Author Topic: Basement door losing its weld  (Read 2909 times)

mike groves

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Basement door losing its weld
« on: August 19, 2017, 02:00:18 PM »
All,

I've had this problem getting worse over time as I open 3 basement doors.  One has finally become a real issue. 

It appears to me that the basement doors on my '99 Marquis swing up and down around a rod of some kind and that the door itself is welded to the hinge that wraps around this circular rod.  The weld on the left side of my second large cargo area on the passenger side has come loose such that when I open that door the top left part of it scraps the paint just above the door.  As I close it the door scrapes again.

It appears that I need to have the door rewelded to this hinge piece that then rotates on the fixed rod but if I am correct then I really need to remove the door first.

If I remove the piston lifts on each side which hold the door up then open the door fully can I simply slide the door off the rail? 

Mike

LaMonte Monnell

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Re: Basement door losing its weld
« Reply #1 on: August 19, 2017, 04:48:08 PM »
I wish I knew the answer for you but I don't. I will be watching for the answer as I have wondered how these doors come off myself. I am sure someone here knows, they usually do!
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Jeff Wheless

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Re: Basement door losing its weld
« Reply #2 on: August 19, 2017, 05:06:56 PM »
I've had that exact same door on my '99 Marquis fail as well, both skin and frame.  I guess since its likely the most used door.

One of the welds failed on the top corner of a cargo door frame and I was able to take a piece of aluminum angle and cut it to size.   Drilled pilot holes through the angle and frame.   I then used self tapping heavy duty sheet metal screws I had left over from a cargo trailer project to screw in place.   Still holding very well.   

Took the door off to do that so I could clamp it square.   There are some retaining blocks holding the top door lip, but you can remove and then push the door in when raised (and struts removed of course) in to allow it to drop down free of the door frame.   Best as a two person job or carefully with stands underneath so you do not drop the door.

I would certainly prefer to reweld, but that then involves removing the door skin or likely repainting due to collateral heat damage from the weld.   

If the skin is coming loose from the door frame, then it is the adhesive failing and the skin needs to be (gently) pulled, existing adhesive removed and reapply using some of the construction/vehicle grade adhesives before reattaching the skin.
« Last Edit: August 19, 2017, 05:10:28 PM by Jeff Wheless »

William Jordan

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Re: Basement door losing its weld
« Reply #3 on: August 19, 2017, 09:45:17 PM »
Battery bay door" broke" somehow  while in BCS for other work. They were opening and closing it to get to the air lines.  Getting the door off damaged it further, and they know what they are doing ... They showed it to me and asked if I wanted it fixed LOL ! They took it apart ( inner skin off welded the broken hinge/ latch ) cut new skin material ( old wasn't usable)and rivet on  and repaint the door all in I was out 1200 bucks. But hey ,  they did give me 10% off the labor when I turned blue and choked in front of Ken . All I can say is be very careful in removing it. About 10 months ago the center hinge on the water bay door broke .. I just push it down as I lower the door until it doesn't rub and am living with it .. Until I find a easy fix .. At least something less than a grand ! Hopefully your fix goes much better I'd be interested in any tricks to do this without the damage and repainting .

Rick Daniels

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Re: Basement door losing its weld
« Reply #4 on: August 20, 2017, 02:20:51 PM »
While having some paint touch up work done, the body man detected a weld break in one of my bay doors so he thought he would do me a favor and spot weld it and he did.  In so doing, the welding process heated up the frame causing the adhesive ribbon that holds the skin to the frame across the top to become unattached across the top.  It did not become apparent until after a few opening and closings. Though I appreciate his good will gesture (done without charge), it was clearly evident to me that before welding, the skin must be removed and after welding the skin re-attached with a new adhesive ribbon. Because it was his mistake, he also corrected the mistake without charge.  Another mistake was that there are alignment blocks that must be removed before the door can be removed and re-installed after the door is put back on for proper alignment.  These are very small blocks with very small attachment screws so when he re-installed the door he just forgot to put them back in.  This caused me to check other doors for the presence of the alignment blocks and found others missing.  I fabricated some and put them in myself and now all doors are aligned side to side properly.  I understand Beaver Sales and Service has some of these blocks in stock.  When the bay door is fully open get under the door and look up in the hinge area and you can see these blocks.  My guess is that coaches in the same era as mine probably have some missing.
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mike groves

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Re: Basement door losing its weld
« Reply #5 on: August 22, 2017, 11:01:19 PM »
Without putting on my extra fine glasses it appeared to me that the "blocks" holding the doors in place had rivets in them.  I believe if I put on my fine glasses I will see that I was wrong and that these can be removed with a screw driver and thus this makes it pretty simple to remove the door, and put it back on, right?

Also what is meant by "skins"?  Is that the outer finished door?  Meaning the skin is welded to the frame (of course mine has come loose in that corner)?

Thanks for any clarifications. 

I believe replacing the lift pistons has certainly helped create these issues for me.  Of the 3 doors beginning to show this issue, I replace the lift pistons on all 3.  I suspect that the next time I open this door I will remove the lift pistons and that will take the pressure off when closing.  Of course I'll need another hand to hold the door up while I get stuff from the basement but at least the door will shut easily without the pressure of the lift piston pushing on it where its come undone from the frame.

Mike

David T. Richelderfer

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Re: Basement door losing its weld
« Reply #6 on: August 22, 2017, 11:42:19 PM »
Yes, those small "holding blocks" are each held in place by one small screw and are located exactly at the half-way point on the horizontal length of each door.  Obviously, there is not a holding block on the paniflex doors.  The holding blocks fit into an opening in the hinge such that the door cannot move horizontally left or right.  Each individual door cannot be removed without first removing the holding block put in place for that door (at least that was my experience).

I assume, like you, that the skin is the finished sheet on the outside which is welded to its frame on the underside of the skin.

When I have seen weak "lift pistons" on others' coaches they had a wooden 2x2 or 2x4 cut to the correct length to prop up the door... until the weak lift pistons were replaced.
« Last Edit: August 22, 2017, 11:47:49 PM by David T. Richelderfer »
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