My Eagle gets a new door

[WaltK]

When I located my Eagle it was a 2007 shell model. There was no screen door, and that's essential here in Georgia. To put in a screen door you have to replace the entire door and the door was the older square design and fairly wide. So when I was at FWC during my trip to pick up the Eagle a new door with screen door was on my list. They had a round top door that was virtually new, it had been screwed onto a camper before they discovered it opened the wrong way for the customer. So I got a big break in price and got the door, with screen door, curtains, drip cover and all and brought it back with all the rest I'd bought.

I removed the old door, screws every 4" all around and the screws were plated steel, so subject to rust eventually. They were screwed through the siding and into the frame tubing around the door opening. Photos, the original square door and the opening with the door removed (note the screen door for the new door is behind the old door in the photo):


My plan to handle the slightly narrower door with rounded top was to put 1/8" aluminum strap around the frame cut to match the new door, and fill the opening to narrower with more aluminum tubing. I expected to have to use several pieces but got lucky. While hunting on Ebay I got real lucky and found a plate of 6061 aluminum that was 3/16" x 29" X 48", almost exactly the size needed to do it with only one piece of adapter plate. This was thick enough to provide lots of strength without adding much weight. The new door weighed less than the old one so weight was little difference. It took ten hours to cut the surround piece from the plate, then there was wire brushing and painting. I'd gotten it relatively cheap due to surface corrosion on the plate. Cutting the plate:

 

[WaltK]

The plate near the edge was drilled every 4" same as the original door for #10 stainless washer head screws. The holes were offset from the locations for the original door. This was then aligned with the camper and a few temp stainless #10 x 1" screws held it in place.

To narrow the door frame I used 1 1/4" x 1" x 1/8" 6061 aluminum square tube. This is heavier duty than the frame tubes of the camper which are quite thin. These tubes were screwed to the inside of the original welded tube door opening with 2 1/2" #10 stainless steel sheet metal screws using the panel piece to align them. This bound the new and old tubes together every 6". Here the new upright square tubes are barely visible as I was putting in the long screws.


Then the new door was placed and all the holes for the #10 x 1" (torex security) stainless screws were drilled and then screwed in carefully through all the thick aluminum. The door had screw holes every 6", much wider spacing than the old door. Photo, test fitting the new door to the panel to drill screw holes and try them:


Finally, with a mess of screw holes finished the plate and new door were removed for sealing. The plate was mounted to the frame through the remaining skin using adhesive backed 1/4" sealing foam and some acrylic/silicon door sealing calk. The new door already had similar foam on it. (in these photos I've already moved to starting on the propane compartment, though another layer of sealing is yet to be put into the edge of the plate. I also left the screen door off so I'd not damage it with all the inside work yet to come (note the Waeco fridge balanced on ply above the propane compartment):


This design heavily binds the door frame of the camper together. I think it will last. Note in the last photos I extended the camper's dark stripes onto the plate. Seemed to look better that way.

 

[M1010 Mike]

Nicely done. Looks great. Interesting to see the new style door opening in much smaller than the older style. I don't think I would want it any smaller than what I currently have.

 

[WaltK]

Nicely done. Looks great. Interesting to see the new style door opening in much smaller than the older style. I don't think I would want it any smaller than what I currently have.


I was told the new style were all the same size, but I'm not sure on that. My 2007 Eagle door was 3" wider than the new one I put in. Again, I don't know how standard either of those is.

The Waeco 65 (with the wide flange on it) was a fairly close fit to get through the door.

 

[SLO_F-250]

Great work Walt! Looks good. Nicely done.

 

[Dughlas Stiubhart]

Good looking door, Walt.