The sliding cover in your RV’s screen door is one aspect of most RVs that tends to crack or break over time. It’s usually due to a combination of a few different factors. First, that door slider gets a LOT of use. It’s also often exposed to extremes of heat and cold. And finally, the sliding panels generally aren’t made of the most robust materials. Most RV screen door slide panels are made of plastic or composite material and aren’t very durable. Therefore, it’s not uncommon for RVers to need to consider an RV screen door slider replacement.
Fortunately, it’s neither a complicated DIY project nor an expensive one. In this post, we show you how it’s done and where to find a replacement sliding cover for your rig.
What’s an RV Screen Door Slide?
Many RVs have a small screen door slider (also called a “bubble slider” or “stopper”). This is generally a panel made of plastic or composite material that slides back and forth to cover or reveal the door latch and/or lock. As noted above, these can crack or break due to use or become discolored from UV exposure over time. There are several different styles of RV screen door sliders, depending on the make/model of the door used by your RV’s manufacturer.
An RV screen door slider slides back and forth to reveal or cover the door latch and/or lock. These can crack, break, or discolor with time and use, requiring replacement.
They can be as simple as a flat piece of plexiglass with a knob screwed into it (which is what we had on our old Newmar), or they can be a more 3-dimensional shape with a molded handle for sliding it open. It may also include a knob or handle that can activate the door-opening mechanism without requiring the slider to be opened first.
How to Replace an RV Screen Door Slide
In just a few minutes, you can easily replace most RV’s screen door sliders as a DIY project. First, you’ll need to research the proper type of slider for your RV’s year, make, and model. Again, various manufacturers use different types, shapes, and sizes of sliders, so you’ll also need to know the measurements of your particular model. The type/shape of the slider you have will differ based on your RV, but they all work essentially the same way, so replacement usually follows a few easy steps.
Remove the Old Slider
To remove the old slider, simply bend it slightly until it pops out of one of the tracks that hold it in place on the screen door itself. Then it should easily lift out of the housing entirely. If you’re concerned about flexing it too much and possibly breaking it, the old one you’re replacing is good practice for installing the new one!
Clean the Tracks
With the old slider removed, now’s a great time to clean the tracks of debris, dirt, and other obstructions. This will help the new/replacement slider move more smoothly and easily once it’s installed.
Additional Tip: The other half of the opening where the slider sits in the screen door can sometimes be a piece of glass or clear plexiglass. With the slider out, you also have a good opportunity to clean the section that was previously covered by the slider. Be aware that if the section is made of plexiglass, you’ll want to use a soft cloth and apply only light pressure to avoid scratching it. If it’s made of glass, be gentle when cleaning to prevent it from shattering.
Set the New Slider Into the Tracks
Installation should be as simple as inserting one side into one track in the door and then gently flexing the plastic just enough to allow the opposing side to slip into its track. Again, since you had a “practice run” at flexing the old slider, it should be easy to avoid any concerns about flexing the new one too much. Note that some sliders may need to be trimmed to fit (follow any instructions that came with the replacement slider to be sure it fits correctly).
Regardless of the shape or type of slider your rig has, replacement typically follows the simple steps outlined in the following video.
Where Can I Get a Replacement for My RV Screen Door Slide?
RV screen door sliders are readily available from several sources. You can buy them online through the manufacturer, Amazon, or camping stores. Below are several of the most common types of RV screen door sliders. But remember – you’ll need to determine which size/shape/type of slider your rig uses before ordering.
- This is an exact replacement slide for Philip's
- Creation and other brands of screen doors similar in appearance
- ✔【Features】: Please measure the size of your car to see if it will fit before you buy，The product is completely transparent, when you get the...
- ✔【Size】: Measures 11.9"L x 9.85"W.
- PRODUCT DETAILS: 12 inches long by 9.75 inches tall. The push-down knob is on the lower right side of the panel when installed properly from the...
- UNIVERSAL FIT SLIDER PANEL: Suitable replacement for right-handed RV screen doors. Please take note that not all RV screen doors use the same size...
- OEM Quality RV Screen Door Slider Panel : Ensure a perfect fit with our 12" rv screen door slider panel. Ideal for replacing worn-out parts, this...
- Durable Design : Our rv screen door slider panel 12x12 is built for durability. Enjoy the great outdoors without compromising. Perfect for RV'ers...
- Manufacturer Part Number: 4810-00
- The package includes: a transparent plexiglass 4810-00 bubble door style plug, supported by 4812-01 bubble door screen 4814-00.
- 【THIS ITEM IS NOT OEM ITEM BUT WORK AS SAME AS THE ORIGINAL】:RV door screen slide this is a generic product and not an oem product,fits...
- 【APPLICATION】：Screen door slide with slide stop, 12" panel for rv, trailer, camper, motor home, black
We briefly touched on replacing the slider in our previous post on RV screen doors. However, if you have other issues with your RV screen door, we invite you to check out that post for more information on screen door repairs.
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Craig
Wednesday 10th of September 2025
Looking for a slide cover 10 1/4 x 10 1/4 2 inches in depth
daniel banka
Sunday 28th of July 2024
you didn't mention the depth of the slide -----05 newmarr --the door handle stand out 2 inches --most slide bubbles are 1 inch -----amazon never gives depth measurement they have L and W but not the depth and I will tell u it is almost impossible to find If u can help me out and tell me where I can find it ---all are out of stock
TheRVgeeks
Monday 29th of July 2024
Hi Daniel. Sorry to hear about your trouble. We no longer have the Mountain Aire (so we can't take measurements), but the slider section in our screen door was flat... just a squarish section of polycarbonate plastic that fit into the track in the door. Then there was a handle screwed into the plastic on the side that opens so you can grab something to slide it open.
You could take measurements of the opening (add some height so it fits up into the tracks) and get a piece of polycarbonate cut to size (it's often available at big box home stores like Home Depot, Lowes, or RONA). Or you could call Newmar... they source a lot of parts and may have it in stock.
JustSumDad
Tuesday 12th of September 2023
The slide channel that lines the top and bottom groves for the slide to go into are damaged. Anyone know where to get some of that?