Counter top came loose

So I went out the clean up the TM (2002 2720) after our first camping trip and noticed that the range had moved and the counter top to the right of it was no longer connected to anything but the range!

We extracted the loose counter top and when we flipped it over, the plywood where the screws are supposed to screw in had large (almost half inch) holes instead of tiny little screw holes. On the back closest to the wall, the holes had completely torn out so that we wouldn't even be able to fill in the holes.

We will probably just move the screw locations for now, but I don't know how long that fix will be good.

Anyone have this problem before? Any suggestions for a good, solid fix?

[ShrimpBurrito]

Joni - Do you have some photos you could perhaps post to give us a better idea of what happened and exactly what potential options are available for reattachment?

Dave

Dave, you seem to be my personal TM savior! Thanks!

Here are a couple of pictures of the bottom of the countertop. The first is the side closest to the wall, and the second is the side closest to the hall.

In the first you can see where the plywood is totally missing - and the hole in the Styrofoam as well.

We've decided to try Water Putty to fill in the holes, and may even just drill into it in the same place so we don't have to move the screws. I'll report back on what works.

[ShrimpBurrito]

I'm not sure water putty is doing to do the trick as there isn't much for it to hold on to. If you just wanted to fill a void, that's one thing, but you are expecting the putty to hold a screw.

You could glue a new piece of plywood to the underside of the countertop, and screw into that. It doesn't have to be as large as the existing countertop -- just some 2" or so wide strips that run along the edge where the screws go. (So called plastic lumber may even hold the screws better, but I haven't worked with it so I don't know.)

Not knowing where exactly that countertop rests, doing that will probably raise the countertop by the thickness of the new plywood. If that's a problem, you could cut off a bit of the cabinet where that counter rests on.

Assuming the screws are there to hold the countertop and not the range, you might also just consider gluing that countertop down as is with some strong woodglue, like Titebond III. That way you won't need screws. Construction adhesive would also probably work fine. Someone here recommended the PL brand of polyurethane construction adhesive as working very well....it's at Home Depot.

Dave

[B_and_D]

Dave has good ideas about the fix.

The only time we've ever had any (slight) movement in the range/oven was when DH was towing the trailer and had to swerve around someone coming from the opposite direction who had drifted into his lane on Hwy 1, on our way to Refugio. The trailer kind of did a jerky fishtail (I was following in the car and saw it, very scary). The range moved about 3/8 inch and it's stayed like that.

We try to take it easy and slow when towing the TM. We try to avoid dirt/gravel roads, or travel slowly when we have to be on one.

[Bill]

One contributor to appliances that move is the pounding that everything takes if the TM wheels are not balanced. If you haven't had it done, it is worthwhile.

Bill

[wesslvm]

Originally Posted by Bill

One contributor to appliances that move is the pounding that everything takes if the TM wheels are not balanced. If you haven't had it done, it is worthwhile.

Bill

I agree with Bill, this is a likely cause of the effect you are seeing. My range used to move around and even shed some of it's paint into the cabinet below. After having the tires balanced I no longer have any problems.

FYI, seems the tires are not balanced from the factory. On my 2004 my valve stems dry rotted after just two years. So, if you have the tires balanced I would suggest looking real hard at having the stems replaced also.

My 2 cents!

Vince