Propane tank hold down plate

[tohara]

EVERYONE,
If you own an Avenger travel trailer,
please take your propane tanks completely off, and inspect the plate underneath
I have owned my Avenger ATI 27RKS for 5 months, and was checking my tanks to see how full they were.
After removing the tanks, I noticed two broken off screw heads from under the drivers side tank, and one missing screw head from the passenger side .
Avengers way of holding down 2 full propane tanks is with FOUR 5/16 x 3/4" self tapping screws
I am attaching a picture of what I found.
called my dealer, and found out this is the factory way of attaching the propane plate.
warranty work per manufacturer is to just install new self tapping screws.


If the propane tanks would have fallen off going down the road and caused an accident or killed someone, per my local law enforcement, I would be the one liable for what ever would have happened.

[spock123]

I guess they figured the weight of the LP tanks would keep the plate in place plus the LP hose that was hooked to the camper. There are probably a lot of things that can fall off that your insurance would have to cover. By the way what’s the most your insurance will pay off in a accident.

[Wheels Down]

My bottles were secure with a new TT from the dealer when they filled the tanks with a new purchase, or so I thought. About 2 days into a cross country trip while pulling out of a gas station I heard one of those "noises" the dealer mentioned would be the WDH.
Wrong! The all-thread bolt that secures the tanks was not screwed into the base plate, the tanks decided they had enough of the trip and jumped off the TT tongue and were dragged for a few miles on I-40 until I took notice of other drivers frantically waving and then speeding away. Now I know why. I could not see any of the tongue in my rear view mirrors.
Found a God given wide spot in the road and remedied the situation.
I now have one of those 4 foot orange fiberglass rods drilled into the tank cover. It sticks up far enough for me to see in my TV rearview mirror. It also has reflective tape for night vision. Some folks ask what is is for, I just tell them it is my "propane indicator". If it is there, the tanks are there.
RMc

[youroo]

Easy fix is,run the 1/2" retaining rod through the Base plate a additional 1",screw on a 1/2x 13 coupling nut, Fastenal part# 1137824,add additional threaded rod that is 2" longer than your Frame height,now install a steel plate to span the A frame rails,that has a hole drilled for the additional 1/2" rod,use blue Loctite on the all the additional nuts that will be required for this! Youroo!!

[Barb RPod CA]

Wow, were those instructions in English? Hopefully, everyone's more of an expert at fix-it talk than me! But, really, what a problem.

I took pictures of most everything I could find or unscrew when I got my 171 RPod, including the bottom of the propane stand. However, I didn't investigate it further. Thanks for the heads-up, 'cause propane tanks aren't as easy to feel secure about, like the gas tank of a car - at least for me.

[ProfChuck]

You could also try drilling holes through the plate on both sides of the frame members and installing U-bolts through the plate and bolting them to the frame. There are square U-bolts available at hardware stores that should be the right size. I would think there is enough room under the tank to allow for the bolt to fit. If you use locknuts and lock washers on the cross piece under the frame, you shouldn't have any trouble with the nuts coming off - and you can visually check them easily. Those screws look like they just plain rusted out, but, you can't see them without taking them out. By the way, I used the same size U-bolts on my Windjammer to hold the brackets to store my Equilizer Hitch bars and they have been fine for 5 years so far.

[Jim Spence]

My theory on missing heads on those 5/16 self tappers #1 they were made in China #2 whomever installed them snapped them off with torque drill driver

[tohara]

went to tractor supply and got 2 square 3/16 x 3" x 7" ubolts, drill holes for the ubolts in the plate, installed ubolts on each side of the tongue, from the bottom up (nuts are under the tanks). I cleaned up the plate and sprayed it with truck bed spray, installed u-shaped rubber gasket, on the bottom of the propane tanks, so not to have metal to metal rubbing against the tank and the plate.

[SalemWitch]

Originally Posted by tohara

went to tractor supply and got 2 square 3/16 x 3" x 7" ubolts, drill holes for the ubolts in the plate, installed ubolts on each side of the tongue, from the bottom up (nuts are under the tanks). I cleaned up the plate and sprayed it with truck bed spray, installed u-shaped rubber gasket, on the bottom of the propane tanks, so not to have metal to metal rubbing against the tank and the plate.

That's a great idea! I need to do this. My issue is even worse than the original. Like the comment above, mine decided to "jump ship" while I was pulling into a gas station. The images of instant death to me and my family on the tail of our maiden voyage gives me shivers.

In my case the plate was secured by 2, two , 'self tapping' screws that had 1/2" pan heads, about 1/8" wider than the slot. Sheared off like butter.

[KyDan]

I have no problem with self tapping screws to hold the plate to the frame.
BUT---
I removed the plate and screws when it was new. I modified my battery rack to hold 2 batteries. Then I painted every thing that looked like it needed it with rustoleum oil base black. Then I re-mounted the LP tank plate using new self tapping screws but I pre-drilled the holes AND used tap-matic tapping compound on the self tapping screws so they went in easily and did not come close to snapping off.

It all get's inspected every time I get a tank filled and screws replaced or painted as needed.

[SalemWitch]

Originally Posted by KyDan

I removed the plate and screws when it was new. I modified my battery rack to hold 2 batteries. Then I painted every thing that looked like it needed it with rustoleum oil base black. Then I re-mounted the LP tank plate using new self tapping screws but I pre-drilled the holes AND used tap-matic tapping compound on the self tapping screws so they went in easily and did not come close to snapping off.

Agreed. Being a first timer to this type of camping I had no idea to look for this. A testimony to the notion that you don't know what you don't know. I am amazed that the dealership let it fly out the door like this.

[tohara]

please look at my post I just put on about my A/C ductwork

[Iowa Frogfarmer]

We had the same experience with our new Flagstaff pop-up. Towed it home from the dealer. Put it in the back yard and went to put it up. Placed my hand on the propane tank and the thing nearly fell off the frame. One screw had the head popped off and the other was funky looking. Put a wrench on it and it popped off too. Off to the hardware store for some heavy duty nuts and bolts. all well now.

[SalemWitch]

Originally Posted by Iowa Frogfarmer

Placed my hand on the propane tank and the thing nearly fell off the frame. One screw had the head popped off and the other was funky looking. Put a wrench on it and it popped off too. Off to the hardware store for some heavy duty nuts and bolts. all well now.

Brand New. Some assembly required.

[RDRAIDR]

Deleted as duplicate/superseded below. Site Team

[RDRAIDR]

PLEASE CHECK YOURS and don't Trust the screws the Keystone companies are using. Our 2020 Cougar failed in the exact same manner as posted herein. You can't see the corrosion under the bolt head. Trust that it was significant on ours as well. I have photos if you need them, but they are similar to what has been posted. Do not trust that just because you see them, they are actually going to hold. Ours fell off the frame while traveling down the highway. Only the gas line held the entire assembly with the trailer until I could pull over and temporarily tie it down. I did the $15 modification using the U-Bolts as posted and added a heavy rubber base under the tanks. It is hard to believe that Keyston and associated companies have had this issue since at least 2017 and have not taken steps to correct it. Our situation could have ended up a lot worse. I've been around RVs for over 50 years and have seen some cheap stuff, but not with this level of safety concerned. Come on Keystone and companies, you are better than this!

[Mr. Dan]

Originally Posted by RDRAIDR

PLEASE CHECK YOURS and don't Trust the screws the Keystone companies are using. Our 2020 Cougar failed in the exact same manner as posted herein. You can't see the corrosion under the bolt head. Trust that it was significant on ours as well. I have photos if you need them, but they are similar to what has been posted. Do not trust that just because you see them, they are actually going to hold. Ours fell off the frame while traveling down the highway. Only the gas line held the entire assembly with the trailer until I could pull over and temporarily tie it down. I did the $15 modification using the U-Bolts as posted and added a heavy rubber base under the tanks. It is hard to believe that Keyston and associated companies have had this issue since at least 2017 and have not taken steps to correct it. Our situation could have ended up a lot worse. I've been around RVs for over 50 years and have seen some cheap stuff, but not with this level of safety concerned. Come on Keystone and companies, you are better than this!

Your technical points are well taken. However, this is not a Keystone forum so Keystone management may not see this (may not have seen the 2017 posts you mentioned) -- and other companies may not see this.

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by RDRAIDR

PLEASE CHECK YOURS and don't Trust the screws the Keystone companies are using. Our 2020 Cougar failed in the exact same manner as posted herein. You can't see the corrosion under the bolt head. Trust that it was significant on ours as well. I have photos if you need them, but they are similar to what has been posted. Do not trust that just because you see them, they are actually going to hold. Ours fell off the frame while traveling down the highway. Only the gas line held the entire assembly with the trailer until I could pull over and temporarily tie it down. I did the $15 modification using the U-Bolts as posted and added a heavy rubber base under the tanks. It is hard to believe that Keyston and associated companies have had this issue since at least 2017 and have not taken steps to correct it. Our situation could have ended up a lot worse. I've been around RVs for over 50 years and have seen some cheap stuff, but not with this level of safety concerned. Come on Keystone and companies, you are better than this!

I'm confused.
You woke up a 4 year old thread, to talk about screws that Keystone RV is using on their products.
What does that have to do with Forest River products.
Keystone is a division of Thor Industries, not Forest River Incorporated. So no one from Keystone RV is going to see this since Keystone belongs to a totally different corporation.

Sent from my SM-G781U using Forest River Forums mobile app

[PopFla]

You woke up a 4 year old thread, to talk about screws that Keystone RV is using on their products.
What does that have to do with Forest River products.

Nothing, really, and the post was deleted.

Nonetheless, I'm wondering if anyone who had this problem (self-tapping screws breaking off) considered getting that base plate welded to the frame?

Sand/grind off some paint, fifteen minutes at the welder's place, hit it with some Rustoleum... Problem solved.

[Mr. Dan]

Originally Posted by PopFla

Nothing, really, and the post was deleted.

Nonetheless, I'm wondering if anyone who had this problem (self-tapping screws breaking off) considered getting that base plate welded to the frame?

Sand/grind off some paint, fifteen minutes at the welder's place, hit it with some Rustoleum... Problem solved.

Only one of the duplicate posts was deleted. One still remains.