Rehanging Door on a Trillium 5500 - Fiberglass RV
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Old 07-12-2020, 08:04 PM   #1
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Name: Donna
Trailer: Trillium 5500
Canada
Posts: 14
Rehanging Door on a Trillium 5500

Good evening all.

I am the happy owner of a 1980 Trillium 5500.

I was hoping to receive advice on how to rehang my door as it has a gap @ the bottom of the opening. Also last week one corner of the step came free from the fiberglass.

Does anyone have experience fixing this type of thing. Its a wonderful trailer that I have owned since Thanksgiving 2019.
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Old 07-14-2020, 06:15 AM   #2
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Trailer: 1981 Trillium 5500
Posts: 1,158
Pictures are always a help, I just re-did the door on my 5500 on the weekend.
it is a lengthy but not complicated process, the step is bolted through the floor, the bolts are under the door frame.
I started by taking the screws out of the hinges for the screen door and removing that, then the bolts holding the outside door to the hinges and setting the door aside.

Then carefully remove the plastic screw cover on both sides of the door, and the bottom.
at the top of the door outside mine had a metal drip cap riveted in place that I had to drill the rivets out and then carefully pry it off without bending the aluminum.

Now you will find about 25-30 screws holding the main frame in place, they all need to be removed, then carefully take the frame out and inspect the side-frames and flooring to make sure it is still solid.

the two bolts for the step will be visible, countersunk into the floor; mine were pretty rusty

If all the frame area and floor are good, replace the bolts, and you are ready to start door and frame repairs.

1) remove all old caulking/sealant/butyl tape from the outside area of the trailer (use a putty scraper) and wipe down with a cleaner( I used non- chlorinated brake parts cleaner, it worked excellent and left no residue.
2) do the same with the door frame, the aluminum will come nice and shiny after wiping it down
3) use all new screws for installation, I used #8 x 1-1/2 inch
4) put new butyl tape on the aluminum doorframe so that when you reinstall it will squeeze out and seal, two rows wide at the top
5) re-insert door frame and tighten in place working side to side from the bottom to the top.
6) drill a new hole in between every second screw, and put in a new screw
7) slowly tighten all screws until you see the Butyl coming out

Now, in my case the door was crooked and dragging on the bottom on the latch side.

the door is pieced together, make sure you have sawhorses and a piece of plywood or another door to set the camper door on

1) take out the screws for the window, and carefully remove the frames and glass
2)Take out the screws holding the handle together, and carefully remove the handle, by now you will be noticing if the door has rot.
3) unscrew the aluminum trim on the latch side(two screws at top and bottom) and 5 in the length of the aluminum frame.
4) slide the single piece of aluminum off, then the back(hinge side), top and bottom parts should slide off as a unit.
5 ) repair door as required
6) reverse steps above and re-assemble

It took me almost 6 hours, so plan for a long day, and take your time, rushing will cause you to make mistakes, and possibly damage something.

Joe
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Old 07-14-2020, 08:17 AM   #3
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Trailer: 13 ft Scamp
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Wow
Great write up
While I have a different mfg ... I’m sure others will definitely benefit from this
This is why I love this site
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Old 07-14-2020, 08:57 AM   #4
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Name: Donna
Trailer: Trillium 5500
Canada
Posts: 14
Quote:
Originally Posted by Joe MacDonald View Post
Pictures are always a help, I just re-did the door on my 5500 on the weekend.
it is a lengthy but not complicated process, the step is bolted through the floor, the bolts are under the door frame.
I started by taking the screws out of the hinges for the screen door and removing that, then the bolts holding the outside door to the hinges and setting the door aside.

Then carefully remove the plastic screw cover on both sides of the door, and the bottom.
at the top of the door outside mine had a metal drip cap riveted in place that I had to drill the rivets out and then carefully pry it off without bending the aluminum.

Now you will find about 25-30 screws holding the main frame in place, they all need to be removed, then carefully take the frame out and inspect the side-frames and flooring to make sure it is still solid.

the two bolts for the step will be visible, countersunk into the floor; mine were pretty rusty

If all the frame area and floor are good, replace the bolts, and you are ready to start door and frame repairs.

1) remove all old caulking/sealant/butyl tape from the outside area of the trailer (use a putty scraper) and wipe down with a cleaner( I used non- chlorinated brake parts cleaner, it worked excellent and left no residue.
2) do the same with the door frame, the aluminum will come nice and shiny after wiping it down
3) use all new screws for installation, I used #8 x 1-1/2 inch
4) put new butyl tape on the aluminum doorframe so that when you reinstall it will squeeze out and seal, two rows wide at the top
5) re-insert door frame and tighten in place working side to side from the bottom to the top.
6) drill a new hole in between every second screw, and put in a new screw
7) slowly tighten all screws until you see the Butyl coming out

Now, in my case the door was crooked and dragging on the bottom on the latch side.

the door is pieced together, make sure you have sawhorses and a piece of plywood or another door to set the camper door on

1) take out the screws for the window, and carefully remove the frames and glass
2)Take out the screws holding the handle together, and carefully remove the handle, by now you will be noticing if the door has rot.
3) unscrew the aluminum trim on the latch side(two screws at top and bottom) and 5 in the length of the aluminum frame.
4) slide the single piece of aluminum off, then the back(hinge side), top and bottom parts should slide off as a unit.
5 ) repair door as required
6) reverse steps above and re-assemble

It took me almost 6 hours, so plan for a long day, and take your time, rushing will cause you to make mistakes, and possibly damage something.

Joe
Thank you Joe, I really appreciate your very detailed repair instructions.
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Old 07-14-2020, 09:20 AM   #5
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Name: Donna
Trailer: Trillium 5500
Canada
Posts: 14
rehanging door on trillium 5500

my door pics
Attached Thumbnails
20200714_080026.jpg   20200714_080101.jpg  

20200714_080110.jpg  
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Old 07-14-2020, 08:48 PM   #6
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Name: Donna
Trailer: Trillium 5500
Canada
Posts: 14
joe can you tell me what the materials of the door are? I'm thinking the lumber on my door will need replacement. also the glass window. what is the insulation consist of I wonder
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Old 07-15-2020, 06:27 AM   #7
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Trailer: 1981 Trillium 5500
Posts: 1,158
with what I see in your pictures, I think you might have more of a floor issue than a door issue.
first though:
the door is surrounded by the aluminum frame that keeps it square,
1)take the door off the hinges and put it on a work table
2)take the window out( get help, don't drop the glass)
3)Take the handle out( requires a bit of fighting with it)
4)remove the belly band trim strip from the door(pull the rubber out, then 3-4 screws)
5)Take the latch side of the aluminum frame off
6) slide the other three pieces of the frame off the core
7) using a large putty scraper gently remove the skin on whatever side is facing up, (mine was glued pretty well in a couple spots)
Now you will see the outer wood frame, and the inner frame around the window.
roll the door over and remove the other skin, same technique, and put both skins where they won't get damaged.
remove the styro-foam insulation(mine was waterlogged and weighed about 10 pounds)
rebuild as required.

I think once you remove the door frame, you may be looking at some floor repairs, as the bolt head for your steps looks pretty solid. don't despair, everything can be fixed.
I haven't had to do a floor yet, but many on here have and will chime in as needed.

cheers
Joe
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Old 07-15-2020, 02:03 PM   #8
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You absolutely need to make sure that the plywood floor near the door is in good condition. Which I doubt by reading your post. The step is bolted through the FG and plywood, and it's the plywood that provides the structural integrity. If the plywood is bad, all the weigth will rest on the FG and you're in for big issues like cracks in the shell and/or cracked/broken door frame, which I have seen on a 5500.

I rebuilt my door last spring. Scroll near the bottom of this Google-translated page (from French) to read my blog post:
https://translate.google.com/transla...2Freserve.html

Rebuilding the door isn't much difficult. Rebuilding the plywood floor by the door is a much more involved job. Here's my blog post on Part 1 (out of 4) of this job:
https://translate.google.com/transla...-partie-1.html
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Old 07-15-2020, 02:05 PM   #9
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Name: Donna
Trailer: Trillium 5500
Canada
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my floor had been replaced
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Old 07-15-2020, 07:26 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Shanti 5500 View Post
my floor had been replaced
Good, but then how did the step came off on one side? It is normally bolted through the floor plywood, not only the FG.
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Old 07-16-2020, 07:01 AM   #11
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Name: John
Trailer: 1979 Boler 1700
Michigan
Posts: 2,048
Registry
I have a Boler 17, the flat (slab) door version. The installation is similar to the Trillium 5500. Due to rot in the floor and wooden sill below the door AND I later discovered, rot inside the door core, this spring I removed and repaired the door and the doorframe. One difference: my Boler 17 steps are bolted to long steel extension brackets welded to the side of the frame, NOT bolts through the floor. So no issues involving the steps.

My two cents: For the Trillium 5500, I would use LARGE diameter washers or a metal plate above the floor plywood when re-installing the step bolts. Better yet, weld brackets to the frame and bolt the steps to the frame.
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Old 07-16-2020, 08:54 AM   #12
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Actually after I rebuilt the floor at the door sill, my step was much more stiffer than it was, but it still had some flex in it. So I made this small bracket welded to the step assembly then bolted to the frame, just to cut that flexing motion every time I stepped on it. It now feels very solid.
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Old 07-19-2020, 10:50 AM   #13
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Name: Donna
Trailer: Trillium 5500
Canada
Posts: 14
love this tip. I'm going to get a strip of metal as well
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Old 07-30-2020, 08:13 PM   #14
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Name: Donna
Trailer: Trillium 5500
Canada
Posts: 14
Ordering Parts

Quote:
Originally Posted by Carl V View Post
You absolutely need to make sure that the plywood floor near the door is in good condition. Which I doubt by reading your post. The step is bolted through the FG and plywood, and it's the plywood that provides the structural integrity. If the plywood is bad, all the weigth will rest on the FG and you're in for big issues like cracks in the shell and/or cracked/broken door frame, which I have seen on a 5500.

I rebuilt my door last spring. Scroll near the bottom of this Google-translated page (from French) to read my blog post:
https://translate.google.com/transla...2Freserve.html

Rebuilding the door isn't much difficult. Rebuilding the plywood floor by the door is a much more involved job. Here's my blog post on Part 1 (out of 4) of this job:
https://translate.google.com/transla...-partie-1.html


Hi Carl. I have found your post very very helpful. I have had some resent door & door lock issues. I have ordered the door latch from RV Parts but am wondering about this item you noted,
I ordered new plastic window frames from Amazon (Valterra brand, ivory color).
Do you have a part # to share or anything identifing which one you ordered
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Old 08-13-2020, 08:30 PM   #15
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Hi Donna

My new door lock is like this one:
https://www.rvpartscanada.com/door-l...chnology-white

This is the white version, mine has a chrome finish, same exact model, very good lock, made by Bauer.

Hope it helps!



Quote:
Originally Posted by Shanti 5500 View Post
Hi Carl. I have found your post very very helpful. I have had some resent door & door lock issues. I have ordered the door latch from RV Parts but am wondering about this item you noted,
I ordered new plastic window frames from Amazon (Valterra brand, ivory color).
Do you have a part # to share or anything identifing which one you ordered
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Old 08-20-2020, 03:01 PM   #16
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Name: Donna
Trailer: Trillium 5500
Canada
Posts: 14
Window Guard Trillium Logo

I was wondering if anyone knows where we can buy the Window Guard Trillium Logo?
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Old 08-20-2020, 03:03 PM   #17
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Name: Donna
Trailer: Trillium 5500
Canada
Posts: 14
Hi Carl, did you redo any of your windows? I know I will need to address this issue next year.
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Old 08-20-2020, 09:15 PM   #18
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Hi Donna. Yes I resealed all of my windows. They are the same as other Trilliums, there are a lot of threads on window resealing on the forum. Pictures of mine on my restoration blog (use the Google translation link, as it is in french).
Trillium5500

The Trillium logo file used to be in the Document center, but I can't seem to find it. If you're member of the Trillium Trailer Owners facebook group they have the logo file in their Files section, look for a file name "Trillium.eps". You can download this file and bring it to any lettering shop and they will make a Trillium vinyl sticker of any size or color you want, it's not very expensive.
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Old 08-21-2020, 11:16 AM   #19
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Name: Donna
Trailer: Trillium 5500
Canada
Posts: 14
Quote:
Originally Posted by Carl V View Post
Hi Donna. Yes I resealed all of my windows. They are the same as other Trilliums, there are a lot of threads on window resealing on the forum. Pictures of mine on my restoration blog (use the Google translation link, as it is in french).
Trillium5500

The Trillium logo file used to be in the Document center, but I can't seem to find it. If you're member of the Trillium Trailer Owners facebook group they have the logo file in their Files section, look for a file name "Trillium.eps". You can download this file and bring it to any lettering shop and they will make a Trillium vinyl sticker of any size or color you want, it's not very expensive.
Carl V. once again, thank you for your help. my project trailer is coming along. ended up buying a whole new door from Vision Manufacturing in Summetland BC.
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