# Poor cabinet fixings on new Hymer



## Cayenner (Dec 19, 2012)

I bought a new Hymer motorhome in the early part of last year and had recently discovered that most of the cupboard hinge fixings are seeming to work loose and my attempts at re-tightening the fixings just seems to worsen the problem (screws stripping the wood even under light tightening).

I have contacted the dealership where I bought my Hymer (B704 Premium Line) and they just responded by suggesting that Hymer have used light weight woods to reduce the overall mass weight of the vehicle!!!!!
I've suggested to the dealership that most of the cupboard doors seemed to have been manufactured out of Bolster wood and thereby not offering enough strength for the fixings and heavy duty hinges that Hymer have seemed to have fitted. Simply replacing like for like will not resolve the issue.

I have therefore taken it upon myself to remedy the problem by using a high grade wood filler and then re-fixing the hinges with more suitable fixings - I'm not happy with this conclusion, but Hymer don't seem to think they have a problem.

My question therefore is; anybody else having the same issue with their 2015 Hymer and if so, how or what have they done to resolve the issue??

Other than the above, extremely happy with the motorhome.


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## rayrecrok (Nov 21, 2008)

Try taking the hinge off both the door and frame, mix some Aroldite Rapid, dip a match into the mix and fill the existing holes in the part that the screws have failed on (frame?)with the glued matchstick, cut off level, then put some Aroldite on the back of the hinge and screw back into place, when set screw the door back on.. That should be a permanent repair..

ray.


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## vicdicdoc (May 14, 2005)

Ahh, gone are the days when vans were built to quality - now they're built by accountants (apologies to BognorMike &#55357;&#56834


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## mgdavid (Nov 27, 2014)

2015 Carado (by Hymer). The gas cupboard is in the garage. I managed to drive off with the gas door unfastened, it swung around until it pulled the hinges away from the partition. Managed to refix it by careful use of screws that are one size fatter. Ray's fix is a technique I've used before with much success, and will use if it falls off again.


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## gaspode (May 9, 2005)

I don't think it's just Hymer, it's most of the manufacturers, especially the continentals where keeping below the 3,500 kg limit seems to be the main consideration.
The only answer would be to create a new EU-wide driving licence classification that would allow recreational vehicles to be driven on the average car licence up to 4,000 kg. fat chance of that happening in the forseeable future.

Some of the construction materials used nowadays seem to be far too flimsy, it's hard to see how they'll stand up to heavy usage, be interesting to see some of these vans when they're ten years old.


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## Hymie (May 9, 2005)

*Warranty Work*

If you travel anywhere near Bad Waldsee, pop into the factory service centre -they will certainly fix it.
Whilst a vehicle is under the two year warranty they will fix anything FOC, and always very polite.
I tried getting some warranty work done by a well known dealer near the south coast with no success whatsoever.
Happy Travels


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

I've always been suspicious of any hinges in MoHos, in fact anywhere there is a connection, and treat all such with a great deal of care, so far nothing has dropped off, broken, come off in my hand or just come loose.

At MoHo shows, they way some people treat furniture, I'm surprised they let them out on their own, way too rough.


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## fatbuddha (Aug 7, 2006)

> I've suggested to the dealership that most of the cupboard doors seemed to have been manufactured out of Bolster wood


I'm still trying to work out what Bolster wood is. I'm assuming the OP means Balsa wood.


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## pippin (Nov 15, 2007)

Fatbuddha, I am going to bolster your opinion - I too reckon it was balsa.

I have had to redo screw fixings, usually with a bit of white wood glue and matchsticks.


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

pippin said:


> Fatbuddha,* I am going to bolster your opinion* - I too reckon it was balsa.
> 
> I have had to redo screw fixings, usually with a bit of white wood glue and matchsticks.


I was going to sleep on it.:wink2:


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## rayrecrok (Nov 21, 2008)

Balsa wood is a true hardwood as it comprises "Parenchyma" cells in it's structure rather than "Simple" cells as in the evergreen species like pine.:wink2:

I just thought you would like to know!..

ray.


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## Spacerunner (Mar 18, 2006)

I've used that 2-part putty stuff to do a similar repair. Just roll it into a thin sausage and poke it into the original screw hole. Press it in with a small nail head and let it harden for 30 min. 
Same stuff also made a superb repair to a small hole in the plastic hand basin that lasted well over a year until I obtained a replacement. 
Now I always carry a pack of it in my toolbox.


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

rayrecrok said:


> Balsa wood is a true hardwood as it comprises "Parenchyma" cells in it's structure rather than "Simple" cells as in the evergreen species like pine.:wink2:
> 
> ray.


Ray

Are you an accountant? - the info is dead accurate and bloody useless - for hanging cupboards at least.:wink2::laugh:


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## rayrecrok (Nov 21, 2008)

Je suis un menuisier tha no's.:wink2:


ray.


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## mgdavid (Nov 27, 2014)

Spacerunner said:


> I've used that 2-part putty stuff .......


Milliput?


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## StewartJ (Nov 20, 2009)

I used the smallest diameter plastic rawl plugs I could find, drill out enlarged holes to suit ( the very light density materials used by manufacturers allow easy drilling by twisting drill bit between finger and thumb) cut plug plug to length then Araldite in place. Hinge hides plug, result is a very strong mounting that can be unscrewed and screwed back up easily if required.:nerd::nerd::nerd:


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

During the build I had similar problems, my fix (as it would not be seen) was to use my jointer and put biscuits in the slots where I needed a really good fix, being made of beech they were a good solid mounting point.


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