Pre-made Teardrop Door Sources?

[Lou.Catozzi]

The first time I searched for pre-made TD doors I could only find Vintage Technologies as a supplier. Yesterday I searched TNTTT again and noticed Challenger Doors mentioned. Are there any other sources around that people have tried and liked? The big concern I hear from buyers of pre-made doors are that the windows are made such that the bottom window can slide up to open but the top window is fixed in place. Since the standard TD design is to have the door low enough to sit down backwards onto the mattress while getting in it seems that leaving a lower open window during a surprise rain shower could lead to some seriously damp bedding. Seems to me that if the top window could be left open and you had some sort of rain deflector over the window like the drip edge people put over their doors it would solve this problem.

Lou

[doris s.]

I hate to say this because making homemade doors is a pain in the butt but I love the way homemade doors look. My hubby and I built a big woody and I love my homemade doors with a crank out window. When it rains we can keep the windows open. My hubby hated having to sand the doors smaller but I really like them.
I would think some RV supplies or camping world might sell the premade ones. I know they are about $300 for each door.
Good luck,
Doris

[cheri832]

Łou,
I have Vintech doors and really like them. Although they come marked driver and passenger, you can reverse that, keep the hinges closest to the tow vehicle, and they have to be turned upside down... but with the paddle latches, the only difference is the keyhole position, and the windows now open from the top. It's easy to make them work the way you want them. Good luck with your build..

[Lou.Catozzi]

Although they come marked driver and passenger, you can reverse that, keep the hinges closest to the tow vehicle, and they have to be turned upside down

Cheri,

Do you have your VT doors mounted this way? I had thought of that but when I mentioned it to a friend he told me the "weep holes" in the frames would now be at the top of the frame and that the window portion that is now on top would be inside of the now lower window so any rain that hits the upper window is going to flow down between the windows and into the trailer.

I might be imagining problems that don't really exist but that's how my brain works, especially when I'm trying to get to sleep at night. It starts chewing on all the little unresolved issues that came up in my teardrop design process during the day.

Thnx for your thoughts on this.

Lou

[Andrew Herrick]

I'm still on the hunt for alternative suppliers for teardrop doors as well. Not that I don't like Vintage Technologies or Challenger Doors! They make great products. Just nice to have options.

You're right about rain getting in through the window if it's left open. That's one reason why most teardrops have a fan on the roof, which can be cracked open during a rain storm.

You can actually order RV cargo doors in just about any size you want. I estimated a 26"x30" for about $200. No window, though, and I can't say I find them too attractive.

You can order any teardrop door in driver's-side or passenger-side configuration. Don't swap them. Your window will be upside down (it looks ugly) and yeah, now your weep holes act as rain catchments. Not good.

Homemade doors ... well, my experiences weren't that great, but a lot of people are much better (and more patient) craftsmen than me You might be making new ones in 5-10 years. They warp. Some people have come up with really clever ways to keep that from happening, but unless you enjoy the design challenge of a wooden door (and you won't save much money over a prebuilt door), there's no better substitute for an inner frame than good ol' metal.

[Esteban]

More Choices for Manufactured Teardrop Door(s) has information I researched and posted here in 2013. It may be a good starting point.

[cheri832]

Lou,
Ignore what I said. I don't see any weep holes, BUT it would put the top movable pane on the insìde. Mea culpa.
You might give Frank a call and see if he would assemble top opening doors for you.
I installed mine as marked...but I have a convertible so ventilation from the top wasn't even a thought.
Now I'll go back to quietly reading in the background...lol

[Graniterich]

I just installed Challenger doors today, Will right up in another thread. They're better in my opinion, I have purchased eight of vintage doors, these will be my doors of choice. They're built to order,do allow three weeks. Include eyebrow rain above door. They also use high quality windows. No association with then just looking for the Best thing for me

[BigGoofyGuy]

I just found this site. Does it help?
http://teardroptrailerparts.com/Windows___Doors.html


Here is a couple from the site.

[frosty]

More Choices for Manufactured Teardrop Door(s) has information I researched and posted here in 2013. It may be a good starting point.

Has that been updated as yet?

[Esteban]

More Choices for Manufactured Teardrop Door(s) has information I researched and posted here in 2013. It may be a good starting point.

Has that been updated as yet?

I have not done recent research to update it. It could be updated by TNTTT users who share their experience with manufactured doors and their sources. Maybe then it would be worthy of becoming a sticky.

[JuneBug]

Can some one post a direct link to the Challenger doors?

[Esteban]

challengerdoor.com

http://challengerdoor.com/?page_id=351

This may be another source for Challenger doors. kmtparts.com/tear-drop-trailer-doors