Locked out of RV

[Son_of_Norway]

This concerns the door latch below the deadbolt. I have the key. I have no problem locking and unlocking the latch, but I can't open the door with the outer latch. I pull on the latch and it won't open the door. The door isn't jammed, it acts like the latch is still locked.

So, I am locked out of my RV. All the windows and other ways to get in are closed and locked. There are no compartments or other ways to get in. I don't mind ruining the latch to get in, it needs to be replaced anyway. I have drills and other tools. I don't want to break a window.

What can I do?

[stevenal]

down home wrote:

Try pushing in on the door hard and pulling the handle or push in hard and use the key. Facility used the dead bolt yesterday instead of the fob and it didn't want to open.He came out and pushed n rel hard, the seal has a lot of compression, and I used the key and it opened right up.

Agreed. Pulling on the handle pulls on the door, which is already being pushed by the door gasket, making the bolt more difficult to move. I use more of a rotation than a pull.

[GrouchyOldMan]

(I'm intentionally cross posting this to get the info out)

Same Problem, Best Solution!

After some research I purchased a Trimark Latch repair kit and I'm pleased with a complete and permanent fix for $49.

The kit includes a steel replacement piece, wrenches you'll need for the fix and a new spring, in case you lose yours like I did. This allows you to use your existing keys and it installs with no "modifications" needed which may not be the case if you just buy a brand new Trimark Lock.

To be fair, I have read that the new Trimark locks use a steel latch piece rather than the crummy pot metal ones that break.

The cartcollapse.com website doesn't seem to work anymore. Here are links to the Latch Fix website and the video showing how easy the fix is to do.

https://www.latchfix.com

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efW38pxwzZI

Cheers,

-Grouchy

[pianotuna]

ARMDR wrote:
He has a website cartcollapse.com that has a link to buy using PayPal.

Thank you!

[dedmiston]

You need to hit the latch in juuuuuust the right place.

[wa8yxm]

My Tri-mark latch is a bit different than that but I had a shop make me a new striker bolt when the last one broke... Price for the one in the kit is reasonable

On my basement doors (Also tri-mark) slightly different bolt. Seneca Engineering in Seneca, SC carved me a batch of 'em I think about the same price.. Can't find the dang things so I used Plan B a few days ago.. (one of the many jobs I've held.... machienist.. I machine down the parts. mark, drill, tap and apply a standard steel mending bar to the "Backside (The long flat side) works great)

[down_home]

Son of Norway wrote:
This concerns the door latch below the deadbolt. I have the key. I have no problem locking and unlocking the latch, but I can't open the door with the outer latch. I pull on the latch and it won't open the door. The door isn't jammed, it acts like the latch is still locked.

So, I am locked out of my RV. All the windows and other ways to get in are closed and locked. There are no compartments or other ways to get in. I don't mind ruining the latch to get in, it needs to be replaced anyway. I have drills and other tools. I don't want to break a window.

What can I do?

Try pushing in on the door hard and pulling the handle or push in hard and use the key. Facility used the dead bolt yesterday instead of the fob and it didn't want to open.He came out and pushed n rel hard, the seal has a lot of compression, and I used the key and it opened right up.

[IAMICHABOD]

I have looked into This one


Along with the Video on how to do it.

[ARMDR]

He has a website cartcollapse.com that has a link to buy using PayPal.

[pianotuna]

ARMDR,

Do you have a link for the repair kit?

[ARMDR]

I was on my third handle when a friend told me about a repair kit for the Trimark handle that I have. (T507/060-1650) I have bought 3 of the kits, and they're great. Takes 2 minutes to install, made out of stainless steel, and now I have 2 spare handles if someone else has the same problem. They're listed on Ebay.

[Monaramblee]

Try pulling the handle from different points of the handle ie place finger at one end of handle....or jerk the handle hard or pull handle into open position and try to put some weight into the pull on the door.

[MrWizard]

I had warning, mine started being erratic (hard to unlock)
And I replaced it last year with a new one,
Before it failed and locked me out

[Gjac]

Is it a Trimark latch? If so it is either the latch itself that broke, it is made from a cast Zinc alloy that is very weak, or the plastic cam that operates the latch broke. I have had both issues. After buying the second door assy I was not going to buy a 3rd one. I was able to slide the drivers side window open using the palm of my hand, there is no handle on the outside windows. I climbed through the window which was a chore. Once inside you can remove the screws holding the two parts of the door assy together and the door will open. I fixed mine by adding a thin steel plate to join the broken door latch pieces together. That was about 4 years ago and it is still working well. The replacement latch is about $100 someone on hear posted that Trimark now sells a replacement latch made from steel for about $200, if you don't want to modify it yourself.

[craftyfox]

We broke the window and cut the screen but still couldn't get the lock to unlock. It was the deadbolt that was stuck. Had to have the lock drilled out..new window, new lock and labor was $270.