BKAO -Snippet – Repair Baggage Door 

Oct 3
wgmurray65

The baggage door attachment point for the pneumatic lift cylinder was coming off. I would try to tighten the screws but they were starting to strip out and were not able to hold it tight.

One day it finally ripped right out. I thought about using thicker screws but decided it would probably happen again as our basement baggage door gets lots of use.  The problem is it is only attached by 3 screws. That and the amount of force exerted by the pneumatic lift cylinder is substantial.

You can also see a small dent in the door.
The permanent fix would require more holding power and eliminate any wiggle at the attachment area. That would require more fasteners and a reinforcement plate of some kind. A trip to the local hardware store supplied the answer.  The reinforcement plate would be a two gang metal electrical box cover. They cost less than $1 and are pretty thick. I choose self drilling 3/4″ hex head screws. The reason for the hex head is two fold. First they are easier to use than a Phillips head and second they have a small lip that will help hold the foot anchor to the door. That way I can have 6 screws holding the foot anchor instead of 3.

IMPORTANT SAFETY MESSAGE!

If you need to disconnect the gas strut from the anchor bracket do so with EXTREME CAUTION as they contain a lot of stored energy when compressed. The strut could suddenly release from its retaining clip if you try to remove it when it is compressed (even partially) and hit you in the face or eye!

You can see the tip of the screwdriver on the retaining clip before I pryed it off.
Inexpensive hardware available at any home improvement store.
Here is a handy hex screw kit that contains a variety of sizes.  You can purchase at Amazon with the link below.

I was able to slide the metal plate under the trim of the door for cleaner look. I also marked the side of the trim with landmarks where the screws needed to go. This helped determine where the anchor foot should go.

You can see how the edges of the screws provide extra holding power.
All finished!
I did this fix over a year ago when we were up in Alaska workamping for the summer. The screws have not backed off at all so I am confident this upgrade will last a long time.  This is a simple repair that can be done in less than an hour and costs under $5!

Note:  This blog entry is our first

BKAO SNIPPET

So what’s a Snippet?  It is a short single subject informative post that contains some sort of helpful information that we want to share with our readers.  It will not replace our regular type of posts!  Thoses are more for sharing our travel stories and time spent with family and friends.

So, how do you think of our new BKAO SNIPPET concept?  We love to hear your comments.

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25 thoughts on “BKAO -Snippet – Repair Baggage Door ”

  2. Well I love any post that you do. I would not know where to start to fix the problem but I am sure this will be very helpful to my hubby and he enjoys reading anything that can be of help to him. You guys are the best and I love all the new items that you are adding to your blogs. Thanks again for all the great information.

    Reply

    1. I’m sure Frank will find this fascinating! I’m just glad Bill takes the time to understand this stuff or we’d be in trouble!

      Reply

      1. You are so right. I am sure when we hit the road we will be looking back at some of your blogs to help us. You both are great

        Reply

  8. Thank you for this info. Mine are starting to loosen and now I have the fix. Thanks again.

    Reply

  9. Ours pulled out and brought some of what it was screwed into along with it! Now we just have a hole there and do not know where to begin to fix it! Any suggestions?

    Reply

    1. You can fill the void with liquid nails or something similar then put the plate over the area. Should work well.

      Reply

  10. I just put those on my 5th wheel basement doors this summer. I glued metal plates similar to those in the video then screwed the rods to this.It has made it stronger and should not ever come loose.

    Reply

  12. Excellent fix for better than new with readily available, inexpensive and lightweight materials – doesn’t get any better!

    Reply

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