So, back in April, 2018 the port side headlight fell off during a test drive with the towing system. Well, OK, more like came loose and was dangling like an eyeball hanging on by the optic nerve. I know it happened then because during the drive both I and my passenger heard and odd noise, looked at each other and said “what was that?” There wasn’t anything obvious so we kept going.
I found out about the light a day later while I was showing my dad around the coach.
Tiffin has no clue how to use epoxy. The square tubing was perfectly smooth with just a few holes drilled it in and tiny little nibs of epoxy holding the brackets onto the fiberglass shell.
Fortunately with some JB Weld, sandpaper, a clamp and mineral spirits I was able to re-attach the brackets and get the headlight attached again. Click on the pics for more.
Fast forward to September 3rd during our drive from Custer to Buffalo WY where we come out from grocery shopping to find that our starboard light is dangling like the last light.
It’s partly my fault since I knew this day was coming and really should have removed the light long ago and re-done the epoxy on the mounts. New rule. If it can be fixed now. Fix it now.
Fortunately we were able to clamp and bungee the light in place and continue our shuffle off to Buffalo.
The next day I took the time to remove the brackets
remove the old epoxy
Clean the areas with mineral spirits
Clean and rough up the brackets where they’ll make contact with the epoxy
Mix up the JB Weld (sorry, was in a hurry and didn’t get a pic), slather some on the bracket and clamp it in place. Didn’t get a picture of that either but the end result was
I also took the opportunity to re-attach a bracket I’d missed on the port side back in April.
These things are never falling off ever again.
Click on any of the pics to see more of the process.
