Exterior Side Panel Fixture Failure (1 Viewer)

Tincataylor

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This was going to be an easy fix, or so I thought but it has turned into a bit of a problem. On our A/S Nuevo the female half of the gas locker door stay is fixed to the side of the camper with two screws, that accepts the male half that is fixed to the locker door. The purpose of the whole thing being to keep the locker door in the open / upright position while the user is accessing the locker. Over time these screws have become loose and it is not possible to tighten them as the holes in the side of the van no longer have enough "meat". A larger diameter screw is not really an option as the existing ones are about as big as you can go with such a short screw. I thought pop rivets would be the answer, but once again the side panel of the van is not strong enough and they popped out with very little effort. It would be a simple matter to replace the self tapping screws with a machine screw and nut if it were not for the fact that the van side is double skinned.

I am coming to the opinion that I will have to strip away the lining inside and then drill a hole large enough for a nut to pass through and then affect the aforementioned repair. Naturally I am loathe to do this; do any of you bright people have a better idea?

One last thought, could I blank the existing hole off by bonding a round piece of plastic the size of the existing holes (or possibly bigger) and then drill a smaller hole and then re-fit the bracket with smaller screws? If this is an option what adhesive have people found best when working with GRP

Many thanks in advance for any suggestions you may be able to come up with,

Tinca
 

Terry

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Hi you can get some plastic plugs (with large heads) for fixing trims in cars that you simply push the center pin in---remove the pin and replace with a screw--The plug could also be stuck in position --no idea what they are called but someone will be along with probably a name and maybe a link ;)
terry
 

ukbill

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like terry said use a plug but if thats not going to work look for a plaster board plug some open like a umbrella for cavity walls maybe they will help ta van will have cavity walls so they should

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Terry

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Something like these
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try ebay search on ROKUT-RIVETS
TERRY
 

Jaws

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They are called panel clips or Rokuts Terry (y)
But there are other answers too, such as butterfly bolts and other cavity wall fixings :)

Google cavity wall fixings and have a look ....

EDIT !
Beat me to it !
 

Terry

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The bike is getting delivered today John (y);)Fully serviced and MOT ed yesterday :D
terry
 

funflair

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Has the van body got insulation inside the fibreglass skin if so this might prevent the cavity type expanding fittings from working. I would glue a wood or fibre plug into the hole and then screw into that Araldite/Epoxy glue should be OK if the insulation is Polystyrene dont use any polyester resin or bodyfiller as it eats Polystyrene.

Martin
 
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Tincataylor

Tincataylor

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Never leave a campsite with your clothes line tied to a lamp post.
Many thanks for all your helpful replies. In the end a good old fashioned rawlplug seems to have done the trick...................now why didn't I think of that in the first place???......DOH!!!

Tinca

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Mar 23, 2012
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Had a similar problem I squirted epoxy into the hole drilled it when set then put in a screw (although was very careful after when using the fitting!!

David
 
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You can get fixings called Rivnuts, you’re supposed to use a tool to insert them but you can tighten them in with a nut and bolt. I used them for a few fixings on my old caravan when self tappers had pulled out.

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