We have a 2014 TT that came with a Fantastic Vent fan in the bathroom. After a few months ownership I had the dealer install a regular Maxair vent cover.Recently got caught in hot camping weather and realized how little air our vent fan was moving. After a bit of research and finding that I could not get a bigger fan & motor (more power!), I decided I needed to replace the Maxair cover with the Fantastic vent cover made for this fan. Their video on u-tube is quite convincing.Anyway, I was reluctant to buy the Fantastic vent cover because it requires that you dig out the caulk and remove the fan mounting screws to mount the vent. I ordered it anyway and went up on the roof today to swap them out.What I found was the brackets for the Maxair are located such that those bolts will match the holes in the Fantastic vent cover. The difference is the Maxair brackets are bolted into the side of the plastic fan housing with a sheetmetal screw, whereas the proper mounting for the Fantastic Vent is to use 4 of the existing screws that hold the fan to the horizontal surface of the roof.I went ahead and used the existing Maxair brackets and it went on just fine. Has anyone else run into this, and/or know of a reason why I should not leave it this way way???

If it doesn't blow off next time you drive it. leave it like it is!

Yeah, that's pretty much the default plan right now. Maybe I just need a volunteer to follow me on the next trip. ;)

Tell us which way you are going, and pay the camping fees, and we will follow!

The brackets should work fine fastened to the side of the Fantastic fan, but I've never seen them installed with sheet metal screws. The housing is plastic. I'm not sure a sheet metal screw will stay tight in the plastic.They come with machine screw, washers, and nuts. They are suppose to drill a hole and use a nut and washer. That requires 10 extra minutes and possibly a second person to hold the hardware from below while the person on the roof tightens it. I think your dealer saved a few cents in labor by not using machine screws.I think I would replace those sheet metal screws with stainless machine screws.

If I'm following this, the question is whether to mount the cover brackets to the plastic FF frame with "sheet metal" or "machine screws" with nuts. I added MaxxAir-II covers to our FF's and doggedly took the FF's far enough apart to use the machine screws, nuts, and washers they provided in the hardware kit. Nuts worked loose. I spoke with a tech who said he just uses sheet metal screws and has not had problems.Unfortunately, some "techs" aren't very careful and strip things out using power tools. Sometimes they grab screws that are too big, too small, too long, too short. I'd like to hire more work out. Then I see the results and wand to do more work myself.

Vent fan cover replacement - why can't I do this??

17 Replies

TundraTower
Explorer
Jul 08, 2016
Thanks for your input so far.

I removed one of the "sheetmetal" screws during installation yesterday to locate the roof screw I was supposed to use in order to dial in the exact hood location I needed to match. The sheetmetal screw still had caulk in the threads so assuming all of them were caulked I'm not really concerned about them backing out. And, they have held the Maxxair hood on there for almost 3 years.

My bigger concern was the hood being connected to the square plastic flange of the fan instead of screwed into the wood (I assume) under the rubber roof liner where the fan itself is mounted.

The point about plastic becoming brittle after a few years is something to think about.
DutchmenSport
Explorer
Jul 08, 2016
I have 3 knock-off vent covers that are plastic and simple screws through the plastic into the metal brackets set up (no nuts). Had them installed when we took delivery of the camper. Been up 3 years now and we've traveled quite a few thousand miles since ... quite a few thousand! All 3 are still up there, no problems at all. I think you are fine. Try it a while and see what happens.

I'm expecting after 5 years for the plastic to start getting brittle. This happened to our previous camper. We did not have covers, just the factory crank vent covers. About the 5th year of ownership the camper got hit by hail which busted out all 3 vents (plastic lids). We had them replaced no problem, but the plastic was extremely brittle and had no "give" any more. That's probably why the hail hitting them finally broke them out.

So, I'm expecting about the 5th to 6th year of ownership for these cheap-o-knock off brad vent covers to go brittle too. But if hail destroys these, I'm not out much. Simple to replace with just screws.
j-d
Explorer II
Jul 08, 2016
If I'm following this, the question is whether to mount the cover brackets to the plastic FF frame with "sheet metal" or "machine screws" with nuts.

I added MaxxAir-II covers to our FF's and doggedly took the FF's far enough apart to use the machine screws, nuts, and washers they provided in the hardware kit. Nuts worked loose. I spoke with a tech who said he just uses sheet metal screws and has not had problems.

Unfortunately, some "techs" aren't very careful and strip things out using power tools. Sometimes they grab screws that are too big, too small, too long, too short. I'd like to hire more work out. Then I see the results and wand to do more work myself.
Joe417
Explorer
Jul 08, 2016
The brackets should work fine fastened to the side of the Fantastic fan, but I've never seen them installed with sheet metal screws. The housing is plastic. I'm not sure a sheet metal screw will stay tight in the plastic.

They come with machine screw, washers, and nuts. They are suppose to drill a hole and use a nut and washer. That requires 10 extra minutes and possibly a second person to hold the hardware from below while the person on the roof tightens it. I think your dealer saved a few cents in labor by not using machine screws.

I think I would replace those sheet metal screws with stainless machine screws.
Johno02
Explorer
Jul 08, 2016
Tell us which way you are going, and pay the camping fees, and we will follow!
TundraTower
Explorer
Jul 07, 2016
Yeah, that's pretty much the default plan right now. Maybe I just need a volunteer to follow me on the next trip. ;)
Johno02
Explorer
Jul 07, 2016
If it doesn't blow off next time you drive it. leave it like it is!

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Vent fan cover replacement - why can't I do this??

17 Replies

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