# Convert full door into a stable door? Can it be done?



## riverboat2001 (Apr 2, 2009)

Due to my two dogs having had starring roles in The Great Escape remake, i prefer stable doors, i have them at home and on my old motorhome.

The Swift Royale 630 that we should be picking up in about a fortnight has a whole door, but looking at the aliminuim strip running around it, there appears to be a cut for a stable door already there. Although i think it would be in the wrong place due to the big step down.

How difficult would it be for a skilled motor home repairer / workshop to fashion a stable door for me from the original one? Or is there a different style with a window embedded in it?

One other thing, the bottom of the door looked a bit flaky, possibly from leaving it open in the rain. Where would one look for a replacement?

Many Thanks
Sharon


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

As these doors are really wood framed and either ally or grp skinned, depending on age.I wood rather get a skilled carpenter to do the job.rather than a dealer, unless you would like to contact the dealers registered on here for advise, which would do no haem. where abouts in the UK are you would also help us recomend a dealer etc.do not fit an electric step.

cabby


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## riverboat2001 (Apr 2, 2009)

Cheers for that, I'm in Watford NW of London.


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Door*

Hi

Given that many caravans have a stable door, and motorhomes do not, perhaps it is an industry safety standard for accident impact or something??? I think there must be more to this than meets the eye.

Answers please on Radio 2! (Shame that feature is no longer on - I am showing my age again)

Russell


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## riverboat2001 (Apr 2, 2009)

I had thought it was more of a cost cutting thing.


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## roamingsue (Aug 23, 2008)

I think there is a saftey point. The old little romahomes were fitted with a stable door and I believe it was stopped for saftey regs .... will ask a question over on the small motorhome forum for you which seem to be the place the romahomers hang out.


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## locovan (Oct 17, 2007)

We have a stable door on our Autrotrail and it is very handy but-- I think you will find they are not fitted now because of safety as already said and they can be drafty if you dont have a good fit so get an expert to do the job if its allowed.


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## peedee (May 10, 2005)

Give >this< company a ring, they will do you a stable door and they are not that far from you.

peedee


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## artona (Jan 19, 2006)

Have you considered making a second, inner door, just the lower half out of maybe ply. Or even could you buy a hinged child gate so they could see out without having to jump up onto it.

If you cut the original door into two i would imagine you would have to reinforce the inside so they keep their shape and after that you would somehow have to then make them both theft proof and the new gap water tight and draft proof.

stew


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## locovan (Oct 17, 2007)

http://www.petplanet.co.uk/product.asp?dept_id=303&pf_id=53701&source=webgains&siteid=47683

Stew thats a good idea as here is an expanding one that would do the job nicely


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## artona (Jan 19, 2006)

Nice find Mavis, that looks a good solution


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## eurajohn (May 9, 2005)

For what it's worth my advice would definitely be don't do it, the habitation door is the easiest point of entry for would be thieves, by splitting your door in two you'd only make unwanted entry easier; add to that the problems already mentioned of weatherproofing etc and I think you've got your reasons not to do it.


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## riverboat2001 (Apr 2, 2009)

locovan said:


> http://www.petplanet.co.uk/product.asp?dept_id=303&pf_id=53701&source=webgains&siteid=47683
> 
> Stew thats a good idea as here is an expanding one that would do the job nicely


Yes, a baby gate was our second option, and the one linked to is very nice. My only concern is catching myself or my clothes on whatever fixings this uses on either side to hold the gate in place.

Also the theft aspect is quite interesting, as i never really worry too much. when we are away we stay on sites and the dogs are in the van if we go out (only left for short periods). When the van is at home we never worry about it, we are very fortunate to live in a really low crime area where we sometimes even forget to lock the door at night. However we take more notice of this now and one of the dogs opens the door and she's off!

The thought of moving house soon and having a more expensive motorhome will probably change all that.


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## thedoc (May 1, 2005)

We purchased a travel stairgate off ebay - cost a fiver. Probably won't keep a rottweiler in, but stops our Ted wandering .......bargain!!

Andy & Kevin


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## littlenell (Aug 1, 2008)

Interesting topic, we don't want the stable door, but we do like the idea of having door open. Having two large dogs (combined weight 78kg) who if a rabbit or a squirrel came into line of sight would make mincemeat out of most dog gates -we have resorted to harnesses and are attached with a climbing carabiner to the rocknroll bases or if outside, the wheels... using their leads or (due to the boy becoming a chewer) a metal cable.Am not happy with this as they get tangled up!

We have an inner door with plastic fly screen on that you can seperate fro the main door itself...and did wonder at getting someone to extra bars across to reinforce it and have metal screening, to sturdy it up a bit. Make it rather like having a metal door inside the outer doorthat we could bolt shut...not sure that makes sense... but sort of like what we have for the car tailgate, made by barjo...


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## riverboat2001 (Apr 2, 2009)

Can you step over that and down on to your first step, or do you have to take it down to get in and out of the van?

Looks quite nice, and that it rolls up for storage.


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## thedoc (May 1, 2005)

riverboat2001 said:


> Can you step over that and down on to your first step, or do you have to take it down to get in and out of the van?
> 
> Looks quite nice, and that it rolls up for storage.


We just unscrew one side a bit and we can open it like a door. Wouldn't want to try and leap over it ..... too unfit and too old 

Andy & Kevin


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