Microwave/Convection Oven - Page 2

**Bill** · 05-04-2008, 07:31 PM

Quote:

BTW, the dealer told me they've been repairing lots of these for the same reason and that TM is trying to figure out a better mounting solution.

Aha! A systemic problem. That suggests that a fix will be coming. Tough to be patient, I know ...

Do you have any idea how much the microwave weighs? Some of them are mighty hefty, and much of the weight is at one end, which would tend to overload a shelf at that end. And perhaps more to the point, as it comes from the factory is the microwave tied down? If you go over a bump and it lifts even a fraction of an inch, and then slams back down - well, no shelf in the world will stand up to that for long.

And is it free to slide back and forth, either fore-and-aft or left-and-right? If it can do this, and if it eventually slides forward and the front edge drops over the front rail of the shelf, that will break things as well.

I'll repeat my advice. Tie it down so that it can't move - up, down, or sideways. I might think about putting a sheet of high density foam under it, and maybe jamming some in beside it, too. But be sure not to block any vents. And provide vertical support under the ends of the shelf - a good sturdy shelf that won't flex, by the way.

By the way, does anything else fly around in your TM? A favorite item in the unbalanced tire litany is the grate on the stove top. It is not well tied down, and often ended up on the floor before I balanced the tires.

Bill

05-05-2008, 07:07 AM

Our 2007 3023 stovetop/microwave cabinet has had the exact same issues as Phil described with his unit. After our first trip, the shelf supporting the micro broke and crashed down onto the stuff below in the cabinet. Our microwave came from the factory with a metal strap over the top of it and screwed to its shelf to hold it in place.

We have had this "fixed" at our dealer under warranty two times already. The second time they did install some additional bracing for the shelf and it seemed to hold better. However, now our stovetop is breaking away at several points where it is attached to the countertop/cabinet. The dealer is working on this right now (along with my electrical issue documented in another thread). I will follow up once these repairs are made to document the fix.

**Bill** · 05-05-2008, 09:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mgoblue911

We have had this "fixed" at our dealer under warranty two times already. The second time they did install some additional bracing for the shelf and it seemed to hold better. However, now our stovetop is breaking away at several points where it is attached to the countertop/cabinet.

OK, as I was preparing my response to Phil, I wondered if this was going to happen, and here it is. As the microwave is moving and crashing around, it is distorting the cabinet - pushing the walls back and forth. Since the stovetop is rigid, naturally the walls of the cabinet are going to pull away from the stovetop.

If this were my setup (and obviously it is not), I would remove the need for the sidewalls of the cabinet to support the microwave, by putting vertical supports under the ends of the microwave shelf. There is a pots-and-pans shelf under the microwave, of course. This means that the "vertical support" must start at the floor and go up to the underside of this pots-and-pans shelf, and then continue from the top of that shelf to the underside of the microwave shelf. The weight of the microwave should be transferred straight down to the floor by this column of supports. Don';t ask the cabinetry to support this weight - it is not sturdy enough.

Do it at the back of the cabinet, too, to help prevent the microwave shelf from flexing up and down.

Bill

arniland · 05-05-2008, 08:15 PM

I just came in from finishing up a repair on our microwave tie-down. After reading the historic posts on shelf failures, I reinforced the support under my shelf before our first trip several weeks ago. My analysis of the shelf in my trailer was that it was poorly framed. Before the trip I reinforced the shelf support with 1"X2" and tied them in with a few metal brackets. What I tried to do was to carry all of the shelf loads down to the trailer floor and better tie in the factory 1"X2" which runs side to side under the center of the shelf.

When we got back from our trip, the microwave had moved, but the shelf was fine. The factory used a simple strap held down by a wood screw at each end. They didn't even put a washer under the screw head and it had pulled through the hole in the band.

Well I just finished an install similar to Phil's, only even more over-engineered ;-) I took a number of photos which I will pull off of the camera and try to post tomorrow.

To wrap up, I believe there are two weak spots; support of the shelf and microwave hold down. We plan a short trip this weekend, so we will find out if what I now have is any closer to "good enough."

Arn

arniland · 05-05-2008, 09:39 PM

O.K. Tonight's TV was boring enough that I got the photos downloaded and resized. I used 5/16" threaded rod as Phil did. However, I wanted to have the system not be too rigid and to provide a little give. For this reason I added springs to the top of all 4 threaded rods. I used two aluminum channels for the cross member on top of the microwave. To compress the springs I used two nuts locked together. With a hard bump, the springs (I hope) will be able to provide a little give.

I also added some plastic tubing to the bend where the gas tube turn from the wall to connect to the cooktop. It was in hard contact with the back edge of the cooktop and I didn't want to have it cause a crack or stress point.

I have too many photos, so will follow up with the last two in a 2nd message.

I hope this helps.

Arn

arniland · 05-05-2008, 09:48 PM

I have two last photos, but they exceed my download quota. If someone wants them, please just contact me directly and I will e-mail them.

The first shows the hold-down frame assembled for the last time before installing the microwave/toaster oven.

The last shows the microwave installed and a detail of my spring arrangement.

Arn

countrygirl · 06-24-2012, 12:23 PM

We have fixed this several times and after our last trip need to refine it. I have seen an item for holding down the old style televisions at boating stores and we might try that next. If I can find them on line I will post a link.

We used these stabilizers in the back of the Microwave/toaster oven (mine does not say convection in the paperwork) ice chest/cooler stabilizers I think we need two in the front too.

http://basspro.com/Coleman-Cooler-Ti...t/104675/65356

When there were no flat screen televisions they sold similar products to these cooler stabilizers in black...I always intended to buy some now they may not be available.