it entailed. Larry

[Alf S.]

Hi: This may be no help...but a little consolation. 50% of all Bolers built had some sort of door sag and there are as many fixes as causes!!! My brothers '72 door hung straight as a die, our '77 crooked. Prev. Owners said their Grand kids let the door fly in the wind and broke the shell at the bottom corner of the window. This I have strenghened with a metal corner added inside the door while the window was out of the door and I am about to redrill the door hinges and fill the holes with a product called Tech Steel an epoxy putty that sets hard in 30 min. I have also bought a new set of hinges($26.00) from Scamp and new hinge pin kits(brass ball,hinge pin,tension spring and nyloc nut)($5.00) but none of this will fix the 30-35 yrs. of Boler bulge. Fiberglass has a bad habit of sagging in the sunlight/heat of the great outdoors. Our Boler Buddy and body repair tech. est. to repair was $300. + paint. So far I have just tweeked it here and there as ours is still holding to the latch plate...
Alf S. North shore of Lake Erie

[Doug Mager]

IMHO; the fiberglass repair is only a patch!!

The saggy door COULD be a sign of body issues too.
It might be a good idea to check (if possible) the condition of the subflooring, looking for rotting wood.
IF there is an issue there, all the fiberglass repair in the state won't solve the problem, only hide it.

[Donna D.]

Did someone remove the cabinet support between the lower and upper cabinets in the kitchen?? How about the closet? Is it still there? Both items are needed to keep the roof from compressing, which will cause the door (and other parts) to fit badly.

[james kent]

Donna, not all bolers came with the sink to shelf bracket, mine included ,although most had something there. some had an iron type and some mearly had apost used to get the wiring to the upper cabinet. This has not caused a problem for the last 23 years. Door sag has always been a sore spot with Bolers. We had to raise the door almost 1/2 inch, drill new holes and refit the door, then fill the old holes. This also fixed most of the problem with the bottom gap.

[Brad Judd]

Donna, not all bolers came with the sink to shelf bracket, mine included ,although most had something there. some had an iron type and some mearly had apost used to get the wiring to the upper cabinet. This has not caused a problem for the last 23 years. Door sag has always been a sore spot with Bolers. We had to raise the door almost 1/2 inch, drill new holes and refit the door, then fill the old holes. This also fixed most of the problem with the bottom gap.

That's funny,we noticed our trailer never had the iron support either.There isn't any evidence of one ever existing.Our door hung crooked ,I opened the holes slightly and shifted the door, its pretty close to perfect now but we haven't had roof issues(sagging etc.)...and 35 years old.

Brad

[Donna D.]

I understand about the support. But if it had been removed because it had one originally, don't you think it should be put back? I'm thinking those years of trailers without the support were built similar to Scamps with roof A/C... they were built to handle the weight. Those that do not have the support, were not.. and the sides have a tendency to start bulging out and perhaps cause door problems as well.

[Alf S.]

Hi: Donna...you're right "Boler Bulge" can be caused by removing the support either by the sink or the iron bar attached to the door way "Hinge Side". This one can be removed and straightened some what by finding the screws hidden under the door gasket and once straightened and put back in will "Suck In" some of the "Bulge" and make the door hang somewhat straighter. These 25-35 yr. old "Fiberglass EGG Shells" need all the support we can give them. Like "Men" some suffer more from the "Bulge" than others.
Alf S. North shore of Lake Erie

[james kent]

Nope. Never had a cupboard support OR a stiffener behind the door frame. Fixed that when I installed the screen door. As to the bulge and the sag, I see it each and every time I look in the mirror. Oh! What to do, what to do???

[jennifer]

Well, I think I am strangely pleased and more relaxed about this problem now that I understand from these responses that this is not a particularly surprising or unexpected issue.
Thanks so much for all of the ideas of where to start with tracking down the issue and YES I would love to see pictures of how the scamp version was repaired....I think I will dig around a while looking for supports, etc and then probably try a repair on my own. Sounds like I might have to get good at it for the long run anyways.
Thanks!
jen