Filling the jack mount tubes

[craig333]

Hearing that FWC fills them with wood now makes me think about filling them with a glue/adhesive/foam etc. I can't think of a reason why making the screws unremovable would be bad. I haven't needed to remove one yet. Be simple enough to drill a hole and fill them up.

 

[Wallowa]

Craig...my lack of understanding...what are the "Tubes" you are referring to?

 

[craig333]

The corner square aluminum tubes the jack brackets are screwed into.

 

[Wallowa]

The corner square aluminum tubes the jack brackets are screwed into.

Since nobody has chimed in...I checked my '16 Hawk and the "tube" [box aluminum tube? Part of frame?] you refer to that the jack plates are mounted to are internal to outside siding and not visible for inspection....what did I miss? Curious now, why would they fill them with wood and what form/type of wood do they use?

 

[LAWNMOWERMAN]

The wood inside of the square tube would give the scews much more to grip and make the aluminum less likely to stripl.Just a guess but it makes sense to me.It would easy to cut the wood to fit and then pound it in snug.

 

[Wallowa]

Having never removed one of the mounting 'bolts', I assumed they were bolts and not screws....guess my ignorance is bliss...

 

[craig333]

Yeah, there is no access without drilling a hole. Fortunately I like drilling holes. Anyone what year they started using the wood?

I'd actually probably remove the top screw instead of drilling a hole. Amazingly after 18 years all my screws are still good and tight.

 

[Wallowa]

Craig,

OK, finally really took a look at the mounting plates....screws indeed; 5 on fore and aft side of the plates and 4 on lateral surfaces. Small, guessing 3/8"?

Here is my thought....how many have had any issues with the manner in which FWC mounted those plates? Non-problem?

Secondly, if you really, really anchor the plates/jacks to the structure of the FWC and then hit something with your jacks [I personally never leave jacks on when traveling] you could destroy the camper frame.

 

[craig333]

Jacks were the first thing that came off the camper. I probably won' t bother filling the tubes until and unless I have a issue with the screws coming loose.

 

[Beach]

No issues with loose plates on my 2005 Hawk.

 

[Mark G]

I thought I read that FWC confirmed there is no wood inside the corners. I just removed one and probed with a wire. It's hollow. However, the screws were loose and I snugged them up by hand.
Looking at the connection, the main stress on the screw is vertical and each screw is connected at two points, each side of the tube. Pull out stress is only when the camper leans to one side. SInce these stresses are spread over 12 screws in each corner, I don't think there's anything to worry about.

 

[Wallowa]

I thought I read that FWC confirmed there is no wood inside the corners. I just removed one and probed with a wire. It's hollow. However, the screws were loose and I snugged them up by hand.
Looking at the connection, the main stress on the screw is vertical and each screw is connected at two points, each side of the tube. Pull out stress is only when the camper leans to one side. SInce these stresses are spread over 12 screws in each corner, I don't think there's anything to worry about.

Interesting ..my '16 Hawk only has 9 screws per jack attachment plate [see post #8]....good idea to hand tighten to confirm; but honestly my jacks are still new in the boxes...dealer used his to put FWC into my Tundra and unless in the future I need to remove the Hawk, the jacks will never be attached to camper...