Dinette table bracket loose

OutBurger · 06-19-2009, 01:23 AM

My wife is driving with her father across the country with the kids while I am in Iraq. The dinette bracket came loose from the wall. It was held in place with about 6 1" screws. I am struggling with how to tell them how to repair the table. I suggested that when they get to PA (my father-in-law has a wood-shop) they cut a piece of 1/4" plywood and glue it under where the brackets screw into the wall. Then they can secure the brackets in to the plywood and not have them pull out of the wall as easily. Basically the plywood would spread the stress to a larger surface area.
This dinette was installed after-market, so I don't know if it was done correctly or not. It looks like the wall that it is screwed unto has a weak skin. Being that it is an outside wall I want to be-careful not to penetrate to the outside.
Any thoughts? Any suggestions? I have been reading this forum for >8 months and have used a lot of the suggestions I read such as:
I have replace my shocks with Koni and my wife and kids love the new ride!
Jacks were slow to come up: replaced the springs, lubricated the jacks

Thanks in advance for everyones help.

Clay L · 06-19-2009, 09:52 AM

In general Winnebago puts a metal plate in the wall that the screws screw into. If the holes are stripped one size larger might work.
They might also drill new clearance holes in the bracket and new pilot holes next to the existing ones in the wall and use the same screws.

On the other hand maybe the after market installer missed the metal plate. If so securing a piece of plywood to the metal in the wall and securing the bracket to the plywood should work fine.

John Hilley · 06-19-2009, 11:03 AM

What model motor home. I just removed my dinette. The bracket was glued to the wall and the screws did go into metal. If yours is similar to mine I can email you pictures. I have a 1999 Brave 35C, so it is similar to a lot of floor plans.

OutBurger · 06-19-2009, 11:29 AM

I forgot to make a signature so everyone could see what type of RV I had!
I have a 2004 Journey 36G.

The table was an after market installation. I don't know that they hit the metal plate when installing the screws. It didn't look like it when I first noticed 1 loose screw. All I saw was what looked like particle board or foam laminate.
I will try and see if they can locate the metal plate with a stud finder or a magnet and then screw into that. If not I planned on having a large piece of plywood cut and then use a glue and fasten it to the wall. It won't be visible when the table is up, only when the booth is turned into a bed.
I just wonder if the load will be spread enough to not injure the wall.

I love this forum. I have learned a lot from reading.
This is our first "camper" or I mean Motorhome, and we bought it used this year. Over all it is in fantastic shape and a joy to drive.

John Hilley · 06-19-2009, 01:32 PM

The stud finder may work, but the metal that mine was screwed into was aluminum. Winnebago should be able to tell you if you have the plate or not. If yours was ordered with table and chairs, it may well not have the plate. You should be able to contact Winnebago about what is in the wall and they will probably send you a drawing.

skigramp · 06-19-2009, 02:28 PM

We have a 2004 Journey (39W) ...

I attached a magazine rack to the wall beside my recliner ... one corner was held in place with some 1" screws. The wall of my jouney consists (in layers) of: vinyl wall covering, 1/8" luan mahogany plywood, styrofoam. Needless to say the screw holding the magazine rack in place eventually came loose and the magazine rack rattled as we went down the road.

Quite by chance I changed to a different bracket ... and found an aluminum backing to fasten the magazine rack into ... now it stays put.

Getting back to your problem: I believe that you are on the right track cutting a piece of plywood that you attach to the wall ... however I firmly believe that you need to find the aluminum backing so that you anchor the plywood securely.

I know that on damp mornings before the sun hits the sides of my coach I can "see" the aluminum ribs by the difference in the dew patterns on the outside of the coach ...

I would also go to Lowe's or Home Depot and tell them that you need to find aluminum backing in a motorhome wall ... and ask them if one of their "stud sensors" might be able to detect the location of the backing strictly on the diffence in density between aluminum and styrofoam.

I hope these ideas are helpful to you and your family ...

PS. You can see the layers of your walls by gently removing one of the electrical outlets in the wall ... I have two of them: one beside the passenger chair and one beside the dinette ...

ChasA · 06-19-2009, 07:18 PM

My suggestion is to use plastic wall anchors in the holes where the screws pulled out. I've used them in the the thin inside walls of the MH and they're holding just fine.