Nope.... won't work.... the screws will pull right out again and cause even more damage, breaking the particle board with it. The outside material is just a very thin fiberglass material. Inside is particle board. The fiberglass is glued to the particle board.
I tried the same thing and the particle board finally gave way, and broke out taking the fiberglass surface with it. My baggage door had 2 struts, so it was still functional.
After limping the thing through a few weeks, I finally devised the best way to fix the mess.
First, I got a sheet of steel and cut it to fit bigger than the broken out particle board. I used the original part from the gas strut that attaches to the door as a template and marked to drill holes holes later. I ended up replacing 6 small screws for 4 bolts. Getting the strut attachment in the right position again was the hardest part. But I did. Then marked with a marker exactly where the strut attachment would be positioned.
I then drilled small pilot holes for new self-tapping screws. I did not drill the holes for the strut support with the little round knob yet.
Once all the holes were drilled, I ground the edges so they would not be sharp and then painted the metal black with Rust-o-lium Professional.
When the paint dried, I used Liquid Nails to initially attach the metal sheet to the wall of the door, for 2 reasons.
First was to hold the metal in place, because I had no helper to hold it while I worked with it. Second, to seal it so it would never get water intrusion between the metal and the fiberglass. Remember, the inside of my door busted out completely taking out about half the thickness of the pressed particle board with it. (Remember, first attempt did not work by filing the holes).
I then used the outside edge pilot holes and screwed the metal tight with those self-tapping screws and let the Liquid Nails squirt out under pressure from around the edges, cleaned all that off.
After all the outer edge screws were in place, Liquid Nails cleaned up, I then placed the strut "knob" thing in place and marked the screw holes. I only did 4, not the original 6.
I then used a drill and drilled completely through the door for those 4 holes. I was then able to put the bolts through the holes on the outside of the door and then the metal knob thing, and then the nuts for the bolts. I tightened down all the nuts and DONE!.... well ..... "almost!"
I had to get the strut back on that knob! (alone!). There was no easy way, just brute strength to compress that strut so it would catch. Well, after an hour and exhausted muscles, I finally go it on.
It's worked well ever since!
Oh ... what about the outside where those 4 bolt heads now looked really, really, ugly? Simple, I covered them up. See the photo below. I used double sided molding tape to hold it on.
I REALLY think, the reason the putty in the screw holes worked so well (and yes it it, the particle board stayed attached to the screw when it pulled out the second time) ... the particle board inside got wet at some point and caused it to weaken and crumble. The wood putty in the screw holes bonded quite well, but the surrounding particle board was crumbling. That's the reason the entire thing broke out.
So, my suggestion is ... drill holes, and put a bolt all the way through the door, even if you don't add extra support on the inside with a sheet of metal, or the outside too. You can always cover the heads of the bolts so something looks like it belongs.
Good luck! Happy Camping!
Linear Mode
