Door problem

[ThomKat]

I have a different problem with my Scamp door than the usual about warping...
I have a '76 Scamp 13" and the door sags sideways quite a bit. I have taken the lower hinge apart, and I can swing the door over, and it appears to fit reasonably well and hold its curve OK. But then the hinge parts are separated by about 3/4ths of an inch.
I don't really see a way to adjust where the hinge parts attach- no adjustments or anything- what it looks like to me is that the lower hinge arm should be longer- and the door would fit fine.

I haven't seen this particular problem discussed. Does anyone have a suggestion? Thanks. Thomkat

[Donna D.]

Probably past time to replace the brass ball and hinge pin. You can get them from Scamp or may find them locally if you have a Land Rover dealer: DOOR HINGE KIT SERIES II, IIA & III, DHK111 - Rovers North - Classic Land Rover Parts

[Ice-breaker]

Originally Posted by ThomKat

I have a different problem with my Scamp door than the usual about warping...
I have a '76 Scamp 13" and the door sags sideways quite a bit. I have taken the lower hinge apart, and I can swing the door over, and it appears to fit reasonably well and hold its curve OK. But then the hinge parts are separated by about 3/4ths of an inch.
I don't really see a way to adjust where the hinge parts attach- no adjustments or anything- what it looks like to me is that the lower hinge arm should be longer- and the door would fit fine.

I haven't seen this particular problem discussed. Does anyone have a suggestion? Thanks. Thomkat

Sounds like the front corner of your trailer may be sagging and/or the wall on the hinge side of the door may be bulging out.

[ThomKat]

I haven't explained this very well, I guess...

This is a matter of the door hanging crooked in the opening, from side to side. The top of the door is lined up very nicely. I took the bolt out of the bottom hinge, so the door is hanging by only the top. The door swings over nicely and lines up in the opening- but the hinge parts are 3/4ths of an inch apart.
There really isn't a way to adjust the hinge over that far; what it looks like is that the lower hinge arm needs to be longer.
Other than that, the door fits well; no warping or anything; the curve is still nicely in place.

Do they make a longer hinge? Help!

[Westcliffe01]

Unbolt the part of the hinge that goes on the trailer body and reattach it to the part that is attached to the door. Re-align the door so it fits right and then see where the other end of the hinge goes on the body. If need be, you could make a plastic shim to get it to fit correctly against the body (plastic does not rot/warp/shrink). Then bolt it back up and patch the original holes.

[ThomKat]

That sounds like the best suggestion so far- thanks for the ideas.

[Westcliffe01]

Depending on where the body side hinge goes, if there is not sufficient structure, you may need to strengthen it by making a "patch" at least 1/8 to 1/4" thick tapering down to the original shell thickness with glass cloth/mat bonded to the inside of the shell. A door hinge attachment is a very substantial point load and it needs to be beefed up to avoid stress cracks.

[ThomKat]

Well, Dave and Keith got it right- I found out how badly that corner of the camper body is attached. I found out that there is too much flex in the body, and it's not holding the door up.
I took the Scamp today to a custom car/boat place, that does fabrication and fiberglass. They are going to brace up that corner with steel and tie it in to the frame, and fiberglass over the brace. Getting that to be solid is the key to aligning the door...

Thanks to everybody who wrote to help. TK

[Ice-breaker]

Originally Posted by ThomKat

Well, Dave and Keith got it right- I found out how badly that corner of the camper body is attached. I found out that there is too much flex in the body, and it's not holding the door up.
I took the Scamp today to a custom car/boat place, that does fabrication and fiberglass. They are going to brace up that corner with steel and tie it in to the frame, and fiberglass over the brace. Getting that to be solid is the key to aligning the door...

Thanks to everybody who wrote to help. TK

Glad that you got it figured out. Hopefully the fix will be quick and as painless for you as possible, and that you will be back camping soon.

[Westcliffe01]

My door is sprung to the point that it has a least a 1.5" gap along the lower 1/3 of its length. I am assuming mine needs some serious surgery if I am going to keep the mice and chipmunks out this winter...

I have a plan for it, but I need to carry out that plan before I boast about it, in case I have to eat crow....

[ThomKat]

Good luck, Keith.
What kept annoying me was that the door is not sprung- it still has the right curve to it, and is in good shape. I just couldn't make the hinge are behave.
And this has led me, kicking and screaming, to the body-off restoration and extra metal work.

[Roy in TO]

Link to Tom's fix:
http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...oor-61634.html

[ThomKat]

Thanks, Roy- I didn't know how to move that picture over to this post...

TK