should I add more wood braces to the frame?

[lusterbunny]

Ok so the side of the camper is opened up on the door side and the lower skin removed. The door had to be redone because it was mostly rot and the aluminum was shot. We had the aluminum frame milled and we did the door with boomerang formica inside so it will be less likely to get exposed to water. Here is an image. So needless to say the door frame is really rotted as well as around the windows and the bottom rail. The question I have, is should it be rebuilt exactly the way it is or would it be smarter to beef up the construction a little bit and add some more cross braces to the frame? It seems there are not very many horizontal braces, especially in the front side around the window and I was curious if making it stronger would keep the side windows more secure as they seem like a not wonderful design to begin with.

any help would be appreciated-
cheers
Rain

Attachments:

[lusterbunny]

I guess we will just replace the ones that are rotted for now and add more before we put on the skin if the general opinion is that it will help.

[vikx]

I love your door! Very nice.

Also, I make the framing as strong as possible and do add braces. The thing to watch is adding too much weight. I think strong and sturdy is important.

[lusterbunny]

We are definately trying not to add too much more weight although I think the shasta will weight about 150 more pounds after she is done, but that seems ok to me.

[diamondrelics]

I'm adding extra to coralee in a few spots. There are spots on the body that we figured can use it without adding very much more weight..

[vikx]

Sounds good to me, too.

I think reframing with all two by fours would be over kill but added bracing is important. These things weren't supposed to last 40 years....