Bambi CCD Cabinet Fell??!!

[nbranco]

Hello - I am a new owner of a 2004 16ft Bambi CCD and this past weekend the front cabinet came loose then fell while towing the trailer home from Southern California (about 400 mile trip). We were not on unusually rough roads and there were no other events that would put more stress than what I would think was usual on the cabinet (it was empty at the time).

It looks like the cabinet was attached at the front with six screens (several of which were missing) screwed into the sheet metal interior of the trailer. At the back it was attached to two pieces of plywood that were screwed into the interior skin.

My question is whether this is a common occurrence (seems it would be - the screws didn't seem like they were grabbing anything substantial) and if there is a retrofit or fix that anyone can recommend to keep this from happening again.

Thanks!

[n2916s]

Well, if your running gear was unbalanced, that will really shake things up. It is also possible that your hitch set up is the culprit. If you have a really stiff tow vehicle, say a 1 ton pickup, it is possible to transmit a lot of jolts and bangs into the trailer. Too heavy spring bars on a weight distributing hitch can do that as well.

Or, the cabinet wasn't installed very well or a P.O. Had it out for some reason or another and ...

Hard to say but definitely something you'll have to address.

Mike

[Tim A.]

Rivet nuts (rivet threads) to allow replacing some of the screws with machine-threaded screws might help make the cabinet stay in place in the future.

My guess is that a previous owner considerably overloaded the cabinet.

Tim

[nbranco]

Thanks for the replies. I've seen the towing vehicle implicated in many threads related to cabinets and things shaking loose in Airstream trailers. In my case, a "too stiff" tow vehicle is not the problem - I'm towing with a minivan (Sienna) that if anything is not stiff enough, with the hitch being way too low. I'm planning to replace the tow vehicle soon.

The real question is whether this is a common occurrence (I guess not, since I couldn't find another similar thread) and whether anyone has a retrofit or a solution for what appears to be a pretty flimsy connection between the cabinet and the interior skin. Any ideas?

[BAB]

Think you had a PO who overstressed the rivets with too much weight in the cabinet. Agree with Tim. I'd go with some machine-threaded screws as a first try.

[Tim A.]

Originally Posted by nbranco

...what appears to be a pretty flimsy connection between the cabinet and the interior skin. Any ideas?

Unless somebody stripped the threads on the sheet-metal screws holding the cabinet in place, the attachment is not as flimsy as one might think.

Rather than use rivet nuts, you can use larger diameter (not longer!) sheet-metal screws. Do avoid overtightening them. Overtightening can strip the threads.

Rivet nuts provide a wider support area on the backside of your Airstream's aluminum inner skin, which is why I suggested using them. You do not need to replace all of the screws with rivet nuts and machine screws. Those that you do not replace that way should be replaced with larger diameter sheet-metal screws.

Tim

[bearcat]

After buying my new 2004 Bambi, on the trip home the rear bumper storage lid was almost lost. This is the lid that goes across the bumper and has two latches on either side and held in place with a full length hinge...Seems the hinge was never drilled or rivited at the factory. The only thing holding the lid on was the two spring latches...A few years later the headliner came down. Not complaining but things happen and I would look at the original installation by the factory first, especiallly considering my past experiences...By the way the lavatory mirrow fell off into the sink the first year....adhesive failure..This trailer was kept under shelter so none of this was due to heat..Vents cracked open for ventilation....Just saying....

[Triple M]

Sorry to hear that. We had a similar problem but caught it before it fell. I noticed that the screws were loose. I tightened it up and haven't had a problem with it again. I do check it often. But you should feel like the screws grab something.
Mike

[RUMSHIP]

My rig is 25 years young. I just retightened the cabinet screws in the front just the other day. If I'm not mistaken, there should be a Chanel beam between the inner skin and the outer skin, that is what the cabinet is holding onto, not just the inner skin. Similar to driving a nail into the wall of your house. If you miss the stud, there is no holding strength. You should be able to just fit a new screw into the same place. Just don't go to long. You may need a larger size screw, such as I did but it happens. Just keep an eye on it in the future. Just add that to your maintenance check list and always carry a tool box in your storage area with a screw driver for on the road adjustment.