door and side door
door and side door
need to find a replacement door for my unit
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caconcourse
- Senior Member
- Posts: 510
- Joined: October 31st, 2014, 10:25 pm
Re: door and side door
There is one on Ebay. Have to pick it up in Yakima, seems to be a factory leftover.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/OEM-Trail-Wago ... 8m&vxp=mtr
Clay
https://www.ebay.com/itm/OEM-Trail-Wago ... 8m&vxp=mtr
Clay
Clay
2001 Concourse
Santa Barbara, CA
2001 Concourse
Santa Barbara, CA
Re: door and side door
I'm looking for the same.. guessing you bought the one on ebay. Anyone know where to get the rear door for 1994 chinook premier? Mine rotted out and unlocks it self 
Re: door and side door
Teege,
I have bought myself a lot of time by injecting Gorilla glue into my door. It expands as it cures and what I thought would be a short term fix is still going strong 2 years later. I also added a piece of aluminum plate to the bottom rear inside of the door (aout 12" tall and full width.) I screwed it in and used 5200 Marine sealant. Door now closes and latches with a push. I use mine all winter skiing and even more important is my door now seals all around.
A little caution is due as it did slightly bow out the exterior panel but not enough for anyone but myself to notice. I like how when I tap the exterior panel it feels hard as a rock!
Somewhere I have seen doors which folks have purchased and I'll repost if I find it...
Bill
1997 Concourse 200K+ miles
I have bought myself a lot of time by injecting Gorilla glue into my door. It expands as it cures and what I thought would be a short term fix is still going strong 2 years later. I also added a piece of aluminum plate to the bottom rear inside of the door (aout 12" tall and full width.) I screwed it in and used 5200 Marine sealant. Door now closes and latches with a push. I use mine all winter skiing and even more important is my door now seals all around.
A little caution is due as it did slightly bow out the exterior panel but not enough for anyone but myself to notice. I like how when I tap the exterior panel it feels hard as a rock!
Somewhere I have seen doors which folks have purchased and I'll repost if I find it...
Bill
1997 Concourse 200K+ miles
1997 Chinook Concourse, over 200,000 Miles
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eporter123
- **Forum Contributor**
- Posts: 184
- Joined: April 2nd, 2018, 9:50 am
Re: door and side door
Has anyone ever added a bigger door? Build a frame for it and cut the fiberglass to match? Big project, but could allow for a bigger door/easier in/out.
Former owner of a 2000 Chinook Premier, V-10, with no Interior...
Re: door and side door
Anything is doable, given time and/or money, but I think making a wider door would be a tough one -- because you'd have to re-do so many things.
1) Metal step unit, which may be integrated with hitch and/or bumper (Atlas Metal Mfg.)
2) Molded fiberglass "hood" over exterior of door (because rear of coach slants inward, molded section is specially molded to be plumb for door)
3) Well, this one may not apply to you (
), but the shower and closet (and refrigerator) limit the effectiveness of a wider door once you get inside).
On the other hand, I found a couple of other mods that really reduced the narrow feel, at least for me (because I disliked it immensely).
1) On the outside, I moved the spare tire to the front onto a front hitch mount. Ahhhhh, elbow room at the door (plus less weight on the close-to-limits rear axle, and more weight on the has-spare-capacity front axle).
2) On the inside, I remove the Very Large Refrigerator, which protruded into the already narrow aisle. The new compressor refrigerator I installed sits back something like 3-4", which makes a big difference.
2a) I used a refrigerator that has a 46" high counter over it, for additional elbow and visual room, but there is a "next model up" refrigerator that would be closer to the original size/height, yet still less deep.
2c) I eliminated the little cabinet under the refrigerator (which would have been shallower with my new refrigerator anyway), and instead re-insulated the gen box to be quieter/cooler/less bulky, and the refrigerator thus cantilevers over that area by about 4". More visual space plus a place for shoes, that bag you need to take out to the car, etc. without tripping over them.
3) On my rig, the face of the closet ran a little crooked. At the rear door, it attaches to an angle iron that is part of the rear shell. But then as it came forward to meet the refrigerator wall, it also came outward into the hallway slightly. I re-did that to be "straight," which gives another inch or so in the hallway, but is not noticeable in the closet.
4) This is a bit more tangential, but still has some effect: I removed the giant/square microwave cabinet from over the stove. No more limbo cooking, plus much more visual space (I made that cabinet in line with the cabinets over the dinette area instead. I don't want a microwave, but some Chinook's had them under the stove top if they did not have an oven).
I realize some of this may not apply to you, since your rig doesn't have a lot of the stock cabinetry left, but I figured it might still be somewhat helpful, and plus of course others reading might find it of use.
BTW, I don't mean to be discouraging on the door - heck, I mulled over adding a side door before deciding that even I have my limits
1) Metal step unit, which may be integrated with hitch and/or bumper (Atlas Metal Mfg.)
2) Molded fiberglass "hood" over exterior of door (because rear of coach slants inward, molded section is specially molded to be plumb for door)
3) Well, this one may not apply to you (
), but the shower and closet (and refrigerator) limit the effectiveness of a wider door once you get inside).On the other hand, I found a couple of other mods that really reduced the narrow feel, at least for me (because I disliked it immensely).
1) On the outside, I moved the spare tire to the front onto a front hitch mount. Ahhhhh, elbow room at the door (plus less weight on the close-to-limits rear axle, and more weight on the has-spare-capacity front axle).
2) On the inside, I remove the Very Large Refrigerator, which protruded into the already narrow aisle. The new compressor refrigerator I installed sits back something like 3-4", which makes a big difference.
2a) I used a refrigerator that has a 46" high counter over it, for additional elbow and visual room, but there is a "next model up" refrigerator that would be closer to the original size/height, yet still less deep.
2c) I eliminated the little cabinet under the refrigerator (which would have been shallower with my new refrigerator anyway), and instead re-insulated the gen box to be quieter/cooler/less bulky, and the refrigerator thus cantilevers over that area by about 4". More visual space plus a place for shoes, that bag you need to take out to the car, etc. without tripping over them.
3) On my rig, the face of the closet ran a little crooked. At the rear door, it attaches to an angle iron that is part of the rear shell. But then as it came forward to meet the refrigerator wall, it also came outward into the hallway slightly. I re-did that to be "straight," which gives another inch or so in the hallway, but is not noticeable in the closet.
4) This is a bit more tangential, but still has some effect: I removed the giant/square microwave cabinet from over the stove. No more limbo cooking, plus much more visual space (I made that cabinet in line with the cabinets over the dinette area instead. I don't want a microwave, but some Chinook's had them under the stove top if they did not have an oven).
I realize some of this may not apply to you, since your rig doesn't have a lot of the stock cabinetry left, but I figured it might still be somewhat helpful, and plus of course others reading might find it of use.
BTW, I don't mean to be discouraging on the door - heck, I mulled over adding a side door before deciding that even I have my limits
1999 Concourse
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eporter123
- **Forum Contributor**
- Posts: 184
- Joined: April 2nd, 2018, 9:50 am
Re: door and side door
It's definitely not worth the effort for me to move the door, but it got me thinking! I wonder if Trail wagons used the same metal step assembly for the side door chinooks?
I guess it's just that I really like the convenience/practicality of my ambulance with its side door and double rear doors. So easy to haul things.
Maybe the ultimate chinook mod would be an entire rear hatch that hinges up and also had a door in it?
With no genny or fridge in mine, I've contemplated what it would take to move the door to the side, or to make a bigger door/hatch where the genny and fridge hatches are.
I guess it's just that I really like the convenience/practicality of my ambulance with its side door and double rear doors. So easy to haul things.
Maybe the ultimate chinook mod would be an entire rear hatch that hinges up and also had a door in it?
With no genny or fridge in mine, I've contemplated what it would take to move the door to the side, or to make a bigger door/hatch where the genny and fridge hatches are.
Former owner of a 2000 Chinook Premier, V-10, with no Interior...
Re: door and side door
It'd be interesting to see the step assembly for the side doors. I can't think it would be exactly the same, but maybe a variation? Or perhaps more of a standard RV step.
One note is that on the side door models, the propane tank is smaller. That leads me to believe that our larger propane tank might get in the way of a side door (but where there's a will there's a way).
I know what you mean about all the doors. I really miss the ninety-nine doors of my camper van (well, it seems like that many compared to the Chinook!). OTOH, there are many things I don't miss. At first it drove me nuts, but I have adjusted. One thing that helps in my case is that when I travel solo I have a box I put in in place of the passenger seat and I can access that from the side door (so that gives me one more "utility" door). I also have easier access to the "tire locker" since I moved the spare up front. Lastly, if I ever get around to removing the generator I'll have that "door" to a big storage compartment. Still not the same as all the doors of a van (or an ambo), but then I do enjoy being able to wander around indoors, and sometimes it's nice not to be so "open door" (like when at a rest area or public parking lot, or even a cheek-by-jowl RV park. Then the Chinook's extra privacy factor is nice.
Speaking of the door, I wish it opened all the way flat. But to do that i'd have to modify the step big time, plus remove the ladder. Or make it open the other way and still modify the step (plus it'd be more cramped upon stepping in since now I can kind of expand into the bathroom doorway, but the other way I'd be up against the closet). Since I don't feel like doing any of those things.... I have adjusted.
One note is that on the side door models, the propane tank is smaller. That leads me to believe that our larger propane tank might get in the way of a side door (but where there's a will there's a way).
I know what you mean about all the doors. I really miss the ninety-nine doors of my camper van (well, it seems like that many compared to the Chinook!). OTOH, there are many things I don't miss. At first it drove me nuts, but I have adjusted. One thing that helps in my case is that when I travel solo I have a box I put in in place of the passenger seat and I can access that from the side door (so that gives me one more "utility" door). I also have easier access to the "tire locker" since I moved the spare up front. Lastly, if I ever get around to removing the generator I'll have that "door" to a big storage compartment. Still not the same as all the doors of a van (or an ambo), but then I do enjoy being able to wander around indoors, and sometimes it's nice not to be so "open door" (like when at a rest area or public parking lot, or even a cheek-by-jowl RV park. Then the Chinook's extra privacy factor is nice.
Speaking of the door, I wish it opened all the way flat. But to do that i'd have to modify the step big time, plus remove the ladder. Or make it open the other way and still modify the step (plus it'd be more cramped upon stepping in since now I can kind of expand into the bathroom doorway, but the other way I'd be up against the closet). Since I don't feel like doing any of those things.... I have adjusted.
1999 Concourse