Replacing Front Door/In Over My Head

[floridatoalaska]

I chose the method of using a household exterior door for the front door. I’ve watched over a dozen tutorials on how to remove the original doors but they all seem to be missing key instructions. I bought a prehung door because I thought I might be able to use the existing frame to create my own. I have stripped screws and cut and grinded and I am so close to getting these doors off. I just need to make sure I can get the new door on the same day. I have 1 inch pan head sheet metal screws to do the job. Is there anything I need to do with the air that runs to the doors? Is there anything I need to know? Please spell it out for me. I am realizing more and more that I am an idiot.

[ewo1]

Originally Posted by floridatoalaska

I chose the method of using a household exterior door for the front door. I’ve watched over a dozen tutorials on how to remove the original doors but they all seem to be missing key instructions. I bought a prehung door because I thought I might be able to use the existing frame to create my own. I have stripped screws and cut and grinded and I am so close to getting these doors off. I just need to make sure I can get the new door on the same day. I have 1 inch pan head sheet metal screws to do the job. Is there anything I need to do with the air that runs to the doors? Is there anything I need to know? Please spell it out for me. I am realizing more and more that I am an idiot.

Removing the doors is easy work. Just cut off the bottom pivot (hinge) pin and the doors come out.

The air actuator that opens and closes the door, just cap off the airline and then remove the piston.

I just did a cheap, temporary front door using an interior hollow door.
I need to move the bus from Florida to Texas so this was as I said, a temporary workaround.

I had to rip in half a 2x4 and attach it to the side of the hollow door as the door opening was much wider.
I put that ripped piece of wood on the door handle side instead of the hing side… it much better on the hinge side.
Putting on the handle side required me to make new holes for the handle and deadbolt. Wasn’t difficult but I also had to place a piece of sheetmetal over the area where the locking hardware goes in order to block off the old holes. That’s why it’s better to put the ripped 2x4 on the hinge side

Speaking of hinges, I used 4 standard door hinges.

The other half of the ripped in half 2x4, I attacked to the bus on the one side.

I attached them to the bus using self tapping wood to metal screws.

I cut holes in the original metal frame for the deadbolt.

I also threw in an RV window that opens up….let’s air in while I drive!

Overall a relatively easy task to accomplish.


Hope this helps you out somewhat….

Sorry for the sideways pic, I’m on an iPad…