All the screws in the bottom rear wall are missing or stripped

[Dave27]

I noticed several screws were missing from the bottom of the rear wall. When I tried to tighten the ones still in place, none would tighten. They are all stripped. I think the vibration in the wall caused some to loosen and fall out, and the others wore out material they were threaded into. All of the screws into the floor are in place and tight. I could try to put in larger screws, but what would prevent the same thing from happening again? Is there a structural purpose for these screws? Any suggestions of what I should do?

Thanks, Dave

[TucsonJim]

Hi Dave. I wouldn't go with bigger screws. I'd remove the screws, and fill the holes in the wall with tightly packed toothpicks and wood glue. Let it dry, then reinstall the screws. I've used this repair method before with some success.

Jim

[Second Chance]

Hi Dave. I wouldn't go with bigger screws. I'd remove the screws, and fill the holes in the wall with tightly packed toothpicks and wood glue. Let it dry, then reinstall the screws. I've used this repair method before with some success.

Jim

This was a constant problem with our Reflection 337. I did what Jim suggests, but with some small wooden kabob skewers - basically toothpicks on steroids so it takes fewer of them.

Rob

[Country Campers]

Those screws are just trying to hold in the "paneling" material which is thin and not of good quality. Bigger ones will probably just strip out as well. You could also move off to the side of the stripped hole and drill new holes.

Brian

[Yoda]

The other trick would be inject some Gorilla glue in the hole (add tooth picks), and re-insert the screw after dampening it, However put frog tape on the wall and on the channel. You want to get the glue at the very back of the hole (only a dab!) . This might take a syringe with a thin tube on the end ( check hobby or marine supply) What happens as the dab of glue cures it expands forming a little plug. You only need a little dab, but be sure you wet the screw tip before insuring. Gorilla glue takes moisture to cure. You can still get the screw out later. When I say only a dab I learned the hard way more is not better in this case.

The other possible solution is small wall mollies (flush fit little push in ones), but I would put a dab of wood glue on them as they will spin in the hole

BTW Emily sent me a selection of replacement screws (one size larger than stock) I have used several so far to replace striped ones. Per her that's what the factory does if one gets stripped, Just be sure to tell her the color.

[Second Chance]

Those screws are just trying to hold in the "paneling" material which is thin and not of good quality. Bigger ones will probably just strip out as well. You could also move off to the side of the stripped hole and drill new holes.

Brian

Paneling material? Isn't that rear wall inner surface part of a laminated modular wall with just some wallpaper on the inside. It's my feeling that the screws just hold the aluminum angle trim on. The issue is that it's foam behind the thin inner laminate so the screws don't have anything to bite into securely. Fill the void with something like Yoda suggests is a good idea (one step above [other] Rob's Cate&Rob and my toothpick approach.

Rob

[Yoda]

Paneling material? Isn't that rear wall inner surface part of a laminated modular wall with just some wallpaper on the inside. It's my feeling that the screws just hold the aluminum angle trim on. The issue is that it's foam behind the thin inner laminate so the screws don't have anything to bite into securely. Fill the void with something like Yoda suggests is a good idea (one step above [other] Rob's Cate&Rob and my toothpick approach.

Rob

Rob
The wall surface has a thin luan board (1/16 give or take, maybe 1/8th) that the wall paper is applied to. Its bonded to the foam and structure. One thing is puzzling though. If this is an outside wall bottom, there should be an aluminum framing member running across it. If that is the case, going up one screw size is the solution. If it is an inside wall there should be a wood strip there. Then the tooth picks and wood glue is the fix, but dab of gorilla glue would make it better as far as screws backing out. If hollow (foam) for some reason the dab of Gorilla glue might work.
Hope this helps
Dave27
Keith

[Country Campers]

Rob
The wall surface has a thin luan board (1/16 give or take, maybe 1/8th) that the wall paper is applied to. Its bonded to the foam and structure. On thing is puzzling though. If this is an outside wall bottom, there should be an aluminum framing member running across it. If that is the case, going up one screw size is the solution. If it is an inside wall there should be a wood strip there. Then the tooth picks and wood glue is the fix, but dab of gorilla glue would make it better as far as screws backing out. If hollow (foam) for some reason the dab of Gorilla glue might work.
Hope this helps
Keith

Yes this is what I am referring to , a thin sheet of luan laminated to the wall structure. I would agree that there should be aluminum structure behind the bottom , actually there should be an aluminum frame around the whole wall as well as "studs" and other structure in the wall panel. My thought was there are plenty of places that screws are stripped even when screwed into the aluminum structure with a wood strip inside. The wood strip inside does not fill the entire aluminum tube so a screw may catch the wood and it may not. The aluminum structure tubing has only about 1/16" of wall thickness , hardly enough to handle a coarse threaded screw. Second Chance .

If there is just foam behind the luan then a glue procedure that Yoda is suggesting may be the best option.

Brian

[Canyonlight]

This was a constant problem with our Reflection 337. I did what Jim suggests, but with some small wooden kabob skewers - basically toothpicks on steroids so it takes fewer of them.

Rob

X2 - I posted on this with pictures a few years back with our 303. I did as Jim suggested and none have come loose or out since then .

My real concern is and was, why did this happen. I was trying to determine if there was something different or unique in our travels/loading/etc. and could not come up with anything.

Dan

[Cate&Rob]

GDRV-Megan
Hi Megan,

Could you ask whoever is the right person on the Reflection team as to the purpose of this wall/floor connection strip? I doubt that this is structural . . . but, why is it even there?

Thanks
Rob

[Yoda]

Yes this is what I am referring to , a thin sheet of luan laminated to the wall structure. I would agree that there should be aluminum structure behind the bottom , actually there should be an aluminum frame around the whole wall as well as "studs" and other structure in the wall panel. My thought was there are plenty of places that screws are stripped even when screwed into the aluminum structure with a wood strip inside. The wood strip inside does not fill the entire aluminum tube so a screw may catch the wood and it may not. The aluminum structure tubing has only about 1/16" of wall thickness , hardly enough to handle a coarse threaded screw. Second Chance .

If there is just foam behind the luan then a glue procedure that Yoda is suggesting may be the best option.

Brian

The interior walls (at least on my unit) are all wood framed with the luan stapled in place (hollow inside - a good thing for modifications). Only the exterior structures are aluminum framed with bonded interior and exterior surfaces.
Just food for thought.
Keith

[Dave27]

Thank you everyone TucsonJim , Second Chance , Country Campers , Yoda , Canyonlight , I appreciate your suggestions. It is obviously a common problem, and like Dan, I wonder why it happens. I am going to try the wood and glue trick first and see how it goes. I can always go to a larger screw, I find that I am accumulating quite a collection screws since we got the camper. Tightening or replacing screws seems be the most common maintenance item I have.

Dave

[Yoda]

Thank you everyone TucsonJim , Second Chance , Country Campers , Yoda , Canyonlight , I appreciate your suggestions. It is obviously a common problem, and like Dan, I wonder why it happens. I am going to try the wood and glue trick first and see how it goes. I can always go to a larger screw, I find that I am accumulating quite a collection screws since we got the camper. Tightening or replacing screws seems be the most common maintenance item I have.

Dave

Dave - no worries - we are all in the business of tightening screws. I think that was the first thing I learned years ago when I bought my first used TT. I made so many trips to the local Hardware Hanks the owner sent me home with a mass assortment of screws that he had loose on hand. Those type of places are long gone unfortunately. He open up close to midnight one evening to get my house pluming fixed when he herd I was having trouble and even offered to come over and help. That was in Strausburg Colorado in the early 80's.

What I have found is if you have a screw work out, and it is not totally stripped, just a very small dab of white gorilla glue on just the tip will keep it from backing out again. The white does not foam as bad as the regular. Remember to damping the screw first, then dip and install.

[Dave27]

What I have found is if you have a screw work out, and it is not totally stripped, just a very small dab of white gorilla glue on just the tip will keep it from backing out again. The white does not foam as bad as the regular. Remember to damping the screw first, then dip and install.

When I say the screw is stripped, what I mean in this case is the hole has been eroded by the movement of the screw and there is nothing for the threads to bite into. The screw itself is fine, it just spins in the hole.
Dave

[Yoda]

When I say the screw is stripped, what I mean in this case is the hole has been eroded by the movement of the screw and there is nothing for the threads to bite into. The screw itself is fine, it just spins in the hole.
Dave

Can you tell if your in wood or metal, or is it hollow with foam? If you have a pick tool or wire you can poke around and tell.