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granddad's avatar
granddad
Explorer
Jun 02, 2019

Travel trailer door needs shortened

Hello . New old guy checking in . We do own a Winnebago Winnie drop and like it fine I am building a overhead truck camper shell . It will have a full back as I will remove the tailgate for easier entry . Here is my problem . The door . I need a 50 in door . And wow are they cheap ! LOL . JOKE ! I am wondering if I can take a new firberglass door assembly with screen door and take the bottom trim off and reuse the bottom trim and cut the door down to fit ? No idea what kind of super wonder adhesive they use to assemble these . Worried the bottm trim will be unusable after with much care removing the cut out portion of the door from it .


Has anyone attempted this ? It will be a very expensive lesson if it is undoable because of how it is attached to the door itself .


I have tools and some skills , and not enough good sense to not have a fear of something like this job .LOL



Anyone who could advise me on my 50 Tall door quest I would greatly thank you . Holding up my framing progress .


Thanks Warren
  • agesilaus's avatar
    agesilaus
    Explorer III
    Jun 02, 2019
    Check your local Lowes/Homedepot they can custom make doors for you.
  • granddad's avatar
    granddad
    Explorer
    Jun 03, 2019
    Thanks . Actually I guess I need to know how these doors are built is more the question . I know I can cut it easy enough but getting the bottom trim to stay In place is really the problem .I looked at out Winnie drop door and don't see but 2 screws down low on the frame , trim . Wish I could see how these are built and I could go from there . Cant be that complicated .
  • agesilaus's avatar
    agesilaus
    Explorer III
    Jun 03, 2019
    In general doors have wood around the edges, maybe 3 or 4 inches. The inside is filled with foam, on the cheapest doors it is filled with air. There probably are one or two crosspieces, one at handle level for sure.

    Now an RV door may be different. But in the above method you can trim an inch or two off the top and bottom and interior doors are often trimmed to fit. Not so exterior doors which is what you have.

    How a pro would do it

    I still think you will be better off ordering a door in the right size.
  • granddad's avatar
    granddad
    Explorer
    Jun 04, 2019
    Well I ordered the door . I guess I will be the first kid on the block to take a skillsaw to one . LOL. I am a little ways out from doing the door framing and cutting so , give me a few weeks . I will share what ever happens fail or thumbs up .
  • agesilaus's avatar
    agesilaus
    Explorer III
    Jun 04, 2019
    OK how much are you planning to cut off? I ask because most of the interior of these exterior fiberglass doors is just insulating foam. Wood around the edges. So if you cut too much off you will be into that foam and will have to epoxy wood bars into the door edge to support it.
  • granddad's avatar
    granddad
    Explorer
    Jun 04, 2019
    As I need a 50" door I will be cutting over 20 " off .I will just do whatever needs done to make it look perfect when Im done . Some of these door prices are crazy for sure .
  • wvcampers's avatar
    wvcampers
    Explorer
    Jun 05, 2019
    I cut the bottom off of the entry door and screen door after installing the Morryde steps on our 2008 Cardinal and a 2011 Jayco that belongs to a friend.You will find that screen door is simple. If you remove the screen the bottom will pull right off. You can then cut the door down and reinstall the bottom. The exterior door is not much harder, The bottom is screwed or rivited on. after removing it you will likely have to use a jig saw to cut the frame while the inside skin, usually vinyl, can be cut with sheet metal cutters. The outside skin is fiberglass and is easiest cut with the jig saw and a fine tooth metal cutting blade.
  • granddad's avatar
    granddad
    Explorer
    Jun 07, 2019
    Well , after much thought and completing the base for my cabover camper shell build . I am conceding to the wiser idea of my wife and just going to order a new ARE walk in door MX camper shell . Don't defeated but as I never played with fiberglass and the price of windows and door ,auto paint . Its only $700 dollars more for one that is perfect . I have a complete base for a quad cab 18 ram I would give to someone who want to take over project . All poplar wood glued with dowls threwout . Perfect base , it took me 2 weeks to do that matching the contours of the bed .

    Throwing in the towel but not defeated .

    Warren

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