Frame question - ceiling under skin - Page 2

**Bill** · 05-03-2023, 04:53 PM

I found some old photos of what I was doing and attached one below. It is difficult to get any detail from them, because the whole area was wrapped in heavy-duty aluminum foil, and globbed with tons of silicone caulk. It is difficult to get oriented in the picture - look for the propane tanks and the rock guard to help with that. What I think I am seeing is that the sidewall and the front wall are framed with aluminum tube. 1x1? The front and side walls are joined together with what I call Z-brace - a strip of aluminum bent along the length into a Z-shape. Straight pieces of Z-brace are cut to needed length and lag screwed into the tubing above and below the curve, to bind the walls together. The pictures show the tubing and the Z-brace and lag screws. Unfortunately, you can't tell if there is any cross piece behind the curve, so I will take your word for its absence.

I guess my conclusion is that there is enough aluminum structure to hang the front crosswise cabinet properly. I can't believe it hangs solely from the inner skin. Finding that structure is another problem. Exploratory drilling would be messy, but will be covered once the cabinet is mounted.

Bill

jaarnold100 · 05-04-2023, 10:22 AM

Appreciate all the discussion but unfortunately, doesn't look like there is a definitive answer. Here is what I know from experimentation:
1) I've included 4 pics - one shows the holes that were from the original mounting of the cabinet. Using a thin bit, on an angle, there is clearly no frame in this area. Screws apparently only drew into the thin aluminum shell.
2) There are two strips of aluminum (four sections, 2 top, 2 bottom) missing on the front wall which are directly behind the cabinet mounting area. These strips originally attached to the cabinet by staples. There are no staple holes where they may have connected to the ceiling/wall. A bit odd as I thought they would either slide behind the ceiling and wall skin to help with mounting or be stapled to this area - but apparently not?
Conclusion: Unfortunately, it would appear that the only thing holding this cabinet up (it's about 15 lbs) are 5 screws through the ceiling skin and 3 in the front wall skin. So, it would appear the downward/vertical force on the wall skin aluminum is holding most of the weight (similar to the wall cabs) and the ceiling screws are basically keeping the cabinet from cantilevering forward.
- This is my conclusion as not a single hole left from the previous mount goes into any type of framing member (verified).

That's my best guess. Any thoughts?
I'm planning to re-hang and add a 2" cleat on each end that screws into the framing member that runs the ceiling (and side wall) length of the coach. This frame rail runs at the top of wall, not within the ceiling so the cleat is the only options I can come up with for added support.

**Shane826** · 05-04-2023, 01:32 PM

That’s not where you’re trying to install it, right?

jaarnold100 · 05-04-2023, 02:48 PM

Yes, this is the upper cabinet over the bed that I am installing.

**Shane826** · 05-04-2023, 04:08 PM

Right I meant you’re not installing it halfway up the wall and over the window…

**Larryjb** · 05-04-2023, 05:54 PM

Ooooooh.... my bad. At first I didn't recognize completely the first image, but now I realize we are talking about completely different parts of the TM. (I thought we were talking about the mounts for the hanging kitchen cabinet.)

So, anything I said can be disregarded.

jaarnold100 · 05-04-2023, 06:10 PM

Yes, standard mounting location - over bed, at ceiling level. Would attach to ceiling and into front wall. Pic was simply the cab sitting on a box, showing the space above where aluminum strips fit as well.

Any additional thoughts related to mount?
Thanks

**Kidkraz** · 05-04-2023, 09:01 PM

I don't know that this pic can help, but I wanted to post in case it could. I don't remember where I found it, on this forum or elsewhere. Its not a great picture, but it does give a view on how that cabinet fits on the front shell and you can kinda see there's some wood to screw into the corners. I had a minor water leak and dropped my cab, but reinstalled it using the same holes.
Found that its from an member Maria, she had a blog on repairing an old TM.