Drawer falls out in travel - any advice?

[GA-Air]

We have a 2008 Safari SE - love it except I am annoyed that the two drawers next to the bed fall out during travel - even empty. Would not expect that to happen given how much these things cost. Anyone else have the same issue? Any good ideas on how to prevent this from happening?

[overlander63]

Try getting the tires balanced. The constant shaking from the tires can work the drawers open during a trip. Rough roads, and/or the WD system not being set 100% can also cause this.
As for balancing, you can get a set of Centramatic balancers for the cost of getting the tires spin-balanced twice.

[casarodante]

We have a 3 drawer unit between our twin beds and the top one used to do this. What I got was a tension curtain rod. I lengthen it to the proper size. I just slide it down through all 3 drawer handles (vertically). It seems to hold it in pretty good. All 3 must come out this way. You may be able to use the tensioning aspect of the rod to wedge it between the floor and the top of the unit.

[2dabeach]

Originally Posted by GA-Air

We have a 2008 Safari SE - love it except I am annoyed that the two drawers next to the bed fall out during travel - even empty. Would not expect that to happen given how much these things cost. Anyone else have the same issue? Any good ideas on how to prevent this from happening?

GA-Air...I had the same problem with our 2007 25'FB when the drawers were loaded with gear. I now travel with less heavy gear in the drawer and also replaced the original Southco push to close latches with new Southco model C3-810 push to close latches rated at 10 lb pull up force. Haven't had a problem since I installed the new latches. I ordered the latches from D. B. Roberts Company, 17270 Woodinville-Redmond Rd NE, Woodinville, WA 98072 (800) 270-6887, www.dbroberts.com.

[Snowey BC]

We had a problem with our front drawer, located by the front door under the dinette seating bench. That is where we want to keep tools, flashlights, and a little axe (moderately heavey items). On the side of the drawer I attached a round stick on holder meant to hold brooms and such in a closet. With a tiny 6 inch bungee, I can loop the bungee around the metal frame and secure the drawer very well. It looks neat, barely noticeable and keeps the drawer securely shut.

Jackie

[flyfisher]

The problem is the cheap-ass hinges and construction of Airstream trailers.

Our ultimate solution was to get rid of the Airsteam and buy a different brand of RV, made by a more quality and customer oriented company.

There are a number of similarly cheaply constructed items in Airstreams that the company management knows full well are long standing problems but they have their head so far into the sand that the'll never make simple fixes -- you know when you've been making these mistakes for so long, why change? (Leaking showers are another similar example that they refuse fix.)

We had continual problems with the drawers falling out in our Airstream - particularly the one in our bedroom vanity that faced forward between our twin beds. We took it back to the factory for repairs a couple times to no avail (and, no it wasn't coming out becasue our running gear needed balancing) -- it was due to those cheap drawer slides used by Airstream.

At one point, we had to take the drawer out and lay it on the floor when we traveled. However, our eventual solution was to put a velcro strap around it. I put pieces of velcro, attached with adhesive, on either side ot the vanity that were hidden by the bed mattresses, and then we attached the strap whenever we traveled.

We also used another velcro strap through the handles of several of the cabinet drawers in our kitchen.

You could also permanently screw the drawers shut -- just get a few of those loose screws that have been rattling around in the heads of a number of Airstream's management.