Window Valence fell from ceiling

[ttg]

I've decided to ask for help with this one and can't do it in 25 words or less. (Sorry) We have a 2014 Crusader 334CKT which we have only pulled about 4,000 miles. On the last trip one of the window valences was laying on the floor when we stopped for the night. The project today was to reinstall this valence but I checked and all of the valences that are screwed into the ceiling are loose. There are 3 screws 1 1/4" long going through 1/2" material that the valence is made of which leaves 3/4" of screw going into the ceiling ( of the slide out ). Not knowing how much space there is in this ceiling between the inside and outside I am being careful of what I do. I'm thinking that plastic screw anchors aren't going to grip the very thin plywood. Butterfly anchors are maybe the right answer but those need room to open.
I'm sure that others must have had this problem. What is the right fix ?

[sji]

This happened to our 334ckt as well but it was the back valence over the sofa. It was not attached to the ceiling, it was attached to the wall and we just used different L brackets and larger and longer screws. I've changed several screw in this trailer, they severely under estimated the length needed to securely hold anything.

[joy-rick]

I'm not sure if I can describe this fix accurately, but I'll try. On our last trip in our 8315BSS a towel rack fell off of the bathroom door while enroute. The door, as you can imagine, is very thin material. I repaired the problem by replacing all of the screws with threaded inserts. These are inserted into the screw holes with a special tool that expands the back side of the insert. When the tool is removed it leaves a threaded screw hole in which you can insert a standard machine screw. This works essentially like a pop rivet except that it leaves a threaded hole. I purchased the threaded insert kit from Harbor Freight several months ago and never had occasion to use it until this week when I fixed the towel rack. i can't remember exactly but I believe the whole kit, with 4 different mandrels and an assortment of threaded inserts, was in the neighborhood of $20. I plan to use it frequently as I upgrade and repair various problems in my Rockwood.

BTW, back when I still owned my airplance, I believe that the mechanics refered to a similar fastener as a "riv-nut".

I hope this helps.

Rick

[bob caldwell]

Another name would be nut-sert.

[ttg]

Thanks for the replies. Today I go hunting for "riv-nut" / "nut-sert". If I can find these tools then all of the valences will be secured before the next trip.

[Witch Doctor]

Originally Posted by ttg

Thanks for the replies. Today I go hunting for "riv-nut" / "nut-sert". If I can find these tools then all of the valences will be secured before the next trip.

let us know what you find, it will probably help us all. Just the road from driving will loosen them screws up enough to fall out. That wall board is like only 1/8" thick in these trailers. You can cut it with a box knife.

[Laura]

When something came off the wall in our unit (the bottom screw thingy for the pull down window shade mechanism) I took a toothpick, broke it into two pieces, put them in the hole and then carefully held them in place, while I screwed the screw back in. It has held for years.

[OldCoot]

Here you go. 45 Piece Threaded Insert Riveter Kit

[dudleydoo]

We had one valance, one side only, come off the wall. I applied 3M Command hook and loop tab. It has been up over a year so far. No screws and guess work. That is how I "hang" my photos on the walls in the trailer as well.