Tweet
The other day we finally decided to do something about the "wonderful" TCL TV that came in our Solitude. So we bought a new 50" Samsung super duper everything smart TV and a Yamaha sound bar and subwoofer to go with it. I'll post pics in a different thread about the sound bar mod.
During the installation of the TV and I really don't know how, we popped off the little plastic bushing that centers the threaded rod at the top of the TV stand. No big deal, a few seconds spent exploring the further reaches of my vocabulary and a minute with a curved piece of wire to retrieve it from the bottom and all was good as new. Not.
One of the little tangs had broken off the bushing and it would no longer remain in place when operating the lift. While not destructive, the noise of the threaded rod banging around in the unbushed hole was really annoying. OK, research time. No joy at any of the local electrical outlets, no joy on the local RV dealers and no joy in finding a replacement on the Internet in the hour I was willing to give it.
So I called GD. As usual, I got a nice person on the phone who took my VIN, looked up the part and told me that there were no replacement items available for the lifts, just the entire lift as a single part. I asked how much that TV lift was and was referred back to my dealer with the part number. $877.61 plus tax and shipping! I actually laughed out loud and the parts guy laughed with me.
Next. I have a friend with a 3D printer, problem solved. Except that at the small size of the part, the tangs were not strong enough with the materials he had on hand. Lucky for me, my friend has a pretty good case of OCD and spent about 10 hours searching for the exact part. Voila! He found a supplier of the exact same part willing to sell one at a time for 23 cents apiece. Because I'm a big spender I bought five and with shipping it came to $4.37 and they were at my home in 5 days.
Our TV setup is terrific and our lift works without clanging and all is good with the world.
Here is the link and part number for any of you who may encounter this same issue.
https://www.heyco.com/Hole_Plugs/pro...ion=Hole_Plugs
It’s the one with description : B 593-468
During the installation of the TV and I really don't know how, we popped off the little plastic bushing that centers the threaded rod at the top of the TV stand. No big deal, a few seconds spent exploring the further reaches of my vocabulary and a minute with a curved piece of wire to retrieve it from the bottom and all was good as new. Not.
One of the little tangs had broken off the bushing and it would no longer remain in place when operating the lift. While not destructive, the noise of the threaded rod banging around in the unbushed hole was really annoying. OK, research time. No joy at any of the local electrical outlets, no joy on the local RV dealers and no joy in finding a replacement on the Internet in the hour I was willing to give it.
So I called GD. As usual, I got a nice person on the phone who took my VIN, looked up the part and told me that there were no replacement items available for the lifts, just the entire lift as a single part. I asked how much that TV lift was and was referred back to my dealer with the part number. $877.61 plus tax and shipping! I actually laughed out loud and the parts guy laughed with me.
Next. I have a friend with a 3D printer, problem solved. Except that at the small size of the part, the tangs were not strong enough with the materials he had on hand. Lucky for me, my friend has a pretty good case of OCD and spent about 10 hours searching for the exact part. Voila! He found a supplier of the exact same part willing to sell one at a time for 23 cents apiece. Because I'm a big spender I bought five and with shipping it came to $4.37 and they were at my home in 5 days.
Our TV setup is terrific and our lift works without clanging and all is good with the world.
Here is the link and part number for any of you who may encounter this same issue.
https://www.heyco.com/Hole_Plugs/pro...ion=Hole_Plugs
It’s the one with description : B 593-468
. Whats interesting is this type of part is and can be used in a lot of situations. My lawn mower has one on the blade brake cable holder. They are not meant to be removed (no release hole for clips). 
Comment