Community Forums

daledrob · 10-04-2015, 06:47 PM

My wife and I are new to motorhoming and only have 1500 miles under our belts and are loving it!!
We have a 2000 Tradewinds 37' and recently drove over severely rough and winding road for 5 to 6 hours. It has taken its toll on the front cabinet. It appears to have 4 screws along the top into the ceiling and I believe they are being pulled out.
I can not figure out how to tighten it up. I have removed the speaker on the left hand side, moved the TV within its hole to get at it.
I'm still having a hard time figuring out how to get in there to tighten it up and what the backing looks like.
We only have one more opportunity to take another trip before winter and I don't want it to fall on me while I'm driving and make it harder to put up
I'm very concerned so need suggestions please.

Thank you.

Chuck47 · 10-05-2015, 09:26 AM

Went thru exactly the same thing with my 99. I did all those things you've done before throwing in the towel & taking it in to the shop. Unfortunately I don't know exactly how they got up in there but the good news is that cabinet is secured to a steel cross member up there. They replaced the 4 broken screws they found (vibration being the most likely cause) & it's still secure several years later.

daledrob · 10-05-2015, 12:02 PM

Thank you for your reply, as I have just contacted a cabinet shop and I am going to meet with them at 1 o'clock today. With any luck I'll be able to stand there and watch and see exactly what they do. Should anything happen in the future I will be well informed and have the ability to make further repairs or assist another member.
Again, thank you very much for your reply .

Theberrys · 10-06-2015, 09:27 AM

If you still have the glass tube TV installed replace it with a LCD to reduce the weight. That 60 pound TV causes a load of stress on the front cap and will damage the seal between the cap and the rubber roof resulting in a leak. You should check for leaks now because the caulking could be pulled away. I had to remove the caulking and install Permabond Tape after the TV was replaced. Amazon.com: Permabond 4"x25' White: Office Products

Dick

daledrob · 10-07-2015, 01:23 PM

Installing a flatscreen TV is on the list of modifications and repairs that we are going to do. Checking the seal on the roof is an excellent idea as I have been up there and it looks like there has been more caulking put on than I think is necessary. So I am going to remove all of that caulking and clean it up then recock it.

BEACH · 10-19-2015, 07:48 PM

Had the same issue with my 2001 Tradewinds... used a bottle jack & 2 x 4 to jack up the cabinet, removed TV, added probably 10 screws into the steel cross beam.... it is a bear trying to work thru the speaker cabinet hole... used a flashlight, mirror and right hand cordless drill.......holding in place for 4 years now!!!!

Hit_the_Rhod · 10-19-2015, 07:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BEACH

Had the same issue with my 2001 Tradewinds... used a bottle jack & 2 x 4 to jack up the cabinet, removed TV, added probably 10 screws into the steel cross beam.... it is a bear trying to work thru the speaker cabinet hole... used a flashlight, mirror and right hand cordless drill.......holding in place for 4 years now!!!!

Just a thought? What are those 10 screws doing over the drivers seat poking up through the roof? . . . . .No, I'm kidding of course. It's a good thing there was the steel crossbeam up there though, sometimes it seems like it's impossible to find anything to secure a screw to in these motor homes!

daledrob · 10-22-2015, 12:17 PM

Finally someone that has gone through this. Did you pre-drill holes and then put screws in the small strip of wood that is on the inside of that cabinet that goes clear across the front? How long were the screws that you used and were they self tapping? How did you know that there is a beam on the top? I could not feel anything going straight up from where the strip is on the inside. It seemed as if the roof had solid foam that came right down to that small strip of wood. So there must be a beem just on the inside. Do you have any pictures?

I plan on cutting the holes for the speakers out, and then gluing a strip on the back side that I can screw to support it back in place.

Thank You in advance for all of your help.

daledrob · 10-24-2015, 01:36 PM

Here is a little more information on my MH to clarify.

BEACH · 10-25-2015, 08:44 AM

In my MH, the factory had started several screws, however, never screwed them into the steel... So, I ran them in all of the way... they face towards the rear of the bus... the steel beam is "behind" (towards the rear of the bus) the cabinet ... then I added several TEK (drill point) screws, which drill their own holes...... I also replaced the lead weight TV with a flat screen...
I don't remember if any of the screws actually go vertically up..........

Retiredblade · 10-26-2015, 06:25 AM

Well, this spring, I took all the front cabinets, down, I had to because I had a bad leak and it stained the ceiling. I got to see how the M.H. factory constructed the thing. Wasn't to please d on how they did. The steel is 4" wide, very thin straps, glue to the styrofoam insulation. The ceiling cloth is glued to something like 3/16" pressed cardboard. What I did, is made a line 32" out from the front of the coach, and cut out that section. Some of that steel straps had came unglued. I cut a channel from each side of the M.H. 4" wide 1" thick put in a nice piece of poplar I had glued and screwed it to the ceiling right where the cabinet screw to. I got a piece of ceiling material that matches the factory material perfectly. I got a piece of 1/4" furniture plywood. Cut it to fit, cut the hot for the ceiling light, glue it up, screwed it in where I could. Then glued the fabric on the plywood.Then where it joined the existing ceiling, I fabricated a nice wood strip like the factory made ones, matched the stain and screw it in. Put the cabinets back, that was the worse part, got my wife to help hold them while I screwed them back. It looks great, I am proud of the job. I long ago took that old tv out, put a flat panel in but I took it out and made cabinet doors for it. So all I have now is two mirrors up front and big flat panel tv on the wall where rear of slide comes in.