Posted 2005-12-03 9:15 PM (#33721) Subject: Bent lip on top butterfly door
Member
Posts: 7
Location: Denver
How do you repair a bent lip on the bottom edge of a butterfly door? This is a steel trailer, and it's snow weather here now. Should this be done in a warm enclosure, or is cold weather repair ok? This edge is a 90 degree angle. Thanks.
Posted 2005-12-04 7:57 AM (#33728 - in reply to #33721) Subject: RE: Bent lip on top butterfly door
Expert
Posts: 2953 Location: North Carolina
In the Denver area...If the lip is metal, the warm enclosure is for the comfort of the repairer. Otherwise, try to find some sort of windbreak, or wait for a sunny day.
An electric griddle is wonderful for keeping wrenches from getting too cold!
Posted 2005-12-06 8:32 AM (#33783 - in reply to #33781) Subject: RE: Bent lip on top butterfly door
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Posts: 2689
Originally written by gus on 2005-12-06 8:13 AM
hello
What is a butterfly door?
I think it is the top door over a ramp - secured with a butterfly latch.
I picked up the term from somewhere and it seems to mean the usual latching bars that hold doors shut, often with a rod that is twisted to actuate a cam above and/or below the door.
In any case, straightening steel sheet is about as easy in cold weather as in warm/hot. If it is minor vice grips will probably do it, if the paint isn't cracked it would be worth wrapping the lip to protect the paint.
SOMEtimes lips get bent as a result of someone trying to close the wrong top door over the other one. One of my trailers is right over left, guess which way the other trailer is (-:
Posted 2005-12-06 11:05 PM (#33814 - in reply to #33721) Subject: RE: Bent lip on top butterfly door
Member
Posts: 7
Location: Denver
yes, that's the case with me. My DH was in a hurry and forgot to close the bottom left door first. Forced the bottom door over the top door, and bent the lip of the top door back. Paint seems to be ok at this point: what do you mean by wrapping the bottom? My DH is a very basic beginner with repairs of any kind, so can you please explain it in step-by-step detail? Thanks SO much for your help...
Posted 2005-12-07 6:43 AM (#33817 - in reply to #33814) Subject: RE: Bent lip on top butterfly door
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Posts: 2689
Originally written by prettypaso on 2005-12-06 11:05 PM
yes, that's the case with me. My DH was in a hurry and forgot to close the bottom left door first. Forced the bottom door over the top door, and bent the lip of the top door back. Paint seems to be ok at this point: what do you mean by wrapping the bottom? My DH is a very basic beginner with repairs of any kind, so can you please explain it in step-by-step detail? Thanks SO much for your help...
Time to send him off to horsewoman husband school (-:
I was thinking to use a couple of thin strips of 1/4 inch plywood to protect the paint from the jaws of the vice-grips, also to spread the force and get a straighter line. If he also doesn't do handyperson around the house stuff.... hmmm, maybe he doesn't have a wood scraps bin. THICK and HARD cardboard might work, or even some hard plastic. Its a bit hard for me to imagine not having a lot of scrap everything around me that I can just cut up for things like this.
Anyway, if the bend runs for more than an inch or so, be careful to straighten it out gradually. It is probably worse close to the hinge and tapers to nothing, work it gradually towards the hinge end.
No matter how much I wave my hands around I can't translate it into a simple "how to". You would probably be better off to close it up as best you can and haul it off to an auto body shop. Ask for a simple straightening, you might get it done while you wait.
Posted 2005-12-07 11:02 PM (#33847 - in reply to #33721) Subject: RE: Bent lip on top butterfly door
Member
Posts: 7
Location: Denver
That was a great answer. I'll either be observing his best attempt, or taking it to the auto body shop. Don't know what state your in, but what would you venture as a wild guess as to what a 3 inch long steel section might run at a shop? (Any ballpark guess would be fine!) Thanks a bunch, again. 50
Posted 2005-12-07 11:19 PM (#33849 - in reply to #33847) Subject: RE: Bent lip on top butterfly door
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Posts: 2689
Originally written by prettypaso on 2005-12-07 11:02 PM
That was a great answer. I'll either be observing his best attempt, or taking it to the auto body shop. Don't know what state your in, but what would you venture as a wild guess as to what a 3 inch long steel section might run at a shop? (Any ballpark guess would be fine!) Thanks a bunch, again. 50
I have no idea.
For ME it would be under $50 if no painting, it could even be free if I just dropped in and told a funny story about what a klutz I'd been to bend it.
A little self depracation, fake and feeble attempts to blame it on a horse, etc.
How well do you get along with your auto mechanic ?
Does he/she do your trailer work ?
It can be a relationship worth a little investment (-:
I'm not above dropping off a case of beer once in a while for no obvious or recent reason.
Bent lip on top butterfly door
