Loose Grab Handle

[salem]

The grab handle by the front door has three screws on top and three screws on bottom. The ones on top are loose. I've tried tightening them but it only works for a short time. There isn't much behind the wall for the screws to go into. I tried those plastic expanding things but that didn't work either. Any ideas?

[salem]

I thought about somethin g that would match the interior a little. Thanks for the suggestions. (DW tends to be a tad picky about things sticking our of the walls)

[capacitor]

Doesn’t have to be metal. A piece of mahogany door skin would work or a piece of bass wood from a hobby store will be fine and you can get the width you need and stain to match.

[Cummins12V98]

salem wrote:
The metal plate on the inside sounds good. May give that a try.

If you have inadequate backing that is the best option for sure.

[salem]

The metal plate on the inside sounds good. May give that a try.

[capacitor]

wa8yxm wrote:
This may take some doing
Drill all the way through to the inside
Lay a metal plate on the inside and drill it as well
Use not screws but BOLTS just long enough to go through the wall and a bit more
Use "CAP" style nuts and flat washers on the bolts

Seal the handle to the outside wall to prevent moisture entry

This is the correct way! Super strong and never do it again.

[lostbytes]

Salem. That all we can do is give you ideas. Bottom line. You need something solid in wall (beside foam, goop) to grab onto. Or, you'll be revisiting this repair again. 2 other things to consider. Go by a RV repair facility and grab a tech and see how they do it and charge. (Then, do it that way). Or, try watching several you tube repair vids about similar repairs involving RV walls...

[salem]

You've given me some ideas to try, Thanks.

[jdc1]

PartyOf Five wrote:
We kept upgrading screw sizes, then added a plate to the wall, and attached the bar to the plate. The plate is the full width of the wall to catch studs and is stainless (to match the new handle) which is like the ones used in bathrooms.

LOL. That's what I did to the kids bathroom towel bars when they were young. Cut a piece of 1X4 a couple inches longer that the bar. Screw it to the wall where studs are, then screw the towel bar to the 1X6. Try ripping that off KIDS

[PartyOf_Five]

We kept upgrading screw sizes, then added a plate to the wall, and attached the bar to the plate. The plate is the full width of the wall to catch studs and is stainless (to match the new handle) which is like the ones used in bathrooms.

[Cummins12V98]

"Drill out the holes and rout the bit around at an angle, creating a cone in the interior foam. Inject some epoxy, power grab, liquid nails etc into the holes, then reinstall the handle after it has cured."

Great idea, the epoxy is the right choice. Liquid Nails simply will take a LONG time to be hard enough to hold a screw. Vac the holes out prior to inserting the epoxy.

Once the epoxy is cured pre drill screw holes the diameter of the screw minus the treads.

[D_E_Bishop]

I kind of hate to say this but toggle bolts really suck for very thin walls. They require a really big hole in the wall in comparison to the screw in them. They will hold well but there are a couple of better choices.

I would bet that the screws used to hold the handle are no bigger than #10 and the total skin thickness is no more than 3/16". A product made specifically for thin brittle materials are Jack Nuts. The whole required to install them is as large or larger than a comparable toggle but when finished the whole will be just slightly larger than the screw used to hold the handle.

A very similar item would be a Molly Bolt.

Both can be installed easily in foam filled walls, while Toggle Bolts are somewhat difficult.

[ferndaleflyer]

I sure wouldn't want to trust any weight on something as discribed above. Nothing in the wall to support it is an accident waiting to happen.

[wa8yxm]

This may take some doing
Drill all the way through to the inside
Lay a metal plate on the inside and drill it as well
Use not screws but BOLTS just long enough to go through the wall and a bit more
Use "CAP" style nuts and flat washers on the bolts

Seal the handle to the outside wall to prevent moisture entry

[GDS-3950BH]

lostbytes wrote:
If using those toggle bolts. You might have to snip those expanding ends to get into that narrow wall. Those toggle bolts are made for 2" regular homes where as the RV walls are 1"-1 1/2".

2" walls in regular homes?

Remove the handle, take a drill bit and mark it with a piece of tape so you don't penetrate the interior. Drill out the holes and rout the bit around at an angle, creating a cone in the interior foam. Inject some epoxy, power grab, liquid nails etc into the holes, then reinstall the handle after it has cured.