Stripped or Cross Threaded Propane Hold Down Rod

[godber]

A few minutes searching the forums here didn't show anyone dealing with this issue yet. I have presumably cross threaded the nut/handle that holds down the dual propane tank and cover on my 28' international. That handle is currently stuck on, with about 1/8" to go to come off.

I am not sure what my question is yet since we're currently on the road. Current plan is to stick with electric heat and stay out unless we run out of cooking gas. I figure this isn't something I want to break while "relaxing".

When I get home at the end of the week, my question will be how to fix it/replace it. I see the threaded rods can be purchased from etrailer. I wonder how they're attached at the bottom...

If anyone has dealt with this and has advice, I am all ears. Otherwise, I'll follow up with my resolution once I have one.

Cheers,

Austin

PS: A friend once offered the following trailer camping advice "Expect chaos!"

[GCinSC2]

At least on mine it’s just a piece of 1/2” threaded rod AKA all thread.

If the handle nut turns going down to tighten look at the end of the threads. Damaged threads can often be cleaned up with a triangular file. Don’t forget some type of spray or light oil on the threads might help things alone too.

Or alternate disassembly:

Loosen top wing nut as you can.

Remove hose connections to tanks carefully remove tanks and see if you can remove from bottom

Look for a nut at the bottom of the rod where it threads in to the support. Loosen it. Should be 3/4” wrench.

Gary

.

[OTRA15]

If turning the handle only 1/8" will get it off, do that and worry about the threads later. Stow/secure the cover someplace for now.

Are you near a good hardware store or plumbing supply that will sell retail [most will these days IMO]. Go online and find the closest supplier and be there when they open in the morning, often as early as 6 AM for the commercial/industrial trade.

Get the correct size die and tap for your threaded rod/nut, and the necessary handles and cutting oil. [Hopefully not larger than 1/2".] Clean up the male and female threads, put it all back together and hit the road Jack! A triangular file can often do the male thread, but the female will probably require the correct tap IMO.

What is your timing BTW? Please advise on the situation, and folks can add specific advice.

On a long R/T to San Diego back in the 90's, we had a freeze-up due to a hasty and incomplete winterization which cracked a plastic male thread elbow entering the aluminum water heater. Had to dig the plastic shards out of the female aluminum threads. Luckily a nearby hardware store opened at 7 AM on a Sunday morning, had the correct tap and die [I already had the handles in the tool kit], and the job was finished in time for Sunday brunch!

Do you need the propane for heat and cooking? You could always remove the tanks and get on the road . . . possibly . . . if time is of the essence.

Or find a local plumber who can stop by to clean up the threads ASAP? Do any of your fellow campers have the right tools for this? Worth a walk around the CG IMO. Good tips from Gary also.

Good luck,

[Al U. Minium]

If the wing nut won't move and is seized tight, then if you have a wrench, just loosen the top jam nut on the bottom, tighten down your tanks from the bottom, and finish by tightening the top jam nut back down.

If there is clearance problems to doing it that way, take it out and see if you can get it turned upside down with the seized wingnut on the bottom, use a wrench and nut to tighten from the top.

Have never tried this but in theory it would work.

Next idea is put out feelers to the forum and let them know what general area you are passing through and see if anyone can give you a hand fixing this. Easy fix if you have the replacement threaded rod and new wing nut, but not that hard to fix without new parts given a bit of engineering.

[uncle_bob]

Hi

Quick on the road fix:

Head over to a big box store and grab a long enough piece of 1/2" all thread rod and a handful of nuts / washers that fit it. Pull into a nice quiet campsite and settle in for the day.

Pull the tanks (force the handle ). Once they are off, you can pretty well see where the all thread goes. Simply replace the piece that's there with the chunk you bought, cut down to size.

Hack saw, a file and a couple wrenches are about all it should take. The wrenches and file should already be in your tool kit. If the hacksaw is not there, grab one when you pick up the all thread.

A bit of Locktite on the nuts on the bottom end of the all thread probably is a really good idea ....

Once the new rod is on there, put the tanks back on. Screw it all down with the nice new nuts and washers. You will need to use a wrench for now.

Once you are back at home base, shop for a replacement screw down "handle" thing.

Bob

[OTRA15]

If he only has to move the top nut/handle 1/8" [measured at the end of the AS OEM "wings" on the handle?]. . . shouldn't a tap and die clean up the threads? Not sure if that configuration is what he meant, though.

[godber]

Thanks for all the advice! Fortunately my situation isn't urgent and I'm only 3 hours from home. Last night we were able to stay warm enough with the electric heater (though I think the lows tonight are expected to be 20 degrees cooler). We probably have enough gas for cooking the rest of the week (One tank is empty and I don't recall where the other one stands).

Originally Posted by Al U. Minium

If the wing nut won't move and is seized tight, then if you have a wrench, just loosen the top jam nut on the bottom, tighten down your tanks from the bottom, and finish by tightening the top jam nut back down.

I don't think I can unscrew the wing nut on top any further. With the cover on I can't really get any more leverage (at least not in any way obvious to me).

I will see if I can get to the jam nut to take the whole rod off. I suspect it will be a challenge with both tanks in place.

I don't think cleaning/fixing the threads is a real option since the threads on the rod appear OK. I am pretty sure it's the nut thats damaged and any progress I've made has been by continuously forcing that nut up the rod ... effectively rethreading that rod. That stopped working as I got closer to the end of the rod. If I put an hour or two into it, I might make more progress with that ...

I am 20 minute from Nogales AZ (at Patagonia Lake State Park) so I can head in there if I need things. I'll probably make one last effort to remove the rod today and if that doesn't work, just enjoy a day or two out on the road, head home early and fix it there where I have more tools.

Cheers, and thanks again for all the help!

Austin

[rideair]

If you're not up to fixing it right now, a few racthet-straps can be used to hold everything in place until you find the energy to fix it correctly.

Like the old saying goes, "Why do today, what you can put off until tomorrow"

Enjoy,

[OTRA15]

Originally Posted by godber

. . .
. . . I am pretty sure it's the nut thats damaged and any progress I've made has been by continuously forcing that nut up the rod ... effectively rethreading that rod. That stopped working as I got closer to the end of the rod. If I put an hour or two into it, I might make more progress with that ...
. . .

Oops . . . thanks for the update . . . good luck.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by uncle_bob

Hi

Quick on the road fix:

Head over to a big box store and grab a long enough piece of 1/2" all thread rod and a handful of nuts / washers that fit it. Pull into a nice quiet campsite and settle in for the day.

Pull the tanks (force the handle ). Once they are off, you can pretty well see where the all thread goes. Simply replace the piece that's there with the chunk you bought, cut down to size.

Hack saw, a file and a couple wrenches are about all it should take. The wrenches and file should already be in your tool kit. If the hacksaw is not there, grab one when you pick up the all thread.

A bit of Locktite on the nuts on the bottom end of the all thread probably is a really good idea ....

Once the new rod is on there, put the tanks back on. Screw it all down with the nice new nuts and washers. You will need to use a wrench for now.

Once you are back at home base, shop for a replacement screw down "handle" thing.

Bob

^
What BB said
....'cept there is,(at least on ours), a nut and washer on the bottom end of the rod, try those first, a tap may be able to 'chase' the threads on the hold down for re use. If not drill out and re-tap and buy a larger rod.👍

Sorry BB I don't have a picture.😂

Bob
🇺🇸

[2dabeach]

[QUOTE=godber;2444609]Thanks for all the advice! Fortunately my situation isn't urgent and I'm only 3 hours from home. Last night we were able to stay warm enough with the electric heater (though I think the lows tonight are expected to be 20 degrees cooler). We probably have enough gas for cooking the rest of the week (One tank is empty and I don't recall where the other one stands).

If you can't run the propane heat make sure your water systems are winterized if you are going to reach freezing temperatures.

[MickeyC]

As GCinSC2 said it is most likely 1/2 all thread. You can buy that at any ACE hardware or Home Depot. Try spraying a little thread lube on the wing nut and work it back and forth. If the threads on the wing nut are messed up, you can get a thread tap at the hardware also. They are generally only a few bucks. You shouldn't need more that a few wrenches and a crescent wrench will get you by in a pinch.

Good Luck
MC

[Runamuk13]

Is it possible the wing nut is jammed up because or rust or corrosion?

Spray some WD40 (or any kind of oil - even PAM Spray cooking oil) on the rod and do the best you can at running the wingnut down or up to clear the corrosion.

Who knows, it might work.

[GCinSC2]

Based on my 2007 only. I just looked.

1/2” all thread, jam nut and then threads into a 1/2” threaded rod coupling. That’s about a 2” long nut looking sorta thing.

But my aluminum T nut at the top has a threaded insert for threads. AFAIK it’s original, I didn’t do it.

Carry on.

[bibbs]

If it is an aluminum threaded handle, with a steel rod there is a very good chance it is will loosen up with penetrating oil and gently heating, if it will move at all you can work the oil in faster by wiggling back and forth.

[GCinSC2]

Originally Posted by bibbs

If it is an aluminum threaded handle, with a steel rod there is a very good chance it is will loosen up with penetrating oil and gently heating, if it will move at all you can work the oil in faster by wiggling back and forth.

Heating at propane tanks?

Care to reconsider?

[tjdonahoe]

I use anti seize on the threads....

[godber]

Originally Posted by rideair

If you're not up to fixing it right now, a few racthet-straps can be used to hold everything in place until you find the energy to fix it correctly.

Like the old saying goes, "Why do today, what you can put off until tomorrow"

Enjoy,

This is roughly my plan for now. Though all of the advice provided so far will be useful when I get home and try to repair it. So many thanks for that everyone.

Despite it being hard to reach, I was able to get a small wrench on the jam nut. However, I was not able to put enough force on the wrench either from below or above to get the nut to move.

[bibbs]

Originally Posted by GCinSC2

Heating at propane tanks?

Care to reconsider?

Yes I did say gentle heat, umm turn off the Tank valve if you are concerned

[godber]

I really should have tried the 3-in-1 oil suggestion on the road. I had assumed it wouldn't make a difference, but it sure did. A little bit of that and some heavier duty gloves I was able to work the wing nut off the top the rest of the way. The thread damage looks very limited and I think I'll just continue to use all of those parts. I took the rod off the base and cleaned up and oiled all of the nuts on the top and bottom and it all threads together just fine now.

Thanks again.

- Austin