umpqua
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Re: Grab Handle Loose
A big call out to Grit dog and the value of information shared on this forum. I epoxied in 2-3 toothpicks yesterday and installed longer bolts today. It appears there really wasn't anything to grab to. I couldn't get the bolts to pull down really tight. Didn't want to squirt in a large amount of urethane glue and wait for a few months (or go buy a 2 part automotive urethane) so I followed Grit dog's other suggestion. There was actually room to drill another set of holes on the other side of the bracket. I drilled new pilots, hit wood, and installed the original screws on that side. Everything is now very tight. Note: Lend-a-Hand puts a steel nut on a stainless bolt holding the handle. The nut was frozen on and I twisted & broke the bolt trying to remove it. Now I have to go buy a new 1/4 x 3" stainless bolt. They could have added a tiny bit of never seize at the factory and saved me this aggravation.289Views0likes0CommentsRe: Repair stripped screw holes in fiberglass
Battling the same problem with my Bigfoot. I used epoxy to set 2-3 tooth picks into each hole. The holes are in a stud, so I have something to grab into. I did upgrade to longer 1/4 x 2" SS lag bolts. The epoxy I used was 12 hr cure, so I'll finish tomorrow. Tomorrow I will drill a pilot and reinstall the handle. There is another website/forum where this issue was addressed. I used suggestions from that site with some advisory from here.3.9KViews0likes0CommentsRe: Grab Handle Loose
Grit dog: the brackets are pretty much created/formed for two screws. I'm going to combine resin and toothpicks. I'd use gorilla glue, but it foams. The foam isn't that strong when there is a hole and it is messy. I think fiberglass resin or epoxy will be better in this case.289Views0likes0CommentsRe: Grab Handle Loose
Darsben1: Interesting idea. The handle holes are about 5" from the edge of the door, which would put the holes through into the bathroom. I could drill through, put in a backing plate and run bolts out. I'll have to give some thought to that. I noticed the manufacturer only uses screws that extend 3/4" into the wall beyond their bracket. This is a joke. I have 1 3/4 inch of wall. I think my first approach may be to use a slightly larger stainless steel screw that penetrates at least 1 1/4 into the wall. Much further and I could need that backing plate... That will give me more bite and bite into wood that shouldn't have had a screw into it before. (probing with a pick, it seems like the original installer drilled quite a ways into the wall) On another forum I found the suggestion put some fiberglass resin on several toothpicks and insert them into the hole, pretty much filling the hole with toothpicks and fiberglass resin. Then redial and insert screws. I think I'll combine this with longer, slightly larger screws. If that doesn't work I can go to a backing plate.289Views0likes0CommentsGrab Handle Loose
The "Lend a Hand" grab handle on the back of my camper has pulled loose. I've tried to tighten it, but there doesn't appear to be enough for the screw to bite into. I think this means one of 3 things: a) things just wear over time...(maybe one kid closed the grab handle while the other was inside) b) the original installation missed a good part of the stud and didn't have enough to bite or c) something has gotten soft inside the wall. I guess a combination of those is possible. I need to fix it. I"m thinking I will inject some 3M urethane adhesive (probably the 2 part kind they use to fix car bumpers) into the screw hole , let it set up a bit and then insert a small dowel. Then I can rebore the hole in the dowel and put the screw back in. Anyone have any similar experience? Suggestions?2KViews0likes6CommentsRe: Got the Bigfoot!
WE have never hand an issue with overheating using a front cargo carrier or bike rack on our F350. Put a front hitch on and modified a Yakima bike carrier (had to shorten the tubes to reduce the height). Also have an aluminum cargo carrier. Highly recommend the aluminum, much easier to handle and no rust.436Views0likes0CommentsRe: Washington & Oregon Sights One Should See
If I had to make a list of favorite places #1. Drive the North Umpqua Highway from Roseburg to Diamond Lake en-route to Crater Lake. Stunning drive to an even more stunning place #2 Best State Park in Oregon: Shore Acres/Cape Arago, Charleston, OR. #3--Combine 1 &2 after a drive down the Coast and take highway 138 from Reedsport to Diamond Lake--follow the Umpqua River almost all the way. Great County and Federal campgrounds along the way. #4) Mt Hood/Timberline Lodge - Same place, but no better place to be on Mt Hood. #5) Cascade Lakes Highway - Just outside of Bend, because Bend is worth visiting and you will have been to Crater Lake. Once again, beautiful drive and great campgrounds. #6) A day in Portland...You are from Eastern Kansas, you need a day in Portland. Visit half a dozen brew pubs, grab a Voodoo Donuts, Go to Powell's, drink lots of coffee. #7) Do whatever anyone else suggests so long as it includes a slow drive down the Coast (it isn't called the "Beach" because you don't go in the water. The water is cold...always cold, but the beaches are beautiful.) #7B) ...and they should have said "The Gorge". Do the Gorge. If it is salmon season buy your dinner from some native fishermen. Do the Gorge without driving on I-84... #7C) Wallowa Lake: Because it is on the East side of the state and is absolutely stunning. #7D) Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, Burns Oregon - Because it was in the news for the first time in history throughout January. (joking) but the Steens Mountains make the drive from Ontario to Bend worth it. #8) I suppose there are reasons to drive south of Bandon, but if you have driven down the Coast to Charleston, it is much the same - beautiful mile after mile. #8b) never drive on I-5. Why do it? It exists solely to move people through the least interesting landscape as quickly as possible. There are other roads that take a couple of hours more, but are wonderful drives. I-5 exists if you are in a hurry.490Views0likes0CommentsRe: Bigfoot shower drain
I decided to go for it. It was all one piece. Hard getting the nut off with little to no room to work a wrench. What I don't understand is it was one piece, but there was a brass nut as if it was going to have the flaired piece on the bottom. Now to find a new one271Views0likes0CommentsRe: Bigfoot shower drain
Yes, that's it, but how do I know if the tailpiece is supposed to have been part of the fitting attached to the shower floor? It seems like it was one piece, but I don't know for certain and I'm hesitant to start working what is left with pliers. I"ve got most of it out. The Bigfoot bottom is removable giving good access to this pipe. Not much room to work a wrench, but hopefully I'm through that.271Views0likes0CommentsBigfoot shower drain
Has anyone replaced the drain in the shower floor of a Bigfoot camper? If so can you advise RE parts? I have a 2006 10.6, dry bath (enclosed shower). We have had it for 5 or so years and this was the first time I used the shower. When I went outside later water was dripping out the back. Opened it up today and the metal pipe that connects from the shower to the ABS as broken. I removed most everything, but haven't removed the fitting from the shower floor. I'm trying to determine if I need to completely replace everything or if this is like some other plumbing where it is simply a pipe at the bottom. Any help appreciated. We need the camper for the weekend of the 4th of July. Don't really need the shower, but I'd like to get it fixed quickly.1.3KViews0likes6Comments
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