OUTLAW Mods and Easy Fixes

[SKiefer]

Has anyone put any anchoring strips to their garage walls in the Outlaw? I am wondering the pros and cons of this. In addition, how would you locate the studs to screw into?

[JeffAZ]

How high on the wall are you wanting to place the anchoring strips? On my garage wall there is a sign that says there is a backer bar, I think from the floor to 15" high. That would prolly be ok. It seems to me I've heard somewhere that the garage walls above that height aren't really designed to withstand much forces.

There are metal bands in there that run to and thru the roof. I easily located them on my roof with an electronic metal stud finder tool when I mapped out where to cut the hole to place an escape hatch over the loft.

[JeffAZ]

Yeah, that's right. I finally got a escape hatch installed over my loft roof. As some posters have stated here previously, it's like it should be an OEM feature. Now I don't have to worry about hauling a ladder around to gain roof access.

I have always been interested in this, but have never seen a hatch in a store. I asked a couple local shops who have done work for me before. One said he wouldn't do it and another on said he was too busy. So I was just at another semi-chain RV place, and they had some hatches in stock on display, and said they could install it the next week, so I went for it.

I mapped out on the roof in red tape (using my stud-finder) where it could go, found a nice spot for the 20" x 20" footprint of the Heng model, talked with the technician about the plan, took the OTL in for an overnite stay, and viola, there it was.
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[Mike Bachman]

Originally Posted by SKiefer

Has anyone put any anchoring strips to their garage walls in the Outlaw? I am wondering the pros and cons of this. In addition, how would you locate the studs to screw into?

I have four of them on the walls. Two on each side and I tie all sorts of stuff to them including the racing toolbox. I didn't even bother looking for the studs. I just put them where I wanted them and started screwing them to the wall. I hit some studs, but its been a while and so I don't remember how many.

[SKiefer]

Originally Posted by Mike Bachman

I have four of them on the walls. Two on each side and I tie all sorts of stuff to them including the racing toolbox. I didn't even bother looking for the studs. I just put them where I wanted them and started screwing them to the wall. I hit some studs, but its been a while and so I don't remember how many.

This is exactly what I want to do. Thanks...I'm not sure what the maximum length of screw I can use. Maybe 1/2"?

[Nightrider14]

Our pantry door will not stay closed, the latch is junk. Is there a fix?

[Mike Bachman]

Originally Posted by SKiefer

This is exactly what I want to do. Thanks...I'm not sure what the maximum length of screw I can use. Maybe 1/2"?

I used #8x3/4 sheet metal screws. Wafer Head Phillips type. They aren’t self tapping, so I had to put a pilot hole when I hit metal.

[Sneakers59]

Interesting read. When we bought our 2007, it already had a hatch installed. All wood construction, very well done but not something that looks factory made. Never would have imagined a hatch wouldn't be a standard feature.
Also, thanks for the info re - securing items to garage wall. Have many interior projects underway, seeing there's a travel ban at home currently...

[Omerta]

Originally Posted by Omerta

Looks like my recent purchase also has the FQP problem.

Was pretty obvious while driving how much the dash was moving independent of the body.

Anyone seen welds cracked on the front bumper supports like this before??

Also found some connections, disconnected under the dash. Wiring diagram would be hard to track it.. I don't take it as being standard?

Looks like my unit has compromised the wall aluminum channel at one point.

Once I jacked the front up, the gaps opened up bigtime. All the fasteners were loose from the previous fix attempt.

Has anyone re-sleeved the bottom of the wall? or added many more fasteners? Not sure what the crush point is for that Al channel but it can't be that strong.

[Scarab0088]

Originally Posted by Omerta

Looks like my unit has compromised the wall aluminum channel at one point.

Once I jacked the front up, the gaps opened up bigtime. All the fasteners were loose from the previous fix attempt.

Has anyone re-sleeved the bottom of the wall? or added many more fasteners? Not sure what the crush point is for that Al channel but it can't be that strong.

Not totally sure what is in the photos...but text reads like "Front Quarter-Panelitus."
First...re-sleeve is incorrect. Unless a previous owner added sleeves, the wall to frame connection was just a long line of really big self-tapping screws, driven horizontally from the outside of the laminate wall into the steel frame.

See the listings for that on page 1 for previous examples of repairs.

I too worried about the crush point on the laminate structure and considered sleeving the new fasteners. But this has not been required to-date for anyone sharing here, however is a possibility.

Repairs demanding a stronger fastener system would obviously be a higher risk for a hard used rig or if the repair did not replace all fasteners on the affected joint.

If you use a sleeve, I hope you take into consideration the issue of reaction in dissimilar metals with the aluminum of the wall framing, the sleeve metal , and the steel bolt.
The bolt is typically coated/treated to prevent corrosion, so I would pick a sleeve made of aluminum to prevent reaction with the wall frame

Hope you share all about it here!
Best luck

[hedhunter9]

Originally Posted by Omerta

Looks like my recent purchase also has the FQP problem.

Was pretty obvious while driving how much the dash was moving independent of the body.

Anyone seen welds cracked on the front bumper supports like this before??

Also found some connections, disconnected under the dash. Wiring diagram would be hard to track it.. I don't take it as being standard?

I had those mounts break on my 2008 Outlaw aw well. Didnt break all the way off, but had cracked all the way thru on one side... I welded it all up myself and has been holding so far....
I also had our dash moving around on the passenger side and found the the couple screws anchoring it to the wall had came loose.. I added about 6 screws to make it more solidly mounted...

Bob

[Omerta]

Originally Posted by Scarab0088

Not totally sure what is in the photos...but text reads like "Front Quarter-Panelitus."
First...re-sleeve is incorrect. Unless a previous owner added sleeves, the wall to frame connection was just a long line of really big self-tapping screws, driven horizontally from the outside of the laminate wall into the steel frame.

See the listings for that on page 1 for previous examples of repairs.

I too worried about the crush point on the laminate structure and considered sleeving the new fasteners. But this has not been required to-date for anyone sharing here, however is a possibility.

Repairs demanding a stronger fastener system would obviously be a higher risk for a hard used rig or if the repair did not replace all fasteners on the affected joint.

If you use a sleeve, I hope you take into consideration the issue of reaction in dissimilar metals with the aluminum of the wall framing, the sleeve metal , and the steel bolt.
The bolt is typically coated/treated to prevent corrosion, so I would pick a sleeve made of aluminum to prevent reaction with the wall frame

Hope you share all about it here!
Best luck

Finally got it fixed.

Took forever to extract the broken bolts and clean all the surfaces and reassemble. Neither the driver or passenger side walls were secured. over the wheel well.

I manipulated the position of the frame by using the leveling jacks in manual mode to get them as close to flush as possible.

I ended up using 0.250" x 6 zinc plated leg bolts. Used a cut off wheel to profile the head and rounded the square end to help sink it into the trim.

I then drilled ~8 bolts per side, replacing the 3 or 4 broken and/or pulled though fasteners. Reason for so many is to add more friction to the bolted connection without increasing the torque/preload.

I drilled starting at the rear and worked forward, pulling the wall in with the fasteners prior to driving to keep the hole as size on size as possible. Tapping them in with a punch/hammer if they would not sit flush.

I filled the previous holes with expanding foam from both sizes, assembled the joint using nylon locknuts to about wrist tight using a 1/4" ratchet.

Once assembled I cleaned the underside of the joints and sprayed it with some Flex-Seal style sealant.

Cursed the previous owner many times as usual for his promises of "no leaks" and "everything is perfectly sound and good to go".

All in all at least 20 hours of labor to repair.

[focker]

Originally Posted by Omerta

Finally got it fixed.

Took forever to extract the broken bolts and clean all the surfaces and reassemble. Neither the driver or passenger side walls were secured. over the wheel well.

I manipulated the position of the frame by using the leveling jacks in manual mode to get them as close to flush as possible.

I ended up using 0.250" x 6 zinc plated leg bolts. Used a cut off wheel to profile the head and rounded the square end to help sink it into the trim.

I then drilled ~8 bolts per side, replacing the 3 or 4 broken and/or pulled though fasteners. Reason for so many is to add more friction to the bolted connection without increasing the torque/preload.

I drilled starting at the rear and worked forward, pulling the wall in with the fasteners prior to driving to keep the hole as size on size as possible. Tapping them in with a punch/hammer if they would not sit flush.

I filled the previous holes with expanding foam from both sizes, assembled the joint using nylon locknuts to about wrist tight using a 1/4" ratchet.

Once assembled I cleaned the underside of the joints and sprayed it with some Flex-Seal style sealant.

Cursed the previous owner many times as usual for his promises of "no leaks" and "everything is perfectly sound and good to go".

All in all at least 20 hours of labor to repair.

What a PIA but I will say you did a beautiful job repairing it. Thank you for sharing.

[Omerta]

Upgraded the TV to a 49" 4K IPS TV.

Parts Used:

• https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B0823V1HLT
• https://www.lg.com/ca_en/tvs/lg-49UM7300AUE
• (2) 8-32 x 12" all thread
• (4) 8-32 wing nuts & plain nut
• Red locktite
• 4 x 2 Stud
• (2) 5/16 Rivets

Sequence:

1. Removed trim and TV
2. Re positioned outlet
3. Installed studs at the setback distance of the overall depth of the mount
4. Measured equal distance from ceiling to viewing height, did not use level to keep it parallel relative to the ceiling.
5. Marked, drilled and installed mounting bracket
6. Measured, TV mount width, measured overall distance and foun center. Installed rivets on outside of bracket front face to hold the horizontal position during travel and not to rely on the all thread friction underneath
7. Installed bracket on TV
8. Installed all-thread in existing holes (thin material, was retreaded by rod to 8-32 on installation)
9. Installed nut loose on the other side of bracket
10. installed wingnut, and jam nut, used red locktite
11. Installed TV and tightened fasteners