Door security - Top Half

I haven't seen this discussed, forgive me if it has.

I own a 2005 2619. I have always been a bit concerned WRT to the top half of the door only being secured by that plastic twist down tab that overlaps the bottom door to keep it shut. I think on newer models they use a metal tab but this still seems not as secure as I would prefer.

Has anyone modified their door, like possibly adding a second dead bolt for the top half?

Just curious, thanks.

I just keep a 9mm semi auto at arms reach and my wife carries a s&w j-frame revolver. If anyone comes in uninvited, he won't be happy! As far as when you are away, there are several ways a thief could enter besides the door. TM doors are like all camper doors. They are designed to keep honest folk honest.

Originally Posted by [email protected]

I just keep a 9mm semi auto at arms reach and my wife carries a s&w j-frame revolver. If anyone comes in uninvited, he won't be happy! As far as when you are away, there are several ways a thief could enter besides the door. TM doors are like all camper doors. They are designed to keep honest folk honest.

As do I

My main concern is I take full day and multi-day Jeep runs and would like a bit more peace of mind.

I added a dead bolt to the top half of our 3326. I actually replace both the door knob lock at the same time. What I did was purchase door look set so both the would be keyed alike. I replace the lock in the lower door with and new lock set and put the dead bolt in the upper half of the door. My TM is currently covered for the winter but it is similar to the picture in the post listed below. It has worked very well.

Dave

http://www.trailmanorowners.com/foru...ight=dead+bolt

[Wavery]

Here's a lesson that I learned when I was sailing around the world on my sailboat. We stopped in a lot of 3rd-world island countries and witnessed a lot of boat break-ins.

The one thing that was prevalent was that if the thief wanted in....he got in. It matters little, to the thief, how much damage is done in the process. After-all, he doesn't plan on fixing the damage.

The bottom line is, the harder you make it to break in, the more that it will cost to repair the damage. Nothing else seems to change.

If a thief is in a hurry and just checking for unlocked doors, he will try your door handle, if it's locked, he'll move on. If it isn't he'll make himself at home. If the thief feels that he is safe from detection, he will try your door knob, if it's locked and he really wants in, he will pry the door open. The amount of damage that he does in doing so is entirely up to you.

I put a padlock on the hatch on my sailboat. After witnessing the damage that thieves do to the doors, prying locks off, I removed 2 of the 3 screws holding the hasp to the door so that it would to little damage if/when it was pried off. Thankfully, we had no break-ins in 14 years and 57 countries.

That little plastic piece on our TM suites me just fine. There's not a thief on the planet that knows that is a 2-piece door with a plastic retainer. He's going to use a screw driver, rock, pipe, pry-bar or whatever else is at hand to open that door, if that's what's on his mind. Prying open a door with a dead-bolt......I don't even want to think about the damage that would do.

Originally Posted by dlkcub

I added a dead bolt to the top half of our 3326. I actually replace both the door knob lock at the same time. What I did was purchase door look set so both the would be keyed alike. I replace the lock in the lower door with and new lock set and put the dead bolt in the upper half of the door. My TM is currently covered for the winter but it is similar to the picture in the post listed below. It has worked very well.

Dave

http://www.trailmanorowners.com/foru...ight=dead+bolt

My set-up looks identical to that one. The previous owner of my 2006 3023 must have perormed this same mod. I thought it came from the factory that way.

I like the mods, seems a good option. Does anyone know if these locks are special in any way. I assume they are stainless, but are they non-standard?

I understand the reality is if they really want into your RV they will get in but I also believe being a easy target could be asking for trouble.

I usually camp in parks with others RVers. I know one park I use on the way to a favorite destination has had problems with thefts, but it's a nicer park in that area so I prefer to stay there. That probably means there are people (locals) watching the park, looking for easy pickings. I would rather to not be an easy target if possible, hence the desire to secure the top half of the door a bit better.

Even in the example Wayne mentions, where he leaves the boat hatch lock in place but loosely secured with one screw, the lock is still there, it "looks" secure. These TM top doors don't look that secure, even for non-TM owners IMHO.

Thanks for the great posts!

[Wavery]

Originally Posted by Mr Geek

I like the mods, seems a good option. Does anyone know if these locks are special in any way. I assume they are stainless, but are they non-standard?

I understand the reality is if they really want into your RV they will get in but I also believe being a easy target could be asking for trouble.

I usually camp in parks with others RVers. I know one park I use on the way to a favorite destination has had problems with thefts, but it's a nicer park in that area so I prefer to stay there. That probably means there are people (locals) watching the park, looking for easy pickings. I would rather to not be an easy target if possible, hence the desire to secure the top half of the door a bit better.

Even in the example Wayne mentions, where he leaves the boat hatch lock in place but loosely secured with one screw, the lock is still there, it "looks" secure. These TM top doors don't look that secure, even for non-TM owners IMHO.

Thanks for the great posts!

I'm pretty sure that they are just standard home door locks. They're normally made of brass or S/S. Just make sure that they will fit a 1"-1.25" thick door.

As I mentioned above I just purchased a lot set which included a dead bolt at a local home improvement store. I think at the time it was less than $15. Like Wayne said above just make sure it fits the thickness of the door. I made a rubber gasket for the dead bolt similar to what was on the door knob. I just cur it out of a piece of inner tube rubber.

Originally Posted by dlkcub

As I mentioned above I just purchased a lot set which included a dead bolt at a local home improvement store. I think at the time it was less than $15. Like Wayne said above just make sure it fits the thickness of the door. I made a rubber gasket for the dead bolt similar to what was on the door knob. I just cur it out of a piece of inner tube rubber.

Perfect, thanks for the helpful replies!

Bob.