Hold-down stirrup repair 2

**B_and_D** · 08-17-2011, 09:52 PM

Two weeks ago we dry camped for 4 nights in a row ... All is good. We love our 1997 TM! It just keeps doing great things for us.

Except for we need to reinforce the passenger side hold-down latch after this last trip...Highway 5 between Stockton and Sacramento is a latch killer, like towing a bucking bronco. I need to find something to reinforce the square aluminum tubing that the latch is bolted onto. I'm still thinking about what I need to do...will let you know what I end up doing. I thought I could just slide a piece of wood or a smaller piece of metal into the tubing, but there are numerous screws that intersect the way to the latch, barring sliding something into the space that I need to reinforce.

[Dual topic post split by Bill]

**mjlaupp** · 08-18-2011, 01:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by B_and_D

....Except for we need to reinforce the passenger side hold-down latch after this last trip...Highway 5 between Stockton and Sacramento is a latch killer, like towing a bucking bronco. I need to find something to reinforce the square aluminum tubing that the latch is bolted onto. I'm still thinking about what I need to do...will let you know what I end up doing. I thought I could just slide a piece of wood or a smaller piece of metal into the tubing, but there are numerous screws that intersect the way to the latch, barring sliding something into the space that I need to reinforce.

Check post #5 in this thread for pictures:
http://www.trailmanorowners.com/foru...ead.php?t=2318

**B_and_D** · 08-18-2011, 08:26 AM

I guess that what we're having problems with what is called the "stirrup". Picture #3 should do the trick.

I just need to find a piece of metal in the hardware store to do the trick. I wonder if I could get one from the factory? The driver's side is fine so I'll leave it alone, but before our next outing we'll have to fix the passenger side.

Do all the newer TM's have this piece of metal? Is it welded onto the "stirrup" or is it a separate piece of metal?

**mjlaupp** · 08-18-2011, 09:27 AM

All the newer TM's have this strip on the front shell stirrups. It is not welded to the stirrup. Get 2 from the factory or make your own from 1 inch stock.

**Bill** · 08-20-2011, 07:33 AM

Mike has the right idea - more bolts, at greater spacing.

In a '97 model, are the bolts anchored in wood? Somewhere we had several long threads about reinforcing the stirrup mounting by installing either heavier aluminum tubing along the lower edge of the shell, or installing a steel strap inside or above the existing tubing. Larry Loo had some good thoughts.

I think this was one of them.

http://www.trailmanorowners.com/foru...read.php?t=537

Bill

**B_and_D** · 08-23-2011, 08:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill

Mike has the right idea - more bolts, at greater spacing.

In a '97 model, are the bolts anchored in wood? Somewhere we had several long threads about reinforcing the stirrup mounting by installing either heavier aluminum tubing along the lower edge of the shell, or installing a steel strap inside or above the existing tubing. Larry Loo had some good thoughts.

I think this was one of them.

http://www.trailmanorowners.com/foru...read.php?t=537

Bill

Those bolts are not anchored in wood, just the square aluminum tubing. Aluminum is a pretty soft material, I think that the factory could beef up that particular area of the frame with an insert of a harder material, or a part that was designed to receive a machine bolt. It wouldn't cost that much, but it would take some jiggling around in the assembly process.

Bryan says to order the parts from the factory, they appear to be pre-painted and fit perfectly into the stirrup.

I really don't want to take apart the bottom of the shell because it's held together quite nicely for the age of our TM, 14 years old.

Bill, thank you for splitting the thread. I'm going to put a tag on it for "stirrup repair".

You guys are great helps!

**mjlaupp** · 08-23-2011, 10:58 PM

The holes in the factory part are spaced so that the screws bite into the inside walls of the aluminum tubing. It is almost as strong as implanting an insert. I don't recall any reported issues with this fix.

**B_and_D** · 09-11-2011, 09:34 PM

I think we've fixed the upper hold down. I ordered the bar & new part from TrailManor, on the invoice it's called "Upper hold down w/bar & screws".

We pondered it for a while today before we drilled the holes.

The issues we encountered were:

1) The aluminum tube is very narrow and you have to drill very carefully to get both of the bolts into the tubing and not having them overlap. The trim on the outside keeps you from seeing where the tubing is when you drill. We managed to get all four of the bolts successfully into the tubing.

2) The bolts have very big heads, it's very difficult to get them put precisely into the tubing and not have them overlap.

3) When you place the bar under the upper hold down, there is a gap between the end of the bars and the tubing/trim, because of the width of the top of the hold down. We decided to use some plumbing washers that were about the same width to bridge the gap.

4) Apparently the upper hold down, with this new arrangement, is meant to be able to move around a bit, both front and back and sideways, as the bar is a bit longer on each side and the upper hold down is not itself secured to the tubing.

Bryan says I'm being paranoid, that it's really strong.

Am I missing something?

**mjlaupp** · 09-11-2011, 11:18 PM

Remove the washers and re-install the bolts. The bar is designed to bend and clamp the hold down in place. Look closely at the picture referenced above - no washers, factory install.