TC handle repair

[user 22017]

Does anyone know the best way to put this handle back on my TC? It was off when I bought the camper. Thanks.

 

[highdesertranger]

what is the backing? I can't tell by the pic, it obviously doesn't just screw into the aluminum. also what area of the camper is this handle located? highdesertranger

 

[B and C]

That looks like an assist handle by the door to me. There should be structure (stud?) behind the siding. If this just pulled off, there is probably rot going on in the wood behind the siding. Just a best guess from the long lens of the internet.

 

[maki2]

Looks like the bolt holes going into the wood had the threading in the wood fail. That is not unusual when something such as a grab handle has seen a lot of use and stress on the screws.

Try this method. Go to the hardware store, buy a small tube of epoxy putty stick. You will cut off a small slice and knead it with your fingers until well mixed. Create some very small sized balls of the putty. Use a small diameter piece of dowel to push the little balls into the old screw hole until the hole is tightly packed. Let it cure for a day. Then using the screw holes in the handle as a location guide pre-drill new holes for the screws making sure the drill size is smaller in diameter than the screw size so that the screws get a good grip. The putty stick material is super hard when cured so the screw holding power will be even better than when the trailer was new.

Epoxy putty sticks are something that I consider to be an essential item in my on the road repair kit. It is every bit as important as duct tape and electrical tape. In fact I was just using it today for filling in some previous screw locations in my plywood sub floor. It is also great for the situation when screws in cabinet door hinges no longer hold tight.

 

[user 22017]

what is the backing?  I can't tell by the pic,  it obviously doesn't just screw into the aluminum.  also what area of the camper is this handle located?  highdesertranger

It's the grab bar next to the door used to pull yourself up into the camper. No idea what the backing is. I'll post a pic of the location.

 

[user 22017]

That looks like an assist handle by the door to me.  There should be structure (stud?) behind the siding.  If this just pulled off, there is probably rot going on in the wood behind the siding.  Just a best guess from the long lens of the internet.

Yup. An assist handle. I hope there is no rot. The seller said he bought it new and stored it in a pole building most of its life.

 

[user 22017]

Looks like the bolt holes going into the wood had the threading in the wood fail. That is not unusual when something such as a grab handle has seen a lot of use and stress on the screws. ...

Epoxy putty sticks are something that I consider to be an essential item in my on the road repair kit. It is every bit as important as duct tape and electrical tape.

Thanks so much. When you said to form a ball and knead it, I remembered watching a youtube vid of someone making a repair the same way. I'll try that. Thank you

 

[user 22017]

Looks like the bolt holes going into the wood had the threading in the wood fail.

Do I use a stiff plastic scraper to remove all the old hardened gunk on handle and camper first? Then clean up with mineral spirits? So, along with the epoxy you suggested, don't I need something else? Like Dicor or Pro Flex? That gray-ish gummy looking stuff in the pics....I assume that's what it is.

 

[highdesertranger]

I would through bolt it, unless you have multiple screws with good bites, screws just don' work good in this application. yes you need to clean the old sealant off and you need new butyl tape to bed it. highdesertranger

 

[maki2]

Yes do clean off all the old caulking type of stuff. Through bolting is a good idea if you don't have a substantial amount of blocking inside of the wall for screws to grip firmly into. I do coat the threads of my screws with some of the butyl putty tape material. That prevents water from running along the screw threads and on into the wood thereby rotting out the wood the screws grip into. I do that with all such situations of screws where there might be an issue of water penetration, most especially for screws that go from the exterior into wood. It works great because it is still easy to remove those screws should you need to do so at a future time.

In addition to putting butyl putty tape on the thread screws for the assist handle I installed on my RV I created a custom gasket to put under the assist handle. If you go to any craft supply store such as Michaels, Joann's, Hobby Lobby you can but sheets of 2mm (approx 1/16") thick EVA foam, sometimes called "fun foam". It is a closed cell foam that won't absorb water. It is somewhat firm but also still flexible enough to compress and form a nice water tight gasket under the ends of the assist handles. Leave it a little over sized and then you can trim it to exact size with an Exacta knife after installation for a tidy professional looking job. It does come in the color white.


Photos above of the assist handle I added to my travel trailer. You can just see the edge of that EVA foam gasket in the closeup photo. My vintage trailer never had an assist handle when it came out of the factory and people pulled on the door frame while getting in and out resulting in cracking the fiberglass shell at the upper and lower corners of the frame. As part of my renovation work I backed up that whole frame area of the door opening on the interior with Douglas Fir which has good strength for screw holding as well as decent rot resistance. Fortunately the molded shape of the fiberglass at the door had the perfect recessed area for adhering that blocking into it.

 

[user 22017]

Yes do clean off all the old caulking type of stuff. Through bolting is a good idea if you don't have a substantial amount of blocking inside of the wall for screws to grip firmly into. I do coat the threads of my screws with some of the butyl putty tape material. That prevents water from running along the screw threads and on into the wood thereby rotting out the wood the screws grip into. I do that with all such situations of screws where there might be an issue of water penetration, most especially for screws that go from the exterior into wood. It works great because it is still easy to remove those screws should you need to do so at a future time.

In addition to putting butyl putty tape on the thread screws for the assist handle I installed on my RV I created a custom gasket to put under the assist handle.

Thanks maki,

I didn't know what a "through bolt" was, but I found a page that explained them: https://www.onthehouse.com/consider-bolts-buying-woodworking-connectors/

Your handle looks original. Nice work. I'll try to follow your steps. Ty

 

[NctryBen]

Carla, how did the fix go? Picture?

 

[user 22017]

Carla, how did the fix go? Picture?

Still not fixed, but a few days ago I visited a camping/RV supply store & the man there gave me some tips. Plus, I ordered some parts for my camper. The water intake cover was cracked from sun exposure & he ordered one that looks identical. Also discovered that the metal strap that holds the propane tank in place had come off & was broken. He ordered a new strap. My son is going to help with these repairs.

The salesman suggested I put the handle back on with an adhesive he sells along with wood glue and toothpicks in the holes. He told me not to thru bolt it. I'll do thru bolt as a last resort. Not messing with it until the temperature is in the 70's. It's around 30 degrees here today.

I'm heading out the first of March. Took me over a year & a half, but it's going to happen. Fingers crossed

I'm reading up here on internet connections for nomads. Comcast is going off any time now. My bills for xfinity started at $70 a month when I moved here 3.5 years ago, up to $125 a month now. That's so discouraging. I have trouble typing on small devices. I gotta figure something out soon re internet.

Thanks for asking about my repair work

Edit: Also, he said I need a new thermostat for my Suburban furnace. It's analog & the little arm that you move to turn on/off is stuck. He sells one by White-something for about $30.

 

[maki2]

The salesman suggested I put the handle back on with an adhesive he sells along with wood glue and toothpicks in the holes. He told me not to thru bolt it. I'll do thru bolt as a last resort. Not messing with it until the temperature is in the 70's. It's around 30 degrees here today.

The Epoxy putty sticks are a hundred times stronger of a repair than toothpicks and glue. It is stronger than the original wood the hole was drilled into. So you knead the material then push it into the hole completely filling the void. Remove excess and then when it has cured an hour or so (depending on the temperature) you can drill a new pilot hole for the screw in the same position it was in before. It is my go to repair for any screw hole in wood that has gotten stripped out and oversized. I use it on cabinet doors where knobs and hinge screws come loose. I use it on the screw holes for the hinges on doors in houses. I have never had it fail. Plus it does not rot and the cured epoxy is impervious to moisture. Toothpick and glue repairs are not impervious to moisture so it will fail if you do it that way. Also toothpicks are not made with rot resistant wood except for the bamboo ones.