Fixed the loose microwave discovered another problem

[Pooneil]

My microwave has been loose since just after I got the camper. After my last trip, the right front was hanging outside of the cabinet. Since I am going camping tomorrow I checked at it again today and sure enough all the grumbling I'd done over the last month hadn't fixed it.

So it was a two part fix. The stripped screw holes for the frame were drilled and filled with a short piece of 3/8 hardwood dowel. The dowel had swelled some from moisture while in my garage, so I practiced on a scrap board until I found the right size drill bit that would allow it to be tapped in to the hole with a hammer. Easy enough.

Then came the problem of the screws holding the frame to the oven had stripped too. Not as easy of a fix on thin sheet metal. So I used pop rivets with a #10 washers to keep the rivet head from working through the opening in the frame.

Reassembling it I noticed an issue that may have caused it to break in the first place. The cabinet opening is not square, so the installer had mounted the oven so the frame was flush on the top, but the feet were not resting on the shelf. So all the pressures of road bounce on the oven for that side were only supported by the screws. No wonder they pulled loose.

I drilled new screw holes with the oven sitting on the shelf and it is tight for now. Maybe it won't bounce so much and the carousel plate will stay inside on this trip.

The new problem is a bit more troubling. The piano hinge for the entry sidewall is ripped. Something jarred it enough to tear the metal and pull several screws loose. It must have been those damned broken down highways in West Texas, even though I tried to drive at a reasonable speed.

Don't know what I am going to do about this, yet. Either a trip to the dealer for evaluation for warranty or just order the hinge and replace it myself.

[D-mo]

From my understanding, the piano hinge has ripped out from the wall?
check the microwave counter top ....plastic caulking stuff to see if too is separated.
Is it is...then this is your problem..as the remove the microwave..tap in thicker-short screws to resecure your microwave cabinate to the wall,then reestablish your piano hinge screws.

I think i just confused myself with that explaination...

Oh...dont bother with the dealer...especially if you can fix this yourself

D-mo

[Pooneil]

The hinge itself ripped. The cabinet it well secured to the wall. I am still having a hard time visualizing what might have caused this.

I agree with not bothering with the dealer because there is a good chance this is not a manufacturing defect. I'll just need to figure out how to secure the pulled out screws since I don't know what they fasten in to. If its wood back there, then the dowel trick will work.

Anyway, the more I discuss it, the more I'll think my way through the repair before I start.

[Pooneil]

Originally Posted by Pooneil

The new problem is a bit more troubling. The piano hinge for the entry sidewall is ripped. Something jarred it enough to tear the metal and pull several screws loose.

Fixed this today. I pushed the wall out, back in line with the lower wall. Then re-tightened the screws that pulled out. They bit and held, so I'll leave them for now.

For the one in the broken part at the end of the hinge, I drilled a new hole and tightened the screw there.

We'll see how this works out too.

[gregory]

We're having issues with the piano henge, entry door side, TV end. The part that rolls around the pin pulled out. The DH pecked the curved metal back around the "pin" that runs within it.

DH thinks we should replace the (aluminum) henge but with steel so it's not so soft/malleable...haven't shopped for one yet, wanted to hear some opinions from the forum.

Deb

[1A Camper]

We have a lot of miles on the unit, 15 to 20K. We are getting ready to drag it to Alaska and back that will add another 8K. The trailer seem to be slowly shaking it self to death. We do not do dirt road if we can help it. The wheels have been balance.
We have been fighting the microwave from day one. We even had a metal piece break inside the unit that deflects air over the light, it drop down into the power line and took out the fuse. I am getting ready to epoxy the screws in, You can always heat up the screw if you need to take them out. (soldering iron)
The hinge in my unit seem to be OK at the door but at the front of the trailer ( the door wall) the bottom first screw has broken the hinge and the first 9 inches has wear marks, the hinge does not seem to be deform like yours. I am taking a wait and see if I need to take action later on the hinge. If I decide to change it, was thinking Stainless Steel hinge.

[toxophilus]

We found we rarely used the Microwave except to store things in it; we removed it and now have a place for a garbage basket

[bensinc]

I just noticed the microwave in my 2014 A122BH was loose as well. I pulled it out, and the two screws on the right side of the metal surround (going into the microwave) were gone. I replaced them with some new screws. The rubber feet do seem to be in contact with the floor, and my cabinet seems secured to the wall. We'll see how it holds up.

I've noticed that things often come loose in this camper...

My furnace cover and its screws were on the floor just last week when I went to prepare for a trip. Recently the wood panel under the sink that has the water pump switch was completely off the floor. That was screwed down easily and has been pretty good ever since.

After every drive, my stove knobs are off. The metal stove top is held on by two incredibly flimsy (and broken) clips, so every bump probably has it hitting the knobs. The dealer fixed those once, but they broke again immediately. I'm surprised the glass top hasn't shattered yet. I know that happened to at least one other person around here.

I store my camper on a gravel road that likes to get ruts and grooves, so it gets a somewhat bumpy ride whenever I use it. However, my previous camper didn't seem to mind!

[dmtex]

I've had the same problem with stove knobs coming off and the lid bouncing open and shut during transport. My fix was to place a pillow on the top of the stove lid. With the roof closed, the pillow prevents the stove lid from opening and closing.


dmtex

[bensinc]

I'll try a pillow when I take it back to storage tomorrow, though do you have the style of stove with a glass top? I think even with a pillow keeping the glass top down, the metal stove top will still bounce around.

I have thought of putting a sheet of bubble wrap under the glass top, so maybe that along with a pillow will help. It's not a huge deal, but the burner grates tend to come loose too, and they scratch the stove top a bit.

I have plenty of pillows in the camper, so I'll definitely just do that from now on anyway!

[dmtex]

No, my A 127TH doesn't have glass sink top. It has a plastic top that we also use for a cutting board. In transit we have the sink top on the bed. A pillow should stop your stove top from bouncing open and close. Works great for me