Re: [A/S] Door won't open

[Charlie/Betty Burke <cbburke@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Jim,

Based on your description the lock has broken internally. Use great care when 
dealing with that lockset. It currently lists for $565 from Airstream.
If it possible to get into the trailer through a compartment the lockset will 
likely work from the inside. Do not force or break a window as they are 
expensive also.
If you have no other option you can remove the hinges. Do not attempt to unbolt 
the hinge from the frame. Those bolt are nutted to free moving nuts in the frame, 
that once loosened are very difficult to tighten without inside access. Removal 
of the hinge pins is the least problematic approach. Examine either of the hinges 
and you will see that the hinge pin can only be seen on one end. Also note the 
number and location of spacers in each hinge. The method for removing a hinge 
pin is to tap it until a stress fracture is seen on the other end. At that 
point stop and using the center of the fracture as a reference, reverse your 
pin driving, pushing it out the open end. Note that the pin is knurled only on 
one end. Take care to capture the spacers in the hinge and reassemble them in 
the same order.
Two possibilities for the cause of the failure. One, the shaft that holds the 
paddle handle has two holes in it for the rolled steel pins that hold the 
handle in position and the shaft has fractured at the upper one. Second, the 
cam on the top of the handle shaft pushes against a rolled pin set in the bolt 
shaft. It is possible that the rolled pin has moved up so the cam misses it. 
It may only need to be removed, resized, and reinserted.
Once the door is removed, remove the lockset from the door and determine the 
fix. Most Airstream dealer's have an illustrated breakdown of the parts and 
all are available separately except the shell.

Charlie