Updated December 11, 2022
Your RV door squeaks? As you go down the highway, you might notice your travel trailer door shaking or your motorhome’s door trembling as a strong wind blows against your RV. A banging RV door is inconvenient in any case. The good news is that a rattling RV door is completely fixable. Unfortunately, different doors rattle for various causes, so you might need to conduct some investigation to identify the cause of your rattle and fix the issue.
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Is Your RV Door Rattling? Here’s What To Do
Check the Latch
Check that your door is latching securely before continuing. Some RV doors shift to the point where the latch doesn’t fully click into place, making the door rattle when it is even slightly moved.
To make sure the door has completely closed with a click, pull it firmly. Even better, test if the problem is resolved by locking the door before you leave. Try the suggestion in this video if these suggestions fail but you are certain the latch is the problem.
Tighten the Screws
Obviously, the simplest solution is to ensure that the door is firmly latched. However, it isn’t the only quick remedy for an RV door that rattles. Perhaps you should try tightening the screws. Some RV doors have hinge screws that have a tendency to loosen over time. Additionally, screws in the plate surrounding the RV door lock may occasionally fall loose.
All the screws inside and around the door should be tightened using a screwdriver. This will only take a few minutes, and it might just solve your rattling issue and preserve your sanity.
Add Magnets
Although we just mentioned the screen door kick panel, the screen door can also rattle for other reasons. Sometimes the sound is brought on by the screen door slamming and opening. By observing if the screen door latches firmly or whether there is play, you can determine whether this is the problem. If there is play, your issue is almost probably being caused by that shaky screen door.
There are several solutions to this. Magnets are our go-to remedy! Put a magnet where you want the screen door to stay while closed on the door frame, then put another magnet on the screen door where it will connect to the first one. This should stop the screen door from shaking and keep it in place when it is closed.
Secure the Screen Door
Another potential source of the rattling sound is the screen door that is a component of your RV door. The bottom of the majority of RV screen doors is a solid plastic kick plate. This plate’s frame is not always snug against it. As a result, there is a constant rattle that can make even the most relaxed traveler nuts.
Fortunately, there is a very straightforward remedy to this widespread issue. To stop the kick plate from moving while removing the cause of the rattling, all you need to do is add a tiny bead of sealant or a few pieces of black tape.
Weatherstripping
Your door fitting into its frame may have some problems due to the flexibility of RVs during travel. As indicated above, this can occasionally lead to a door that won’t latch securely. A door that no longer precisely fits into its frame is another effect of stretching RV walls.
Fortunately, RVs can bend and move, so this isn’t a major problem or anything you should be concerned about. To establish a tight fit between the door and the frame, just grab some self-adhesive weatherstripping and insert it into the door frame. This will not only stop many rattles, but it will also help keep the camper’s interior warm in the winter.