Roadtrek P190 Cabinets Sagging

[MarthaA]

P.S. Thanks for any comments you may have to my post!

 

[booster]

Hello, We have a 2017 RoadTrek 190P – a Chevy van – with the same sagging cabinets discussed here. Pictures posted by Jon in AZ are pretty much like my cabinets.
* One difference in our case is the space above our microwave. See the picture I hope to post here. There is a black rubber filler or washer or whatever it's called which makes me concerned the microwave is actually attached to the wood above it. How would I get to that if there is a screw involved?
* Looking at the other spaces and screws, there are 2 screws below the microwave which I should be able to unscrew and then pull the microwave and the board it is sitting on. Sounds so simple. Except that washer in the space above. Has anyone seen this?

My goal for this project: to have the least stressful trip possible (set for July or more likely August) with the least amount of (preferably no) damage to our RoadTrek. I realize "least" is a relative term.

What if we left things as they are and went off on our travels? Could it get worse? What would that look like? I do see our RoadTrek as an investment and want to take good care of it as best we can.

The other option I see is to take the microwave out, at least temporarily. Is there any reason to think that once taken out we or someone else would have a hard time put it back in?

I don’t see how I could get it fixed up better before our trip. We just don’t have the time or ‘expertise’ to do it – at least quickly. And there’s not enough time to get someone else to work on it. I say that after reading this thread about what to do. I am wondering if anyone has updates to the problem!

Taking the microwave out for the trip is very controversial. We use it a lot and cook great meals that would not happen (as easily?) without the microwave.

The microwaves are attached at the front, IIRC from our 07 190, and have a tendency to bounce and make noise hitting the hacked up remains of the roof cutoff at the factory. That piece or rubber is probably just that as the screw would have to come up from the micro or go down from the cabinet above. It there isn't one in either place the rubber piece would just be to hold the back of micro down.


The shelf the micro sits on is actually a slide if they haven't changed, so you pull the micro and base out together and it pulls out hard on ours.

 

[Jon in AZ]

To prevent the sagging from getting worse during your trip, I would cut a post with rubber caps to wedge between the counter and bottom of the microwave cabinet. I have one planted between the sink and stove. Remove when using the galley. With the additional support I think it will be okay to leave the microwave in place if you want to use it.

You could also reinforce the offending corner with a barbed screw or two. They’re available at hardware stores, but I have forgotten the trade name. Place the support post first to close the gap, then drill and screw.

 

[RickT190]

ez FIX FOR ON THE ROAD


to help on the road

 

[RickT190]

first fix

screw and glued back together

 

[RickT190]

real fix

found screws broken in the holes above the microwave.
real hard to get them out. got the middle one out and put a 2 1/2 wood screw with washer in it. added another 2 1/2 screw right behind it.
pre drill all holes and wood glue screw.
i made the travel post to help with road shock and loaded cabinetsView attachment 11551

View attachment 11552

View attachment 11553

 

[RickT190]

Hopefully pictures made it this time

 

[Jon in AZ]

The screws in the top of the microwave cabinet- what are they screwing into?

 

[booster]

found screws broken in the holes above the microwave.
real hard to get them out. got the middle one out and put a 2 1/2 wood screw with washer in it. added another 2 1/2 screw right behind it.
pre drill all holes and wood glue screw.
i made the travel post to help with road shock and loaded cabinetsView attachment 11551

View attachment 11552

View attachment 11553

On thing to consider is that while replacing the broken screws is necessary and will help, putting in longer screws will not make them less prone to breaking. Our Roadtrek used a lot of what appear to be dry wall screws, which are notorious for popping off the heads under load or impact. It is best to replace any of them in high load/impact places with a better grade of fastener like construction screws.


That said, anything you can to to reinforce the joints to give the screws some help is probably needed, although you would likely need t remove the microwave to do it well. Corner blocks screwed both ways, bolting through the two wall of the cabinet and micro area, ect. If there is room above the microwave it might even be possible to use a reinforcing bar or two the full counter width wall to wall and screwed to the top, going through the center walls at the top. Marsha's pic of the rubber snubber would seem to indicate there may be room for up to 3/8" bars.

 

[MarthaA]

I'm reading, trying to make sure I understand before comment - except THANK YOU for all comments and pics. What a great resource!

But just reading all this, first I have same question Jon in Az has: what are the screws in the top of cabinet screwing into? If the explanation is in booster's explanation (which is great), I'm afraid I missed it. I'm definitely rereading ...

I'll report back after I study my cabinets.

 

[booster]

I'm reading, trying to make sure I understand before comment - except THANK YOU for all comments and pics. What a great resource!

But just reading all this, first I have same question Jon in Az has: what are the screws in the top of cabinet screwing into? If the explanation is in booster's explanation (which is great), I'm afraid I missed it. I'm definitely rereading ...

I'll report back after I study my cabinets.

I think that is very valid question, which I took to mean how could they fall unless the screws were broken that went through the top like another poster had. I think it would mean that whatever they screwed into came loose, or stripped, but who knows for sure. Roadtrek did use wood slats in the roof area some places, sometimes glassed in, sometimes not, I think. My comments about being only screwed to the box beam are because that is what Dick Till found in his van, but his van, and ours, is the previous kitchen design and mounting.



It would be interesting to see how difficult it would be to remove both of the first two cabinets, the sagging ones, to see what is above them and also be able to reinforce them from all sides.

 

[Garjess]

I had a similar problem in my 2016 190p. The bottom of the microwave cabinet was sagging to the point I took the microwave out while on the road because I was afraid it was going to fall out. I installed a piece of SS tubing under the cabinet to fix the problem. The SS blends in well with the surrounding area and will certainly be strong enough to never sag. I'm fortunate in that I can build things like this myself but any welding shop could make one for not much money. I could probably be talked into making another one if someone needed it. Drilling the holes in the cabinet was the hardest part, the holes on the left are very close to the bottom of the cabinet so a normal drill wouldn't allow me to drill them straight. I used a die grinder to drill the holes but there are other options out there to easily drill the holes.

 

[wmgeorge]

Excellent fix and I have saws and welders if needed for mine!