# Rear Wall



## MarkD (Jul 8, 2011)

How can I access the inside of my rear wall (21RS OB). I need to replace the lag screws holding the bed support bar brackets with actual nutted bolts.


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## crunchman12002 (Jul 26, 2009)

MarkD said:


> How can I access the inside of my rear wall (21RS OB). I need to replace the lag screws holding the bed support bar brackets with actual nutted bolts.


MarkD,
First off, did you try to use larger diameter lag bolts? They should be screwed into small blocks of wood inside the wall.
If not, you have a large project ahead of you.
Can you push the bed slide out or is the bracket off the trailer? You can do this with the slide in but you will be laying down under the retracted slide which will increase the repair time. If you can push the slide out, make sure to support it on both sides with some 2x4 bracing. The box is very heavy so make sure to have a strong support under the slide out. Hopefully you can replace 1 screw at a time?
To access the interior of the lower rear wall you will need to remove the paneling. It is glued and brad nailed directly to the aluminum tubed studs. It is 1/8" thick luan that cracks very easily and the glue they used is very strong. Take your time with a mini pry bar and putty knife. Most of the luan stayed glued to the studs on mine but I was able to reuse it.
For the upper exterior bed rail brackets you will need to remove the lower piece of paneling that runs under the interior of the bed. There is a horizontal trim piece that covers the seams that is brad nailed to the paneling. You will also have to remove the vertical trim piece in each corner. 
On my 25RSS, the dinette bench sits to the right of the bed by the water heater. You can probably leave that in place and bend the paneling enough to get your hands in there. if not, you will need to remove that too. Everything on mine is held in place to the floor with 3" self tapping screws. They used 1" screws for everything else but the floor. If yours is built like mine, you will find the factory used a minimal amount of screws to hold the dinette to the walls and most of the tack welds on the aluminum framing will be cracked. 
Once inside the wall, check to make sure the wood blocks they used are not rotted, if they are replace them with the largest piece of 2x material that will fit in there for more surface area to support the brackets. You will want to make sure to liquid nails the blocks in place and try to wedge them between the studs. Drill through the side of the aluminum studs into the blocking and install lag bolts through the studs into your blocking. 
From the exterior, replace 1 screw/bolt at a time through the rail bracket into your new blocking making sure they tighten up without pulling your new blocking lose.
Once the brackets are secured, re secure the paneling with one or two small beads of silicone to the studs, reassemble the dinette if needed and re-tack the trim pieces in place. 
Private message me to help walk you through it if you would like.
Good luck, repair should take around 3 to 4 hours.
crunchman


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## MarkD (Jul 8, 2011)

crunchman12002 said:


> How can I access the inside of my rear wall (21RS OB). I need to replace the lag screws holding the bed support bar brackets with actual nutted bolts.


MarkD,
First off, did you try to use larger diameter lag bolts? They should be screwed into small blocks of wood inside the wall.
If not, you have a large project ahead of you.
Can you push the bed slide out or is the bracket off the trailer? You can do this with the slide in but you will be laying down under the retracted slide which will increase the repair time. If you can push the slide out, make sure to support it on both sides with some 2x4 bracing. The box is very heavy so make sure to have a strong support under the slide out. Hopefully you can replace 1 screw at a time?
To access the interior of the lower rear wall you will need to remove the paneling. It is glued and brad nailed directly to the aluminum tubed studs. It is 1/8" thick luan that cracks very easily and the glue they used is very strong. Take your time with a mini pry bar and putty knife. Most of the luan stayed glued to the studs on mine but I was able to reuse it.
For the upper exterior bed rail brackets you will need to remove the lower piece of paneling that runs under the interior of the bed. There is a horizontal trim piece that covers the seams that is brad nailed to the paneling. You will also have to remove the vertical trim piece in each corner. 
On my 25RSS, the dinette bench sits to the right of the bed by the water heater. You can probably leave that in place and bend the paneling enough to get your hands in there. if not, you will need to remove that too. Everything on mine is held in place to the floor with 3" self tapping screws. They used 1" screws for everything else but the floor. If yours is built like mine, you will find the factory used a minimal amount of screws to hold the dinette to the walls and most of the tack welds on the aluminum framing will be cracked. 
Once inside the wall, check to make sure the wood blocks they used are not rotted, if they are replace them with the largest piece of 2x material that will fit in there for more surface area to support the brackets. You will want to make sure to liquid nails the blocks in place and try to wedge them between the studs. Drill through the side of the aluminum studs into the blocking and install lag bolts through the studs into your blocking. 
From the exterior, replace 1 screw/bolt at a time through the rail bracket into your new blocking making sure they tighten up without pulling your new blocking lose.
Once the brackets are secured, re secure the paneling with one or two small beads of silicone to the studs, reassemble the dinette if needed and re-tack the trim pieces in place. 
I am sure everyone will tear me apart on my repair advice but I am the only one that has suggested anything yet and I actually did successfully repair the cracked frame on my upper rear wall so I have been in there before.
Private message me to help walk you through it if you would like.
Good luck, repair should take around 3 to 4 hours.
crunchman
[/quote]

Thanks for the advice. Might just have the pros do it! Was thinking of larger lag screws, but the diameter still has to fit through the holes of the A&E awning brackets used to support the bed rails.


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## crunchman12002 (Jul 26, 2009)

Thanks for the advice. Might just have the pros do it! Was thinking of larger lag screws, but the diameter still has to fit through the holes of the A&E awning brackets used to support the bed rails.
[/quote]
You are welcome for the advice. I did not intend on the post being so long but it is a major project that I have done myself to repair the upper rear wall studs' welds that broke in the corner allowing it to come apart.
I was not sure of your comfort level with dissembling your trailer and doing a major repair but you did ask how to access the rear wall. Sounds like you might want to take it in to a dealer and have them take a look at it.
Let us know how they suggest to fix it. Maybe an easier way?
crunchman


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