Where to get replacement door for Model 179 R-Pod?
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Topic: Where to get replacement door for Model 179 R-Pod?
Posted By: Danno
Subject: Where to get replacement door for Model 179 R-Pod?
Date Posted: 21 Jul 2023 at 1:28pm
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I have a 2017 R-Pod, Model 179 with the wonderful Lippert hinges that bind and twist the door frame. I didn't know they did that until it just happened to mine. I now need a brand new door as the old one has come apart on the hinged side. Frame is twisted and foam core is out so far, there's a 1/8" gap between foam and frame now and door won't shut because it hits the striker plate. But I can't find any replacement doors with these measurements (measured where door wasn't warped or deformed): Inside: 70-3/8" x 23-7/16" Outside: 72-3/8" x 24-1/2" Any help would be greatly appreciated! Dan ------------- Dan |
Replies:
Posted By: poohbill
Date Posted: 21 Jul 2023 at 5:50pm
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Hi Dan. Although my Bigger Hammer and an oak ram was able to straighten things enough to limp through the season, we have a new door on order from Lippert, through a local Forest River dealer, for the same reason as you. We are having Lippert install a portal window and the door will arrive white in two months. The shop here will paint it in the basic green theme of the '17 models, though we haven't decided yet whether to add decals ourselves afterwards. $$$ My fridge refuses to ignite the propane now, so its useless to us for boondocking. We just came off a weeklong river trip with one cooler and fifteen pounds of dry ice, so will use that until the fridge is examined. Our model Dometic has a poor reputation and isn't easy to fix or replace. A friend just traded his 172 in on a Micro Winnie, but we just don't use it that much.
------------- 2016 179 Gastropod 2017 Ridgeline |
Posted By: Danno
Date Posted: 21 Jul 2023 at 6:45pm
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Hi, thank you for taking the time to reply and tell me about your experience. I'm wondering if the dimensions I listed match your door because I can't find anything on the web that does. Of course, Forest River is 100% unresponsive. I talked to RV Parts USA and they can only find the same 26" and even wider doors that I did. I've emailed Lippert but haven't heard back yet. Sorry to hear about your fridge troubles. But if it will still run on either 12VDC or 115VAC, what about using solar? I run mine on 12VDC, using a 250W solar panel I mounted on the roof plus another 250W panel I mounted on the roof of my truck's camper shell. I got rid of the lead-acid batteries and mounted a 12V, 170AH lithium iron sulfate battery under the bed along with a solar charge controller and a 3,000W inverter. The battery / inverter will start and run the air conditioner and run the microwave and will run the fridge too but it's more efficient just to run the fridge on 12V instead of going through the conversion to 120VAC. Normally, I use a portable swamp cooler that takes a lot less power than the compressor air conditioner. I live in the SW now where that works great because of the dry air. Anyway, if you have a contact name and number for your dealer, regardless of where they're located, I'd like to talk to them since it sounds like they must know what the part number of the door is. There's absolutely nothing stamped anywhere on my door that I can find. Please let me know if those dimensions look correct and match your door too. Thank you! ------------- Dan |
Posted By: poohbill
Date Posted: 21 Jul 2023 at 7:39pm
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Whew! Your electric is a monster compared to the little 80 Zamp panel we have. We have always gotten all we needed out of the 20lb bottle of propane and use very little juice camping. I have no idea what my dimensions are, but feel free to email Eric Gibson at egibson@thesmithgroup.com and use my name. ------------- 2016 179 Gastropod 2017 Ridgeline |
Posted By: Danno
Date Posted: 21 Jul 2023 at 7:42pm
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Thank you! But does he know you by poohbill? I don't see any other name. ------------- Dan |
Posted By: Danno
Date Posted: 21 Jul 2023 at 7:43pm
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Woops! I see your name on your profile now. I'm still learning to use this website! :) ------------- Dan |
Posted By: jato
Date Posted: 21 Jul 2023 at 10:08pm
Let's see if we can reach a solution to your issues regarding the Dometic RM 8501 fridge. How long ago was it working on propane. When is the last time you cleaned the combustion area with compressed air? Do you have screens in place to keep bees, spiders, and other riff raff out? Does the ignitor click when attempting to light? Have you pulled the hose from the regulator to the front of your pod to make sure there is no black goo in the lines? These are a few things we can check off and figure out a way to get you up and running again, as long as you don't have an ammonia leak! ------------- God's pod '11 model 177 '17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake "...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free." |
Posted By: poohbill
Date Posted: 22 Jul 2023 at 9:33am
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Gastropod checked out this spring with all systems Go. We towed it for three hours on pavement with the fridge running on propane and spent a few days in a park on shore power, then towed home with the fridge running on propane. Sometime later while cleaning it out I noticed the propane option immediately threw an error light and refused to try igniting. Is there something accessible through the back panel I might clean, beyond my spring vacuuming? ------------- 2016 179 Gastropod 2017 Ridgeline |
Posted By: Danno
Date Posted: 22 Jul 2023 at 4:30pm
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Hi Bill, Since you mentioned your "Bigger Hammer", I thought I'd let you know I decided to try hammering the door back together too. I tried a sledge hammer and 2x4 but it didn't do much. So I decided to use my backhoe and, voilà, it worked! I'll probably epoxy it as well. Screws aren't a good option to hold it together because the door frame doesn't overlap the fiberglass door covering enough so they would probably just crack it and pull out pretty easily. I've also ordered the low-friction hinges from Amazon to replace those ridiculous "Friction Hinges" the janitor at Lippert came up with ;) Thanks again. ------------- Dan |
Posted By: poohbill
Date Posted: 23 Jul 2023 at 10:40am
Well, Dad's go-to solution for most problems was to get a bigger hammer, but yours takes the cake. ------------- 2016 179 Gastropod 2017 Ridgeline |
Posted By: poston
Date Posted: 23 Jul 2023 at 10:53am
I think you taught the whole Rpod a lesson! Don't mess with Danno! ------------- -- Jim Virginia City, Nevada 2016 R-pod 180 2015 Nissan Xterra Pro-4X |
Posted By: Danno
Date Posted: 23 Jul 2023 at 11:54am
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LOL! Yeah, I usually try a more gentle approach at first but sometimes a little extra power helps to persuade the Rpod when it's being stubborn. ------------- Dan |
Posted By: poohbill
Date Posted: 30 Jul 2023 at 1:36pm
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Did they answer your question?
By the way, I gave it a couple chiropractic “adjustments” on the other side and the door is good as I am.
------------- 2016 179 Gastropod 2017 Ridgeline |
Posted By: Danno
Date Posted: 30 Jul 2023 at 2:58pm
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The guy you told me about did reply - thanks! But I no longer need a new door. The old one looks pretty much like new - there aren't any kinks or bends in the frame. I ordered two new non-friction hinges and replaced the old friction ones and now both the main door and screen door move easily and latch correctly. I used a pop-rivet gun to fasten the new hinges to the trailer frame and the original self-tapping screws to attach the doors to the hinges. You have to drill new holes for most of them because Lippert made the non-friction hinges different than the friction type - why, I have no idea and don't see any reason for them to have done that. Anyway, it only took me about an hour and a half to put everything back together. Now I just need to get a quality latch of some sort to hold the door wide open in the wind. ------------- Dan |