Repair Gas Strut

[ccsest]

My pass thru storage on a 377RLBH has a door that opens vertically and is supported by two gas struts. Tge screws pulled out of one of the bracketts on the door. Do you folks have any suggestions how to make the screws secure. Bigger screws? Fill tge holes with something first?

Thanks

[JFlightRisk]

I've seen metal plates that cover the old holes, and give a new surface to use the existing fasteners. Something like 10 gauge metal with a series of screws around the perimeter, and big enough to leave room for the ball bracket to be reinstalled.

[RogerR]

If your doors are like mine they are 2 thin layers of aluminum with foam board, plywood or chipboard in between.

You may want to use a backer plate of some aluminum to add support and spread the stress. I would glue and screw it into place. Let the glue set up, and replace with slightly larger screws (not longer).

[ccsest]

Update - I decided to fill the holes with adhesive and use the largest screw I could get in the hole on the brackett. I selected a Gorilla glue product in cartridge form because it said it was good on foamboard. The screws were #10. I also glued the brackett to the door. It has been several days now with no sign of breaking again. If this repair eventually breaks I will go with that in a piece of sheet metal.

[JFlightRisk]

Originally Posted by ccsest

Update - I decided to fill the holes with adhesive and use the largest screw I could get in the hole on the brackett. I selected a Gorilla glue product in cartridge form because it said it was good on foamboard. The screws were #10. I also glued the brackett to the door. It has been several days now with no sign of breaking again. If this repair eventually breaks I will go with that in a piece of sheet metal.

Thanks for the update. Hopefully our fix will be the last! Sometimes things just work out.

[muckinfuss]

I'm a lot late coming to this party, but for the future.....an old carpenter trick that works in foamcore as well as any other wood screw hole....with wood glue and round toothpicks....fill your screw holes with wood glue and then stuff toothpicks into the mess you just made. Let the glue set up for half a day or so. With a good utility knife or fine tooth pull saw cut the picks away that are above the hole. Gently start your screw into the toothpick 'fix' and you're good to go for many years. This is how I fix the kitchen cupboards in my rental units when tenants lean on the doors for the sink cab and the one they put their pots and pans in.

[ccsest]

Thanks muckinfuss. I'll try that if my repair fails.

[GraftonGuns]

I have filled "stripped" holes in the past using wood glue and toothpicks. And, gorilla glue and wooden dowel rod too. This way you can re-use the screw that can with it or go with a bit longer screw as long as you won't pierce anything with the longer screw.