Cabin door warped?? Can it be fixed?

mnm99

Well-Known Member
Oct 2, 2015
2,445
Long Island
Boat Info
2004 340 SeaRay Sundancer
Engines
Twin 8.1 Merc
Since I had the boat the door has has a slight warp. It's a pain to close because it's rubbing on the bottom part of the door. Last year I installed a couple of shims between the top track wheels and door frame. It raised it up a little, but still rubs. I'm going to install another shim, but if I go too high the latch won't meet up right. Is there any way to straighten it out? Don't know why it is warped in the first place. Looks like this....
sea-ray-320-sliding-door.jpg
 
wow, I have never heard of this happening....I wonder if the heat from the sun caused the door to soften and then warp over time....if so maybe you can apply heat to the door (maybe a torpedo type heater?) while pushing up from the underside and straighten it back up....of course being very careful not to damage the door....

cliff
 
Since I had the boat the door has has a slight warp. It's a pain to close because it's rubbing on the bottom part of the door. Last year I installed a couple of shims between the top track wheels and door frame. It raised it up a little, but still rubs. I'm going to install another shim, but if I go too high the latch won't meet up right. Is there any way to straighten it out? Don't know why it is warped in the first place. Looks like this....

I have the same problem on my hatch door. It looks like the top has deflected downward over the years. Probably due to the big span and from being a plastic and out in the sun.

I am try to find a solution too. The best that I have come up with would be to install a roller device mid span. My idea was to use the small roller wheels that you find in shower doors but I have yet to find anything I could mount the wheel to that would expose only the top edge of the wheel. This would allow access to the bracket to securely mount it in place and also allow for the wheel replacement with something off the shelf. I attached a picture of what I sketched up.

Might need to have a small bracket fabricated but right now I do not have the time to invest so it's on the winter project list. Should be something simple.

340_Entrance_Wheel.jpg

-Kevin
 
I'm not sure about the heat. I'd like to hear from some fiberglass experts or someone who has fixed this problem before I do that. For now I may try another shim to bring it up.
 
I would love to hear from someone too... I'm having the same prob on my 320 you can see all the scratches from opening and closing it... I did shim mine a little so its a little easer to open and close...
 
...hear from some fiberglass experts...

Is this fiberglass or some acrylic material that was heated and bent ?
Originally I placed some of the furniture sliders under the cabin door where it was touching but eventually they fell off :(

-Kevin
 
I would love to hear from someone too... I'm having the same prob on my 320 you can see all the scratches from opening and closing it... I did shim mine a little so its a little easer to open and close...

Mine too... covered with scratches. Based on @mnm99's experience I think shimming will only help temporarily. I think the long term solution requires a support mechanism to allow it to be supported and roll out. The support will also help with additional deflection.

-Kevin
 
If you door is anything like the 99 vintage - they are definitely plastic, not fiberglass.

Have you guys considered doing some light grinding/cutting on the door opening where it is interfering with the door to give it more room?
 
If you door is anything like the 99 vintage - they are definitely plastic, not fiberglass.

Have you guys considered doing some light grinding/cutting on the door opening where it is interfering with the door to give it more room?
The inside of the door is rubbing. That part inside is covered in vinyl. Can't cut there. I'll post a pic later.

If it's true that its plastic it's making me think about building some support from underneath to support most of of the door and apply pressure while gently heating with a heat gun or heat lamp
 
The door is some type of acrylic. I replaced mine a few years ago as mine was turning pink and out of dumb luck I found someone that had ordered the door from Searay for a 2003 and they send him one for my vintage 340 (2003.5) not the prior model. They never came to pick up the wrong door so I was able to buy it relatively cheap. You may be able to find a new one for sale, when I was looking a few years ago they were out there but very expensive.
 
I tried a LITTLE heat and some force. Let it cool and still nothing. I ended up taking off the bottom rollers and fabbing up a 3/16 spacer. Well see if it helps a little for now.
door1.jpg
door3.jpg
door.jpg
wheel.jpg
 
If its acrylic, which it probably is, remove the door /find someplace heat proof and flat/ lay upside down on the flat surface so the sag is facing up/ heat up with pvc bending oven held open and above the acrylic/ heat slowly checking pliability of acrylic/ eventually it will sag back to original flat position./ cool slowly.

be sure to support area of door that is not being repaired, and keep that area cool with wet towel.

The acrylic can also be heated with a torch but you have to be very vigilante to not touch flame to plastic because it makes it bubble. I think someone said above that the inside is covered with vinyl, in that case you must remove the vinyl but that could be good because if the acrylic bubbles you can cover it up with the vinyl.
 
So I tried the shim, no good. The latch now is hard to open. If I install the shim on top the top of the door hits the fiberglass. I think there are only 2 options. #1 buy a new door. Not gonna happen now. Option #2 try to find a small wheel and mount it next to the latch ( shown in pic) . I'm gonna see whats out there. I'll look into the heat process. I wouldn't know who would do that near me. It looks like a big job to get the door off too.
door3.jpg
. I'll post back.
 
I think the support wheel is the best option even you replaced the door or fixed the deflection. Without support it will eventually begin to deflect again. I have been searching for a wheel that would work for a while and have come up blank. If you find something let me know.

What I can say is the wheel needs to be removable so that the small bracket could be attached. I have found some drawer/caster wheels that if cut down would work but the wheels were not removable so I would have only a single attachment point.

Sans finding one I would have to go to my friends machine shop to have one fabricated.

-Kevin
 
I think the support wheel is the best option even you replaced the door or fixed the deflection. Without support it will eventually begin to deflect again. I have been searching for a wheel that would work for a while and have come up blank. If you find something let me know.

What I can say is the wheel needs to be removable so that the small bracket could be attached. I have found some drawer/caster wheels that if cut down would work but the wheels were not removable so I would have only a single attachment point.

Sans finding one I would have to go to my friends machine shop to have one fabricated.

-Kevin
I'll let you know what I find. I know someone at a machine shop too.
 
Went down to the boat last night. I noticed the latch on the underside doesn't work due to the door missing the catch. I never used it. So that leaves a nice spot for a roller. I ended up finding one of these rollers. It is pretty small, like a 1 inch wheel. I held it in place and the wife closed the door. She said it was much easier. Today I'm going to re-enforce the backside of the mount with a little extra metal and then try to mount it. They are rated for 40lbs, so I don't know how long they will last. I do have a 4 pack so I could always replace for now. I'll post back
wheel.jpg
 
I would try to remove the swivel plate and remove the screw for the wheel and mount the part holding the wheel. I would not want the wheel to have any swivel capabilities. If the wheel turns the downward force at an angle could allow the base to pull out.

-Kevin
 
The heat (heat gun could be used, as well) could definitely work and it was the first thing that I thought of as I read the first post. BUT, if you're at all nervous about doing it - don't do it. You don't want your "learning curve" of a new process to be on your door. Plus, let's face it, physics works... it's going to eventually bow back down. Some type of extra support in the middle seems to be the most efficient solution.

Have you thought about a piece of velcro (the soft side) on the horizontal surface of the boat (just above the latch in post #13)? Or, how 'bout one of those grey "sliders" that are used on the bottom of chair legs? A wheel is a great idea to - just throwing those others out as they are a peel-n-stick idea. The wheel you pictured, Mike, would certainly work, if a little bulky. But I agree with Kevin in that you should separate the swivel. You could even grind/shape the bracket to fit into the recess a little better, if needed. I do think, though, that a soft/non-marking type wheel would be best (might be slightly quieter, too). Have you guys tried looking on the Mcmaster-Carr website?

Losing the latch... you could always figure out a solution to put another latch (possibly a hasp or something of a different design) somewhere else.
 
...Or, how 'bout one of those grey "sliders" that are used on the bottom of chair legs?...

I tried them and they only last a little while - not enough surface area to get good adhesion and the constant sliding back and forth along with heat from the sun eventually (quickly) breaks down the backing glue. It was worth a shot and that is when I started thinking about using a fixed roller wheel.

-Kevin
 
I tried them and they only last a little while - not enough surface area to get good adhesion and the constant sliding back and forth along with heat from the sun eventually (quickly) breaks down the backing glue. It was worth a shot and that is when I started thinking about using a fixed roller wheel.

-Kevin
Makes sense. Did it solve the problem? If you were happy with that, you could try removing the glue/double sided tape and using something stronger like an adhesive sealant. A thin film of 4200, for example. If you roughened up both surfaces a bit, it would increase the chances of it lasting. You could go all out with 5200 or epoxy... but I'm always a little weary of it being too "permanent".
 

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