FL 70 Doors

[RichM]

Wondering if any FL 70 owners have experienced the cab doors opening in excessive heat even though they were locked. The last 2 weeks we ran out in the Southwest where the temperatures were in the range of 110-120 degrees. Several times while cruising at about 65 MPH the doors would unlatch and open up.This takes about 6 months off your life.They then became difficult to close and lock.I played with the latches but didn!t want to risk breaking anything in the desert.We are now back east and they seem better.Just trying to avoid the Freightliner ASCME (LOL)
mechanics if possible.. On Friday afternoon a week ago we were coming through Indio CA and it was 122 degrees,the doors must have unlatched 3 times in 1 hour so we finally stopped for the night, next day OK.

 

[bret]

That would definately scare the hell out of me, especially the first time it happened.
Being from an aeronautical background, I might be able to help.
The temperatures you spoke of are extreme to say the least.
Cars and trucks are not engineered to work in temperature variations ( +/- 200 degrees),like airplanes are. Keep in mind that all materials expand as the temperature increases. Was the door sticking or binding at all? If so, the door expanded
at a faster rate than the door frame. This pressure, combined with vibration, may have caused it to pop out of the frame. Besides expansion rates, materials generally become softer and more plyable with an increase in heat. The door latch springs surely had less tension in 120 degrees than a normal 80 degree day. I dont know how your truck is designed specifically, but I would suspect a combination of both.
Anyways, there is'nt much you can do, other than to play aroung with the mechanics of the door by experimentation. ( you can use washers as shims aroung the latch ). I sincerely doubt that Freightliner will spend the time to figure it out, of warranty it, since its not actually broke. From what you have written , this is all the advice I have for you. Best of luck.

 

[LittleBigTruck]

Yes! My FL112 did it too. Besides knocking 6 mos off my life, I almost lost my dog! I can't remember what the temperature was at the time. Even after adjusting them, the passenger door is hard to close, and the driver door is hard to open. We now keep the passenger door locked at all times.

 

[ALLIGATOR21]

IT HAS HAPPENED TO ME TOO RICH. I HAVE 6 FL-70 FREIGHTLINERS.PRETTY SCAREY--THE DOORS ON ALL OF THEM HAVE GIVEN ME PROBLEMS---I HAVE DECIDED THE ONLY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A JEHOVAHS WITTNESS AND A FREIGHTLINER IS THAT YOU CAN SHUT THE DOOR ON THE JEHOVAHS WITNESS

 

[RichM]

About 2 weeks ago the door problems were getting so bad I finally brought the truck into a Freightliner dealer and had the body shop manager go over it. He said that there is a lever that has a small spot weld on it that will break and cause this problem. When he took off the door panels this weld was OK,so they put on 2 new door latches at $125. apeice plus labor and so far all is OK..