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  1. #1
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    Main Entrance Door Replacement

    I have a 2021 303RLS. A few days ago someone tried to break into it (along with about 15 other campers) at the storage facility where it’s parked. They didn’t actually get in, but the pry bar or hammer they used on the latch on the door crushed in the fiberglass pretty bad. The door still functions and locks, so I’ve got that going for me. Other residents were not so fortunate, there’s a good bit of broken glass on the lot now, and come Monday there’s gonna be a lot of insurance claims filed.

    My question is: has anyone replaced the main door? Doesn’t look like a terribly hard job. I’m going to call Grand Design on Monday morning and see if they can identify the part number. If it’s a Lippert product, which it looks like, Lippert has an Amazon store, I could just get it there and swap it out... what could go wrong?


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  2. #2
    Long Hauler geotex1's Avatar
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    Piece of cake. Had to replace one on a prior camper after storm damage, and have put them in my cargo trailers. The freight to you is what will kill you. If you're in PA, or any of those affected in that lot, I've got a new door assembly in the basement I got stiffed on a few years ago when helping someone from a different forum fix damage to his rig.
    Rob & Nikki + Cloverfield
    2020 Grand Design Solitude S-Class 3350RL
    2015 RAM 3500 Longhorn Laramie Crew Cab, Long Bed, 4x4 Dually Cummins/AISIN

    Mountains of Pennsylvania

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by geotex1 View Post
    Piece of cake. Had to replace one on a prior camper after storm damage, and have put them in my cargo trailers. The freight to you is what will kill you. If you're in PA, or any of those affected in that lot, I've got a new door assembly in the basement I got stiffed on a few years ago when helping someone from a different forum fix damage to his rig.
    Thanks for the insight. I think I’m going to fix it myself as soon as I can get a door assembly. I’ll see if I can get some pictures of the repair.


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  4. #4
    Long Hauler geotex1's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by SabreDriver View Post
    Thanks for the insight. I think I’m going to fix it myself as soon as I can get a door assembly. I’ll see if I can get some pictures of the repair.


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    Biggest thing is to have the camper perfectly level when you do the replacement.
    Rob & Nikki + Cloverfield
    2020 Grand Design Solitude S-Class 3350RL
    2015 RAM 3500 Longhorn Laramie Crew Cab, Long Bed, 4x4 Dually Cummins/AISIN

    Mountains of Pennsylvania

  5. #5
    Rolling Along RVRunners's Avatar
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    Same thing happened to us a couple of years ago. I called GDRV customer service and they referred me to Pharr RV in Texas to order the door. They were great to work with and the door came in about 7-10 days. I believe the door and freight cost $700-$800 but I don’t recall the exact amount. The door will come pre-hung with the jambs, screen door and everything. Simple to remove and replace. I used butyl tape to seal the door to the sidewall of the unit then installed the screws (I pre-drilled the screw holes as they will not line up with the ones on the previous door). I reinstalled the existing interior trim at the head of the door as well as the existing top drip cap on the exterior and caulked all the same locations that were caulked on the original door. I had one of the guys who works for us help me but with some ingenuity you can likely change it out alone.
    The Adams - 2017 Reflection 367BHS, 2019 F-350 6.7L PSD 4x4 CC DRW, B&W hitch on Ford pucks, Air Lift Loadlifter 5000 Ultimate Plus air bags, "Rupert" the Weimaraner.

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by RVRunners View Post
    Same thing happened to us a couple of years ago. I called GDRV customer service and they referred me to Pharr RV in Texas to order the door. They were great to work with and the door came in about 7-10 days. I believe the door and freight cost $700-$800 but I don’t recall the exact amount. The door will come pre-hung with the jambs, screen door and everything. Simple to remove and replace. I used butyl tape to seal the door to the sidewall of the unit then installed the screws (I pre-drilled the screw holes as they will not line up with the ones on the previous door). I reinstalled the existing interior trim at the head of the door as well as the existing top drip cap on the exterior and caulked all the same locations that were caulked on the original door. I had one of the guys who works for us help me but with some ingenuity you can likely change it out alone.
    Thanks for the insight, I’ll post an update for the group when I have a solid plan.


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  7. #7
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    So, I finally came up with a plan...

    RV parts are scarce these days as we all know, so being that I had a $1,000 deductible on my insurance and a door was going to be close to that, if I could get a supplier to part with it, I decided to attempt a modest surface repair.

    The break in attempt didn’t poke any holes all the way through the door, and it wasn’t leaking water. It still opened and closed and locked fine, it just had some crushed in fiberglass where the styrofoam filling gave way. The damage was contained in a rectangular area about 6x8” around the door handle.

    My goal was to cover the damage with something to keep water out and be not too objectionable to look at. The wife said duct tape was out...

    The stock handle has a very small footprint on the door, so I ordered a RV lock keyless entrance set, it has a bit bigger footprint and I wanted one anyway. I experimented with several patches, steel would rust eventually, and stainless is hard to work with and expensive, so I tried some .050 aluminum I had, but it was too thick for the door lock mechanism to function properly, .015 is too thin and deforms too easy. Home Depot had a 6x18 piece of .025 aluminum for $12, enough to make a patch plate, screw it up and make another. Drilled a 1/2” hole at each corner of the door mechanism opening and cut out the rectangle.

    Painted it black (wife’s suggestion, for the record, she was right) and used clear marine sealant between the patch plate and the door. The door lock assembly clamps the plate to the door nicely. It’s no more secure than the original one, but you can’t see the crushed fiberglass anymore... total was less than $20, plus the RV lock on sale for $199, with two remotes. The black plate matches the decal on the door, and I could not have matched the white. If the repair doesn’t last, I can always drop a grand and change the door assembly.

    I need to learn how to upload photos.


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  8. #8
    Setting Up Camp
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    I recently damaged one of my storage bay doors. I accidently created a six inch by one inch hole in the outer fiberglass of the door. I removed the door and took it to a fiberglass repair shop. It only took them two days to do the repair and it looks like a brand new door. The repair cost was $200.
    2021 Reflection 303RLS
    2021 Ford F350 Lariat CCSB 7.3L 4.30 Axle, B&W Companion Hitch

  9. #9
    New Member
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    Thanks for posting this. I had someone back into my 2020 2970RL at the beginning of our current trip. Was able to beat it with a hammer well enough to continue the trip, but really need to install a new door. I fix Motorcycles, Cars and trucks, lawn equipt., and big tractors, so I have lots of tools. The only think I don't have is level ground. Do I/Should I pay the dealer to fix it?
    2020 2970RL 2014 F150 Eco Boost
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    2007 Honda VLX

  10. #10
    Site Team WhittleBurner's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Camiemom View Post
    Thanks for posting this. I had someone back into my 2020 2970RL at the beginning of our current trip. Was able to beat it with a hammer well enough to continue the trip, but really need to install a new door. I fix Motorcycles, Cars and trucks, lawn equipt., and big tractors, so I have lots of tools. The only think I don't have is level ground. Do I/Should I pay the dealer to fix it?
    I would watch a you tube video on door replacement and decide if you're up to the task. Likely are if you're mechanical.
    Long as the trailer is leve the unlevel ground shouldn't be an issue. Then you can report back and let us all know how it went! Good luck.
    Marcy & Gary
    2014 Grand Design - Reflection 303RLS
    2022 GMC 3500 Denali Duramax Longbed SRW
    2015 GMC Denali 3500 - Retired
    2003 F350 - retired
    Michigan
    We're in trouble now, the dog are bloggin'!
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