Exterior door hinge pins

[Scott'n'Wendy]

On the street side of our 303RLS one of the storage doors opens upward. While camping a week ago, when opening the door it fell off and landed on my feet. Looking at the hinge pins, they had sheared off with half left in the door, half still in the part of the hinge attached to the opening in the trailer wall.
Has anybody found the pins on Amazon or somewhere? Local dealer is no help as I didn't purchase from them. (Their attitude ensures I will never buy from them)

[Cate&Rob]

Hi Scott,

This is a problem that I do not recall ever being discussed before. I do know that Grand Design has used compartment doors with different style hinges over the years. Sheared hinge pins would indicate that they are plastic? I would think that stainless steel rods or bolts would be a better plan. Could you post pictures?

Rob

[Scott'n'Wendy]

Hi Rob,
Yes they are plastic. To get home I inserted a couple 3" long metal machine screws and duct taped the heads so they would not fall out along the highway. I will take a picture today and post up.
I will also send an email to GDRV to see if they can help. (Not sure how long the warranty lasts. If it's one year, I'm out of luck, If it's two years, I should get parts from GD I guess)

[Scott'n'Wendy]

Couple pics

[Stilly1155]

On the street side of our 303RLS one of the storage doors opens upward. While camping a week ago, when opening the door it fell off and landed on my feet. Looking at the hinge pins, they had sheared off with half left in the door, half still in the part of the hinge attached to the opening in the trailer wall.
Has anybody found the pins on Amazon or somewhere? Local dealer is no help as I didn't purchase from them. (Their attitude ensures I will never buy from them)

I also just noticed yesterday that the garage door on on the right side of my 337rls that lifts up wasn't closing properly and had no hinge pin on the forward side. Don't know were it went but need a replacement. I too have looked but can't find one anywhere.

Please let me know if you find out where to buy them.

Thanks Tim

[Cate&Rob]

Hi Scott,

Grand Design might offer to send you a door . . . but, I doubt that they will have hinge pins. They might send you to LCI who makes the door assembly. In either case . . . replacing those pins with new plastic ones seems like a waste of time. A similar but slightly larger stainless steel bolt could be turned down on a lathe to create a more durable hinge pin.

Rob

[Scott'n'Wendy]

Hi Rob
I agree some form of metal pin would increase reliability. It looks to me like the plastic pin became seized on both parts of the hinge instead of being free on one side. Then the hinge action was accomplished by the pin twisting a few times until it snapped.

FYI,
I contacted GD and was told the trailer is out of warranty, but, they 'may' be able to send me a hinge. So I'll wait a few days and see what happens. If they do send me a hinge, seeing as the warranty time is over, that is above and beyond customer service in my mind.

[Cate&Rob]

Hi Scott,

Looking at your pictures . . . Is one half of the pin ribbed and one half smooth? This would fit with your theory that the smooth end seized . . . meaning that other hinge pins like this need to be lubricated on the smooth end or they will suffer the same fate.

Rob

[Scott'n'Wendy]

The plastic pin has a hexagonal profile for the first cm under the head, then round for the rest of the pin. The hexagonal profile appears to provide an interference fit with the hinge.

[BeardedJ]

My street door hinge pin also broke last week. I drilled the plastic starting with a smaller 1/16” bit and working my way up to 5/32. Then bought a 10-24 tap and two10-24 TPI x 3” Stainless Scews. The broken piece that came out of the cargo door frame I threaded with the tap. The plastic in the hinge I drilled again at 3/16”. Then pushed the bolt through and then threaded piece the broke off on to the bolt. This held the bolt in place and the plastic acted as a dielectric(albeit probably not needed with stainless) bushing for the bolt. Seems to be working like a champ!! If I figure out how to post links or video I’ll post the process.

[mboehk]

This just happened to us as well. 2021 GD - just out of warranty and the plastic pin broke off dropping the door on our driveway damaging the aluminum trim. The other side looks damaged as well. Ive been in plastics most of my career and it should not sheer like this - especially in the first year or two of usage.

First thing we've found on our GD that we are disappointed in, especially since like everyone else we cannot find replacement parts. I figured this would be a super common part available everywhere, but no. So now I have to design something - unless someone finds a solution I can buy somewhere.

BTW - with how easy these break, I guess there is no reason to lock the doors anymore . . . (I know RV storage door security is already bad).

Mike

[Scott'n'Wendy]

I think I have spares with me here in AZ. I'll take a look and see if I can get you the part numbers

[mboehk]

Scott'n'Wendy A part number would be terrific!! Right now it seems like I can find / order every other Lippert part on Amazon and other places, but these hinges seem awfully elusive. I haven't even found them on the Lippert/LCI website. At the moment I'm seeing if a buddy can machine one for me as we are leaving for a trip in a few days.

I would love to be able to buy some (along with some spares). I have a feeling this isn't the last time I will have to deal with this.

Mike

[TedS]

I found that a common door hinge pin was an adequate substitute. And it's metal. Yes, rust streaks. Maybe look for stainless.

[Jlawles2]

I wonder if you could use a stainless bolt? Get one with a head to thread long enough to allow you to lop (high tech term there) the head and threads. Temp or permanent fix depending on how well it works.