Terrytraveller Posted January 31, 2007 Share Posted January 31, 2007 Looking at Heosafe deadlocks and then at my government pension, really decided me to find an alternative to the £135 asking price. Screwfix sell a Frame Door Guard in white for £13.98 a pair, so bought them to fit, they seem to work very well. Positioned as in the photo (if I have managed to display them), they seem very smart. Installation is easy, drill two holes and fit them over the door panel. I removed the panel first to check that the screws have clearance, and there is plenty of that. The only mechanism nearby is the door operating rods, so keep the screw lengths as short as possible, 20mm countersunk and 30mm stud is okay . You will need to make sure the screw that fits below the lock is of the countersunk variety, before you start, drop the screw in and make sure the lock barrel fits and the key can be turned. If you want a more secure job, the plastic covered door panel will need to be cut so that it fits around the mounted lock assembly and nuts and bolts can be used. Removing just the top two door panel clips and loosening the upper door pocket hex screw, will give enough spring in in the door panel, and room for you to access the inside of the door to fit the nuts on the bolts, refitting the panel after all is secure around the now fitted frame guard. When removing the door panel studs, get a flat bladed screw driver under the panel stud shoulder as you gently pull away the panel, the studs should then come away with the door panel. Using a combination of the supplied plastic shims and different sized plastic studs on the latch, allows enough adjustment so when in the locked position and the door handle outside is operated, the door will not spring and remains firm. Regards Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest starspirit Posted January 31, 2007 Share Posted January 31, 2007 I installed a pair of these last year on my Boxer's door trim panel so that when closed they covered the door lock rising buttons preventing them from rising. They work and are, hightly visible, easy to fit, effective and cheap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terrytraveller Posted January 31, 2007 Author Share Posted January 31, 2007 Thats a really good idea Richard, while in plain view and with the lock fitted the would be thief will not even try to smash the window. I might save up for another 12 months and buy another set. Regards Terry PS - Just remembered why I didn't do that this time - I thought it unwise to stop the soleniod from popping up incase it blew the fuse (5amp mini blade) or burn't the soleniod out. My last MH didn't have central locking and I drilled a 1/16th hole through the surround and knob, then pushed a panel pin in to stop the knob from rising. I have had the fuse blow twice in three years for no apparent reason, the fuse when blown stops the electric windows from working also. I have just ordered up 20 x 5 amp mini fuses for £3 on Ebay - just in case! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest starspirit Posted January 31, 2007 Share Posted January 31, 2007 Terry, When I forget it's locked and use the remote unlocking the fuse does not blow. In practise we tend to leave the locking blocks in place, except at night or when leaving the van, so it looks locked and we use the van door which, as it is only just behind the cab door and has an automatic step is no hardship. If an emergency exit is required via the cab doors the keys are on a string somewhere very handy but not reachable through the cab windows. But I might just add two more on the lower door like you have! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terrytraveller Posted February 1, 2007 Author Share Posted February 1, 2007 Hi Richard, I did an experiment with the central locking and noticed that the soleniods pulse and/or time out after about 500mS, so you are right they won't blow the fuse. I don't think I will get to the bottom of my 5 amp fuse blowing (twice in three years) until the fault goes hard. Unless someone on the forum has solved a similar problem. If it gets more frequent I will have to strip the doors down and look at the wiring looms, I would expect to see a bad connection or a place where an intermittent short might occur. On the subject of those catches, I would be inclined to fix with larger diameter self tappers than those supplied, if after much use you find the assembly not as secure as you would like, then think of re-mounting using screws, nuts and washers, or perhaps a steel plate instead of, or as well as washers. Regards Terry Regards Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest starspirit Posted February 1, 2007 Share Posted February 1, 2007 Hi Terry, I did use fatter screws, but I see no point in going OTT as it is primarily a deterrent. If anyone breaks the window having seen the lock he will probably be able to wrench it apart enough to get in, but he will still find the lower lock below arms length a bit of an impediment! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest starspirit Posted February 1, 2007 Share Posted February 1, 2007 I've also fitted a 'yale' type lock between the original lock and the bottom of the caravan door which makes the whole door feel a bit more rigid. Again probably more deterrent than anything else because you can't really fix anything securely to these vacuum bonded doors without coach bolting right through which would be a bit unsightly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terrytraveller Posted February 2, 2007 Author Share Posted February 2, 2007 Hi Richard, Thanks for your reply, seems you are nicely secure in your MH. I fitted the Fiamma Safe Door to the habitation door, in practice it can only be used when the MH is not occupied, although I have seen many MH'ers set it, then climb into MH through the cab doors. My first line of defence on the habitation door is a normal house door safety chain, this is set so if the door is opened or unlocked at night, and the door is opened to the extent the chain allows, the magnetic switch on the door will activate the habitation alarm. The magnetic switch assembly is fitted onto the habitation door Fly screen, during the afternoon nap in the MH with door left open and fly screen closed, it becomes a useful guardian. Regards Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel E Posted February 2, 2007 Share Posted February 2, 2007 Terry and Richard, I wrote a short item for MMM about 6 years' ago criticising the locks fitted to compartment doors in both motorhomes and caravans. It is truly amazing that the internals of these locks involves a 1mm square plastic spigot. The result is that the lock can be readily forced by inserting almost any 10 cent flat bit screwdriver into the key slot and twisting hard. You break the plastic spigot and entry is yours. Nothing seems to have changed in the last 6 years. They still fit the same locks today to motorhomes costing £40,000, £60,000 and even £90,000. Worse, if you've got a garage model, these are the locks normally fitted to the garage. Your scooter or bikes plus anything else you've (probably overloaded) in there will be gone into the thieves van, standing conveniently back to back with yours in the supermarket car park, in the standard 60 seconds. No alarm under the sun will stop this happening! If the thieves think they have more time, they can probably get into the van from the garage and strip that too in another 2 minutes. If there's no access from the garage, you'll probably find the compartment door has the same sort of lock. And if it's a continental hypermarket, you can even buy the 10 cent screwdriver inside! So, for my money, task number 1 is to get those locks changed or supplemented by genuine security locks (Safeguard do a good range designed for the purpose). NEW BUYERS BEWARE! But how do the converters continue to justify this use of crap locks??? All it would take to resolve the problem would be for insurers to threaten a loading on new models so fitted from, say, 2 years' hence. That's why car security improved so radically. Mel E ==== Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest starspirit Posted February 2, 2007 Share Posted February 2, 2007 Agreed Mel the locks are all crap. I've fitted a simple device that prevents the seat being lifted should anyone get into the outside locker. Even though it is a smallish locker door and is full of junk inside a small person would easily be unload it and climb though. I still reain unconvinced that any alarm sounding would attract any attention sufficient to result in an offender being caught, although it might make the toerag run away - possibly? Which is why I prefer to use highly visible methods of securing access points, but am now considering a basic perimeter alarm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icelander Posted February 2, 2007 Share Posted February 2, 2007 Mel E Where are those habitation locks by Safeguard available from? Thanks Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GJH Posted February 5, 2007 Share Posted February 5, 2007 Hello Terry, Very interested in the Frame Guards. I notice that the Screwfix web site mentions "Push Button Operation with Key Deadlocking " and I just wanted to clarify how easy it would be to exit through the cab doors in an emergency (say during the night). Would I be right in thinking that you flip the catches into the "locked" position but don't deadlock them so that they can be quickly flipped back if need be? Graham Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terrytraveller Posted February 5, 2007 Author Share Posted February 5, 2007 Hi Graham, Thanks for your post, Yes you are right, the latches just flip either way 90 deg from the vertical and so are not handed. The little locking piece fits into the recess in Pic1 at the top, locks the latch so it cannot be moved. They are not easily visible from the cab windows when secured in the position I have fitted them, and so leaving the locking pieces out would be safer for a quicker exit. I think if you were to put all your weight behind the doors from inside, without disengaging the latch first, I believe the latch will give way. When outside trying to get in, you only have the door handle to purchase on,so it would be difficult to get in, but not impossible. With the latches on and the door handle outside is operated, the door stays firm, giving the impression that the outside handle is disabled. The top self tapper is inserted 50mm from the top of the plastic door panel, the latch is lined up on the edge of the plastic door panel. Using a 20mm countersunk screw for the top and 30mm domed screw for the bottom, will ensure clearance of the screws within the door. Hi Mel - didn't see your MMM article, but agree wholeheartedly with your post. Regards Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GJH Posted February 5, 2007 Share Posted February 5, 2007 Thanks very much Terry, just what I needed to know. Graham Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eric 83 Posted February 6, 2007 Share Posted February 6, 2007 terry the locks you show are what we in the window game call sash jammers, and can be bought with a key operated lock so they cannot be opened without the key. they are available from most dg. supplyers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terrytraveller Posted February 6, 2007 Author Share Posted February 6, 2007 Hi Eric, Thanks for your reply Eric, do I detect a tradesman there? I totally agree with you, I thought somewhere I gave the Screwfix description and part number, but perhaps I didn't. Best Regards Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.