I've been thinking about Suicide...

[Dean in Eureka, CA]

Doug,
You bring up a point I haven't mentioned... About the door restricting the area for an attached enclosure.
That crossed my mind early on, but I figured I could use that to my favor by using the open door as a partial partition for additional privacy... Whether it be a dressing area, showering area or whatever...
I've been looking at other restraints, besides an external door stop too.
As far as the doors coming open during transit and whether or not a water tight seal could be achieved during rainy travel at highway speeds...
I do trust my abilities...
To me it makes the payoff much better to suicide them...
You know... Even if I do encounter problems, I'd feel better to have tried than not and that's where I'm at with it right now...
Besides... It will take longer.

[Joanne]

Hey Dean,

I hate to say that I voted no. My thinking is that I would be constantly having to walk around the opened door. Most of my time is spent toward the rear of the trailer (I'm cooking in the galley, go figure) so when I walked up towards the door I would be opening it directly into me. It sounds trivial, but it would make a difference to me. Just my .02 worth.

On the other side, you will have a *rare* feature in a teardrop.

Joanne

[Sam I am]

Dean, you could use draw latches on the leading edge of the doors to hold them closed while driving. Get the kind that you can put a padlock on. No way it will fly open! When using the tear, lock the latches in the open position, so no one can lock you inside! I used these for holding my hatch closed & locked. Mc Master-Carr has cheap ones.
Sam

[Laredo]

I have been advocating gull-wing dutch doors for a long time now, because I want to see them built before I try them. Sigh.

Dean, have you thought about sliding doors?

[Pam Wright]

Hey Dean~

Look at George Thornton's "Lost Teardrop" it has Suicide Doors and if you PM him, I'm sure he give you his opinion!!! I do not believe he has ever had a door come open problem... Actually one door latches strickly to the inside and the other opens at the door latch, not sure what he has done on the "leakage" issues???? They look great and provide a larger opening....

pam

[bledsoe3]

Besides... It will take longer.

Does that mean you'll be YBing it at IRG2.0?

BTW, I voted no. I just like the more traditional look.

[halfdome, Danny]

Hey Dean,

I hate to say that I voted no. My thinking is that I would be constantly having to walk around the opened door. Most of my time is spent toward the rear of the trailer (I'm cooking in the galley, go figure) so when I walked up towards the door I would be opening it directly into me. It sounds trivial, but it would make a difference to me. Just my .02 worth.

On the other side, you will have a *rare* feature in a teardrop.

Joanne

To me this is the best reason to go with a traditional door, Danny

[Dean in Eureka, CA]

Whoa!!!
Sam,
That would be a workable solution, but I scoffed at what I saw as far as the asthetics go...

Pam,
George has French doors and I guess you could say the rear door is suicided...

Laredo,
No,
I haven't considered sliding doors and won't on this build because of the fender. Gullwings, eh?... Keep watchin' Del's build...

Joanne,
I don't have a rebuttal for that, except to say yaa got me on that one...
Thinking about that a little deeper, it could present a problem for me...
I eventually plan on having an attached shelter on the street side of the tear, so that door wouldn't really come into play, but...
If I was to go from the galley to the cabin, Yes... I would have to walk past the door and that's no biggie, but...
That means I'd most likely grab the handle with my left hand and therein lay the problem... It's my left shoulder that's giving me fits these days.

Thanks All for the comments and the votes...
Time for the Norwegian to hit the final think tank on this matter...

[Ron Dickey]

you can can do your doors anyway you want to it is your unit.

You could have no doors at all change the name to gost rider.

You how ever should make sure the latch is a good one at 45+ mph down the road you may have one fly off and hit the officer chasing you.

I want gull doors but I know I will hit my head alot.

I think it more a choice of conviniance. What works best for your family and only them unless you plan to sell it and have to bring down the price because there are pickey people that one things nomal way.

I am thinking of Whole'y [no doors] (I have never installed one and am a little imtimadated by them) and then there is the window inside

Dean Be Brave
If you do it like this I would love it.


Ron D.

[Dean in Eureka, CA]

Ron,
THANKS!!!
I'll just change the name and call it, "Open-Aire"
I'm good to go!!!

Hatch... I don't need no stinkin' hatch, Roof... I don't need no stinkin' roof, Doors... I don't need no stinkin' doors.

[asianflava]

Dean, have you thought about sliding doors?

Somebody did try them a long time ago. He eventually sold the trailer for like $500. I don't know for certain, but I heard that he was never able to get the doors water tight.

http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?t=4652

[The Teardrop Nanny]

Now you can see why Dean & I borrow.....he gets so many ideas and it's very hard to narrow it down to just the right one. At this point, I don't care WHAT kind of doors it has on it, just so that it has doors on it and it gets done. xoxo TDN

[Dean in Eureka, CA]

Uh-Jim...
No... We won't be YBing it at IRG2.0...
(See Above)

[bgordon]

Hi,

Please excuse my newbie ignorance, but what the hell is 'suiciding doors'?
I can't figure it out from the posts.
.

[Edit] Oh Never mind (and thanks anyway). I think you are referring to this??



.

[Dave Bob]

Hi,

Please excuse my newbie ignorance, but what the hell is 'suiciding doors'?
I can't figure it out from the posts.
.

A door or doors that opens backwards from ordinary on a vehicle. If the door were to open when the car or trailer was in motion, the wind would push it fully open instead of closed as on a traditional door, thus a suicide door.

Clear as mud?

Dave