Inside Front Door Panel Removal

[Roger Sunday]

We recently purchased our 40 ft. '05 Monterey & love it, but not the rattle that I have finally located to be inside the entry door panel. The door otherwise works fine, but . . . the rattle . . . must be silenced! After removing the access panel to the latching mechanism, the lower part of a rod leading to the lower latch? moves freely inside the door panel and I believe it is disconnected (the noise is suspiciously similar to the rattle we hear while in motion!). While attempting to remove the door panel, I removed the inside window frame, but no cigar . . . the door panel will not budge! The only way to repair the lower latching rod assembly is to remove the door panel.  Can anyone advise me what else needs my attention before the door panel is removed?? Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

[Doug Allman]

I am in your same predicament I believe, not with a rattle, but with a door latch mechanism that is very stiff and I am not sure just how to get the panel off. I am sure it needs to be lubricated.

I have talked to Beaver Coach Sales 800-382-2597 in Bend (service dept and parts dept) on several issues with our new 2004 Marquis and they have been very helpful and excellent with advise. You or I may have to get them to help us with this.

[Joel Ashley]

There was discussion here on this or a related topic, requiring some door disassembly, sometime back.  You might run a Search of the forum about entry door or latch repairs.  I haven't had latch issues, just upper brace and door alignment ones;  so I was hoping someone here would respond for you, since I know it's been discussed before, with photos as I recall.  Perhaps the previous posters will reply yet.

Joel

[Jeremy Parrett]

My front door "carpet" is glued onto a thin plywood backer that is glued to the square tubing door frame. I had to cut into the plywood after stripping off the carpet and door handles etc to access the door latch mechanism that had come loose i . Re fastening the latch (with new bolts because the old ones had dropped down inside the square tubing to door bottom) I used blue loctite  . I have yet to replace the plywood and reattach the carpet with contact cement. Rattle and door flying open at speed issues solved !!

[Roger Sunday]

My front door "carpet" is glued . . . I had to cut into the plywood after stripping off the carpet . . .

Jeremy -- Thanks for your information. Our door panel is not carpeted rather the panel is on the inside of the door frame. You may be on target though about cutting into the panel and later using glue (or screws) to affix a replacement panel.  Thanks again for your thoughts.