Awning Bolts

[dersequim]

I have a 2955RL and since new I have had the bolts at the ends of the brackets come loose. I have slid small pieces of wood into the holes with little or no success. Any suggestions?

[ols1932]

We ended up using bolts that went clear through the wall that had the head and a big fender washer under the head on the inside of the rig and the nut on the outside. That baby will never come loose. I had used the pieces of wood and Elmer's glue trick for a while but discovered there was too much pressure on the screws to hold the arms very long.

Orv

[Ozz]

Orv has a good suggestion, I have gone to larger screws in similar situations, you may have to enlarge the metal holes in the bracket.
Screws and holes; Take the screw, hold it up and look at it, see the body, with the threads protruding on each side? The pilot hole should be the body size, minus the threads. Drill a pilot hole, insert the screw, using caution on the last turn where the head seats on the material. If you make 1/2 turn too much, it will strip the threads in wood, or may snap off the head in metal. A screw should have at least two threads holding in the material. If metal, use fine thread screws in thin metal, more threads in thicker metal.
There is an art to attaching with screws. I use a screw for stainless that cost me .25 each, that's wholesale. They are heat treated, anodized, self tapping and have around 35 threads per inch.
Probably too much information, sorry, got carried away......

[Waynem]

You could also try a producte called "thread lock." I think that is the name of it. just ask at the auto parts store. DO NOT USE THE RED, use the Blue thread lock. Red will take an elephant to get the bolt out. Specifically works on bolts with threaded nuts. Ozz's method is definitely good for screws

[ols1932]

Thread Lock or Loctite will not work in wood. I believe the poster is talking about the wood being stripped out.

Orv

[sreigle]

There shouldn't be any wood there for it to bite into. I thought the awning bolts went into the aluminum framing. Wrong?

[dersequim]

Thank you all. I'll persue the inside bolt trick after I get to Az.
Checked them today and will give them a turn. Hate to have to pull that bottom cover, but will obviously need to bite the bullet and do the job. Daryl

[ols1932]

quote:Originally posted by sreigle

There shouldn't be any wood there for it to bite into. I thought the awning bolts went into the aluminum framing. Wrong?

Steve,
I don't know if there is any wood in there or not. All I know is that Keystone personnel put wood dowels in the holes and then reinserted the screws. That makes me assume (and I know what that does) that there was some type of wood with the aluminum (maybe just the fiberglass). Anyway, it didn't hold more than about two months.

Orv

[Pete Hanson]

I had the same issue with my 2955 and the plant told me to put the bolts all the way through the wall like Orv did. It worked out fine and will never loosen up. I was afraid that the bolts would be too visible inside the rig but we never notice them. I think its a good solution.