Anyone come up with better Corian counter extension bracket?

[dznf0g]

I noticed the bracket on my Brother in Law's 2012 Classic is a different design.

[kry226]

Originally Posted by w7ts

Well I did not find a substitute. I did order two new ones from Out of Doors Mart. They were not on their web site, so I ordered them by phone. They are called "collapsible shelf brackets". They cost 4.95 each plus 10.95 to ship both of them. According to ODM, they cost about 10.00 each, if purchased from Airstream. I ordered two ,so that I will be prepared for the next one to break. In all due respect to the bracket, it broke on the worse pot-holed interstate I've towed on.

Unlike the one that broke, these did not come Pre- "bent out of shape".

Ken

Let us know how it goes.

I really wouldn't mind some type of quick-detach that would allow easy stowage elsewhere in the trailer, and easy, but sturdy hanging when we camped. I just don't have the materials or tools to fabricate such a device.

[kry226]

Originally Posted by dznf0g

I noticed the bracket on my Brother in Law's 2012 Classic is a different design.

Oooh. May have to investigate.

[Ag&Au]

Originally Posted by kry226

Oooh. May have to investigate.

Please post your findings.

Ken

[kry226]

Originally Posted by w7ts

Please post your findings.

Ken

Will do.

I shamelessly lifted the below pic from a 2012 Classic 30 on Colonial's website. The pic clearly shows a different counter bracket. Since my trailer is still under warranty, I plan to call Colonial this week to see if they will ship me a couple of the new brackets. More to follow.

P.S. Patrick, if I need to remove the pic, please let me know. Thanks.

[dznf0g]

I played with the bracket on the 2012> It operates more smoothly and easily than mine too.

[Ag&Au]

Thanks for posting the photo, I don't imagine Colonial would mind as long as you are not trying to sell a trailer with it.

I don't have our trailer handy to check, but it looks to me that there is extra wood piece on the cabinet side which seems to make it unnecessary for the bracket to have that extension piece where the breaks occur.

Ken

[kry226]

I agree, there seems to be thicker wood there.

[Colonial Airstream]

Airstream recently changed the flip up bracket to a style we have used in the Airstream Interstate for some time. Airstream used this bracket in the Interstate since it cut down on noise inside the coach. I believe this bracket setup can be retrofitted to your current flip up countertop.
-Lauren Botticelli

[Ag&Au]

Originally Posted by NeatAirstream

Airstream recently changed the flip up bracket to a style we have used in the Airstream Interstate for some time. Airstream used this bracket in the Interstate since it cut down on noise inside the coach. I believe this bracket setup can be retrofitted to your current flip up countertop.
-Lauren Botticelli

Thanks for the information. I will definitely research that. Changing to the new style makes more sense that repeatedly replacing the old one.


Ken

[dznf0g]

Anybody know the dimension of that extra block?
The other thing I noticed about my bro-in-laws 2012 Classic was that the underside of the extension was dressed out in the same gray material that is on the storage compartments. Mine is bare wood. Nice little touch. Now every time I walk into mine, I see that bare wood!!!!

Oh, well, just another little project on the list.

[Silver Goose]

The DW was complaining that the counter extension was getting hard to latch in the up position and harder to unlatch for storage. On inspection I noticed on one of the brackets that the section near the hinge end was bent down a bit and pushing upwards on the extension while in the stored position returned it to a right angle and it worked properly once again. I had assumed someone had inadvertently push down on the extension in the stored position.

I then came across this thread and realized the bend was in the same place as the photo showing the broken bracket. I'm now wondering if as others suggested here, the combination of the weight of the Corian extension and the bouncing the trailer is sometimes subject to going down the road is the cause for the bending and bracket failure over time. I would be very interested to hear if the brackets reportedly used on the Interstate and maybe the current production trailers will be the solution for this.

[dznf0g]

I just ordered the updated brackets from Bill Thomas. Glenn gave me the dimensions of the wood in the newer units as 1/2" X 11" X 2 1/2". My AS is back in storage, does anyone have the dimensions of the older block?

[Ag&Au]

Originally Posted by dznf0g

I just ordered the updated brackets from Bill Thomas. Glenn gave me the dimensions of the wood in the newer units as 1/2" X 11" X 2 1/2". My AS is back in storage, does anyone have the dimensions of the older block?

I don't have my trailer here either. However the picture I saw looked like the new wood piece attached on top of the original wood. That would make the 1/2 inch thickness make more sense also. However this is all from a outdated used memory. Who's Bill Thomas and Glenn? What was the price?

Ken

[kry226]

Originally Posted by w7ts

I don't have my trailer here either. However the picture I saw looked like the new wood piece attached on top of the original wood. That would make the 1/2 inch thickness make more sense also. However this is all from a outdated used memory. Who's Bill Thomas and Glenn? What was the price?

Ken

Mine is in storage as well, but we will be headed out on our final trip of the year this coming weekend. I will try to get measurements then and post them. If I remember correctly, the original wood was routed to have a decorative trim. Also, don't forget about the wood affixed to the underside of the corian too.

Bill Thomas is Bill Thomas Camper Sales just outside St. Louis, a pretty reputable AS dealer.

[dznf0g]

These are the photos Glenn Thomas of Bill Thomas Camper Sales sent me. It only shows one thickness of wood....which I think is the same as mine, but I'm not sure.

I wonder if the Corian countertop overhang is less on the new units. Anybody have their older classic at home that could go measure and photo?

[kry226]

Unknown about the overhang (I'll check this weekend, but I bet it's the same as above), but I do know that this wood is exactly what mine looks like. It appears that I could just get the brackets, install, and call it good.

Thanks for the pics!

[dznf0g]

Hmmm, the pic in post #25 shows a double block and a different bracket extension than my post #36. I think it would work either way, If I am visualizing it right. In post #36, when folded down, the top edge of the extension would be lower than the level of the counter top. In post #25, I thin the edge would be at the same height as the counter top. Am I seeing that correctly?

Oh, Ken, the price is HIGH! for a couple of brackets..$59 plus shipping to my door direct from AS. (That is, Glenn Thomas, AS dealer, orders and has them drop shipped to my house, form AS mothership.)

[Ag&Au]

I am sure the hinge is some standard piece of cabinet hardware. Maybe yours will have some labelling. I have nothing against ordering from a dealer except I'm sure they'd have to order them and that's just one more place it can get screwed up.

Ken

[kry226]

Originally Posted by dznf0g

Hmmm, the pic in post #25 shows a double block and a different bracket extension than my post #36. I think it would work either way, If I am visualizing it right. In post #36, when folded down, the top edge of the extension would be lower than the level of the counter top. In post #25, I thin the edge would be at the same height as the counter top. Am I seeing that correctly?

Oh, Ken, the price is HIGH! for a couple of brackets..$59 plus shipping to my door direct from AS. (That is, Glenn Thomas, AS dealer, orders and has them drop shipped to my house, form AS mothership.)

You know, the more I look at it, the more I think it will not matter. As long as you get far enough away from the wall so that the hinge will work properly, that's all you need. Anything beyond that, you just take up the "slack" on the counter extension itself. Much easier to show it than write about it.