How best to repair the Roof locker assy.

[Katman104]

Hello to all.
I have a 1977 AS 29' Ambassador and need some advice. The roof locker that houses the Central control unit has a couple of rivets pulled out of the end cap and also one pulled out of the window trim as the attached photos show.
Want to know the best way to fix this? I have a rivet tool and rivets. Wondering if I need to try to put a rivet back where one came from or drill a new hole and place one there instead. As you will notice from the attached photos some of the plastic is gone from where the rivet is supposed to be.

[Cantrell]

Katman,
I would re-rivet back into place but I am more curious as to why did it come loose?
Are you losing any other rivets elsewhere on the interior? If so, could be worn out axles--many threads out there on this.
I notice in a picture that there is a turned, wooden post holding up the end of that cabinet and the rivets have pulled loose from the post end of the cabinet. Wonder if that post holds the outside of the cabinet in such a rigid position so that as the trailer moves down the road and flexes it doesn't allow for natural movement of the cabinet with the ceiling. The natural flexing would bring the ceiling and the floor slightly closer together and then back--over and over. That post doesn't allow the slight compression in that area. Could that process be slowly pulling the cabinet rivets out over the last 30 years?
Just a thought.

[Katman104]

Cantrell
Thanks for your response.
The axles have been replaced by previous owner recently. I bought this unit in November 2009.
There are no more rivets out anywhere that I see. I also wondered if this post is a factory thing or something that was added later by someone. The Central Control Cabinet is also in the cabinet at the far end from the post and seems to be to heavy for the plastic bottom which causes it (the bottom) to pull away a little from the sides of the cabinet. Anyone else out there that has the same setup in their AS 29' Ambassador?

[68 TWind]

Katman,

Hi from N. Mississippi. Could be damage from before the new axles were installed and also from the PO putting too much weight in the overhead. You should be able to pop rivet it back. It the hole is not rounded out you can use 1/8" rivets but it is is wallowed out you may have to go to 3/16. Also there are different grip lenghts on the rivets and the short ones may not be long enough. HD or Lowes should have both (make sure you get the aluminum shank rivets and not the steel). Good thing about pop rivets is if you mess one up, just drill it out and try again

[Katman104]

Thanks for the reply's. The question I have now before I re-rivet is this " does anyone else on the forum have a 1977 AS 29' ambassador that has a post under the cabinet like image IMG1839A. I am wondering if this was added by someone or if it came like this from the factory? If you have a unit like this please post. Thanks
Katman104

[Ganglin]

Originally Posted by Katman104

Thanks for the reply's. The question I have now before I re-rivet is this " does anyone else on the forum have a 1977 AS 29' ambassador that has a post under the cabinet like image IMG1839A. I am wondering if this was added by someone or if it came like this from the factory? If you have a unit like this please post. Thanks
Katman104

That post appears to have been added. See here:

77Ambassador

The pic 1838A - I'd move out and inch or so on each side and add two rivets to that area. You can buy the white prepainted rivets if you look around.

[mello mike]

Originally Posted by Ganglin

That post appears to have been added. See here:

77Ambassador

The pic 1838A - I'd move out and inch or so on each side and add two rivets to that area. You can buy the white prepainted rivets if you look around.

I agree on both.