Installed an RVLOCK v 4 today and need advise on strike plate

MadCityJack

The entire install process took much longer than the advertised 15 minute install.  At least for me.  First, a bit of pushing and angling were necessary to get the new lock into the door.  I almost gave up but perseverance paid off. I had to flatten the insulation around the lock area a bit to get the new lock to “slide” in.   Second, I couldn’t get the keypad to accept my personal code.  It took a long time, but I think it may have been due to my having left the transparent keypad protector on the keypad.  I sometimes heard a crinkling sound instead of a beep. I guess that was my clue.  Third, the FOB wouldn’t work.  After repeated efforts,  I finally realized the battery might not have been working.  I noticed that pressing the rocker lock/unlock switch didn’t activate the tiny FOB light.  So I took a 10 minute drive to Battery Plus and had the battery voltage tested; was 1 volt instead of 12.  After replacing the battery and getting home the FOB easily connected with the lock and it worked perfectly.   Fourth (and lastly), the door now is really tight and bounces outward loudly when the latch is released.  Fortunately, It doesn’t swing open until the latched is released with the handle but the tension puts a bind on the dead lock bolt making opening difficult if the door is at all ajar.  There is really no wiggle room to move the strike plate towards the outside of the unit to ease the tension.  I am thinking of filing down the inside edge of the strike plate.  Any suggestions?  Thanks in advance for any help.  BTW:  I did send RVLOCK an email about my difficulties and I received an email response from them on a Saturday afternoon, which was appreciated, since their shop was closed.  I already was aware of their suggestions but nonetheless they reached out! 

For 10% off use the following code RVLTHX.  They also have sales during the year.  

Michigan_Mike

How does the new lock look in relationship to the old dead-bolt lock that was previously used?  You might want to take it apart and take a relook at things to verify that any spacers or parts are in their correct location and position.  I've done this before myself on other projects and realized that things were not correctly installed.  Trailer locks in general should go in pretty easy and I replaced a couple on a trailer I owned in Arizona. 

Personally I would recommend looking things over good before grinding down the striker plate and taking a good look at the door alignment, etc.  Take a good look at the YouTube videos too as they are out there and you might pick up a few helpful pointers.  The manufacturer should be able to help out too and hopefully it is a simple fix.    

pthomas745

There was this thread a couple of years ago....my RV lock would lock...but then not release with the remote control or the keypad. I futzed with the striker plate.  And then changed the striker plate completely with the one in this thread.  Don't ask me why it worked.

https://tab-rv.vanillacommunity.com/discussion/6756/making-my-new-keyless-rv-lock-work

The "Lippert" striker plate:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00S2IF0TS/ref=ppx_od_dt_b_asin_title_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

rrcbov

I had the problem with the latch plate on a previous trailer - a Grand Design.   I just took the latch plate off and it worked fine.   I was a little worried about how the frame would wear without the plate but it didn’t seem to be a problem.  Doesn’t look as slick but it worked.

I don’t get my first T@B (a 400 BD) until next month otherwise I would have better advice!

DougH

@MadCityJack Add me to the list of people who had to do major surgery to the strike plate.  Had to cut out an additional half inch or so at the bottom, and bend the outermost bit in a little so the door would close without much force and stay latched, and yet let the deadbolt be engaged from the inside or outside.

MadCityJack

Update:  I bought a new strike plate from Lippert, which is an identical model to the original, but it actually makes opening and closing more difficult.  The old one has been bent slightly by use so it works better.  I'll keep the old one in for the time being.   A work around for now is simply to be sure the door is pulled tight shut before operating the dead bolt.  If the handle latch is released first, the dead bolt then has pressure on it and the operation of the dead bolt becomes unreliable, sometimes not moving unless I use a key.  BTW:  I received a bad FOB with the kit; the FOB drained it's battery as well as he new one I purchased for it.  Drained it within one day!  RVLOCK was kind enough to send me a new one, which works fine.  

I am going to an RV shop for bearing/brake inspection before my first camping trip, so I may ask them to look at the striker plate.  It seems the channel that the striker plate fits into is also slightly bent suggesting someone may have forced entry at some point. The lower striker plate screw was not tightening well; the inside screw hole apparently is somewhat stripped.  So, I used a bit of blue Locktite for now and hopefully that will keep everything secure until I have a chance to get the strike plate working more smoothly with the latch. Not to get too philosophical, but clearly the devil is always in the details.  

MadCityJack

I had things working with the new lock and lippert striker plate.  Then warm weather seemed to make it more difficult to lock.  I can close it from the outside but not the inside without really pulling hard.  If I remove the striker plate, it closes fine, but I feel that the aluminum door frame won’t stand up to the steel latch.