help with Trillium door hinges

[Thomas G.]

Originally Posted by P. Raz

I used stainless steel bolts (# 10 I think) with nylok nuts.

+1 on the stainless bolts. For the minimal extra cost, you eliminate a whole lot of grief down the road when you need to remove these bolts, especially threaded into aluminum.

[JRTrillium]

Originally Posted by Wanderer

Guilt, a door threatening to fall off or blow away, and P. Raz's excellent post pushed me into going out to my trailer today,despite the miserably cold weather, and using a metal putty knife, many curses and fingers , I pulled and taped back the liner, just as Raz did- Duct tape in my case. Using his clear pix as a guide, I marked in with felt pen the cut- outs and made a quick job of it with my Mastercraft multi tool, using the narrow blade for the short cuts and the circular blade for the longer verticals. My 1980 had nothing but the 'glass inner surface and failed hopes, with the threes screws clearly visible. No wood, no metal, nothing. Such rotten design and execution. Pathetic. My new hinges are already pulling away from the surface and the door is sagging worse than before, and binding on the moulding of the lower door surround. The hinges are not much better- fine for a frig door, but bad choice for a trailer door. And as others have pointed out, there is a problem getting those top screws in. There is also no room to properly countersink for a larger screw head. I will use Raz's idea of metal plates, which I will bond onto the 'glass surface, and locate everything using Raz's precision tool or an equally high tech modification. Some time in the new year I will get on with the chore, using thickened Cold Cure epoxy and SS machine screws with Robertson heads. I'll wax or grease the shanks as I assemble, so the epoxy will not capture the screws, and I'll adjust them periodically as the resin cures to further discourage bonding. The micro furnace will be running on HIGH. Thanks Raz

Would you please post that link? I have looked for it - much to wade through.

[Raz]

Originally Posted by JRTrillium

Would you please post that link? I have looked for it - much to wade through.

http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...air-47624.html

[paul paquette]

Just a general post to all f/g trailer owners out there...

I bought a 1972 Trillium 1300 last year. When I got it home I began giving it a thorough once over.

I was SHOCKED and HORRIFIED at how corroded the U-shaped mounting straps which hold the cabin to the chassis were. One had almost completely failed and the other three were so rusted I could bend them with my fingers.

I feared that if I had hit a big bump on the highway my trailer might well have come apart!

I have replaced them all with new ones and doubled them up – so I now have eight.

Don't assume yours are solid. I strongly recommend replacing them... especially if your trailer is older.

Cheers,

Paul.

[John in Michigan]

Paul, you should create a separate thread to communicate this critical problem. I strongly agree that its a problem. All three of the 40 year campers that I have purchased have had rusted out bolts intended to hold the body to the frame!