Check Power Visor Mounting Screws!

[Larry and Heidi Lee]

05 Beaver Monterey Bayview 4-Hello everyone, this past weekend I was sitting at a signal light in the motorhome waiting for the light to change when the passenger side "Carefree powered sun visor system" came crashing down on the dash and eventually the floor. Apparently the drywall screws somebody used to mount these systems had backed out. Once home I checked the driver side sun visor system and found both mounting screws backed out nearly an inch!  Fortunately my wife took the car and wasnt sitting in the passenger seat.... .  

Please check your sun visor mounting hardware so this doesnt happen to you.

[Gerald Farris]

Thank you for the information. If the problem is widespread, it will be a serious safety issue.

Gerald

[Joel Ashley]

After making the dumb mistake a couple years back of taking Monty Rae across 25 miles of the washboard Hart Mtn. Refuge road, we found plenty of loose screws and failing devices, including slideout awnings and side mirrors, and my eye teeth.  Problems still crop up from time to time.  Reckon I had a screw loose before attempting the trip  .  Ferreting out and checking every bolt and screw in the coach is an obviously daunting if not impossible task, but I have gotten into the habit of quickly examining those in the vicinity of areas and cubbys I happen to frequent around the rig.  

Thanks Larry and Heidi.  I'll go out and check the visor screws as well, though I probably already did the last time I cleaned the inside of the windshield.

[John Fearnow]

Checking the mounting screws was on my to do list....but it should have been higher!  Coming into Zion NP today from Page AZ on UT rt 9 (really rough road) and about 2 miles before the tunnel, the driver side visor mounting came crashing down. No where to stop without blocking traffic so I made it to the tunnel where I had to stop for the one way traffic.  Broke the passenger side free from the vent tubing it was hanging from andnow the entire board is on the floor.  I was lucky to make it to the stopping point safely as I had a hard time seeing the right side of the road.  thankfully the DW and fido were in the toad as we had to unhook before driving the park road.  We are now in the park camp.  

How does one remount the hanger?  Can I use bigger screws in the same holes, get anchors and use the same screws or drill new holes?  I am not a carpenter (among a lot of other things I am not) so any help is appreciated.

John Fearnow
2002 Patriot Thunder
C-12

[Edward Buker]

If you can fit larger screws and they turn and tighten to a stop rather than continue to rotate in the holes then you should be good to go. I would not use anchors. You may be able to move the unit and the holes 1/4 inch or more in an acceptable direction and drill new holes. I like to put a little yellow wood glue in the hole to add some strength when going into plywood and let it all cure up. A touch of locktight under the head of the screw will keep it from loosening on its own if that was the source of the problem rather than stripping out.

later Ed

[John Fearnow]

Thanks Ed.  The mounting has been returned to its normal position.  Three original screws were reinserted about a quarter inch from their original position.  Additionally 3 new screws were inserted.  Hopefully that will hold the weight.  The three original screws were not enough to carry the load.  They hadn't backed out but were basicly stripped from the header they were screwed into.

John