27FB Bathroom overhead hatch with mirror too heavy for the hinges

[Terratravels]

Has anyone had the trouble with the overhead mirrored hatch door in the bathroom? Do you think I could order a pair of hinges like the ones on all the other overhead storage compartments to put on the heavy mirrored hatch in the bathroom? I cannot figure out if the slanted design will work with the heavier hinges.

[golfgal]

Ours became loose on one side at the top and we couldn't fix it because the screws were stripped, so we ended up taking it off. We certainly didn't want to find it in a million pieces all over the floor! My husband is going to construct a new door and will only mount a mirror on one side of it. In the meantime, we bought a 16X16" white-framed mirror at Target and attached it over the side where the sink is with some heavy-duty Velcro. I bought some pretty white fabric and made a curtain for the remaining exposed area with headings on the top and bottom. We bought two tension rods and are using those for the curtain I made - they extend from one side to the other on top and bottom (behind the mirror), and we can easily slide the fabric to access the storage behind it. It beats having to have the contents of the medicine cabinet exposed!

[Silver Goose]

Your question aroused my curiosity so I went out and looked at mine. Ours is an '08 and hasn't shown a problem there. Have to wonder if they changed something on newer models? Was really surprised they didn't use a piano hinge along the length. That might be a good solution, you may have to reposition the prop arm, but that should still work.

[Terratravels]

@Golfgirl...Yours sounds like the best fix.. Being a woman streaming alone, I can certainly do what you have done. (Tension rods...great idea) The design really requires a much lighter weight door. The mirror on the side will work in the meantime. I would love to have the specs on the new door when your hubby gets it done. Let me know if he uses the piano hinge idea...
Like all of us, I surely need that valuable storage behind. (FYI my door came undone on one side...screws stripped out...hmmm...just a bad design.)

[golfgal]

Terratravels, I will let you know when my hubby has made and installed the new door. I feel certain he will use a piano hinge across the top. I think he will make it the same size as the original mirrored door. I really do think the original door was a bad design. I was always worried it would come crashing down one day!

[justbrian]

Interesting how I just expedited the inevitable on morning 1. lol, I forgot to undo the left side lock treating it like the bed lift dampener. Yanked down the left side right off I did..pulling screws out, with a chunk of wannabie wood.
I don't think I can even get a straight angle to put it back as was, re-inforced somehow without taking the whole thing down. In that a worry of finding some other el-cheapo used to put the cabinet up in the first place.
Likes the piano hinge idea.

[danlehosky]

Originally Posted by justbrian

Interesting how I just expedited the inevitable on morning 1. lol, I forgot to undo the left side lock treating it like the bed lift dampener. Yanked down the left side right off I did..pulling screws out, with a chunk of wannabie wood.
I don't think I can even get a straight angle to put it back as was, re-inforced somehow without taking the whole thing down. In that a worry of finding some other el-cheapo used to put the cabinet up in the first place.
Likes the piano hinge idea.

Same thing happened to my wife. The screws literally blew out of the cabined. I am surprised at the light weight screws holding up this very heavy door. I will replace with bolts with some kind of plate on the back for bearing. Having said that I have been satisfied with the quality of the plywood and bamboo laminates on the other cabinets.

[Florida_27FB]

I have a new 27FB FC. Same thing happened to mine. It is currently at Bates RV getting repaired. I asked them to install a piano hinge. What was the final fix?

[Terratravels]

Originally Posted by Florida_27FB

I have a new 27FB FC. Same thing happened to mine. It is currently at Bates RV getting repaired. I asked them to install a piano hinge. What was the final fix?

I had the piano hinge installed. The fixtures for the latch which holds the mirror at an angle when closed, had to be moved down to make it secure.
A bit of a hassle but it goes tightly in place and is never going to crash down again.

[mtntime]

When I picked up our new 2012 up from the dealer and the service tech did the walk through he warned me that A/S will not warranty the mirror support hinges at all. He literally suggested not using it except for long term storage. I am 6’3” and have to open the bathroom door, step back and duck down to just open it anyway. We don’t use it and I have plans this winter to design a new one with two sliding or left and right opening mirrors with proper shelving inside. It is just pitiful!! Oh, I was told the same thing about the hinge up extension table at the sink. No warranty at all.