Door Latch Malfunction

My front door latch made a "pop" sound today and I was not able to open the front door. Luckily Debbie was on the bus and opened the door.

I took the door panel off to look at the situation and this is what I found:

There is a rounded triangular piece of metal on the lower bottom center of the mechanism which turns the assembly clockwise when the latch is pulled and thus opens the door. The problem is the assembly is loose and goes "outward" as the metal tries to turn it thus causing the metal piece to "pop" around under it and not turn the mechanism?

I looked to see if the mechanism could be tightened down but it cannot? :confused:

Any thoughts?

I am in Florida , heading to Lazy Days Monday ( 2/8) for a rally. Should I let them look at it or go to Parliment or Millennium or is this a part that can be fairly easily obtained and installed?

Thanks

Jamie


ps What would one do if this happened and no one was on the bus?? How would you get in???

Prevost , I think they have a new improved version. They do for sure on a early XLII.

I have used Parliament for a few years. Their service has always been very good. I would go there before Lazy Days.

Jamie,

Nice try Deb, you should have known you can't lock him out, he has all the money!

Take it to the people who know Prevost, not Lazydays... I just had a good friend there for some work on his 08 Beaver (plastic) HWH system and it was a nightmare. If your at the Rally Park, your closer to Parliament. I'm sure they can fix you up, it's a common problem.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jamie_Bradford

My front door latch made a "pop" sound today and I was not able to open the front door. Luckily Debbie was on the bus and opened the door.

I took the door panel off to look at the situation and this is what I found:

There is a rounded triangular piece of metal on the lower bottom center of the mechanism which turns the assembly clockwise when the latch is pulled and thus opens the door. The problem is the assembly is loose and goes "outward" as the metal tries to turn it thus causing the metal piece to "pop" around under it and not turn the mechanism?

I looked to see if the mechanism could be tightened down but it cannot? :confused:

Any thoughts?

I am in Florida , heading to Lazy Days Monday ( 2/8) for a rally. Should I let them look at it or go to Parliment or Millennium or is this a part that can be fairly easily obtained and installed?

Thanks

Jamie


ps What would one do if this happened and no one was on the bus?? How would you get in???

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Jamie,

Now I can chuckle about it, but at the time of battle, it was not a laughing matter. On the rainy night before we left the OKC POG Rally, Lee was taking our dog out for the nightly doggy time. I was in the coach surfing the net when I heard a knock on the door. Lee was outside and could not open the door. Luckily, I was inside and was able to remove the access panel to the door and lift the lock assembly and open the door. We talked about not shutting the door unless someone was inside the coach until we could get repair parts. Since we were going to Fort Worth to visit our son, I would drive to Prevost Fort Worth and pick up a new door handle. So the next morning while POG members were leaving and waving, I was connecting the Jeep while warming up the engine. Lee came around the corner with this "special look" on her face and told me she had shut the door and no one was inside the coach! After a few moments to let my brain absorb this shocking data, I went about trying to figure out what to do. Thoughts of removing the front windshield were painfully "spiking" what little thinking capacity I had left. To make matters worst, then I remember that Jim C had just pulled out and he had all the windshield tools.

Then I remembered how the lock mechanism was made and what needed to happen to unlock the latch. First, I removed the plug mounted forward of the handle. Then I took a hack saw apart and used the forward bow section of the hack saw to reach inside the release the latch. Their are no words to describe the feeling of "hearing the latch release". Only one that experienced this particular failure can fully appreciate this sould. Plus, opening the door certainly relieved any "martial tension".

So to answer your "PS" question of what to do if the door latch fails with no one inside. You can open the door using my technique, with allot of luck.

I mentioned that while fresh on my mind, I would design an emergency "unlock" tool and share the measurements, but the priority of the project has slipped. Jim C reminded me, so I will work on it this week.

Hector
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I assume this door lock mechanism is not any way similar to 2005 Liberty?My wife is not going to want to stay in the coach all the time we are on our trips.
( would save money on shopping excursions though)

Prevost does have a improved version for XL and XLII coaches,I would call and have the part shipped ASAP because you never know where they might be in stock.

I called Parliament this morning and they told me to come on up.

I got there around noon and they had me out of there with a new latch installed before 2PM!!!:):)

They were FANTASTIC. I would highly recommend them to anyone who needs service in this part of the world.

Jamie:cool:

If I can ask. What did that cost? I'm thinking of having the new on installed when I'm at FW Prevost next week just as a precaution.

Mine was south of $ 200 . I was happy with that considering how quickly it was done.:)

I contacted Prevost Jacksonville about ordering the " upgraded" mechanism ..the parts guy had no idea what I was talking about. Is there a part number or reference I should use?

Grandvil,

Their seem to be some confusion concerning the upgraded door handle. When my handle failed, I also attempted to get the updated door handle. The response that I got was that the XL2 had an upgraded door handle, not the XL.

However, if you do locate an upgraded XL door handle, please pass the information along.

Hector

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jamie_Bradford

Mine was south of $ 200 . I was happy with that considering how quickly it was done.:)

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Jamie, Did they replace the entire part, part of the part or fix what you had ? I would also like to order a spare.

I think more important than a spare would be a device that can be inserted through the plug button and used to trip the latch from the exterior. Hector was creative and used a piece of his hacksaw, but there may be an alternative that might work easier.

Carrying a spare won't get you in the door.

As an alternative if there is a way to slide the door window open it is possible to reach in and open it using the inside door handle. That alternative might require disabling the window latch, something that leaves the coach unsecured, at least to people who know that is a means of access.

Jon, You are correct. I have always left my drivers window unlocked for emergency entrance. I looked at myself in the mirror the other day and realized there was no way I could fit through that hole ! Think I will start leaving the door window unlocked. Better yet, Hector how about giving us a class of B&E on the Bus Door !

I always leave a window unlocked for that very reason. Call me crazy but it has saved me time & money.

When I had my first coach we were in Las Vegas and my son-in-law dropped my grandson and me off at the coach and he drove to pick up someone at the airport. After he was down the road I realized he had the keys to the coach! No cell phones in those days, so I slid the driver's window open, put my 8 year old grandson thru the window and he unlocked the door.

Don't tell Louise that I leave a window unlocked!:eek:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jon Wehrenberg

I think more important than a spare would be a device that can be inserted through the plug button and used to trip the latch from the exterior. Hector was creative and used a piece of his hacksaw, but there may be an alternative that might work easier.

Carrying a spare won't get you in the door.

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This it would seem to me is the critical point....Unfortunately not sure I can remember to leave a window latch open as they have to be closed to allow the shades to go down every night. Another thing to remember, and the first time I forget will be the time the door fails.

I'd have to take my door apart and play with it a little, but a release rod or cable accessible behind the door handle housing plug button might be the ultimate solution. That way the window remains latched, but if the handle fails digging out the plug button and then pulling on a cable release would upon the door. One of my cars has electric door handles. But if the battery goes dead or if the device should fail there is a release cable in the trunk and the door key will open the trunk if needed.

Remember that even if a bad guy knew of the cable it would do him no good unless the door was unlocked.

As an alternative that nobody mentions is the passenger side windshield. In less than 5 minutes the windshield can be removed. (XL coaches only). It should go back in in about 30 minutes at the most. We all like to think our coaches are secure, but they are easily accessed if someone is determined. An entry through the windshield will not set off any alarms. Ditto with side windows on an XL except those with the awning or slider windows.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dreamchasers

Grandvil,

Their seem to be some confusion concerning the upgraded door handle. When my handle failed, I also attempted to get the updated door handle. The response that I got was that the XL2 had an upgraded door handle, not the XL.

However, if you do locate an upgraded XL door handle, please pass the information along.

Hector

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I was told the same thing...for some reason I thought I recalled discussion about an upgraded mechanism to replace the factory XL mechanism.

I remember a story of a guy busting into MH by removing the roof vent and drop his kid down to unlock the door.
Greg

Quote:

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Originally Posted by gmcbuffalo

I remember a story of a guy busting into MH by removing the roof vent and drop his kid down to unlock the door.
Greg

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That's why they don't put roof ladders on a Prevost, only on plastic coaches.

On the invoice the part is:

KR-030-0850 Chrome Baydoor Latch

They did replace the entire part , outside latch and inside mechanism.

Latch was $ 69.99 and 1 hour labor to install it.


Jamie

Hey! I have one. Factory installed by Liberty. It's function is to get up top to the observation deck. We are big NASCAR fans and the deck is great for viewing races from the infield.

On the "Lazy Days" issue. We bought 3 units from them. Our third unit was a Monaco that had a brake recall. Took it to Lazy Days for the necessary repairs. After getting the coach back we went to New Orleans. On the return trip we had just passed Pensacola Florida and the coach started shuttering. Pulled into a rest area and checked for a flat tire. Nothing appeared wrong. Got back in and proceeded back on the interstate. Went up a small rise and ,going down the other side, floored it and the best it would do was 60 MPH. Pulled over and opened the door and rancid smoke filled the motorhome. My daughter looked under the front and it was on FIRE. I put it out.

Had to get towed to a service garage and the mechanic informed me that there was a recall on the brakes and if I had addressed the issue I would not have had the problem. I handed him the RO and he said that they hadn't touched the back at all and all they had done to the front was to replace the caliper pistons. They should have replaced the entire caliper and the pads as they were below 50% with only 4000 miles on the coach.

Lazy Days refused to admit any wrongdoing. We immediately traded it and bought a 4 slider from a dealer in Georgia.

Lazy Days was forced to do warranty work on the unit we purchased in Georgia. They actually did a very through job and detailed their step-by-step process by describng every nut, bolt and screw that they touched.

Parliament is just 20 miles away. I will go there when I need something.

Just my 2¢ worth.

Here is a simple tool made from 1/4" rod, 9" long with a 1/2" long 90 degree bend on the end, works great.
First picture is of the tool.
Second picture is of the tool hooked on the linkage going thru the hole in the lock face plate after the cap has been removed, just push down on the rod to open the lock.
We are headed to Wyoming in a couple of days and I remembered the potential for the latch failure and figured it is time to have some kind of countermeasure in hand before it's an emergency.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by lonesome george

Here is a simple tool made from 1/4" rod, 9" long with a 1/2" long 90 degree bend on the end, works great.
First picture is of the tool.
Second picture is of the tool hooked on the linkage going thru the hole in the lock face plate after the cap has been removed, just push down on the rod to open the lock.
We are headed to Wyoming in a couple of days and I remembered the potential for the latch failure and figured it is time to have some kind of countermeasure in hand before it's an emergency.

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Real nice George, but clarify that explanation.

In the diagram it looks as though the tool will move clear of the lock mechanism if pushed down as you state. How does it open the latch?

JIM

Jim, You push the tool down on the outside of the door the hole in the lock face plate is the fulcrum the lever moves up on the inside of the door.
I guess one or two more pictures would have helped to show how the thing functions.

Got it now, it's rock the tool down and force the tip by the latch up!

GOOD IDEA!

Too bad no one but I wanted the awning locks, they're really nice too!!




JIM ;)

Talk about panic mode...I stop in a T/A truck stop for fuel, alone. Hop out and fill up, go to get back in and it's a no go, the door won't open. Panic mode kicks in as other truckers are pulling in to fuel up. All windows are closed as it was night time and cold. To make a long painful story short, I call AAA and the tow truck driver was able to fish a rod in through the door window and pull the handle up opening the door. When I got home I opened up the door to access the failure. Wish I had pictures to post, but when the deadbolt is activated it dislocates the ability for the door handle on the outside to trigger the latch. This movement dislodged the bracket from its holder and even though the deadbolt had not been used, the latch was in the bypass mode. I put everything back into place but I know one thing for sure, from now on I'm gonna leave that window closed but unlatched so I have a way back in.

Aren't these buses fun!!

I had a friend with a living room full of people in an XLV and the latch failed. They couldnt open the door from the inside or outside. Everyone went out an awning window in the living room to a ladder. Only some easily fit through.

Imagine asking your guests to exit out a livingroom window onto a step ladder.

These r the things memories r made of.