Community Forums

pameridan04 · 09-18-2021, 09:27 AM

Like I stated we are on our Maiden Voyage with our Tiffin Red 33AA. It has the slide out tray in the storage bay. It is really handy for storing all your supplies and slides out to the right or left side.

BUT...... BUT be very careful. It has a plastic tray covering the bottom that is about only 1/16 in thick. It is held down by TWO 1 inch sheet metal screws that go right through the bottom and stick out like daggers on the bottom of the tray.

As I pulled out the tray from the right side, something was pulling the rubber molding with it. I reached down underneath to pull the molding off what ever it was and as the tray moved forward the screw caught my thumb and nail. It ripped my nail right through from one end to the other back to front. My whole thumb nail is split in half. There are two screws on each side of the facing. What idiots, all they had to use was pop rivets to hold the plastic base cover down. Out came the hacksaw and off they came.

That roll out tray is super heavy. It can hold literally hundreds of pounds. With that tray closing, that screw could of easily cut through and cut my thumb almost in half. Attached is a picture of where the screws are located. You are looking at the face of the slide out tray.

Xmcdog · 09-18-2021, 09:41 AM

Ouch

That is nasty. Hope it heals soon.

In a past life I was the senior first aid attendant for a large coach workshop.

Some of the traps like that that we found on the coaches caused several jagged injuries.

As you said the appropriate sized pop rivets would save a lot of painful injuries.

rockriver · 09-18-2021, 11:57 AM

i hope the factory is monitoring this site and in particular this thread....

pameridan04 · 09-18-2021, 03:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rockriver

i hope the factory is monitoring this site and in particular this thread....

H RR: I doubt it very much. But we were at the Hershey RV Show this past Thursday. We walked in one of the new Tiffin Bus's. The guy at the door that greeted us was non other than Bob Tiffin. We have met Bob in the past. He extended an invitation to us and said drive your new coach for a month and come and see me in Red Bay.

I am putting the coach through its paces ow but have found very little wrong with it, except the killer screws and my screwy solar panels.

Another brain storm, they put the controller box for the solar panel on the side wall of the pull out tray. I all ready had cargo shift and rip the wires out. Go figure.

JCP

thegats1 · 09-19-2021, 04:47 AM

Ouch. I am sure I would have said a few choice words. I have the Red 340 33AL. Mine has the slide controllers and of course the inverter and battery switch panel in the bays. Initially I thought it was pretty stupid to install these things in the cargo bay where things may be shifting around. But now that I've owned it a while, I realize there aren't a lot of other choices. I also understand that long runs of higher gauge wire (thinner) can have voltage drop issues. Anyway, as far as the loads shifting I hear you. I've had to devise some creative methods to prevent the items that will obviously shift from moving. Bungee cords and small ropes have become very handy for me. For those items I will tie them to something else or even use the main frame as a secure point.

Hope that nail grows back. Man that hurts.

pameridan04 · 09-19-2021, 07:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thegats1

Ouch. I am sure I would have said a few choice words. I have the Red 340 33AL. Mine has the slide controllers and of course the inverter and battery switch panel in the bays. Initially I thought it was pretty stupid to install these things in the cargo bay where things may be shifting around. But now that I've owned it a while, I realize there aren't a lot of other choices. I also understand that long runs of higher gauge wire (thinner) can have voltage drop issues. Anyway, as far as the loads shifting I hear you. I've had to devise some creative methods to prevent the items that will obviously shift from moving. Bungee cords and small ropes have become very handy for me. For those items I will tie them to something else or even use the main frame as a secure point.

Hope that nail grows back. Man that hurts.

Hi Tommy: Now that is a great idea, bungie cords that will hold stuff in place. Problem is the wires that were pulled out of the side were for the Solar panel remote viewer up front. Looking at Solar Panel Jamboni controllers online to try and see wiring diagram. But I can see a trip back to my dealer is probably needed.

Regards Jim P.

wolfe10 · 09-19-2021, 07:13 AM

Would like to understand how the slide tray is (and then should be) secured to the bottom.

Please tell us exactly what forms the floor of the basement compartment on which the slide tray is secured.

If the floor is structurally sound (can take the side load of opening/closing the slide tray when heavily loaded) then through bolting is an easy answer.

If the floor is not structurally sound enough to take the side load, you will want to use backing plates on the under side of the basement floor to spread the side loads. Been there, done that.

Thanks.

pameridan04 · 09-19-2021, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wolfe10

Would like to understand how the slide tray is (and then should be) secured to the bottom.

Please tell us exactly what forms the floor of the basement compartment on which the slide tray is secured.

If the floor is structurally sound (can take the side load of opening/closing the slide tray when heavily loaded) then through bolting is an easy answer.

If the floor is not structurally sound enough to take the side load, you will want to use backing plates on the under side of the basement floor to spread the side loads. Been there, done that.

Thanks.

The slide tray is very structurally sound. It is heavy duty and on rollers. The base of the tray has a thin plastic covering for nice. It is only about 1/16 in thick if that. It is held down with four screws. Two in the front on one side, and two in the front on the other side. They stick out the bottom of tray abut an inch. All they do is secure the plastic tray covering.

You grab the release lever and usually pull the tray out from the top, but if you were to grab the bottom of the tray to pull it out you could grab one of these screws sticking out. I was sliding the tray back when something got caught on the rubber gasket around the bay opening. I reached underneath and pushed down on the gasket, not knowing the screw point is what was caught. There is about 1.5 inches of space between the bottom of tray and the base of the coach. My thumb took up half of that space when it was hit by the tray screw going back.

Hope this helps.

JCP

ernieh · 09-20-2021, 06:54 PM

TMH coaches seem to have a lot of screws sticking out at various locations. Whenever I find one on my coach, I cover it with a short piece of vacuum tubing from the auto parts store.

DRM901 · 09-21-2021, 07:00 AM

I put most of our basement stuff in plastic totes. I can fit 4 large ones, plus some smaller ones in the one tray. Allows me to organize stuff by type/use.

Trick was gets ones the right size to maximize the space.

pameridan04 · 09-21-2021, 09:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DRM901

I put most of our basement stuff in plastic totes. I can fit 4 large ones, plus some smaller ones in the one tray. Allows me to organize stuff by type/use.

Trick was gets ones the right size to maximize the space.

That another great idea. I have a problem with the folding chairs sliding around. I took out the wires to my Jamboni Solar Panel remote viewer on side wall. I have to rig a bungie cord set up.

Jim P.