Sometime last year, I bought some magnets of different strengths since I was planning on attaching them to the entry door and screen door of our T-2499. I had seen this on a YouTube video where a guy shows how to replace the factory latch with magnets so he wouldn't have to slide the plastic panel open and closed every time he wanted to exit his RV.
It sounded like a good idea until I went to install them and was having a hard time finding locations that would work and then wondering how to attach them so they'd stay put (hot glue? epoxy?).
Then, I thought of something that might have been part of the original latch design, which is safety for children. If someone were to lean against the door from the inside with the original latch, the screen door would stay closed, but with the magnet, it would release and they could fall out onto the steps unexpectedly.
Something else was needed.
Here's what I came up with:
This is the release I made, looking from outside the door. It's a piece of 1/8" ABS plastic cut and bent to shape with two slots for the mounting screws to go through allowing the release to move up and down. The spring in the factory latch handle holds this new release in the up position.
From the inside, the tab formed into the black ABS release is visible under the cross bar that I also installed at the same time.
Now, just grab the cross bar and press down on the tab with one finger to release the catch. Easy! The plastic block-off panel still can be slid open to access the entry door latch.
P.S. After making this release, I happened to come across a release made by Camco that installs in the sliding block-off panel by drilling a hole in it for a rod to go through. I still like mine better
Rich
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