# Shower door opens when in transit - sundance 590RS



## Redsky (Mar 4, 2013)

Hi, Ive a swift sundance 590RS that is 18 months old. Ive a problem with the shower door that keep opening when in transit. I think the problem is that because the hinges are screwed to the frame and not resessed into it as a normal door, when ever the door is closed the hinges are in compression and want to spring the door open. Given the flexing of a van when moving and the fact that the latch isnt very long the door will not stay closed. I spoke to the swift reps at the recent NEC show and was surprised that as we walked into a new van the shower door opened as we walked up the steps. They said they had not come across the problem before. Anyway I asked if the design team had any answers. They maild back and said ' no modifications available'... very helpfull. So should I expect to have to fix some sort of bungie strap to stop the door opening on an 18 month old van? Ive actually drilled a small hole in the door hasp so I can push a plastic plug through the acts as a stop but I dont think I should have to do that.
Anyway, do any of you have a similar problem? Anyone any ideas?


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## vicdicdoc (May 14, 2005)

I think this proves the point that the people designing motorhomes don't always know or understand the "what,how & why" . . . 
Most of us go on the principle 'how can I improve it (cheaply)' so good on you for curing your problem :wink: :idea:


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## rosalan (Aug 24, 2009)

Redsky said:


> Hi, Ive a swift sundance 590RS that is 18 months old. Ive a problem with the shower door that keep opening when in transit.


I do not know your van or the door but most shower doors I have seen have a short woven nylon black strap with a popper clip on either end to hold shower doors open or closed.

Alan


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## GerryD (Sep 20, 2007)

I assume that you mean the toilet compartment door and not the shower screen.
If this is the case then I had the same problem with our Bessacarr. As you say the interiors flex during travelling and this can cause the door to spring open. I fixed ours by packing the escutcheon plate with a piece of thin transparent acetate sheet.
10 minutes and no cost.
Gerry


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## Redsky (Mar 4, 2013)

Hi Gerry, yes its the toilet door. If fixed the problem by drilling a small hole in the plate and push a small plastic raulplug through like a peg, it works but I still feel is not something owners should have to do.
Thanks


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## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

Hi Redsky and welcome to the forum.
When, and hopefully you do subscribe you will be able to see what other members have had to do.
We shouldn`t have to do lots of things, but such is life.
Dave p


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## Tiff (May 29, 2005)

Similar problem with mine but only if I had a cab window open. It must have created a pressure difference on the door which was too much for the magnetic strip catch arrangement. A small plastic turn catch cured it.


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## emmbeedee (Oct 31, 2008)

I had this earlier this year returning from Anglesey. The toilet door swung open quite violently into the kitchen, not good. As it had never done this before I assumed it hadn't been shut properly & shut it firmly, but it soon swung open again. In the end I had to tie it wide open to travel home.
The lock has a tab that comes out of the body in the centre, plus rods to "C" catches on to pegs at top & bottom, so normally quite secure. Investigating, I felt that the knob was turning too easily. The wardrobe lock is very similar & operating that I could feel slight resistance going over centre. This resistance was absent in the toilet door lock, so I suspected a broken spring.
To investigate the lock itself I had to remove the rods top & bottom & both knobs. I could then remove the lock body complete. The next problem was that the steel cover plate on the back of the lock was riveted in place, not with rivets as such either. The lock body, a zinc base alloy casting, (Mazak?) had two pegs as part of the casting. The ends of these were then riveted over the steel plate. In order to remove the plate I drilled the pegs (in the centre of the riveted over portion) with a drill slightly smaller than the peg, about 3 mm into each peg This allowed me to prise off the steel back plate.
I was expecting to see a broken coil spring when I opened up the lock but I was disappointed, as the spring was a nylon moulding, not steel at all. Bugger! The nylon was a "U" shape & had broken in the centre of the "U". Obviously no chance of a spare & a trip to Brittany imminent so what to do? Solution was to use half of the broken nylon & back it up with a piece of rubber packing, about 3 mm thick. I cut this to fit & cut a notch in the back so it would fold around the nylon when operating the lock. Tried it, result!   
The steel back plate was now a nice push fit on to the pegs & no need to re-rivet as once fixed back on the door it is held securely in place.
The lock is now very secure, probably better than new in comparison with the wardrobe.
Only regret is that after finishing the job I realised I should have taken photos at stages in case anyone else has the same problem. :x

Edit: Spelling.


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## drcotts (Feb 23, 2006)

I am not surprise that you had the response you had from Swift redsky. they are the worse company i have ever dealt with for anything let alone motorhomes for customer service. They are rationed to one sentence answers i think as they seem incapable of forming a meaningful reply to anything I have ever asked them.

please consider becoming a member of the forum as you will get a load more help on here form the MHF members that you ever will from swift - well thats my experience after spending 50K anyway

Phill


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## nomad (May 11, 2005)

Hi, I had the same problem with the toilet door opening while travelling on my 2010 Swift Sundance 580 PR, I never reported it to Swift as I didn't expect them to have an answer to the problem.
I did however report that one of the fresh water tank straps broke on a bumpy part of the N125 in Faro and they said that it was not their strap that was weakened when they bent it when it was manufactured and that I should claim from my insurance.
I now have a Chausson and after 6 months the only fault I have had is that the toilet roll holder broke.
Colin


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

we had a similar problem with the wardrobe door

Albert removed it and replaced the rubbish hinges with stronger recessed ones and a better catch

No problem since

Much to the dogs delight

I kid you not, we have to walk around the van with him checking everything is secure, every dam door and cupboard before we set off anywhere

No amount of "it's all fine" will do
Only then will he settle down for the journey

And an unsettled 71/2 stone mut is not to be ignored   

aldra


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## Val666 (Jan 19, 2013)

*Not fit for purpose items in motorhomes*

I have a sundance 630l 2012. The toilet door was for ever coming open and needed a real clash for it to stay shut. This drove us mad when grandchildren had to constantly clash the door especially in the night!
I was told it had to be a tight fit because it was a shower room. So we have never used a shower in our caravans so I changed the position of the housing od the lock keep. No more trouble!! I have the keep if we wish to use it as shower.

Looking back I should have it was not fit for purpose. Remember this legal term also takes in account how much you have paid for it. About £50000 in my case. If they did not rectify it I should have gone to small claims court.

I once bought a Lunar caravan and the drawers from centre drawer unit at the back scuffed the seat cushions. I was told there all like that. I contacted the sales director of lunar who arranged for the unit to be altered.

I currently have a list of warranty items to be done - some of these involve items that are not fit for purpose. I am determined to have these made fit for purpose or we will go done the legal route.

If we continue to accept items in motor homes which are not fit for purpose the manufactures will continue as before.

I also tend to think Anne Robinson has not done a programme on Motor Homes yet If you go done the legal route you must use the publicity card which will hit the manufacturers in the pocket.

What this space.


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