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Regular
Posts: 76
Location: WI | Has anyone istalled their own walk through door on an aluminum trailer? I bought a new to me used trailer this fall and I am going to do up the living srea and one of the things I thought of was installing a walk through door to help support the use of a cowboy shower...it would be nice to just walk through rather than have ot go outside and walk around. If you did it, can you give me details of how and what you made it out of?? Thanks |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 954
 
Location: Hagerstown, MD | Here are my humble thoughts on your project. Don't do it your self. Hire a proffessional to do the job. Get at least 3 estimates! Write a contract! Get EVERYTHING in writing, give them a deposit, offer a construction draw if needed and DON'T pay them until the job is completed to your satisfaction and according to the written contract. If you are asking how to do it, or how we would do it, you are already behind the curve on getting the job done yourself. deranger |
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Expert
Posts: 5870
Location: western PA | There have been a few threads on the Internet about the installation of walk through doors by DIYers. In all cases, it involved some complex sheet metal work, welding and power tools. Unless you have these skills, and tools, it might be a job best left to professional fabricators, who perform this work on a daily basis. In many cases, the only difference in quality between a professional and an armature's work is how much they are paid. With such an expensive piece of equipment involved, if you have any hesitation about cutting a large hole through the bulkhead, it might be a job better left to an experienced person. Gard |
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 Expert
Posts: 1283
Location: Home of Wild Turkey Whiskey | It takes me about an hour to put one in. The door will come in it's own frame, so you can hold the door against the wall and draw what needs to be cut out using the door as the pattern. If the trailers wall stud or braces are not at the right spacing you may need to install one or both, depending on the location. The doors are in the $300 range, I have heard of people on this forum buying them for under $200, maybe one of them will chime in and let you know the details. |
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Expert
Posts: 3802
Location: Rocky Mount N.C. | These folks may have a door you can use... http://www.statewidealum.com/livestock-trailers-statewide-alum.htm http://shop.easternmarine.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=catalog.catalog&categoryID=462 |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 720
| Can make a huge difference in what kind of trailer. An Exiss is often fully framed for a drop in like HW mentions. A 4 Star, Sundowner , or other "custom" on the other hand often requires building a full frame and installing door jambs for their custom built door. Steel trailers on the other hand are almost always going to require welding. Give us more details!! And you might want to listed to Deranger. If by looking at it you don't already know about how to proceed, it might be a long road. Just my .02 |
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Regular
Posts: 76
Location: WI | I have an older Sooner Dynasty |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 720
| If I recollect, a Dynasty will be a FRP (fiberglass reinforced plywood) construction on all of the sidewalls. But I do not remember the slantwall's build. If it is an aluminum slantwall, with it's age I'm sure the wall standards will be too close together for one of the pre-hung doors to fit. So you'll be cutting out an aluminum standard and repositioning it. If it is a FRP wall, you can trace & cut right through the material and mount the walk thru easily. Just be sure and seal the wood where you expose it during the cut. |
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 Regular
Posts: 78
Location: Wisconsin | We will be cutting a door into our 98 Hawk also. What can we expect? I have mentioned before my husband has built our house so he is knowledgeable and hopefully it goes well. |
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Veteran
Posts: 140
Location: NM | I was hoping to do this in a 1995 Featherlite. Has anyone else cut into the wall? Can I expect problems? |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 801
Location: Tenn/Ala. | The Hawk should be a steel wall. The Featherlite will be aluminum and likely not pre-framed either. These projects just depend on one's level of comfort doing framing, fitting, welding, etc. There is some structural requirement there as a horse leans on this wall, but it does not support the roof or floor. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 522
Location: Tucumcari NM | If you have the necessary tools and equipment this is a fairly straightforward job, nothing complicated. If you don't have the tools, this can quickly become a pain in the tail. If you can install a door in a house or shed, you can install a door in a trailer. The process is the same. You may have to use a welder instead of a hammer, or rivets instead of nails.
Marla |
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 Expert
Posts: 1391
Location: North of Detroit, MI | ALthough I often dream about a door between DR area and horse area, the supports, cross-bracing, and halter/bridle hooks are all in the way, on the wall in my Titan. I think I would be farther ahead ordering a new slant wall from them, then trying to put a door in that wall.  |
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New User
Posts: 1
Location: Blythewood, SC | I was wondering if you had luck installing your walk thru door or if you were able to find one to install and if so how much you paid for it and where you ordered it from. Any advice on this subject would be greatly appreciated as I am looking to install a walk thru door in my 3 horse slant load also. The dealer wants an arm, a leg and some teeth to order it. I can install it myself if I can just find one to install. |
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Member
Posts: 6
Location: Lawton, OK | Good luck I was told to contact a dealer. Course you will have to take out a small loan to pay for one door. We are also putting a walk through door in our featherlite 2001 trailer. Gonna have to do some rebracing but we're sure it will work.
Don't bother contacting this place they only sale to dealers.
http://www.statewidealum.com/livestock-trailers-statewide-alum.htm
Where these folks find doors for $200.00 is beyond me. I think it is imagined. :-) |
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Location: Where the wind comes sweepin' down the plain... | www.ebay.com RV, Trailer, & Camper Parts Item #350246702216 That ones is $140 plus shipping that's going to run somewhere around $100-125. I have seen them on there from $100 and up. |
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Expert
Posts: 5870
Location: western PA | There have been several previous similar postings about these doors. Several of the DIYers bought walk through door/frame assemblies from Exiss dealers. I'm sure other manufacturers also sell the doors as well. Try DHMC or Select Trailer. They both sell many brands and are willing to help. Gard |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 406
Location: Minneapolis, MN |
Funny, I just ordered a window from them. A dealer I'm not. |
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Member
Posts: 6
Location: Lawton, OK | Yep, sure is funny. I just called their office in Oklahoma and they said, they ONLY sold to dealers. I've emailed and called and both same answer. But will try them again. Maybe they will get sick of me calling and sale me one. :-) |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 406
Location: Minneapolis, MN | Try the Elkhart location. |
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Member
Posts: 6
Location: Lawton, OK | Wyndancer, I owe you a big apology. I called back to the company in OK and after some major begging. They just happen to have one they will sale. They did say several times they only sale doors to dealers. But, yea! got one!! I do humbly apologize to Wyndancer |
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Do it yourself walk through door
