A Frame Latches won't line up on the walls

[Leslie C]

i just bought an 2017 A215HW Rockwood Aframe. I am trying to set up as instruted. But I can't get the latches on the wall to line up with the groves in the ceiling. Any ideas?

[SeaDog]

Welcome to the forum its a great place to get your questions answered. I don't have the answer but we have a great community that know those rigs well someone will chime in soon.

[OYO]

Make sure you have the camper leveled front to back and side to side and chocked. Most times that is the issue.

[NMWildcat]

Originally Posted by OYO

Make sure you have the camper leveled front to back and side to side and chocked. Most times that is the issue.

X2.

[OYO]

And I should have added: stabilizers down.

[pgandw]

I believe in stabilizers UP when I am latching the walls. Even when I just barely kiss the ground with the stabilizers, it seems to induce just enough twist in the frame to throw the latches out of alignment. So I leave stabilizers up until after the walls are latched. Because unlike PUPs, there is no extension beyond the box. Therefore moving around in the A-frame with stabilizers up does not cause the camper to tip in either direction. In my old Coleman PUP, if you got on the rear extended bed with stabilizers up, the tongue would lift off the ground, and the rear frame/bumper would go to the dirt.

Starting from the top, especially on a high wall A-frame, is the rear roof section properly seated in the slot in the front section? I have found the electric lift won't always cause the rear roof section to fully seat; that I have to give a manual shove to make it seat fully. My prior standard height A-frame with manual lift was more forgiving in that regard.

If the top ridge is fully seated, the roof panel hinges are probably reasonably aligned. Which means the side panel hinges could be misaligned. I have seen A-frames with bent side panel hinges, and/or failure of the side panel hinge fastenings.

A question occurs to me: did you see the A-frame set up and latched before you bought it?

hope this helps
Fred W
2019 Flagstaff T21TBHW A-frame
2008 Hyundai Entourage minivan
camping Colorado and adjacent states one weekend at a time

[Bluepill]

I find that I often have to push the roof panels from the inside (Up and down action) in order to catch the latches. Works fine even when slightly off level.

[Leslie C]

Thanks for your advise. It is very helpful. the camper was set up and the latches were tight but they did fit. i don't remember if the stabilizers were down or no when it was set up. i am going to try with them up.

[traveling.geocacher]

All very good suggestions. You never know which solution was the best because it changes day to day. I think I've done all of the above. My go to move for unlocking the rear driver side is to raise the roof with my shoulder. I wish the latch system was more robust but whatcha gonna do.


We just had a concrete pad poured in the back yard. Wow, it was so easy to level, just raised the tongue a little. The latches went in like brand new. I did not have the stabilizers down.