to suicide or not? (doors)

[felixx]

Hi guys
Suicide doors or not? Your view and why?
I can see one big negative being if they open while driving .

[Woodbutcher]

That's why, plus you would be opening the door into the fender. I can't think of any reason to use a suicide door.

[KCStudly]

That's reason enough, but the other one is that they will hit the fenders, unless you are building over the wheels.

(WB beat me to it.)

[backstrap bandit]

The only resin I say no is if the doors r open for ventilation you would have to go around them to get to galley and also your opening into space where you would put a table hanging on side of tear

[asianflava]

I think you answered your own question.

[ajliquidation]

Seems to me it's just asking for seal failure in rain at highway speeds, and if your door comes open on the move it's gone!

[grant whipp]

I've owned cars with suicide doors ... I've owned (and currently own) vintage trailers with suicide doors ... I've built teardrops with suicide doors ... and while my preference might usually be for the non-suicide doors (for all of the above stated reasons), I am not afraid to build & install them in either of the vehicles if my sense of style and aesthetics deem that it would be desirable to do so! If you think your trailer (teardrop or otherwise) would look or function more to your liking with suicide doors, then do not allow the nay-sayers to sway you otherwise! Yes, there are (small) challenges to sealing and securing this style of door, but they are easily surmounted and you can feel at ease and be secure in the knowledge that it/they will NOT leak and NOT fly open while going down the highway! Bottom line ... if you want suicide doors (for what ever reasons), then build & install them ... ...! If you think you want or need advice on how to do them correctly & safely, send me an e-mail of give me a call!

I've told this story here many times ... Li'l Bear #01 (built in 1984, BTW) has an all-glass door on the right side, and it is a suicide type door ... on its very first outing, it came off the hitch ball and snapped the safety chain, and at over 60mph, drifted off the road and struck a concrete bridge abutment on the right front corner, then ca-roomed back across the freeway and buried itself in the oleander bushes in the median ... there was minimal damage to the trailer, and even though the door was NOT locked, it did not come open, and the glass did not break!

Now, for a lot of reasons, all of my production trailers have had (and continue to have) the typical forward-hinged doors, but if a customer specifies they want suicide or if I choose to put one (or more) in a custom spec build, I am not afraid to do so and will gladly oblige ... no fears, no worries, no ifs-ands-or-buts about it ... ...! Good Luck on your build, and as always ...

CHEERS!

[dales133]

I was probably going to suicide my doors for a few reasons.
My side of the beds the left and I'm left handed so I'd prefer a grab handle on my left.
My doors open overhang the front and due to the hight of mine they are more out of the way opening suicide.
And due to the lenth of it I can still fit side tables behind the doors so I think that's how I'll go

[bdosborn]

Make sure you have a good latch for the door if you go suicide, especially if you plan to go off the pavement. Here's the latch I used and it would unlatch on bumps when the trailer flexed (like over the curb to our driveway). Make sure you get *a lot* of overlap of the strike on the door frame.




Bruce

[felixx]

its all good, Im not doing suicide doors I was overthinking and got my brain confused.

What hinges do you use?
I was thinking these ones would be ok;
http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/caravans-motorhomes/parts-accessories/other/auction-834938028.htm

[webpager]

With forward hinges I think it'll be easier, depending on the size of the td and the door, to open the door and throw your legs out - especially middle of the night restroom runs - without waking a second person.

[ctstaas]

Hi All,
I like Grant's perspective. Teardrops are created to fit the needs and desires of the builder is with a little craftiness and imagination anything is possible. That the door opening is stopped by the fender can be worked into tent accessories or or a table feature would be very custom with extra points for fulfilling YOUR needs.
Enjoy, Chris