Annoying - Adventurer 33V TV Squeak/Rattle

mrsr71 · 02-11-2005, 08:10 AM

I'm not sure if this topic has been covered before so here goes.

I took my '04 33V Adventurer in for warranty work prior to the warranty expiration last Dec. At that time, I had them repair a VERY aggravating squeak/rattle in the TV. The tech that worked on it stated that a strap was loose. Now fast forward to last week (warranty expired.) While coming home from Quartzsite, the squeak/rattle has developed again. Although not as severe as before, it squeaks/rattles to the point that driving the coach becomes almost intolerable. My question is; has anyone experienced this with their Adventurer and if so, how do you get the cover off so I may find the source of the squeak/rattle? (I removed all of the buttons that cover the screws, and the screws themselves and I was unable to get the cover off. I'm hesitant to pay someone $98/hr to do something that seems so simple.)

Any advise/photos would certainly be appreciated.

mrsr71 · 02-11-2005, 08:10 AM

I'm not sure if this topic has been covered before so here goes.

I took my '04 33V Adventurer in for warranty work prior to the warranty expiration last Dec. At that time, I had them repair a VERY aggravating squeak/rattle in the TV. The tech that worked on it stated that a strap was loose. Now fast forward to last week (warranty expired.) While coming home from Quartzsite, the squeak/rattle has developed again. Although not as severe as before, it squeaks/rattles to the point that driving the coach becomes almost intolerable. My question is; has anyone experienced this with their Adventurer and if so, how do you get the cover off so I may find the source of the squeak/rattle? (I removed all of the buttons that cover the screws, and the screws themselves and I was unable to get the cover off. I'm hesitant to pay someone $98/hr to do something that seems so simple.)

Any advise/photos would certainly be appreciated.

Cruzer · 02-11-2005, 08:58 AM

I've pulled my TV out of my 2003 Suncruisr 33V and it's not all that bad. There are 3 screws on each side that hold the plastic bezel in. You have to look in the side cabinets to see them. I don't recall any more but there may also be two screws on the bottom of the bezel too. If there are, they'll be easy to see. The 3 screws in each side are evenly spaced so you'll see them if you look inthere. Remove all of these screws and the plastic bezel will slide right off, exposing the TV.

The TV is held down by a large flat steel strap over the top. It is clamped down by one bolt on each side. If they are loose, you can tighten them. However, you need to ask yourself "why" they are loose.

......

OK, did you ask yourself yet? Did you get an answer? No? That's good - at least you're not talking to yourself yet. I wasn't quite sure how the squeeking noise affected you.

Anyway, if it doesn't look like any of the lower support padding got "squished out" (that's a technical term

) then I would assume that the bolts loosened up. If that's the case, I'd double nut them or use a nylon lock nut to keep this from happening again. You may also want to line the top bar with felt or something to help quiet it down. Don't over-tighten the hold-down plate or you could break the ears off - if not now, then later.

Then, put the bezel back in and you're all set.

405landlord · 02-11-2005, 05:23 PM

After you get the TV surround off, check all of the screws where the TV bracket and cabinets attach to the ceiling. After putting up with a squeaking TV for 4 years, I finally removed the TV and started looking for the cause. I found that there are two screws holding the TV bracket to the ceiling on EACH side of the TV. On the right side, the person at the factory missed the intended brace with one of the screws and the other one was broken. I replaced all of the screws (eight, I think) with one diameter size larger BOLTS that I could properly tighten with a socket. The difference is truly amazing! Now I can hear the screen on the passenger window rattling and have to fix that. It never ends but we sure have a lot of fun in the process.

Barney B. · 02-12-2005, 06:23 PM

Okay, you've got my attention. I've got an '04 Journey with the same squeaky TV problem. I am unable to find a way to remove the fake wood bezel. There are no external screws or fasteners visable. If I open the cabinet doors on either side of the TV, there is one screw, on each side, near the top of the cabinet. Is that it??? If I remove just those two screws will the bezel then swing forward and come off?

tomsm · 02-13-2005, 04:27 AM

Barney,

Unfortunately, the wood trim is attached to the cowling that fits around the bottom and sides of the TV. You have to pop out all those plugs around the TV, remove the revealed screws and then the whole cowling/bezel comes off as a unit.

I just stopped my rattle by tightening the straps and also pushing the bottom of the TV rearward and adjusting the stops under the unit to hold it there.

Appears that Winnie has made an attempt to improve this - my strap across the top of TV is firmly glued to the top of the TV with what appears to be the same black, thick stuff that they use to attach brackets to the front and rear body caps, "hood" brackets, etc. BUT, it still rattled.

405landlord · 02-13-2005, 08:14 AM

I can't help you with the wood bezel, mine is plastic. One other thing that I did though was to apply cap tape to the TV where the bracket makes contact. This is the tape that is applied to the rails of a pickup truck bed before a cap is mounted.

tomsm · 02-13-2005, 08:34 AM

Barney,
Just reinstalled my TV surround. Had forgotten where the screws were in the cabinets. You're looking at the wrong screws. There are 2 on each side, down low in the cabinet, just above the bottom shelf. They are inline front to back and a inch or two apart.

Take out those 4 screws in the cabinets and all the ones (8?) under the pop-off covers and be prepared to catch it! Not the TV just the bezel and surround

The TV is solidly mounted in a steel cage.

bill jones · 02-13-2005, 08:39 AM

On my Meridian, there are two screws on each side of the TV in the storage cab's, remove those and the 8 screws around the bottom. Remove the center speaker if installed. Pull out the wood trim slightly and slide down the whole assembly down across the front of the TV. My brackets were loose also.I double nutted them Good luck!

Barney B. · 02-13-2005, 06:20 PM

Thanks for all the replies. I'm looking forward to "unsqueeking" the TV.

RV TO GO · 03-08-2005, 05:15 PM

Once you get the cap off, loosen the metal bracket that presses up against the tv to hold it in place. Go to Home Depot or Lowes and buy the grey styrofoam pipe insulation that comes in the form of a long tube that has been slit down the side. It is sold in a plastic bag of 3 or 4 pieces. Cut pieces the length of the bracket pieces. Slip this around the metal bracket so that the styrofoam is between the tv and the bracket on all sides. Tighten the bracket back it place. Test drive to listen for squeeks. Replace cap and check for contact between the cap and the tv. Cut down if necessary. Lived with horrible squeeks for a year, now NO MORE NOISE!!! (at least from the tv!) Now about the door....

Geechee · 03-10-2005, 06:09 AM

In the first year we owned our Brave after each trip the No. 1 item on the punch list for our dealer was "Front TV rattle". Each time we picked it up the rattle would have been silenced (notice I did not say fixed). Within 100 miles of highway travel it was rattling once again. After the last attempt by the dealer to fix the problem, the rattle was still present when we left his lot. That was the last straw; I decided I would attempt repairs myself. To my surprise I found one of the two bolts used to tighten the brackets was missing. Off to the local hardware store to find a replacement and a tube Loctite 242 thread locker. Installed the bolts after applying Loctite to the threads, tighten till brackets had a good grip on the TV, reinstalled the flange and setoff on a 2500 mile trip. "Knock on wood" after two additional somewhat shorter trips, still no rattle. Oh, for the rest of the story, finally found the missing bolt. It was under the driver's seat. I guess you get what you pay for when it comes to warranty service. Wait a minute, warranty is not free, didn't I pay for it in the price of my MH. I guess you don't get what you pay for!!!!!

Chrisinarizona · 04-08-2005, 05:16 PM

I had the same problem and fixed it. After you get the cap off, drive a wooden wedge between the metal top bar and the ceiling of the RV. That will take care of your problem.