Axis 24.1 Door Entrance Lock Failure

[Dick Rohde]

Well, I read about this problem on this forum a while ago and last week it happened to us. We have a 2016 Thor Axis 24.1 with 17,XXX miles on it. On a fishing trip to the Minnesota border lake Kabetogama we had just settled into our campsite and closed the door. It felt a little funny so I tried to open it again...no luck...it was broken and we were stuck inside. Here is what happens with these doors...they have a zinc die cast plunger that breaks at it's thinnest section and you can't open the door from either side. I yelled for help to get my tools and took the door plate off from the inside with a phillips screwdriver, took the door plunger out of the assembly and used the dead bolt lock to secure the door closed until I replaced the mechanism. I purchased a new entrance door assembly from the manufacturer Trimark Corp. in Iowa and I'm back in business. The new assembly features a steel plunger.
Be aware that if this has not happened to you yet, it will! For $146+ you can replace it before it fails, and I highly recommend that you do this. I was not rough on the door at all yet it still broke. It is a very weak piece destined to fail...usually at the worst possible time. If it fails when you are outside, you will have to climb back in through a window...if the window is open...or you may have to have a window broken to get back in! There's numerous reports on this forum of this happening. It is not hard to replace...only requires a phillips head screwdriver. Thought that I would let y'all know. Happy Camping

 

[taylorbob1]

My Vegas has the Trimark 030-0900 (the long one).
Can only find a couple of on-line locations to purchase.
And not sure if I need a replacement.
(Trying to be proactive)

Found it for $180

https://www.rvpartscenter.com/shop-by-categories/list1/rv-door-locks/rv-door-locks-by-trimark/tri-mark-exterior-paddle-lock-only-with-1-inch-deadbolt-36287-01-detail

 

[Dick Rohde]

My Vegas has the Trimark 030-0900 (the long one).
Can only find a couple of on-line locations to purchase.
And not sure if I need a replacement.
(Trying to be proactive)

Found it for $180

https://www.rvpartscenter.com/shop-...ock-only-with-1-inch-deadbolt-36287-01-detail

I purchased mine directly from Trimark Corp. Phone 800.431.8616 Ordered on Friday afternoon and it was delivered on Monday! I also ordered extra keys from them before, when I first got my rig. What year is your door/RV? You may want to ask them about whether your particular entry lock has a zinc diecast plunger or a steel plunger. I'm thinking that when they first came out, they figured the diecast was the way to go but it's thin 1/8" sections are a failure point. Look at your door plunger and run a file across it to see if you can tell if it is cast metal or steel...better yet, take a screwdriver and remove the plate inside and look at the plunger...you should be able to tell if it is machined steel or cast. Good luck. Hopefully others will check their units because it is no fun being locked out...we were luck to be locked in.

 

[Scubawise]

What year is your door/RV - built 2019 thor vegas

 

[Dick Rohde]

My RV is a 2016 Thor Axis 24.1

 

[pwoods]

Thor changed the lock during 2017 or around there. Looks like 2018 and newer are the 7" high one (the one taylorbob shows). While they have their own problems, the older models have a different lock and early versions had a cast part that would break. Newer versions have a steel part instead. Lots of threads on this issue.

 

[SChin]

Since zinc is not magnetic you can test it with a magnet. Are you talking about the plunger that is part of the inside door handle? Mine is a 2015 Vegas 24.1 with 58k. I took mine apart and it is hard to tell if it is die cast or steel, but it is not magnetic.

 

[SChin]

I just ordered a new latch from RV parts center. It came today and it looks identical to my old latch. Is there a way to tell if I received a updated steel plunger latch assembly or is it the old style one that breaks?

 

[DebM11]

Pre-failure mode inside door latch

Our pin is probably zinc and broken at the top, it tries to fall through the door handle so babying it till we can get to a hardware store for first aid of a steel pin and then a replacement unit. We were lucky to see the pin lower than expected and to see these posts.

 

[16ACE27]

Our pin is probably zinc and broken at the top, it tries to fall through the door handle so babying it till we can get to a hardware store for first aid of a steel pin and then a replacement unit. We were lucky to see the pin lower than expected and to see these posts.

The pin is not the problem; it is the sliding door latch.

 

[Seabee-THOR]

My RV is a 2016 Thor Axis 24.1

I have the same MH. Do you have the part # of the one you used? Thanks, Ed

 

[SChin]

RV Door Lock w/Dead Bolt, Trimark 37575-01-K


$140.70

 

[Seabee-THOR]

Door lock

Thank You, I tested mine with a magnet and it's not steel. So I ordered a new ass'y from RV PARTS CENTER using your number- he did not have it in stock so it will be coming from TRIMARK direct. Under orders (!!) I am leaving the driver's side window unlocked until I get the latch changed.
Thanks to all (as usual) for this very critical information. Ed

 

[SChin]

Hi Seabee,


let me know when you get your new lock assembly. My new lock looked the same as my original lock, and was not magnetic. I called TRIMARK and they told me all of the locks being sold were the new ones. Maybe RV Parts Center had a old lock assembly and sold it to me. I just wanted to be sure I received the new updated steel lock assembly.

 

[2015axis]

We installed the RVlocks.com with remote, had to do a few mods to get it to fit correctly but real happy with the end product if you go with a full replacement.

View attachment 31920View attachment 31921

 

[Seabee-THOR]

SChin- Hi- Will do. It just got shipped out today so I don't have a clue when it will get here. I intend to put it in right away. I'll let you know. Ed

 

[2015axis]

Little adjusting but works well I think you'll be please, having the keypad entry sure is nice when you forget the keys!

 

[Jimeth1616]

Unfortunately in 2017 they changed the entry locks to a tall vertical TriMark lock (030-0900) that also left us locked outside. I ordered a brand new one from TriMark and it did exactly the same thing. They also don't provide new screws, outside gasket of even thread the new lock's screw bosses! I had to tap my own! There are NO other alternatives to the TriMark tall lock (Bauer, RV Lock, et al)

 

[Seabee-THOR]

Door Lock

SChin; New lock ass'y just arrived- haven't put it in yet- maybe Monday- but here's what I can see: You're right- it looks exactly the same. And the "deadbolt" all the way through including the shaft holding the key and the handle is not magnetic. The only thing in that ass'y that's magnetic is the round operating rod that actually moves the "deadbolt".
The "latch" mechanism (the thing with the tapered end) that moves into place when you close the door, is magnetic- including the two 1/8" square rods that are part of that latch.
All that remains now for me is to actually remove the lock ass'y and see how it all compares. Stay tuned. Ed

 

[Seabee-THOR]

Door lock installed

Sorry for the delayed final install- - but life happens.
The install took all of 20 minutes- and that included adjusting those big alignment pins that you're not supposed to touch that stick out on the door edge.
The new ass'y looks exactly like the old one, but the difference is that the new one is definitely steel and the old one is, as expected, either zinc or some other pot metal all the way through- including the 2 square 1/8 rods on the inside of the latch (not the deadbolt).
Thanks to the forum members for helping me to avert what could have been a very unpleasant situation. Now I can lock my driver's side sliding window (that leaks but that's another subject for another thread). Ed