Rockwood 8329SS kitchen island

[Nortie16]

We purchased our new 8329SS a month ago, and just last week went out for week long "shakedown cruise". Very few issues, and what there were, were very minor. We love the roominess and the floor plan. I'm sure we'll have other questions and comments to post in the weeks and months to come.

One quick question especially for anyone else with this model: Re: the great stand alone kitchen island in this model: A few times when I've unintentionally leaned against it or put a bit of pressure on the front or back of the island, it's felt just a little "tippy" - or at least not solidly attached to the trailer floor. I'm wondering just how this is attached, whether a bit of movement is normal, or whether something needs to be tightened.

Any comments would be appreciated

[BamaBob]

Hmmmmm we have the 5er version of this unit and have not noticed anything like that. May want to contact you dealer (we have had ours now for almost a year).

[Hawksclaw]

If it's like the center isle in my 2014 Rockwood 8289ws it has a few wood screws holding it down. Not much don't lean too hard on it

[mikev]

We've been using ours for a little over a year now, and have not noticed any wobbles, looseness or tipping tendency with the kitchen island. May want to have your dealer check into it. Good luck!

[BamaBob]

Hey! Come to Goshen and have FR fix your issues for free!!

[Nortie16]

Re: How solidly attached to the floor is the free-standing island

I'll probably take the trailer to the dealer so they can have a look at it. The island certainly doesn't shift or change position in any way, but it does lift up a little from the floor if I apply pressure to the counter (on the cupboard door side). The island feels solid and fine for the most part, and you wouldn't even know it had this tendency to lift a little, unless you deliberately put some lateral pressure on the counter.

I've made sure all the screws at the base are tight, and most already were. On the phone, the dealer suggested they might need to put some additional screws in (which I could just as well do).

But the other question that has occurred to me is ... what are the screws going into? My understanding is that the floor is not plywood, but some sort of vacuum bonded surface (similar to the walls?). So I'm wondering about the value of additional screws if they're just going into some sort of soft material. Or maybe the factory has put some sort of additional backing or reinforcement in the floor at the points where the screws are located?

I've sent a note to Forest River with this question, and will see if I can get some clarification.

Or is that the screws are located

[Nortie16]

Just an update for anyone interested, on this question of how the free-standing island is attached to the floor:

This free-standing island is in my Rockwood 8329SS (and would also be in the Flagstaff 8321KBS). Fifth wheels 8528IKWS and 8289WS also have similar islands, though they have sinks, so I'm not sure if this would make any difference.

First, as others here already know (and as the brochure clearly states) the floor is vacuum bonded - that is, styrofoam between layers of luan. I have no problem with this, at least at this point, though my trailer is still very new. The floor feels good and solid. I'm sure the 16" centered joists help a lot with this.

My question really is how securely the island is attached to the floor. There are seven or eight screws at the base, going into the floor. These factory-installed screws would only reach into the floor about an inch, and it seem they'd be going luan/styrofoam. I wondered whether these screws were located at particular points of floor reinforcement or additional backing. However, the answer I have from a factory rep is that, no, the screws are randomly put in. It was also indicated to me that that what I was noticing (i.e. the tendency for the island to lift from the floor with any lateral pressure on the counter) was normal. It was suggested to me also, that if I wanted to locate a few floor joists and place some screws at those points I could do this.

So, my thoughts at this point? Well, first I wanted to make sure that it wasn't just my trailer ... that is, a problem with my unit off the assembly line, that somehow needed to be rectified. Sounds like what I'm observing is normal. I'm not particularly concerned about this, as the screws (and the weight of the island itself) should be quite sufficient to prevent any shifting,and I think it's pretty unlikely that there'd ever be enough lateral pressure to result in the island coming right off the floor - even with someone falling into the front or back of the island.

At the same time - and I know it's probably just me and my OCD nature, wanting things to be solid and "just so" - I still wouldn't mind the island being more solidly attached. So, with that in mind, I'll probably see if I can put a few screws into floor joists.

I'm assuming - though others can correct me if I'm wrong - that the luan-foam floor is a continuous layer sitting on top of the joists, rather that pieces laid between the joists? This would help determine how long my screws needed to be.

[psrujak]

I had the same problem when I picked it up from the dealer. I just drilled a few more holes in the wood strip where the other screws were and put in dry wall screws. We just came back from a week long trip and everything is still tight. Would not lean on it to much.

[Weezer]

We've own two Flagstaff RVs (twin of Rockwood) in the last year, both bought new.

First the bumper pull V-Lite 30IKSS
Now the 8528IKWS 5th wheel

As the models indicate, both have the island. In neither have we experience ANY movement. Edited to add: both had/have sinks.

I read a thread this week where a guy mounted a bike fork rack to his island cabinet for carrying his bike. Couldn't do that if it's not mounted solid.

[youroo]

Originally Posted by Weezer

We've own two Flagstaff RVs (twin of Rockwood) in the last year, both bought new.

First the bumper pull V-Lite 30IKSS
Now the 8528IKWS 5th wheel

As the models indicate, both have the island. In neither have we experience ANY movement. Edited to add: both had/have sinks.

I read a thread this week where a guy mounted a bike fork rack to his island cabinet for carrying his bike. Couldn't do that if it's not mounted solid.

Heck I have seen (100s) of posts where people mount bikes to their (Bumpers),does that make them strong? Youroo!!

[Nortie16]

Originally Posted by psrujak

I had the same problem when I picked it up from the dealer. I just drilled a few more holes in the wood strip where the other screws were and put in dry wall screws. We just came back from a week long trip and everything is still tight. Would not lean on it to much.

Just did the same thing. I predrilled then put in six more screws. This seems to have solved the problem. Initially I was going to try to locate floor joists then put the additional screws in those locations, but since the factory rep indicated they just put them in at random, I thought I'd try this first.

It's interesting that there were clearly six screws that had been put in by the factory. My best guess is that one of two things happened: after the island was screwed onto the floor, during subsequent work it somehow got pushed or knocked in such a way that the screws loosened or lost their seating in the luan. However I think the more likely explanation is that the screws were put in with a power drill or screwdriver and the power was applied a few seconds too long so that they spun freely. For anyone who might be interested strengthening the attachment of the base to the floor with some additional screws, I'd suggest (a) predrilling to avoid splitting the wood strip, and (b) screwing them in by hand, and stopping as soon as each screw is fully in.

It feels pretty good now, but echoing psrujak's comment, I think there'll still be a need with the way this is attached, to be a bit careful about how much pressure is put on front or back of the counter.

[youroo]

These would help with the bottom rail to floor attachment. Youroo!!