# Door Handle Grab



## booze123 (Jun 29, 2010)

Is it just me or is the inside grab handle on the doors too narrow to get fingers in?? Can't believe they fabricated that handle for a small child.
This weekend I'm going to drill into it and mount a simple handle from HD so I can get a hold of it. There is enough clearence to avoid the plastic slide window on the screen. The front door with the gas shock closer is a PITA to pull shut. I, and everyone else is grabbing anything else they can get a hold of to pull that door shut and I know it's a matter of time my screen and that plastic slide window will be broken.


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## duggy (Mar 17, 2010)

booze123 said:


> Is it just me or is the inside grab handle on the doors too narrow to get fingers in?? Can't believe they fabricated that handle for a small child.
> This weekend I'm going to drill into it and mount a simple handle from HD so I can get a hold of it. There is enough clearence to avoid the plastic slide window on the screen. The front door with the gas shock closer is a PITA to pull shut. I, and everyone else is grabbing anything else they can get a hold of to pull that door shut and I know it's a matter of time my screen and that plastic slide window will be broken.


I haven't found it difficult to slip my fingers behind the handle, but I do agree other people tend to grab anything & everything to pull the door shut. The door with the gas strut takes quite a tug to get moving.


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## booze123 (Jun 29, 2010)

duggy said:


> Is it just me or is the inside grab handle on the doors too narrow to get fingers in?? Can't believe they fabricated that handle for a small child.
> This weekend I'm going to drill into it and mount a simple handle from HD so I can get a hold of it. There is enough clearence to avoid the plastic slide window on the screen. The front door with the gas shock closer is a PITA to pull shut. I, and everyone else is grabbing anything else they can get a hold of to pull that door shut and I know it's a matter of time my screen and that plastic slide window will be broken.


I haven't found it difficult to slip my fingers behind the handle, but I do agree other people tend to grab anything & everything to pull the door shut. The door with the gas strut takes quite a tug to get moving.
[/quote]

When we first took possession of the TT, we pulled it home (1200 miles) I didn't notice the issue at all, until the rear door handle lock mechanism stopped working. upon further inspection, the darn thing was about a minute from falling apart and onto the ground. All the screws had backed out at least an 1/2". That prompted me to grab my screw driver and test every screw, Boy there's a lot of screws in the TT and about 50% were loose, inside and out. When I tightened the screws up on the door handle, the gap to grab the handle shrunk to only 1/2" wide to get fingers in. Very poor design.


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## Bob in Virginia (Jul 15, 2010)

One of the first things I did on my OB was to tighten all screws on inside and out. Was very surprised that some were so loose. Also tightened the locks on the access doors. It was during this walk around that I found a number of the screws on my slides were too long and rubbing on the camper, causing some damage.


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## zrxfishing (Sep 12, 2007)

The screws on the exterior door handles tend to loosen up quite often and I had to tighten mine up a couple times each year. I put lock-tite on them this year and so far so good.


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## Up State NY Camper (Apr 7, 2010)

Thanks for the reminder. I had to tighten the screws on my old tt, but havn't checked the new one yet. X2 on the locks on the compartment doors. I had to take the inside washer out to get to some good threads on one of the locks.


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## thefulminator (Aug 8, 2007)

Keep those door handle screws tight or you will find you can't get into your trailer when the door latch quits working. See the old topic below about that problem.

Linky


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## duggy (Mar 17, 2010)

I just checked the screws on my door handles. All three handles needed tightening. After tightening, I agree that there isn't much room to slide a finger behind the handle. I think the issue is the fact that the doors are filled with styrofoam and framed with aluminum. The screws closer to the center of the door compress the foam, which tips the handle and reduces the space for fingers. I'm guessing at the factory they just draw the screws in until they contact the handle, rather than compressing the door. Then the screws come loose in no time.

When I first got the trailer, I tightened all the locker latches, and you could see the indent where the foam compressed in those doors. Same thing; they were barely tightened at the factory, so as not to compress the doors.

It would have been nice if they put backing in the doors where the latches fasten, but too late now.

Doug


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## booze123 (Jun 29, 2010)

zrxfishing said:


> The screws on the exterior door handles tend to loosen up quite often and I had to tighten mine up a couple times each year. I put lock-tite on them this year and so far so good.


Good idea regarding lock-tite. I'll try that.
I'll report back on how the handle mod goes.


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## thefulminator (Aug 8, 2007)

Just be sure to use the right loctite. The blue stuff would be the best. Just don't use the red because it requires application of heat to break it free. How would you like to have to hit the lock with a torch to remove it? With the fiberglass and foam construction of outbacks, that could add a whole new meaning to "camp fire".

For small diameter, lightly loaded fasteners that I am just trying to keep from vibrating loose, I sometimes just put a little silicone caulk on the threads and assemble.


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## CamperAndy (Aug 26, 2004)

duggy said:


> It would have been nice if they put backing in the doors where the latches fasten, but too late now.
> 
> Doug


Actually it is not. Pull the handle apart and slip some 1/4" tubing cut to the thickness of the door over the screws. When you tighten then come tight on the tube and will not compress the door and you and tighten them so they will not come loose. If you have already compressed the door and this fix results in a loose handle then place some double sided foam tape behind the handle and you should be golden.


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## duggy (Mar 17, 2010)

CamperAndy said:


> It would have been nice if they put backing in the doors where the latches fasten, but too late now.
> 
> Doug


Actually it is not. Pull the handle apart and slip some 1/4" tubing cut to the thickness of the door over the screws. When you tighten then come tight on the tube and will not compress the door and you and tighten them so they will not come loose. If you have already compressed the door and this fix results in a loose handle then place some double sided foam tape behind the handle and you should be golden.
[/quote]

I wondered if a sleeve around the screw would work. Maybe I'll give that a try.


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