My front cabinets keep breaking!

[robwok]

The cabinet in the "cab" area keeps breaking at the stile when we take it on trips. I was broken when I got it, so I glued it back together and then we took a trip. When we got back, it was broken even worse than the first time.

I have a 64 Overlander with fiberglass end caps. It appears that the fiberglass at the very bottom is bending down towards the gaucho. (I have brand new axles)

I was wondering if this has happened to anyone else. Nothing was in the cabinets during the trip - total about 400 miles.

I tried clamping it in a level position and heating the fiberglass with a heat gun. I got a little movement, but not much.

[AWCHIEF]

I had the same issue with the cabinets over the side couch. I glued and screwed them back together. No more problems.

[robwok]

Originally Posted by AWCHIEF

I had the same issue with the cabinets over the side couch. I glued and screwed them back together. No more problems.

Hmm. I was a cabinetmaker before I was an Airstream remodeler. I took them all apart, reglued, used new dowels where needed, but didn't resort to screws (yet) I'll probably do that this time, and hide the screw heads with dowels. I was just wondering if there was more to it than that.

[DGJackson]

Does your trailer have shocks? See associated thread entitled "To shock or not"

[Aage]

It has been said here many times that a worn suspension system or too large of a tow vehicle can cause severe shaking when underway; severe enough to cause rivets to pop out, or, as in your case, loosen furniture mountings.

Has your suspension ever been replaced?

What is your TV?

[DKB_SATX]

Originally Posted by Aage

It has been said here many times that a worn suspension system or too large of a tow vehicle can cause severe shaking when underway; severe enough to cause rivets to pop out, or, as in your case, loosen furniture mountings.

Has your suspension ever been replaced?

What is your TV?

Brand new axles were cited above... I thought about the megatruck possibility but YOU went there.

[Aage]

Originally Posted by DKB_SATX

Brand new axles were cited above... I thought about the megatruck possibility but YOU went there.

Yes, I missed the new axle note. The OP's "About me" says that he rents F150 trucks.

Perhaps a lot of rough roads?

Maybe a sordid history before this owner?

[overlander64]

Greetings robwok!

Originally Posted by robwok

Hmm. I was a cabinetmaker before I was an Airstream remodeler. I took them all apart, reglued, used new dowels where needed, but didn't resort to screws (yet) I'll probably do that this time, and hide the screw heads with dowels. I was just wondering if there was more to it than that.

When I had similar problems with my '64 Overlander, it turned out that most of the issue with cracks in the inside skin and stress cracks in the front fiberglass interior endcap were related to the hitch setup. I have always utilized Reese Strait-Line hitches with the Reese Dual Cam Sway Control. The tow vehicle that was most problematic with these problems was my 1995 Chevrolet C1500 club cab pickup with the Z71 package. The shop the initially setup my tow vehicle utilized 1,000 pound weight distribution bars. When an experienced Airstream shop tuned my hitch, they insisted that 600 pound weight distribution bars were all that was necessary with a "truck-based" tow vehicle . . . and that change along with a modification to the ball height and rake solved all issues with the stress cracking (going on 10 trouble-free years). I still need to replace the axles, but I did add new shocks when the hitch adjustments were made.

Good luck with resolving your towing damage issues!

Kevin

[arden_dean]

Mine are a mix of white and red oak which is the first problem. White oak is a closed pour wood while red oak is an open pour wood and they require different glues. The Second problem is they are using the facha (front trim) for structural support with dowel pin joints; in short dowel pin joint will simply pull apart. Third problem they are randomly riveted to the ceiling and not at the joist.

The solution pocket-hole all the joints in the facha and add rivets at the joist. also, I don't know of any glue that will work with red and white oak a holed.

[robwok]

very astute. Yes, I took mine apart, redrilled with a longer dowel, used an advanced glue, then very long brad nail, and finally a micropinner to hold the nails from the back side.

Then, I used a heat gun and a little buddy heater to heat the fiberglass and thermoform plastic along with some clamps to lift the opening back to the original location, and then a double layer of tyvek tape to seal them together (instead of the original duct tape) and then put the cabinets back in.

Took a longer trip this time, and everything was perfect.