installing a step grab bar.

[DanoKubb]

If I put a larger grab bar right next to the door, inline with the small original one, am i likely to hit a stud ?

[mainah]

A stud finder my be your best friend.

[JohnB]

Originally Posted by DanoKubb

If I put a larger grab bar right next to the door, inline with the small original one, am i likely to hit a stud ?

Hi,

Yours is a 2003 model camper isn't it? Assuming so I have a 2004 T1950 all apart for repairing water damage. These pics are from that camper which show on the stricker side of the entry door frame where there is a lot of wood in that door frame.

See here

The whole side of the camper


Closer, the whole door


Now closer as I am taking the siding off

From the door striker down.


Down at the bottom showing the 3 segments of studding in the frame.



But... there is always a but... As you can see from the witness line of the putty tape that is left on the siding from the metal door frame, the wood frame is 3 studs wide. 2 of the studs are used up by the entry door frame. There is a 3rd stud that is outside the entry door frame. That stud would be approx 1 1/16" wide. This is what the grab handles screw into.

Odds are favorable yours is made like this too being the build years are so close. So yes, if the screws are in line with the small white plastic handle, you should bite into that stud. To help verify it's still OK, you should be able to push the siding in with your fingers, push on a low valley in the siding and it should feel solid in the area you want to place your screws. If you move off the stud away from the door frame you will feel the siding starting to flex more as there is no stud behind it when you get far enough out.

Hope this helps

John

[JohnB]

See this post for even better pics of the entry door framing. I knew I answered this before but could not find it when posting the first time.

http://www.sunlineclub.com/forums/f6...dle-17929.html

[Tod Osier]

Great photos. What is the metal above the door frame (material, thickness)? I assume it is supposed to help with the above door cracking of the siding. Do you have the cracks on the 2004? I have 2, mine re-open every long trip. I goob dicor on it and it stays for a while. I need to do a more long term repair, if only for cosmetics, I was thinking a strip of etetnabond over the whole area.

Originally Posted by JohnB

Hi,

Yours is a 2003 model camper isn't it? Assuming so I have a 2004 T1950 all apart for repairing water damage. These pics are from that camper which show on the stricker side of the entry door frame where there is a lot of wood in that door frame.

See here

The whole side of the camper


Closer, the whole door


Now closer as I am taking the siding off

From the door striker down.


Down at the bottom showing the 3 segments of studding in the frame.



But... there is always a but... As you can see from the witness line of the putty tape that is left on the siding from the metal door frame, the wood frame is 3 studs wide. 2 of the studs are used up by the entry door frame. There is a 3rd stud that is outside the entry door frame. That stud would be approx 1 1/16" wide. This is what the grab handles screw into.

Odds are favorable yours is made like this too being the build years are so close. So yes, if the screws are in line with the small white plastic handle, you should bite into that stud. To help verify it's still OK, you should be able to push the siding in with your fingers, push on a low valley in the siding and it should feel solid in the area you want to place your screws. If you move off the stud away from the door frame you will feel the siding starting to flex more as there is no stud behind it when you get far enough out.

Hope this helps

John

[JohnB]

Originally Posted by Tod Osier

Great photos. What is the metal above the door frame (material, thickness)? I assume it is supposed to help with the above door cracking of the siding. Do you have the cracks on the 2004? I have 2, mine re-open every long trip. I goob dicor on it and it stays for a while. I need to do a more long term repair, if only for cosmetics, I was thinking a strip of etetnabond over the whole area.

Tod,

There is no metal over the top of the door frame. It is 1/8" luan shim with wall paper on it that I believe is there to shim the door out with the siding. I do not think it is there to help the siding crack.

I have the siding crack on the T310SR on the front door. I drilled a 1/8" stop drill hole at the end of the crack, then put a small strip of eternabond over the crack and Dicor caulked the edges of the E bond so dirt would not stick. I have pics somewhere... running out of time now but can post later if you cannot figure out my wording.

Hope this helps

John

[DanoKubb]

Thank you all, very helpful !

[Tod Osier]

Originally Posted by JohnB

Tod,

There is no metal over the top of the door frame. It is 1/8" luan shim with wall paper on it that I believe is there to shim the door out with the siding. I do not think it is there to help the siding crack.

I have the siding crack on the T310SR on the front door. I drilled a 1/8" stop drill hole at the end of the crack, then put a small strip of eternabond over the crack and Dicor caulked the edges of the E bond so dirt would not stick. I have pics somewhere... running out of time now but can post later if you cannot figure out my wording.

Hope this helps

John

That is funny, it looks like metal on the iPad, but sure doesn’t on the big monitor - oops. . I just need to get some stuff and do it. Where the cracks are a larger one piece over the whole door would look best.

[JohnB]

Originally Posted by Tod Osier

That is funny, it looks like metal on the iPad, but sure doesn’t on the big monitor - oops. . I just need to get some stuff and do it. Where the cracks are a larger one piece over the whole door would look best.

This sort of "depends" on the way the camper siding came out. On my T310SR there is a large round ripple siding strip at the top of the door frame flange. This is a slide camper. See this post for pics of it.
http://www.sunlineclub.com/forums/f7...tml#post136778

On the non slide campers the curved siding up top lands in a different spot I "think". Would have to look to make sure my memory is right. And in that case maybe a long piece of E bond might look better as the round curve does not land right on top of the door frame flange like it did on my T310SR.

And that said, my BenB's 2006 T264SR slide camper siding is shifted from my 2004 T310SR siding in relation to the roof line. So this might not be totally a slide camper thing. Sunline, for reasons not yet totally sorted out started the siding in different siding locations. And they also changed doors to be longer too. The siding shift may not be many inches to see by a quick look but enough that a door opening and door flange can land on a different ripple of the siding.

Hope this helps

John

[Tod Osier]

Thanks for the linked post and the thoughts! I appreciate it.

T

[Stubborn1]

I recently was able to review these photos on the FB group for the same question about my T1950. The handle we wanted to add does not fall in line with original screws. While wanting to straddle the small original, I decided to forego the add on..too far left to mount screws and catch the stud properly imho. If we do add in future' most likely will add a plate on the interior wall to hold against. Best wishes!

[SimonKenton]

I had 2 sunnies where I added a swingaway grab handle. In both cases I mouttes close to the door frame and found plenty of wood to hold them.

[Janalee]

Maybe I am just lucky, but I installed a swing away grab bar on my motorhome with the same questions, but it found good hold and no problems..solid!