Trap door key ooooops - Escape Trailer Owners Community
Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×

Go Back   Escape Trailer Owners Community > Escape Tech > Problem Solving | Owners helping each other
Click Here to Login
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 05-22-2019, 01:10 PM   #1
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Bozeman, Montana
Trailer: 21' foot 2019
Posts: 64
Trap door key ooooops

We brought a new 21' footer home to Montana in late March. Now we're about to hit the road. For most of the summer we hope.

There is a small perhaps 24" by 12" inch trap door on the port side (USA driver's side) of the front of the trailer, that opens from the outside to storage below the bed.

I came home from Chillawack with a red bandolier with 4 or 5 keys on it. But none of them seem to work that trap door. Is this a separate key or is it the same as the main door......and perhaps my mechanism is jammed. Or did I lose that key somehow. How do I know?
pittendrigh is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-22-2019, 01:21 PM   #2
Senior Member
 
gbaglo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: North Vancouver, British Columbia
Trailer: 2009 Escape 17B 2020 Toyota Highlander XLE
Posts: 17,136
Look for one marked CH751. It's a key that's common in the industry.
__________________
What happens to the hole when the cheese is gone?
- Bertolt Brecht
gbaglo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-22-2019, 01:48 PM   #3
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Bozeman, Montana
Trailer: 21' foot 2019
Posts: 64
Thank you. That worked. Once I knew which key it was (ch751) I was able to fight with it and get it in there. If it ever stops raining I'll squirt some graphite in there.
pittendrigh is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-22-2019, 05:20 PM   #4
Senior Member
 
h2owmn's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: Placerville, California
Trailer: 2018 Escape 17A double dinette
Posts: 1,518
I find if I approach the lock with the key tilted at a slight angle (toward front or back of trailer) one will work.
__________________
--Time and trouble will tame an advanced young woman, but an advanced older woman is uncontrollable by any earthly force. --Dorothy Sayers
h2owmn is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-22-2019, 06:02 PM   #5
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Westcliffe, Colorado
Trailer: 2010 EggCamper (#083); 2017 Escape 21 (#053); 2016 F-150 5.0L FX4
Posts: 1,765
The hatch door is usually a tight fit (a snug seal is a good thing to keep water out), so it helps me to push in on the door while I turn the key.
War Eagle is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-23-2019, 01:02 AM   #6
Senior Member
 
sumac.rhus's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Troy, Idaho
Trailer: August 2017 17b
Posts: 226
It IS a VERY persnickety key-lock relationship.
sumac.rhus is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-23-2019, 06:48 AM   #7
Senior Member
 
davidmurphy02's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Austin, Texas
Trailer: 2019 5.0TA "Junior", 2019 Ram 1500 5.7 Hemi
Posts: 1,600
It's a ten minute job to replace the hatch locks with Ace locks - the round keys are far less trouble prone than the basic standard ones. Here's a link to the set on Amazon that are the correct size, 7/8" shaft works perfectly. And you can call the company and order additional keys easily.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Attached Thumbnails
51qDvmexbLL.jpg  
__________________
David, Mary, and the cats
davidmurphy02 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-23-2019, 07:16 AM   #8
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Bozeman, Montana
Trailer: 21' foot 2019
Posts: 64
Now that's a good idea
pittendrigh is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-23-2019, 09:30 AM   #9
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Smithers, BC, British Columbia
Trailer: Escape 21, July 2018 delivery
Posts: 322
Quote:
Originally Posted by davidmurphy02 View Post
It's a ten minute job to replace the hatch locks with Ace locks - the round keys are far less trouble prone than the basic standard ones. Here's a link to the set on Amazon that are the correct size, 7/8" shaft works perfectly. And you can call the company and order additional keys easily.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Best idea I have seen today, but I notice that the key cannot be removed from these particular models in the unlocked position. I may pick up a set, but I will order ones which allow the keys to be removed once unlocked. Thanks for the information David.
AllanEdie is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-23-2019, 09:38 AM   #10
Senior Member
 
EdColorado's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Front Range, Colorado
Trailer: ?
Posts: 739
Quote:
Originally Posted by davidmurphy02 View Post
It's a ten minute job to replace the hatch locks with Ace locks - the round keys are far less trouble prone than the basic standard ones. Here's a link to the set on Amazon that are the correct size, 7/8" shaft works perfectly. And you can call the company and order additional keys easily.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Did you use the straight or offset cam?

Re: key removal.
One commenter on Amazon said that he simply unlocks the latch, opened the door, relocks the latch then removes the key if he wants the door to remain opened. Reverse process to lock the door.
EdColorado is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-23-2019, 09:40 AM   #11
Senior Member
 
jnfrombigt's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2019
Location: North Augusta, South Carolina
Trailer: 2019 Escape 5.0TA "SCRATCH" First 5.0 TA registered in South Carolina
Posts: 620
Quote:
Originally Posted by davidmurphy02 View Post
It's a ten minute job to replace the hatch locks with Ace locks - the round keys are far less trouble prone than the basic standard ones. Here's a link to the set on Amazon that are the correct size, 7/8" shaft works perfectly. And you can call the company and order additional keys easily.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
David You indicate that the 7/8 inch shaft works perfectly. Would a 3/4 inch shaft still work?

I'm using your Lynden, Umatilla and Heyburn campground recommendations for the pick up trip
__________________
"Everyday's a Holiday"
jnfrombigt is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-23-2019, 11:07 AM   #12
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Smithers, BC, British Columbia
Trailer: Escape 21, July 2018 delivery
Posts: 322
Quote:
Originally Posted by EdColorado View Post
Did you use the straight or offset cam?

Re: key removal.
One commenter on Amazon said that he simply unlocks the latch, opened the door, relocks the latch then removes the key if he wants the door to remain opened. Reverse process to lock the door.

Bad idea in my estimation - when locked, the cam will be in the way of complete hatch closing, which will prevent sealing, and could bend something. There are lots of comparable cam locks available without this issue, so why put up with it?
AllanEdie is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-23-2019, 11:51 AM   #13
Senior Member
 
h2owmn's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: Placerville, California
Trailer: 2018 Escape 17A double dinette
Posts: 1,518
David, when you say "easy", what do you mean? can you list the steps, briefly? thank you.
__________________
--Time and trouble will tame an advanced young woman, but an advanced older woman is uncontrollable by any earthly force. --Dorothy Sayers
h2owmn is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-23-2019, 11:54 AM   #14
Site Team
 
John in Santa Cruz's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Mid Left Coast, California
Trailer: 2014 Escape 21
Posts: 5,122
Quote:
Originally Posted by AllanEdie View Post
Best idea I have seen today, but I notice that the key cannot be removed from these particular models in the unlocked position. I may pick up a set, but I will order ones which allow the keys to be removed once unlocked. Thanks for the information David.
huh, my 2014 lets me remove that key in the unlocked position. in fact, I hardly ever lock it.
John in Santa Cruz is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-23-2019, 12:48 PM   #15
Senior Member
 
davidmurphy02's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Austin, Texas
Trailer: 2019 5.0TA "Junior", 2019 Ram 1500 5.7 Hemi
Posts: 1,600
Quote:
Originally Posted by EdColorado View Post
Did you use the straight or offset cam?
The offset cam fits best.
__________________
David, Mary, and the cats
davidmurphy02 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off




» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Escape Trailer Industries or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 06:23 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Copyright 2023 Social Knowledge, LLC All Rights Reserved.