# Changed door retainers for modern type



## trek (May 1, 2005)

Got fed up of the small plastic door retainer clips not keeping the van door open , i have changed them several times and they never seem to last long

i recently noticed a new style of retaining clip on a New Burstner so i bought some off ebay and fitted the first one today

Not tried it yet as i want the sikaflex to go off but hoping it will be a better clip. Couldnt use the same holes but by reversing the male and female sides i could cover the existing holes and drill some new ones


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## trek (May 1, 2005)

Sorry but the site appears to have added my photo upside down , any ideas how i correct it ?


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## coppo (May 27, 2009)

I like the proper metal ones that Concorde fit, I think they cost about £8 quid each, why wouldn't all manufacturers fit them?


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## trek (May 1, 2005)

Hi Coppo 

Are the carthago ones your referring to the telescopic / hydraulic arm that fits at the top of the door on the inside ?



These are what my friend has on his habitation and garage doors, 


I guess there not the same as i cant see these only being £8ish


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## kabundi (Feb 14, 2011)

trek said:


> I recently noticed a new style of retaining clip on a New Burstner so i bought some off ebay and fitted the first one today


Looks identical to the habitation door on my Rapido. Sorry to say that it is as much use as a chocolate teapot.


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## TeamRienza (Sep 21, 2010)

If the new ones are those on the right of your upside down picture, then sadly, I concur with kabundi. Any puff of wind sends the door slamming shut. By coincidence I have today sourced an elastic strap to make a retainer from the door handle of my van to a sliding window on the body of the van where the open door rests in the useless fitting when fully opened.

Davy


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## dghr272 (Jun 14, 2012)

If looking to replace any of these really consider using Peel rivets as ordinary pop rivets can pull through the holes.

Terry


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## coppo (May 27, 2009)

trek said:


> Hi Coppo
> 
> Are the carthago ones your referring to the telescopic / hydraulic arm that fits at the top of the door on the inside ?
> 
> ...


No I,m talking about door retainers Trek, just look at a concorde from 2003 onwards you will see them on the hab door, garage doors, they are door retainers to hold the door open in the wind, they are proper metal ones, which should be standard in my opinion.


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## trek (May 1, 2005)

Ah well live and learn 

I had assumed these new plastic (larger ) clips had been designed as an improvement over the older traditional style

There is certainly a bite to them when trying to pull them apart by hand before they were fitted

So it could be back to the bungee to keep the habitation door open fastened to the drivers door handle

Will look out for the metal ones Coppo mentioned


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

I never bother with the caravan ones, designed to fail, a total waste of money, & a terrible design IMO, every time you use them they start to pull the screws out of the van and door, on almost every van I've gone with these http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-x-Door-...324844?hash=item3f367126ec:g:MeYAAOSwnipWYWaz multiples are cheaper, great on lockers too, and usually cover the old screw holes if not I cut a square of white plastic as a surround, looks normal, no one has ever noticed them anyway.

See them on the gas locker door on the Kontiki I just sold, I have better pictures somewhere if needed.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Some pictures of the ones I fitted to the CI Riviera 141, you will notice there is a hole left behind as the original catch was in bad place, I did fill and paint the hole so it wasn't noticeable, even though your eyes were drawn to the the area.

I put some on the Bessacarr too, but the holes were easier to cover so I didn't need the black plastic bezel, and I have seen them for sale with white bezels too.


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## trek (May 1, 2005)

Thank you Kev for your photos, they certainly would hold my doors open securely only trouble is they are not automatic !

Meaning once the door is opened then the catch has to be set manually , something my wife would have trouble with but certainly they may be worth considering


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

No, not automatic, it's just a habit to get into, Liz rarely uses the hab door anyway, so I do it all, designed to hold the back doors of a truck in high winds, they play with our needs, they are most useful on lift up lockers doors, get clouted by one of those and you're a convert, ouch.


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## kabundi (Feb 14, 2011)

Kev

Looks good. Does the vertical T bar, that hangs down when not in use, rattle or rub against the body. Difficult to see from photo if it is designed to hang clear of the body.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

It doesn't rub, but even if it did one of them there kitchen cupboard anti bang buttons would cure that, I have one on the Wentworths hab door so I'll do a picture, if and when I get dressed, only been up since 5am :roll:


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## trek (May 1, 2005)

Perhaps the spring on them keeps them pressed against the side wall when not in use


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

I be going Bodmin, I need to order them for this van, so used to having them i thought I already fitted them, but looking at the pics posted before, they do NOT stand off the van, but touch it, and as you say the spring although not fierce is enough to stop them moving, a blob of silicone on the back of the T would help though if it was a concern for a newer van.


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## Gretchibald (Jul 22, 2011)

trek said:


> Got fed up of the small plastic door retainer clips not keeping the van door open , i have changed them several times and they never seem to last long


Same here , but now I just heat the retainer up with a cigarette lighter and sqeeze it closed a bit, hold till it sets hard again. Obviously only a temp quick fix.


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

Here is the best door stay I have ever seen, our sprite Charisma had this fitted.

https://caratech.co.uk/product/caravan-motorhome-quick-release-door-retainer-black-plastic-00039/

Jan


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Never seen that one before Jan.


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

https://www.leisureshopdirect.com/c...fittings/door-retainers-caravan-door-retainer

Another supplier.

If outdoor bits do one I will curse :frown2:


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

*Here are 2 more*

much simpler to fix. Same place 
https://www.leisureshopdirect.com/c...fittings/door-retainers-caravan-door-retainer


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

JanHank said:


> https://www.leisureshopdirect.com/c...fittings/door-retainers-caravan-door-retainer
> 
> Another supplier.
> 
> If outdoor bits do one I will curse :frown2:


I've gone right of them (LSD no OB) Gerty, I ordered 3 locker lock pack from them, I requested they all have the same key, they said yes no problem, 3 locks with 3 different keys turned up, I had to use them as we were setting of 2 days later, I ordered a thermocouple of them yesterday, paid on my card, got an email from them 2 hours later telling me no stock, May before they get any in :roll: GRRRRR


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

Kev_n_Liz said:


> I've gone right of them *(LSD no OB)* Gerty, I ordered 3 locker lock pack from them, I requested they all have the same key, they said yes no problem, 3 locks with 3 different keys turned up, I had to use them as we were setting of 2 days later, I ordered a thermocouple of them yesterday, paid on my card, got an email from them 2 hours later telling me no stock, May before they get any in :roll: GRRRRR


*? 
*Serves you right for leaving the locks till the last minute. :serious:
May starts next week :grin2:


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

JanHank said:


> *?
> *Serves you right for leaving the locks till the last minute. :serious:
> May starts next week :grin2:


I didn't, it took 10 days to get them, and you can;t order things until you know you need them, we're off on Sunday so need to get the fridge sorted, I've ordered the thermocouple elsewhere now, it'll be here tomorrow.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Both items scheduled for delivery tomorrow, just had confirmation emails.

Suppliers are two I've not used before.

https://www.aandeleisureshop.co.uk/

https://www.camperlands.co.uk/caravan-and-motorhome-accessories/

Both northern outfits.


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

JanHank said:


> much simpler to fix. Same place
> https://www.leisureshopdirect.com/c...fittings/door-retainers-caravan-door-retainer


I am surprised there have been no comments (only from Kev) about my genius finds :frown2:


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Guess why Gerty


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## trek (May 1, 2005)

Hi Jan 

I havent replied as i can't quite get my head around how exactly it works or looks like when fitted

Obviously it passes through the caravan door So once open it either engages automatically or perhaps you have to turn the knob to engage it 

Then turn knob to release it to close door

But a good find from you so thank you 


Tried my door today and it works a treat (at the moment) But then they all do when new , will see how long this lasts compared to the previous fitting


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

I couldn't work it out either, maybe that's why I've not seen any yet.


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

Hi Trek,

There are 2 other catches I showed you, simpler than the first one.

The first one is excellent, it locks against the van when you open the door, wind can blow as much as it likes and it won´t blow the door shut.
To release it you just pull the handle and it releases the catch, hard to explain, but can be seen on Sprite caravans.

Of the other 2 Hans likes the cream coloured one which also looks easy to fit and has to be released before shutting the door.
But I like the one he made for our van best of all so we are keeping it. :grin2:


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Likey the cream one too.


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