90 degree door

[davidmurphy02]

Just thought I'd pass along something I learned today about the 90 degree door. I love the way it works, we find it really handy and functional. But the boy scout in me started thinking "you know, that little gas spring will eventually wear out like the ones in my car hatchback and toolbox did, and I'll be needing another one". When that gas spring loses some of its resistance the door won't stay open firmly. ETI just switched to this door right before our trailer was built in late 2018 so it will be a while before anyone needs to replace that spring...but that day will come. Who knows how hard it may be then to track down the right replacement spring.

So I started looking online to find one to have a spare. The number is on the spring, SX200P1_11_DC, as well as the manufacturer's website, SIGNATURE SERIES GAS SPRING. I couldn't find that exact part at any online supplier so I contacted the manufacturer. They will sell direct to consumers and were happy to do that. I had to call in to place the order, and the guy I spoke to asked if I wanted extras of the end fittings (the spring alone does not include them). I figured that those would not likely wear out, but he said that for a door application like this that the fittings are designed to be the point of failure if a big gust of wind put tremendous force on the door and forced it open past the 90 degree point where the spring is fully extended. I could see that happening - we've been in gusty winds before that just happened to be blowing the other way and pushed the door partly closed...and I had been wondering what would happen if the wind was blowing the other direction. Now I know....one of the fittings would break, leaving me with a floppy front door.

So now I will have spare fittings in my box of parts in case that ever happens.

[cpaharley2008]

Dave, you could have had mine for free......it will be on the blue tarp one day.

[JStelly]

Good research Dave. I have the same door.

[Perry Butler]

We received our 5.0 on October 26, 2018. Our first response was to hate the door. The longer we use it the more we like the 90 degree door. Now, after 270 nights on the road and at least another 60 in our seasonal campsite at Lanesboro, we love the door. Don't miss having to latch the door to keep open. Don't miss having to go outside to unlatch the door to close. Don't miss the wind taking the door out of my hand and slamming it against the side of the trailer. Never did like the one friction door we had previously. Love that the 90 degree door opens automatically, especially when holding a bag of groceries. Love the privacy from people walking by, yet the door remains open.

Good idea to get that replacement spring/cylinder. It will sit next to the two replacement sail switches we have, and probably will never need.

Enjoy,

Perry

[Traverson]

I'm still hoping that someday I will like my 90 degree door.

[gklott]

47 mph winds with 64 mph gusts in AZ and NM on recent trip sacrificed our 90 degree door’s gas spring. Just ordered a “claimed” replacement from Amazon, $30. Will see if it works as well as Signature original.

73/gus

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by Perry Butler

Our first response was to hate the door. The longer we use it the more we like the 90 degree door.

Perry

Funny about things like that. I saw the door long before we had one and thought that one of my first mods would be to put a catch on the trailer and get rid of the 90* opening.

For reasons already given I was wrong. It's just too convenient to give up.

Good to know about the replacement parts.

Ron

[TTMartin]

Originally Posted by Traverson

I'm still hoping that someday I will like my 90 degree door.

Escape no longer uses the 90 degree door.

The current gas struts allow the door to open 120 degrees. This is ideal IMO. It opens far enough not to be in the way. You don't have to worry about it banging against the side of the trailer, or hassle with manually latching and unlatching the hold open. Also, being open 120 degrees it will put less stress on the strut when the wind is blowing it further open.

[JohnK]

My vote is for the strut to be on top instead of at the bottom which requires an inch high clearance space underneath the screen door to accommodate the strut, and also by the way, mice and snakes.

[Traverson]

Originally Posted by TTMartin

Escape no longer uses the 90 degree door.

The current gas struts allow the door to open 120 degrees. This is ideal IMO. It opens far enough not to be in the way. You don't have to worry about it banging against the side of the trailer, or hassle with manually latching and unlatching the hold open. Also, being open 120 degrees it will put less stress on the strut when the wind is blowing it further open.

I wonder if the 120 degree strut can be retro fitted to the 90 degree door.

[Perry Butler]

I see it's two years later since my above post.

For us, the 90 degree door gives us stability when entering or leaving the camper. I've bounced against it many times and it just guides me into or out of the camper.

We had the biggest winds on our winter Arizona/Utah trip this winter and the hydraulic cylinder held up quite well with 3 1/2 years of use. We had 45-55 mph gusts when we were on BLM land outside of Goblin Valley and the door worked great. OTOH I heard the neighbor's door fly open and slam against the side of their camper a couple of times.

If our cylinder ever fails I may try to mount the unit so there is a 120 degree door, but I may miss that guide when entering or leaving.

Enjoy,

Perry

[Ron in BC]

To me it's a moot point if it opens 90* or 120*. The best aspect to me is entering with an armload of stuff. Touch the latch and the door does the rest. No having to put stuff down, open and secure the door or elbow it aside.

Ron