View / Navion Door design

[Splaktar]

We have this "airplane style door" on our 2022 24D and it is the current nightmare that we're living. It's been 6+ months trying to deal with it being increasingly hard to open and close. After doing research, the design is bad and they used incompatible metals in the hinges so that the metals end up binding. We've been talking to La Mesa RV for about 2 months trying to get replacement hinges. They got the top and bottom within a couple weeks as they estimated, but the middle hinge is on backorder until "early September", so we don't have any chance of getting our door fixed until then. This has greatly impacted our ability to enjoy/use our RV. I have been suggesting to my wife that we should sell it, in large part due to this issue, the two new recalls, and what I expect to be a never-ending string of failures due to poor build quality.

If you have the choice, I highly recommend that you go with the older style door. I have a feeling that the parts for this "airplane style" door are going to become unavailable in the next couple of years and many View/Navion owners are going to have to get their rigs converted to new entry doors. What a mess!

[BlakeM]

Sorry to hear about your issues with that door. Thank God they no longer make that door and went back to the original style. As for recalls, this is just part of the industry. All RVs/Motorhomes will have recalls at some point.

As for the build quality, my View is top notch... I can't think of purchasing any other brand based on what I've seen from Matt on Matt's RV Reviews.

[Splaktar]

I am glad to hear that you are still enjoying your View!

Yes, I realize that recalls are normal, but we've taken ours in for service more often than any other activity. They don't make them today like they used to (during the pandemic in a build-as-fast-as-possible rush). Which is certainly a good thing.

I will say when this door is working, I do enjoy using it. Unfortunately, such a critical piece failing within 2 years is a real disappointment.

[WinniMN]

Originally Posted by Splaktar

It's been 6+ months trying to deal with it being increasingly hard to open and close. After doing research, the design is bad and they used incompatible metals in the hinges so that the metals end up binding.

Ours was getting stiff and started to creak. I thought it was the opener rod but it was not.

I used a torx bit in a ratchet and one at a time i removed a hinge, steel wooled the pin, sprayed a little PB blaster in the loop and brushed it with a test tube brush.
I lubed it with lithium grease and reinstalled it. Then i moved on to the next hinge. Works as it should now. The rod pushes the door open to full stop.
I think part of the issue is that water drips off the roof above the hinge, like when the AC is running.

Don’t use a thin lubricant like Blaster or Triflow. Those blow out of the hinge while driving and make a mess of the door.

I only removed one hinge at a time. My door stayed in alignment by only removing one and then reinstalling it.

Bruce

[HawkTX]

Originally Posted by BlakeM

Thanks Morich! We plan on purchasing a new View in the Spring. Hopefully it comes with the airplane style door. If not, we will have some decisions to make... Still going to reach out to Winneabgo about this next week. Will update this thread when I hear from them.

You don't want the airplane door. I have it and it's horrible. Everything from not shutting correctly to the window adhesive not holding. They old school door that is in that picture posted was great. Never had one bit of trouble with it on my 2016.