Bedroom door comes open during travel.

[way2roll]

I noticed that the bedroom door sometimes comes open during travel. I assume it's due to the rigors of going down the road and the FW frame flexing. I am worried the doorknob will eventually put a hole in the wall. Was thinking of a 2 way door stop like this one:
2 way door stop

But the FW door gap is greater at the floor than a residential door.

I guess I could make one out of wood and attach foam rubber to it. I am concerned a magnetic latch wouldn't hold it on a bad road.

Anyone have this issue and a solution?

[Allworth]

We have french doors into the BR. I use screen door hooks to hold them open during travel, but closed would also work.

[LMHS]

I don't have a fifth wheel but I do use a magnetic door stop in my bus conversion. The magnetic door stop I use is not "RV". I bought it at Home Depot so it's "residential". I don't remember what brand it is. The magnet in it is pretty strong. Of course not all magnetic door stops are the same. The one I use holds the door open while traveling with no problem. Actually it takes a pretty good tug to get it off the magnet. If you go the magnetic door stop route, make sure you are screwing it into something solid on both the door and the wall (in my case, it's a 6" high wood baseboard on the wall side and into the wood frame of the door panel). I suggest that you read the product reviews to find a door stop with a strong magnet and not just accept a blanket statement.

[way2roll]

ferndaleflyer wrote:
In March I offered how mine worked. Several thousand miles since and still never had a door come open.

Your solution was for a pocket door. This is a swinging door. Anyway, I fixed the issue by shimming the hinge.

Thanks for all the solutions. I do really like the pool noodle idea.

I opted against the coat hook and bungee. While it would work fine, shimming the hinge was the cleaner look I was going for.

[TXiceman]

larry barnhart wrote:
We travelled 1500 miles to home from Az in 2020 with my wife in the alpenlite. she thought it was awesome and enjoyed the ride. air hitch and trailer air suspension might be the reason. Not how we wanted to travel but no choice.

chevman

There are a very few states where it is legal to ride in a trailer while being towed and they usually require a communication link to the cab. Have you seen the Lucille Ball movie, The Long Long Trailer?

Look at the structure of a trailer and one that has been hit or rolled. They have no safety structure at all.

Ken

[ferndaleflyer]

In March I offered how mine worked. Several thousand miles since and still never had a door come open.

[opnspaces]

You probably have a good solution with the coat hook on the outside.

If that doesn't work I would try a pool noodle from the dollar store cut down shorter and sliced open so it can slide over the bottom of the door when traveling.

Or you could possibly roll up a bath towel and jam it under the open door.

Both methods are to add enough friction to keep the door from swinging free when driving down the road.

[larry_barnhart]

way2roll wrote:

larry barnhart wrote:
We travelled 1500 miles to home from Az in 2020 with my wife in the alpenlite. she thought it was awesome and enjoyed the ride. air hitch and trailer air suspension might be the reason. Not how we wanted to travel but no choice.

chevman

Always thought that was illegal, but I checked and sure enough it's legal in most states.

Nothing is illegal for the USA at this time. for us it was May 2020 and the traffic was very light though Vegas and Boise. Chinese virus was the reason for low traffic. chevman

[way2roll]

in5r wrote:
A rubber band wrapped around the striker plate then wrapped around the door knob on the opposing side?

Door closes from inside so strike plate can't be accessed from outside the room.

As an update, I shimmed the hinge a bit and it closes more secure now so haven't really had the issue since.

[in5r]

A rubber band wrapped around the striker plate then wrapped around the door knob on the opposing side?

[gdelanghe]

I have a DRV 38 RSB3 5th wheel. Well aware of this pocket door problem, with current and previous 3 units. After numerous partially successful solutions, I realized the sliding bedroom closet always stayed shut. So for $8.67 US I totally solved this problem. With a
Prime-LINE U 9847 Sliding Door Loop Lock. Like the sliding closet door, it holds it perfectly. I opted for the hold it open approach, you could just as easily install it on the latch side to hold it closed.

[Veebyes]

Most everyone has issues such as this. Ours is the bathroom door & closet doors.

Shock cord around the bathroom door knob & hooked somewhere works, as do strips of wood placed in closet door tracks. Simple & effective.

[SailingOn]

Six inches of shock cord, formed into a loop and attached to the trim of the door on the side near the top.
Single cabinet screw on the door itself.
During travel, the loop stretches over the screw and keeps the door closed.
Simple, almost no cost, works.

[way2roll]

larry barnhart wrote:
We travelled 1500 miles to home from Az in 2020 with my wife in the alpenlite. she thought it was awesome and enjoyed the ride. air hitch and trailer air suspension might be the reason. Not how we wanted to travel but no choice.

chevman

Always thought that was illegal, but I checked and sure enough it's legal in most states.

[larry_barnhart]

We travelled 1500 miles to home from Az in 2020 with my wife in the alpenlite. she thought it was awesome and enjoyed the ride. air hitch and trailer air suspension might be the reason. Not how we wanted to travel but no choice.

chevman