Almost dumped the microwave

[Bobbo]

I just towed my 17 FC 23FB 200 miles. I didn't hit particularly bad roads. I didn't hit any speed bumps.

When I set up, I found my microwave hanging halfway out of its enclosure.

After removing the faceplate and investigating, I found that Airstream put two, narrow, boards under the microwave legs for it to sit on, then screwed the faceplate to the microwave, and screwed the faceplate to the cabinet to hold it in.

This would have been fine, but they put the support boards too close together. There was less than 1/8 of an inch of the legs on one side of the microwave sitting on the support board. Over the last 4 years, it finally vibrated till the legs on one side fell off of the support board leaving only the faceplate supporting all the weight of the microwave on that side. The faceplate finally broke, releasing the microwave to shift around, and nearly fall out onto the floor.

I will put the microwave on the bed to drive home, then put more support boards under it so it can't fall off of them. I have a new faceplate ordered to replace the broken one. Nearly $65 with tax and shipping.

Ask me if I am happy with Airstream right now.

[OutdoorIdaho]

Okay, I'll bite, are you happy with Airstream right now?

But seriously, I have read of a similar occurrence though I cannot recall which model it was. Stories like this make me want to pull out the microwave and fridge and build in proper support structure. Thank you for sharing.

[Bobbo]

Here are photos. The first one is the good foot, the second one is the bad foot. Notice that the good foot is the left one and is barely on the left side of the support. The bad foot is the right one and is nearly off the right side of the support. To move it more onto the support, I would have to move the microwave to the left, moving the left foot off of the support.

[Mollysdad]

Is it possible to put a strap over the microwave and tie it down?
Mine is in the pull out drawer, which is okay except the microwave is tiny.

Originally Posted by Bobbo

To move it more onto the support, I would have to move the microwave to the left, moving the left foot off of the support.

Or add a strip of wood alongside the existing one.

[Foiled Again]

Could you bore 1/4" deep holes where the feet fit in to stabilize them?

[Bobbo]

I'm going to add a 2x4 cut to the proper height on the outside of both supports when I get home. That will provide PLENTY of support.

If you look closely at the photo of the bad foot, you will see where the foot gouged out a small crescent of wood as it fell off the support. The picture doesn't really show it, but there is a black mark on the wood from the foot sliding on it.

[Bobbo]

My 2x4 supports outboard of the factory's plywood supports to keep the microwave legs from falling off again.

[jftompkins]

I had the same issue in a 2017 FC23FB w/Danco microwave. And replaced with a Furion with a better mount (but not ideal) that fit the same cut out dimensions. I think part of the problem is the mounting bracket on the front was lite weight and since the back of the microwave is not tied town - it “jumps” with the hard rubber supports there is a large reaction Force…and fatigues the bracket. As others have said it would be nice to have a way to strap down the backside of the microwave to the floor supports or put on a rail….ideally?

[Bobbo]

Mine is also a Danco. The microwave was not damaged, the front trim is what broke. The problem was the boards supporting the legs were too close together for the legs to sit on securely and/or too narrow. They are now wide enough and far enough apart. I don't think I will have any further problems with it. All I had to actually replace was the broken front trim.

[mikeinca]

Thanks for the post. I'm headed out to the trailer to see how difficult it is to remove the trim and faceplate and check the supports on my microwave.

PS: FWIW, apparently AS learned their lesson. The bottom of the Contour MW in our 2020 Globetrotter 25FB sits flat on a shelf under the cooktop held in place by 6 screws through the integrated aluminum MW trim. The trim isn't supporting any weight; just keeping the MW from sliding out. Not going anywhere.

[Bobbo]

On mine, you can look through the slots in the lower piece of the trim with a flashlight and see how the feet are supported. I don't have to remove the trim piece or microwave to do that.

I discovered this after the fact.

To remove the trim, you have to unscrew it from the wall, then slide the entire microwave out. That negates the reason for doing this as the microwave is no longer sitting in place to see where its feet are resting.

[trailerKat]

Great pictures of the same issue we have. The microwave is not fastened to anything so can slide around in the cavity it is in! Ours the supports were spaced ok in relation to the feet on the microwave, but it didn't stay in place. We bought these plastic leg tips and screwed them down in position so the front feet on the microwave would drop down in to them. Needed to trim a little off the the height of the cups because they are a little too tall. We'll see how it works the next trip we take.

[Mollysdad]

It looks like a rubber foot held with a screw?
That sits on a board (or is supposed to)
First, It'd turn the entire thing over and screw the feet to the board using a longer screw.
I see your's is above the fridge and that makes access impossible from the bottom. It's not adding much weight. Instead of 1.5" boards, consider 3/4" boards screwed to the feet E/W fastened to 3/4" boards running N/S, then fasten those from the top. Overkill? You're not adding much weight, if any.

[duboismjjp]

Just came across your thread and found it interesting, as I had a very similar issue on my 22fb sport, front microwave trim plate was cracking at the corners, something others have experienced and found out when I pulled the whole thing out that the support boards where too low, thus making the microwave put weight on the front trim.
Following was my posting https://www.airforums.com/forums/f29...ge-228370.html

[Dennis C]

I just experienced this issue. In my case, the microwave was damaged to the point that I decided to replace it. The feet were broken off of the microwave, the door was damaged, and the trim was badly damaged. I bought a new Contoure RV 980B microwave and trim kit.

Interestingly, the trim kit comes with the metal vents required for built-in installations. There is a top and a bottom vent, and the instructions note that both vents must be installed for proper operation. The top vent was in place on my OE microwave, but not the bottom vent. The bottom vent is essentially a metal plate that’s the same width and depth as the microwave. It has some foam attached to it to direct airflow. This vent plate is attached directly to the wooden supports in the Airstream cabinet with four screws, and the microwave sits on top of it.

I’m convinced that I wouldn’t have experienced this issue if Airstream had installed the bottom vent plate as required by the microwave manufacturer. I have no idea why they left it out as it’s part of the trim kit supplied by the microwave manufacturer.

[Bobbo]

An addendum to my microwave thread. Starting Labor Day, we attended an Airstream rally called Alumapalooza at the Airstream factory in Jackson Center, Ohio. I was parked next to an Airstream of exactly my same model, but 2 years newer. While conversing with the owner, I related my story of almost dumping the microwave onto the floor. I suggested he get a flashlight and look through the vent openings below his microwave to see how his microwave feet were supported. He did so, and came back to tell me that only one of his microwave feet were on the support boards that Airstream had installed. When he got home, he was going to pull the microwave out and put support boards under where his microwave feet actually were. I saved him from dumping his microwave, breaking the faceplate, and possibly breaking the microwave.

I suggest everyone who has a microwave look through the vent slots below the microwave and see if the feet are actually supported.