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01-07-2009, 04:03 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Official iRV2 Sponsor
Newmar Owners Club Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: NW Washington State
Posts: 313
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I want to attach something like rope hooks to the outside of a 2008 Monaco Monarch. A weight of about 20 lbs will be suspended from the hooks (about 20 lbs over two or three hooks while parked). I am planning to use some self tapping sheet metal screws to hold the rope hooks onto the side of the RV (two screws per rope hook). Any suggestions and/or warnings would be appreciated.
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01-07-2009, 04:40 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club Texas Boomers Club
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Denmark and Spain
Posts: 2,030
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Hi Ceratto,s Grotto
If you have to, you have to, but are you sure you want to?
I suppose it all depend on where to hooks are going to be. Parts of your body work is simply glassfiber with nothing behind it. This would call for a some sort of extra support member on the back of the panel, because you probably wouldn't want the glassfiber to take the load unsupported.
If the hooks are going to be fixed somewhere on the insulated walls I would definately recommend that you locate the support structure in the wall and attatch the hooks to these. I can see the supports on my RV in the morning when it is cold and moist - they are in fact quite clear due to the differents in condensation on the outide wall surface.
I would also put a small dab of silicone caulking behind each hook. This would ensure a more waterproof connection and once the silicone dries you would hopefully get a more even distribution of load on the glassfiber wall.
Buy stainless steel hooks and use stainless steel fixings. You don't want things that goes rusty very quickly. Most marine shop will stock these. They cost more money but they will last you a lot longer.
Good luck.
__________________
The Great Dane
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01-08-2009, 02:00 AM
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#3
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Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Pollock Pines, CA
Posts: 45
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Try to distribute the working force over a larger area. Don't just screw the hook directly into the aluminum/fiberglass. I would try to find a plate that the hook would attach to then attach the plate to the coach with four screws. Of course like GD said use all SS hardware to make it look good and last a long time. Seal all the screws and run a bead of sealer all around the edge of the plate. Oh, and make sure you drill pilot holes where the screws are going to go thru the fiberglass. You don't want to take a chance of it cracking. HTH
__________________
2006 Adventurer 37B
Workhorse W-24
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01-08-2009, 02:20 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Knoxville, TN, USA
Posts: 3,994
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What the Great Dane said!
Bob
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Bob and Pam
2022 Quantum JM31
2023 Colorado Z71
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01-08-2009, 02:51 AM
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#5
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Moderator Emeritus
Ford Super Duty Owner
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Bryan, TX when not traveling.
Posts: 22,942
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Anytime you penetrate a wall or a roof, you are presenting a path for water intrusion. You need to make sure the screws are:
1. Located at a structural member (never just the fiberglass veneer.
2. Well caulked or sealed with the proper outdoor sealant.
Basically I would have to think 2 or 3 times before I started punching holes in my RV.
Ken
__________________
Amateur Radio Operator (KE5DFR)|No Longer Full-Time! - 2023 Cougar 22MLS toted by 2022 F150, 3.5L EcoBoost Tow Max FX4 Lariat Travel with one Standard Schnauzer and one small Timneh African Gray Parrot, retired mechanical engineer
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01-08-2009, 05:59 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Official iRV2 Sponsor
Newmar Owners Club Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: NW Washington State
Posts: 313
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Thanks for the feed back so far.
I have thought about it and am apprehensive about doing this, but 'IF' I can find a support brace / structural support under the skin I think I should be okay.
I am on the road as I try this so I do not have access to all my tools. Would one of those wall stud finders work in this situation (non magnetic type)? If so, I could go buy another to add to my collection back home.
All this to satisfy our owner's (Ani the cat) desire for safe access to the outside and into a wire crate / cage that I plan to hang on the outside of a window. On one of our trips my wife saw one of these and at that moment I knew something like that was in store. The person who made them for sale is no longer in business, so....
I have had some experience in cat walks as in a weak moment I told my wife I could make some sort of enclosed walk for the cats on our home, from one window to another and enclosed allowing them access to the great outdoors again, protecting the cats from all the lions, tigers, bears and coyotes, and us from the bugs. Sooo...
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01-08-2009, 06:14 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club Texas Boomers Club
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Denmark and Spain
Posts: 2,030
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Maybe this would work for you:
Suction Cup Tie Downs
I use these for attatching my Wilson arial to the side of my coach when I can't get a proper signal with the normal arial. I can testify that they take a lot of weight and they don't come off easy unless you use the right tecnique to remove them (lift one flap of the suction cup).
I got these from another of my favorite shops: Bass Pro Shops. I can spend days in there just looking.
At $15 for 4 suction cups this might be an inexpensive experiment.
__________________
The Great Dane
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01-08-2009, 06:34 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Official iRV2 Sponsor
Newmar Owners Club Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: NW Washington State
Posts: 313
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The cups idea has great appeal! I am going to try that. Thanks... I'll try to find some here in Tucson. I should be able to add a safety strap or some such thing without poking holes in the side too. Thanks again!
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01-08-2009, 03:35 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Virginia
Posts: 807
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A cat walk...I was wondering why you wanted to do what you wanted to do...
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**********
2022 Gulf Stream Envision 21QBS pulled by a 2021 Jeep Gladiator Mojave
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01-09-2009, 04:07 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club Holiday Rambler Owners Club
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Cornville, AZ
Posts: 1,105
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Take a look at the 3M Command hooks. They come in various types and strengths. The largest ones hold 5 lb each. I have used them to hang lights on the outside of the coach and they worked good and came off easily when I didn't need them anymore.
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Dave & Jeri
06 Holiday Rambler Endeavor
TOAD 15 Lincoln MKX
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01-09-2009, 04:58 AM
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#11
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Member
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 33
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One other approach may be to cut an entry into the basement and put in a trap door. I can't recall who or where I saw this (it's not my idea) but they cut a hole and put a ramp into the basement under their dinette. Then in the basement two bays (one on each side) were caged in. They would simply open up bay dors when parked and the cat's had their own open air condo below.
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Dave & Dana
2008 Monaco Knight PDQ 38
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01-09-2009, 06:57 AM
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#12
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Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club Holiday Rambler Owners Club
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,723
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From what I remember from our 06 Monarch, there was a pass through compartment from side to side between the curb entrance and the front wheels. Could be accessed from the front side of the step well.....Maybe. Sounds like NW Knight has a good idea.
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Mike & Sharon and our Pup Frankie
2008 HR Endeavor 40PDQ
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01-09-2009, 04:30 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Official iRV2 Sponsor
Newmar Owners Club Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: NW Washington State
Posts: 313
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Dave, many thanks but that is one road I don't plan to go down! I can just envision getting the cat out of the confines below should it not want to on it's own. My wife would not allow me my remedies to that situation for sure!
Drifter, that goes for the road you were pointing to too!
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01-24-2009, 09:47 AM
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#14
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Senior Member
Official iRV2 Sponsor
Newmar Owners Club Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: NW Washington State
Posts: 313
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This is what I ended up with...
I used both the stainless steel rope hooks (or fender hooks by the vendor) and the suction cup bungee cord idea "The Great Dane" provided.
I attached two fender hooks to the metal window frame and sealed them with silicone seal. When I drilled the pilot holes they actually were kept within the margins of the window sealant originally used around the window.
I had ordered the suction cup bungee cords from another vendor with the idea that I would use them either instead of mounting the fender hooks or as a supplement to them, but the fender hook mounting seems more than solid enough to hold the cage.
I did use one of the suction cup bungee cords (ala The Great Dane) on the bottom of the cage in order to keep the cage off the side of the Rv and scraping it.
I also had to cut a new access hole in the cage in the correct position for the window.
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