Deadbolt on upper door? Is this possible?

[B_and_D]

RXDAVE, we'd like to see pictures too.

What kind of a lock did you buy? Just a regular deadbolt?

I've been waiting to hear back from the factory for almost 3 weeks about the replacement parts for my rear bed slide and had planned on asking them about the deadbolt when they call me back. They must be really busy. ???

After figuring out how make the files smaller , here are some pictures of the door modifi cation Rx Dave

here is another

and another

and the last, As you can see it fits fine. The units I used ( purchase from Trailmanor were LOCWARE combination set model5129. Hope this helps

[B_and_D]

Thanks for the pictures RXDAVE...this is what I've wanted to do! I'm going to call the TM factory again about the rear bed slide parts and also ask them about this lock.

We've done plenty of door locks on house entry doors, but the idea of cutting into the TM door is kind of scary...not just wood to cut through...I guess if we have the proper tools (and a steady and strong hand) it will be OK.

;D ;D Found another picture
Rxdave

Civil_War_Buff, sorry I haven't visited here for several days. I installed a cabinet door lock on my upper door in the same way that another TMer did (someone named Fox). It has a swinging latch that swings over the door jamb. It's a very secure way of locking the upper half door - from the outside - since it does not weaken either the door or the jamb. If the TM factory is installing deadbolt locks in the lower doors by the method shown in rxdave's photos, I think it's not a good installation. Sorry, rxdave, but it's just my opinion. One reason for my saying this is that the open bolt seems to be restrained by a flimsy strike plate. If an intruder pulls hard on it, the strike plate may bend and then the bolt will quickly be pulling outward on the 1/16" thick aluminum outer skin of your trailer's wall. If the intruder doesn't get in, he will certainly damage the outer skin of the TM's wall at the jamb. The cabinet lock, on the other hand, latches over an intact wall at the door jamb. The likelihood of an intruders pulling hard enough to deform an intact wall is not very great. It's more likely that the bar latch would bend a little.

The primary disadvantage of installing a cabinet lock, as I see it, is that it can only be locked from the outside. We can't lock our upper door from the inside when we retire at night. I intend to install a simple sliding latch on the inside of the upper door. The sliding bar will latch against a strike plate on the jamb. Fastening the latch by simple screws to the 1/16" interior aluminum panel would not provide sufficient retaining strength for the latch. Therefore I'll insert a special stainless steel bolt plate through holes from the outside of the door - just a rectangular plate with 2 threaded studs welded to it. The sliding bar latch will slip over the ends of the threaded studs and then washers and nuts will fasten the latch securely in place. With this method an intruder would not be able to pull the latch out of the door.

Here is a picture of the cabinet lock from the outside of the upper half door.

Larry

And here is a picture of the swinging bar latch of the cabinet lock on the inside of the upper door.

Larry

Larry, I'm not an engineer, however this installation on my trailer is NOT the way the factory does it. They install both locks on the bottom door. Mine is done with the idea of being able to lock the door at night from the inside. I'm sure if anyone really wants to get in the trailer there is nothing we can do, only slow them down. Dave