Sink "unglued" from countertop while towing

[nryn]

If I wasn’t able to wrangle the sink into position and suspend it with gaffers tape as I did, I was planning on vertical strips as you describe. I don’t think you need an l-frame bracket though, just something thick enough to reach from the cabinet side to 1/4” or more past the edge of the sink lip. But I don’t think dropping the sink (intentionally) is a big deal.

In my opinion, the factory construction technique I saw on my trailer will eventually fail on many trailers. This is not a commentary on Airstream quality—I’m not a complainer. It’s just an observation I’m passing on to other Globetrotter owners.

The technique here relies on a very secure bond between the plywood substrate and the Corian, so that the two act as one surface from which the sink could be suspended. I would have no issues with this normally, but the fact that the sink cutout is made of multiple pieces here means that they do not reinforce each other. If any of them become detached from the countertop (which is very possible given changes in temperature and humidity, and the rigors of travel) adjacent pieces will bear a lot of stress. I would hate to see this happen on someone doing dishes and who has a full sink of water, because it would likely crack the plumbing as well.

Honestly I think if the cutout was a bonafide cutout instead of an assembled one this never would have happened. But really—if the sink was going to drop at all, I’m glad it dropped the way it did. I still have 6,000 miles or more left on this trip and while not a showstopper, a broken sink would make a lot of things inconvenient. I was able to fix it on the road with some very simple tools (handsaw, drill, tape and adhesive) and though it looked gnarly, it was by no means a major construction project.

[GOUSC]

A follow up on my post #40 regarding adding some support to prevent the sink from collapsing. I haven’t had the issue yet and did not want to drop the sink before my next trip. I agree with all that Nryn has said as to what causes the issue. The original install does not appear to be the best way to support a sink subject to road conditions, or otherwise.

I pretty much followed the process in my post. Attached are pictures of the process.

Pic #1 – The right inside of my cabinet had a ¾” recessed area. I cut a 3” wide strip of ¾” plywood to sit in the recessed area. I then put 2 pocket screws to attach it to the right side of the recessed area. I cut another 3” wide strip with a 3” X 1.5” top to it to form an “L” bracket. The top small strip was joined with wood glue and pocket screws.

Pic #2 – this shows how the pieces will lay on top of each other after installation.

Pic #3 – shows the ¾” base build up after secured with pocket screws. You’ll note there is already a 2” strip at the rear of the right side so I did not have to build up the rear support.

Pic #4 – shows the up view of the right side, front and back supports attached at the top with 2 screws thru the L bracket and into the oak support piece that is prone to falling.

Pic #5 – side view of the right side supports.

Pic #6 – side view of the left side supports. This side had a larger opening and needed a build up of ½” plywood. The support brackets were screwed into this build up piece. In the pic it looks like the left support is a little off. Didn’t notice it on the install.

Pice #7 shows the up view of the left side, front and back supports attached at the top with 2 screws thru the L bracket and into the oak support piece that is prone to falling.

I pulled out the top drawer to access the area. Used an extension to get dril bits in the top screws. I also drilled all screws in slightly to each piece before final joining. The hard part initially was getting the screw to line up with the bit using a mirror and light. After the first support, each successive one got easier.

I’m hoping this at least will prevent any failure on the road or at least get me thru a trip. If I ever have a failure then I will go the Nryn route and fix it the right way.

[link2dks]

Nice fix. I don't think you will have to worry about the sink dropping now!

[nryn]

Ah ok that’s what you meant by L. That’s a nice way to go about it preemptively. Well done.

[mikeinca]

Full props to the DIY skills on display here. I wonder if AS has learned anything from all this and improved the sink design on the 2020 Globetrotter?

[GOUSC]

Originally Posted by mikeinca

Full props to the DIY skills on display here. I wonder if AS has learned anything from all this and improved the sink design on the 2020 Globetrotter?

The person with the skills is Nyrn. 1st major road trip in his Globetrotter / to Alaska / driving solo with his children / doing his modification away from home. I'm very impressed!

[nryn]

Originally Posted by GOUSC

The person with the skills is Nyrn. 1st major road trip in his Globetrotter / to Alaska / driving solo with his children / doing his modification away from home. I'm very impressed!

Aww shucks. I’d say most of this just takes the confidence that it can be done and a meager amount of resourcefulness. Most folks will have a credit card available as a backup plan.

I do think a pre-emptive physical reinforcement would be prudent for anyone who uses their trailer outside a service area. GOUSC’s solution is a good one and well within everyone’s abilities. When I go to JC for first year warranty issues and they address the sink, if their replacement is not reinforced and/or if the counter substrate sink cutout is still separate pieces I will either redo my fix or pursue a solution like GOUSC’s.

[NoResults]

My sink has now come unglued. Going to the dealer next week. Hope by now they have a good fix.


Dave

[BigSxyWhtGuy]

Wowzers. Back from the dead.

Dave, the proper way to fix this is to remove the counter top and reinstall the sink by allowing gravity to do some of the work bonding the glue. JC repaired mine a couple years ago and it hasn’t budged since. Good luck!

[DocC]

Hi! I have a 2020 25 FQ GT since June ‘19 . Well glad I’m not the only one ! Same exact problem , same exact cause loading up the sink for travel. I repaired it without taking the cabinet apart by rigging a hydraulic jack with a 2x4 underneath then re glueing and caulking . Your way may have been better for the future , and for holding weight. In addition no longer carry a lot if weight in the drawers as they were always found open after traveling. Keep most utensils in a bin in the truck and bring it in to kitchen drawers at the campsite. Latest problem is BR vanity door bounced open and mirror cracked. It’s warrantied and after Ohio opens Monday dealer will order one. Furnace float switch failed apparently a manufacturer’s problem very common and not specific to AS . Despite the problems , I luv my GT. Hitting the road again Memorial Day week. Stay Safe

[jeffmc306]

Originally Posted by DocC

Hi! I have a 2020 25 FQ GT since June ‘19 . Well glad I’m not the only one ! Same exact problem , same exact cause loading up the sink for travel. I repaired it without taking the cabinet apart by rigging a hydraulic jack with a 2x4 underneath then re glueing and caulking . Your way may have been better for the future , and for holding weight. In addition no longer carry a lot if weight in the drawers as they were always found open after traveling. Keep most utensils in a bin in the truck and bring it in to kitchen drawers at the campsite. Latest problem is BR vanity door bounced open and mirror cracked. It’s warrantied and after Ohio opens Monday dealer will order one. Furnace float switch failed apparently a manufacturer’s problem very common and not specific to AS . Despite the problems , I luv my GT. Hitting the road again Memorial Day week. Stay Safe

DocC, that's great that you were able to repair it "in-place". Our 2019 GT sink has a small gap since new that hasn't changed but, given the shut-down, I may tackle it.

There is a solution to the lower drawers opening when traveling. Another poster installed these magnetic child locks (cannot remember who). I installed them after finding our two drawers with pots and pans on the floor. These are brilliant and easy to install. You can disable them once you arrive then re-enable before travel.

We also had the same issue with the BR vanity door mirror popping open. I replaced the latch with a stronger, 8 lbs. one (rated higher in lbs. of force). I had mounted two but the dear wife had to put a foot on the counter to get enough leverage to open so back to one, only stronger than the factory one.

Good luck!

[Aegean-Blue]

Same issue here just happened on my 2021 Globetrotter.
My kid filled the sink full of water to wash-up (bless) and the thing dropped an inch on the back-side. We'd travelled around 1500 miles in it upto this point. I've delayed doing a fix other than strapping it up with gaffer tape because it's going in to my nearest Airstream service center for a few other issues (broken fan in 2nd air-con/heating unit; temperamental awning rollout; broken step) in a couple of months.
Glad that I'm not the only one suffering this issue...although very annoyed it's happening at all. Thanks for all the above posts.

[jeffmc306]

Aegean-Blue, so sorry to hear your 2021 stuffed the same fate. One would think AS would have figured out a permanent solution to the problem.

We had ours fixed at the factory in October because there was a gap between the countertop and the sink. The tech did a great job of re-gluing the sink to the top.

I’m guessing the problem is lack of proper prep. Others reported a white powder visible on the bottom of the top when they did their repairs. That’s probably dust off the Corian and would prevent the adhesive from doing its job.

Below is the job ticket; they only posted 1 hour of labor. He said they used “Lords Glue”. I had to Google it to find what it was. I’m sure they’ve done more than one!

[jayearl]

Originally Posted by Loulou4

Hi all,

Just starting my trip from Florida to Maine and at my first stop ran into a little issue. When I tow, I put things into the sink such as fruits, veggies, cutting board, etc.

Today, when I got to my site, I noticed that the sink is no longer glued to the countertop.

Has anyone had the same issue? What did you use to glue it back together? I've got some silkaflex left over from my solar install that I've been considering... thoughts?

Thanks!

Yup - just took my 27'GT on my first cross-country trip and 1st day out the sink just fell out completely.

I called the main number and got "Jay" on the line but he didn't really help as much as gave me the cities on my route to contact to fix it (it's still under my 1st year warranty). I told him that my destination was Traverse City, Michigan but he didn't tell me there was a dealer there. Luckily, I found a dealer that was less than 2 miles from my planned campground stay. They were super-nice and accommodating and fixed it pronto.

When it initially happened, I did a quick-fix by getting a tension-spring curtain rod from Home Depot and propping the sink up to the counter from underneath for 5 days before arriving to the Traverse City dealership. I was in fear that keeping it hanging would do plumbing damage for remaining days on road.

When I told the dealership about the sink, they didn't act surprised. They installed 2 extra clips on the backside to anchor the sink and re-glued. This
is something I could have done but since it was still in warranty.........

BTW, we weren't putting anything heavy in the sink when it dropped.
Why AS only applied glue to anchor a sink is beyond me.

[Bunker]

Great conversation here. Thanks for the details!

I noticed a very slight separation around my sink and the counter this summer. I also found one of the clips holding the sink in the drawer. I knew exactly what it was when I found it. I even noticed the counter is loose on the front right corner.

I’ve added it to the list to fix this winter. I’ve got quite a list of things to fix this winter. 8000 miles, most of them fairly rough.