Tab 400 screen door string repair

JeffroNCJeffroNC Member Posts: 366
edited August 2020 in Tips & Tricks
Has this happened to anybody? Does anybody know how to fix it?

2019 T@B 400 BDL 2017 F150 3.5L Ecoboost
Jeff & Amy
Now in Manistee, MI

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Comments

  • VernaVerna Member Posts: 6,878
    edited July 2020
    That happened on my T@B S Max. I was told in 2016 it was not repairable. You do have to order the entire door/screen assembly, and the shipping is not cheap. 

    I imagine a super patient person could put new thread in. I’m patient when comes to wood, but not screening material. 

    On second look, the screening is torn....I think the new door/screen assembly is in your future.....unless you want to prove me wrong😉
    Verna, Columbus, IN
    2021 T@B 320S  Boondock “The T@B”
    Towed by a white 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 Supercab, 3.5L V6 Ecoboost “The Truck”
  • PamandJohnUpNorth2PamandJohnUpNorth2 Member Posts: 141
    The black outer cover on the strings on my 2018 T@B 400 have started to unravel. If it gets to the point where the screen door is no longer viable i think i would consider replacing at a much lower cost and more convenient than sliding screen door IMHO.  I might opt for a magnetic closure screen door. Check it out here:                  https://bugoffscreen.com/custom-sizes/
    Pam and John
    Champlin, Minnesota
    2018 T@B400 and a 2018 Ridgeline 

  • MandoBikerMandoBiker Member Posts: 22
    I recently had the same problem in my 2019 T@B400 BDL with the black outer covering unraveling on the string on the screen door.  I was able to restring the door with some issues but it's working ok for now.  I didn't photograph the process, but if anyone else is interested in trying this, here is what I used:

    First, I found instructions from the manufacturer of the screen here:  https://a3449449-b500-4315-8e52-2f46b9e780ac.filesusr.com/ugd/14074c_37227aee5fd3463abc4cc71b1d603ef8.pdf

    And I purchased the following from from amazon:
    Cord

    Crimps
    These are smaller than what was on it originally, but they worked.

    Tape
    I didn't have this when I was putting it all together, and it doesn't seem essential, but 3/8" double sided tape (leaving the backing on one side) is close to what was on there.

    The restringing was pretty straight forward, but getting the door apart and back together was tricky.  Once the door is removed from the trailer, the top piece comes off easily by just removing some screws.  The bottom piece was the tricky part.  It is secured with plastic L-brackets that are riveted in place.  I couldn't figure out any way to remove the rivets and ended up breaking one of the brackets.  I also damaged the rivet, which is used to hold the cord in place.  I was able to still run the cord around that damaged rivet, but it has rough edges and tensioning the cord could damage it.

    Once I secured the door back in the trailer, it functions pretty well, but that lower right corner is not held together and the bottom rail occasionally needs to be pushed back in place.
  • JyllJyll Member Posts: 3
    I may be oversimplifying but it looks like you could string it back thru then super glue just the end to the screen?
    2021 T@B 400 Boondock
    2014 Audi Q7 TDI
  • VernaVerna Member Posts: 6,878
    Jyll said:
    I may be oversimplifying but it looks like you could string it back thru then super glue just the end to the screen?
    The push and pull of the string as the screen folds and unfolds would cause it to quickly pull out of the super glue. It needs to be secured within the screen door frame. 


    Verna, Columbus, IN
    2021 T@B 320S  Boondock “The T@B”
    Towed by a white 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 Supercab, 3.5L V6 Ecoboost “The Truck”
  • JeffroNCJeffroNC Member Posts: 366
    I am going to have the Screen replaced at NuCamp when I take the tab in this December. 
    Until then, I drilled holes in the frame, stuck a twist tire through them, added some thread my wife had to make up the difference. Ugly but it works. 

    2019 T@B 400 BDL 2017 F150 3.5L Ecoboost
    Jeff & Amy
    Now in Manistee, MI

  • Sharon_is_SAMSharon_is_SAM Administrator Posts: 9,461
    I just added screen door repair directions as provided by member @vhollow.  They are stored under the Category "User Manuals...".  Look for "Windows, awnings, shades and screens". 
     
    https://tab-rv.vanillacommunity.com/discussion/6399/windows-awnings-shades-and-screens#latest
    Sharon / 2017 T@B CSS / 2015 Toyota Sienna Minivan / Westlake, Ohio
  • BaylissBayliss Member Posts: 1,299
    Three cheers for @ScottG, @vhollow and @MandoBiker!!!  Real trail blazers.
    2019 T@B 320 S Boondock Lite2007 Toyota Tundra 4x4
    (Alde: 3020; Refrig: Isotherm Cruise 65 Eleg; Battery: BB 100Ah LiFePo4; Solar: Renogy 100Ah Suitcase; Victron BMV-712; Pwr Cntr: PD-4135KW2B; EMS: PI-HW30C)
    Greg & Marlene (Tucson, AZ)


  • ScottGScottG Administrator Posts: 5,396
    Thanks, @Bayless. However, talk is cheap so I will decline nomination to the trail blazers club at least until I have successfully completed the repair!  :-)

    It's also worth noting that someone recently posted their new T@B arrived without a screen door as a result of supply chain issues. It's conceivable that in some cases repairing a broken door may be the only short-term option.  :-/ 
    2015 T@B S
  • Tabaz Tabaz Member Posts: 2,350
    I spent HOURS trying to repair my 2016 screen door without luck.  Gladly spent the $250 on a new door and installed it in about 10 minutes.  Scott, I suggest you do a video of your repair instead of still photos.  That would be very helpful to those attempting this project.
    2016 Outback 320 with a 2010 Ford Expedition.
  • ScottGScottG Administrator Posts: 5,396
    edited January 2022
    I wondered when you would surface in this discussion, @Tabaz...  

    Practically speaking, the repair is half-done. I've got the door apart, I've figured out how it works, and I've rebuilt the flange/roller assembly in the lower track since whatever was in there originally got savaged when I drilled out the rivets.

    I'm not much of a cinematographer--nor will I likely welcome the distraction of recording video while I'm concentrating on getting the door restrung--so no promises there. As noted previously, I will pass along any tips above and beyond what others have already provided.

    Maybe the next time I do the repair I'll assemble a video if someone else hasn't beat me to it!

    And remember, LUCK favors the bold. ;-)
    2015 T@B S
  • Tabaz Tabaz Member Posts: 2,350
    Mine did not have a "roller" in either track - just a smooth area of plastic that the cord went around.  A photo of your roller would be helpful.
    2016 Outback 320 with a 2010 Ford Expedition.
  • ScottGScottG Administrator Posts: 5,396
    Mine didn't have "rollers" either, but it seemed like the least confusing term to use for the sake of describing how the door works.

    The top rail had a little plastic fin--probably the same thing as what you are describing. The bottom I'm not sure about. vhollow recalls a similar plastic piece that was attached to the bottom rivet, but if I had such a thing I mangled it beyond recognition when I drilled out the rivet. Here is what I have replaced it with--a longer rivet that fills the entire track and provides a smooth surface for the string to wrap around when everything is reassembled
      
    2015 T@B S
  • Tabaz Tabaz Member Posts: 2,350
    Looking forward to your photos and write-up when completed.  The more details, the better!
    2016 Outback 320 with a 2010 Ford Expedition.
  • ScottGScottG Administrator Posts: 5,396
    edited January 2022
    @Tabaz any chance you have a photo of the plastic piece (or whatever it was) that the cord went around in your lower track?
    2015 T@B S
  • ScottGScottG Administrator Posts: 5,396
    edited January 2022
    [EDIT: The peculiar dohicky I pictured here earlier is part of the door mounting hardware but is not part of the lower rail assembly.]

    Regardless, it appears that the cord did wrap around the lower rivet (or some appendage thereof) though exactly how that was constructed will remain a mystery until someone else more careful than I disassembles their door. I'm thinking my concoction (pictured above) is probably pretty close to what was there originally.  

    In contrast, Here is the counterpart from the top rail (the right end of which is visible to the left of the photo. It's just a little plastic flange not much bigger than the cord itself. (@vhollow describes replacing this with a steel "roller" that will exert less stress on the cord.) 



    Similar plastic bits guide the cord where it exits the top and bottom of the pull bar.



    Although the plastic bits are smooth, there is evidence that they get worn down over time. If the cord is chafing the plastic you can almost bet the opposite is happening, too.
    2015 T@B S
  • Tabaz Tabaz Member Posts: 2,350
    Scott - Those metal "screws" are what hold the vertical door frames to the T@B body.  The rounded area between the base and head slip into a metal bracket attached to the T@B.  They have nothing to do with the operation of the door itself.  I did have the two plastic pieces shown in the lower two photos, so it looks like our doors are the same.
    2016 Outback 320 with a 2010 Ford Expedition.
  • ScottGScottG Administrator Posts: 5,396
    Oh duh. You are so right! 

    When I removed the door some time ago, one of those four screws was broken. I threw the sheared off head in the pile with all the other pieces-parts and promptly forgot where it came from.

    It does seem that the lower "roller" was something comparable--maybe a rivet with a washer on it. I have a few of those parts I can't quite account for, either...  :-/

    I will edit my previous post to avoid introducing unnecessary confusion to those who may be following.  
    2015 T@B S
  • ScottGScottG Administrator Posts: 5,396
    edited August 2022
    I finally got my parts and was able to wrap this project up this weekend. I'll reiterate that the information previously provided by @MandoBiker and @vhollow are excellent resources. Maybe I could have figured this out on my own through sheer force of will, but I am pleased that I didn't have to.

    I've already posted a schematic and simplified description of how the door operates. I'll limit the remainder of my comments to those things that are different from or in addition to those already published:

    1) After spending a bit of time in the internet rabbit hole, I opted to use 0.9mm polyester blind cord rather than nylon. Polyester cord seems to be the industry standard. Nylon cord apparently has more stretch in it and some reviewers (non-T@B) felt this complicated repairs they had made of their RV window shades. That doesn't mean the nylon cord won't work, I just opted to go with the slightly more expensive polyester. The 60lb monofilament used by vhollow is probably an even better choice, but I thought it would be more challenging to work with so opted to stay with the original material for this first attempt.
    ***EDIT August 2022: DO NOT use this polyester cord. It began fraying almost immediately, and started binding and breaking after only a few more trips. See my more recent comments further down.***
    2) My repair was on an older 320. Previous discussions have been for the 400 door, and the official Horrex repair manual appears to be for yet a slightly different model. Regardless, the basic principles are the same. The 320 door is apparently shorter than the 400 door--I only used about 10 yards of string vs 13. Regardless, string is cheap and the excess is easy to remove, so err on the side of more vs. less.

    3) If you drill the bottom rivet on the right side, you will destroy the mechanism around which to cord winds--which appears to be an extra long rivet with a washer on top. My solution was to replace this rivet with something similar, but to do this I had to also remove the right side rivet.



    You may be able to avoid this by drilling just the side rivet. If you do, be careful not to damage the flimsy plastic bracket or the existing bottom rivet.

    3) Threading the cord is easy, but (I feel your pain @Tabaz) getting just the right needle is challenging. Thinner needles are easier to push through the screen mesh pack, but their holes may be too small to thread the cord. Larger needles with larger eyes may be too fat to pass through the metal grommets on the mesh pack. My needle was just a little too large when threaded, but I made it work.

    I found positioning a nylon zip tie near the grommets helpful helpful to maintain the alignment and tightness of the mesh pack while threading the cord.



    4) Once the cord is threaded, adjusted, and taped, insert the mesh pack back into the left side frame before tightening and crimping the cord. This is in vhollow's directions, but I emphasize it because having the mesh pack held perfectly straight is important to getting the cords equally tight before crimping.



    5) As mentioned previously, my cord broke because of apparent chafing on the metal crimps inside the pull bar. vhollow addressed this with a dab of silicone, but I opted to try this with a less messy length of 3mm heat shrink tubing. If you do this, use a heat gun set on low (300F)--higher temps or open flames rink burning the cord you just carefully threaded!



    6) If you have gotten this far, reassembly is relatively straightforward. Or not. The lower tensioner (the doohickey that anchors the cord in the aluminum bottom rail) needs to be pretty tight to prevent slipping. It's also made of cheap plastic. Mine broke in two upon tightening (left photo), prompting the fabrication of an emergency replacement (middle and right photos)--this one made of 1/8" aluminum. While this is far superior to the original, it did require some additional tools and skills. (The upper tensioner--which is narrower and is tightened to the plastic upper rail--snugged up without issue.)

     

    7) The door may need some final adjustment after being reassembled. Cords that are too loose may bunch when the screen is retracted. Those that are too tight may prevent the door from deploying fully. You can adjust this by moving the tensioners a bit one way or the other in the rails. Keep in mind that the upper tensioner controls the lower three strings in the screen panel, while the lower tensioner controls the upper three.

    Ideally the tension on the strings within group should be equal. This will be a function of how well you tightened the cords before crimping (see #4 above). Mine were not 100% perfect--the uppermost and lowermost strings seem a little tighter than the others--but it is close enough and everything works as it should.       
    2015 T@B S
  • ScottGScottG Administrator Posts: 5,396
    edited January 2022
    I'll also add that should a critical part break and you are unable to fabricate a replacement, this place may be able to provide what you need.

    (Thank you @mjwaldner. Original comment here.)
    2015 T@B S
  • dragonsdoflydragonsdofly Member Posts: 1,916
    edited January 2022
    @ScottG I AM disappointed! I was looking for the special t@b yoga lesson to be included, but alas... However, I do make note, and allowance that some mental and physical t@b gymnastics (also special) were employed in the making of this repair. In that regard, I AM impressed. Congratulations on your preserverance and fortitude. Perhaps, a t@b university badge is in order in the advanced adversarial accomplishment category. Just sayin'! -Denise
    2017 t@b sofitel(Dr@gonsFly)TV 2015 Silverado 2500hd(Behemoth). Wyandotte, Michigan.
    Draco dormiens numquam titilandus.
  • ScottGScottG Administrator Posts: 5,396
    edited January 2022
    Thanks, @dragonsdofly Fortunately there was not much T@B yoga required for this task, but the mental gymnastics were more than enough! Really not all that big of a task if you study up beforehand, take your time, and follow the leads those who have gone before have generously provided. 
    2015 T@B S
  • angeange Member Posts: 2
    The set of cords that go to the bottom of the door and as a single cord to the tensioner has frayed and broken. This is going to happenagain and again as dust/grit enters through the brushes on the bottom rail. Has anyone figured out whether it would work to redirect them to the opposing side of the top rail?
  • ScottGScottG Administrator Posts: 5,396
    ange said:
    The set of cords that go to the bottom of the door and as a single cord to the tensioner has frayed and broken. This is going to happenagain and again as dust/grit enters through the brushes on the bottom rail. Has anyone figured out whether it would work to redirect them to the opposing side of the top rail?
    Unfortunately this would not be possible for a couple reasons.

    The operation of the screen requires that the cord rollers are placed on the side of the frame opposite the screen pack. Study this schematic carefully and you will see why.

    Also, note that the bottom cord actually feeds into the top half of the screen pack. This allows sufficient length for the cord(s) to run up and down within the pull bar as the door is expanded and retracted.
    2015 T@B S
  • Cheryl13Cheryl13 Member Posts: 30
    We took our screen assembly out of our T@B400 2021.  We still have it if someone needs one. I can post it in the 'for sale' area in case.  Will get hubby to take a pic or 2.  
    2021 T@B 400
    2019 Subaru Ascent
  • PamandJohnUpNorth2PamandJohnUpNorth2 Member Posts: 141
    I  could be interested. depending on your location. Shipping can get pricy for door sized items. Please post on "for sale" with your contact info.
    Pam and John
    Champlin, Minnesota
    2018 T@B400 and a 2018 Ridgeline 

  • KARKAR Member Posts: 84
    Damn! This looks complicated. I may have to do the Jeffro NC tie trick! Or just leave it as is!
    Thanks for all the info though in case my husband decides to tackle this!
    2015 Tab S with Alde 
  • ScottGScottG Administrator Posts: 5,396
    edited July 2022
    Ugh.
    Three trips in and I noticed the new upper and lower cords are fraying, apparently from the abrasion of normal door operation. While they have yet to break, the fraying sometimes causes a bit of binding. Otherwise, the door continues to operate normally--for now...
    My speculation is that the replacement cord I used--even though I researched carefully and purchased the more expensive polyester cord designed specifically for blinds--lacked the abrasion resistance of the original product. If (when) I end up repeating this repair, I will strongly consider @vhollow's approach of using heavy duty fishing line!
    2015 T@B S
  • vhollowvhollow Member Posts: 71
    The heavy, clear monofilament has worked very well for me. No sign of abrasion after many, many trips.
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