Burro door fit - Fiberglass RV
Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 11-13-2015, 11:59 AM   #1
Member
 
Name: Duane
Trailer: 1978 Burro
Michigan
Posts: 94
Burro door fit

Here are a few photos of what I tried to get my 78 Burro door to fit better.

I cut the door in half at the top and bottom. About 4" in on the top and at least 12" at the bottom. I also cut slots thru the inside bottom panel of the door so I could add fiberglass and cloth there to hold its new shape. I also put a 1/4" x1/2" piece of aluminum along the bottom to stiffen the door ( I removed the small machine screws after fiberglass was set).

The top didn't change much because it was way stiffer than the bottom but I didn't remove the window either which may have helped.

I had a pretty decent fit all along the bottom of the door until I tried to reshape the top of the door by laying it on my picnic table with bungee cords and concrete blocks. I should not have used the bungee cords on the bottom half which was pretty close already. Now I have a poor fit along the latch side from the latch to the bottom of the door.

At this point I will have to leave things pretty much the same as we are getting winter here and I'd like to leave here soon.

The drip cap I installed over the door was going to be a prototype but it fits good enough for now. Not the most attractive addition but it works so I'll deal with it next summer also. I used a piece of aluminum, dicor tape stainless steel screws and then silicone caulking.

The Burro has been a lot of fun but the door fit is one of the hardest things I'd come across in quite a while.

Dumb question, has anyone tried replacing the fiberglass door with a flat door? I have considered using cedar to make a door but will look at that next year also. Hope I don't get kicked off FRV if I use cedar though. ha
Attached Thumbnails
burro frame 002.jpg   burro frame 003.jpg  

burro frame 004.jpg   burro door 001.jpg  

Burro door 017.jpg   b door 001.jpg  

DuaneQ is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-14-2015, 10:49 AM   #2
Senior Member
 
Bob in Mb's Avatar
 
Name: Robert
Trailer: Surf-Side
Manitoba
Posts: 287
Are those new hinges ? If so where did you get them ? Nice job !!!
Bob in Mb is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-14-2015, 11:36 AM   #3
Member
 
Name: Duane
Trailer: 1978 Burro
Michigan
Posts: 94
Burro door

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bob in Mb View Post
Are those new hinges ? If so where did you get them ? Nice job !!!
Hi Bob, You are too kind. I thought the hinges were original since they fit nicely there. I have no history on the Burro other than it was used as a hunting camp for the last 15 years.

Being brand spanking new to fiberglass trailers I know I have a lot to learn. Whenever I see another old Burro somewhere I will have to really look it over.
Attached Thumbnails
Burro door 001.jpg   Burro door 006.jpg  

Burro door 014.jpg  
DuaneQ is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-14-2015, 11:40 AM   #4
Senior Member
 
Sue and Henry's Avatar
 
Name: Sue and Greg
Trailer: 1982 Burro 13 foot and a 2015 Casita Spitit Deluxe 17 ft.
Washington
Posts: 598
Registry
Wow!! That is an amazing job. The fit looks fantastic. I too struggled with my '82 burro door but did not get that close. Congrats!
Sue and Henry is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-14-2015, 11:54 AM   #5
Senior Member
 
Name: Peter
Trailer: G30 Elite Class C
British Columbia
Posts: 1,509
Flat door

Quote:
Originally Posted by DuaneQ View Post
Here are a few photos of what I tried to get my 78 Burro door to fit better.

I cut the door in half at the top and bottom. About 4" in on the top and at least 12" at the bottom. I also cut slots thru the inside bottom panel of the door so I could add fiberglass and cloth there to hold its new shape. I also put a 1/4" x1/2" piece of aluminum along the bottom to stiffen the door ( I removed the small machine screws after fiberglass was set).

The top didn't change much because it was way stiffer than the bottom but I didn't remove the window either which may have helped.

I had a pretty decent fit all along the bottom of the door until I tried to reshape the top of the door by laying it on my picnic table with bungee cords and concrete blocks. I should not have used the bungee cords on the bottom half which was pretty close already. Now I have a poor fit along the latch side from the latch to the bottom of the door.

At this point I will have to leave things pretty much the same as we are getting winter here and I'd like to leave here soon.

The drip cap I installed over the door was going to be a prototype but it fits good enough for now. Not the most attractive addition but it works so I'll deal with it next summer also. I used a piece of aluminum, dicor tape stainless steel screws and then silicone caulking.

The Burro has been a lot of fun but the door fit is one of the hardest things I'd come across in quite a while.

Dumb question, has anyone tried replacing the fiberglass door with a flat door? I have considered using cedar to make a door but will look at that next year also. Hope I don't get kicked off FRV if I use cedar though. ha
: I would think if you installed a flat door you would have to build out a frame for it to fit as one cannot just do it on the curve?? I have seen FG trailers where they door is framed out so that a flat door fits into it. I would think whoever does this kind of work has to know a bit about FG, which is something I know very little off.
But good luck with your adventures.
Stude
stude is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-18-2015, 10:04 AM   #6
Member
 
Name: Duane
Trailer: 1978 Burro
Michigan
Posts: 94
Burro door hinges

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bob in Mb View Post
Are those new hinges ? If so where did you get them ? Nice job !!!
Bob I just had to take my hinges off again while working on my door fit. On the back of them it says "Polar no 401" I can't find this specific hinge on the net but the company is still around.

Heavy Duty Cam Locks, Truck & Trailer Hinges, Assist Handles, Locking Handles, Refrigerator Locks: Polar Hardware Mfg Co: Chicago, IL

I found that they say the new 411 hinge replaces my 401.

https://www.cottco.com/store/index.p...olar-411-hinge

I have to get the door back on and get out of here soon before the snow comes to stay. Hope this helps.
DuaneQ is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-18-2015, 10:12 AM   #7
Member
 
Name: Duane
Trailer: 1978 Burro
Michigan
Posts: 94
Burro door fit

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sue and Henry View Post
Wow!! That is an amazing job. The fit looks fantastic. I too struggled with my '82 burro door but did not get that close. Congrats!
I'd like to say the door is fitting as well as in the picture now but when I went to reshape the top of the door to pull that in I changed the fit from the latch to the bottom of the door.

Here is a photo of what I did after I had the bottom fit fairly decent. I should have only pulled on the top of the door with the bungee cords and not pulled on the bottom with the cords.

Looks like next year I will be starting all over again on the bottom fit. Oh well I'm still having fun during the frustration but winter is coming here soon so I have to quit and get out of here for a couple of month.
Attached Thumbnails
burro door 001.jpg  
DuaneQ is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-29-2015, 06:50 AM   #8
Member
 
Name: fred
Trailer: Burro, had aliner
Michigan
Posts: 46
Hi I saw you door pictures and thought you might be able to help me. The lower half of my 1978 door has fallen apart and lost its proper arc. I have separated the skins and found a lot of rotted plywood around the inner edges. There is also a curved piece of what looks to be a piece of hard plastic (approx. 2" x 18" long), between the skins. I think it was installed to help create an arc shape. I can not tell if it was original from the factory, or a poor repair attempt by a former owner. Have you done any internal door repairs? Have you seen anything like this? Thanks Fred
fred wark is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-29-2015, 08:45 PM   #9
Member
 
Name: Duane
Trailer: 1978 Burro
Michigan
Posts: 94
78 Burro door fit

Quote:
Originally Posted by fred wark View Post
Hi I saw you door pictures and thought you might be able to help me. The lower half of my 1978 door has fallen apart and lost its proper arc. I have separated the skins and found a lot of rotted plywood around the inner edges. There is also a curved piece of what looks to be a piece of hard plastic (approx. 2" x 18" long), between the skins. I think it was installed to help create an arc shape. I can not tell if it was original from the factory, or a poor repair attempt by a former owner. Have you done any internal door repairs? Have you seen anything like this? Thanks Fred
Hi Fred,
I sure wish my door had come apart so easily. I had to use a 4" angle grinder, chisels etc. to open mine up. I don't know if you have read everything that I had written about my experience but if you haven't please do so along with looking at all of the photos I've posted. I'm in Arizona right now for the winter and don't have access to my photos. If you notice I installed a 1/4" thick by 1/2" wide piece of aluminum stock inside the bottom edge of the door to retaIn the thickness of the door. You may need to do the same and I may suggest you do that in a couple of places up to the handle area. I also removed all of the plywood from inside the bottom of the door that stuff just absorbs moisture. My door did not have any piece of plastic inside like what you've found. May have been an earlier repair.

I'm going to try and do my door over this coming summer. I did find that the doors aren't very stiff and that causes a lot of problems. To hold it's shape I forced the door to the body from the outside with a tire and concrete blocks and then applied fiberglass cloth and resin thur slots made to the inside shell. The next time I may drill holes into the door and use eyebolts and pull the door to the body from the inside. The fun part is climbing thru the front window to work on it from the inside. I just used a step ladder after taking the screen out.

I will give the existing door a couple of more chances before I try to make a flat cedar door. Since the arc is around 4" in the door it will then have to be inset that much. I don't think that will be much of a problem except for trying to make it look decent.

Good luck and let me know how it goes and what you try. If you have any more questions or comments fire away. Please post some photos too when you get a chance.
DuaneQ is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-05-2016, 08:19 PM   #10
Member
 
Name: fred
Trailer: Burro, had aliner
Michigan
Posts: 46
door repair

I just started fooling around with the bottom edge of my door again. Spent a lot of time trying to come up with some sort of a jig, form, mold or whatever, to put inside the door to get it to conform to the shape of the body I tried bending a 1/4" thick piece of 2" wide aluminum to the proper arc but could not get it close enough. Frustrated, I put the curved aluminum down. Its shape reminded me of the tip of a ski. I had a brainstorm. As an old time cross country skier, I started skiing on wood skis. I happen to have several pair that I no longer use. I took a few down and found that they are almost exactly the proper arc for the bottom of the door.
Tomorrow I am going to finish cleaning as much debris out of the inside portion of the outer skin. I have cut down 2 skis to an approximate proper length. Right now they have rags soaked in mineral spirits around them to help draw out the old wax and pine tar that will probably not let any adhesives bond adequately. I plan on fitting them onto the inside of the outer door skin as far upwards as possible keeping in mind that the tip of the ski has to be long enough to meet the door bottom. I will put screws through the outside of the door and into the bottom of the skis, working in a downward direction to create the arc. I will then hang the door onto the trailer and check the fit. If it looks good, I will mark everything, take the skis off and put some fiberglass adhesive between the ski bottoms and the door skin, rescrew, tighten and let it set up. At the same time I need to change the rotten plywood that the door hinges screw onto. Shouldn't be a big deal. Then re-fiberglass the skins back together, remove the screws from the outside of the door, fill the holes with fiberglass, and do a lot of sanding and patching. I think those old skis will create the right curve. These old skis have several laminated layers of hardwoods and should not warp or deform. They are also, at least as you get back from the tips, and towards the middle, almost the same thickness as the airspace between the door skins.
You might even be able to use old downhill skis if the arc is correct. Best thing about them is that they are cheap and pretty easy to find.
Any thoughts or suggestions?
fred wark is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-05-2016, 08:19 PM   #11
Member
 
Name: fred
Trailer: Burro, had aliner
Michigan
Posts: 46
I will try to figure out how to post photos
fred wark is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-06-2016, 12:40 AM   #12
Senior Member
 
Sue and Henry's Avatar
 
Name: Sue and Greg
Trailer: 1982 Burro 13 foot and a 2015 Casita Spitit Deluxe 17 ft.
Washington
Posts: 598
Registry
Wow Fred. That sounds brilliant! Please do try to post some photos.
Sue and Henry is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-06-2016, 07:16 AM   #13
Member
 
Name: fred
Trailer: Burro, had aliner
Michigan
Posts: 46
bottom edge arc, door repair

Pulling bottom edge of door towards ski tip, then securing the two together, should create close to the proper arc, so that the door will close tight at the bottom. Sorry about the upsidedown photo
Attached Thumbnails
door skins seperated.jpg   ski next to door.jpg  

ski laying inside door.jpg  
fred wark is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-06-2016, 09:59 AM   #14
Senior Member
 
Sue and Henry's Avatar
 
Name: Sue and Greg
Trailer: 1982 Burro 13 foot and a 2015 Casita Spitit Deluxe 17 ft.
Washington
Posts: 598
Registry
Wow. That looks promising Fred!
Sue and Henry is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-06-2016, 10:49 AM   #15
Member
 
Name: Duane
Trailer: 1978 Burro
Michigan
Posts: 94
Quote:
Originally Posted by fred wark View Post
Pulling bottom edge of door towards ski tip, then securing the two together, should create close to the proper arc, so that the door will close tight at the bottom. Sorry about the upsidedown photo
Fred, you can consider your ski curve door fit officially "stolen" Now I have a very practical and new idea when I tackle my door fit again this coming summer. Skis should also stiffen up the door skins which I found was a big problem.

Thanks for the idea and posted photos. I may make one of your photos wallpaper for my computer until I give that idea a try!!
DuaneQ is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
burro


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Improving door fit due to body sag Roy in TO Modifications, Alterations and Updates 51 07-22-2022 07:19 AM
1978 Burro door fit DuaneQ Care and Feeding of Molded Fiberglass Trailers 5 09-28-2015 09:52 AM
Will a Scamp 13' fit through a standard garage door? Robby Bricker Care and Feeding of Molded Fiberglass Trailers 12 05-11-2015 03:35 PM
Will new Scamp Entry door Hinges fit on an 1981 13' Boler? idiotsniff Modifications, Alterations and Updates 29 01-19-2012 07:35 AM
Poor fit of Scamp door. Mark G. Problem Solving | Owners Helping Owners 6 09-26-2010 06:49 AM

» Upcoming Events
No events scheduled in
the next 465 days.
» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 09:17 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.