Broken sliding kitchen table

[Osian]

Hello everyone, I have managed to break the folding leg attachment, the plastic piece that is riveted onto the underside of the table. Am I going to have buy a complete new table?

 

[WelshGas]

Hello everyone, I have managed to break the folding leg attachment, the plastic piece that is riveted onto the underside of the table. Am I going to have buy a complete new table?

View attachment 91489

View attachment 91490

View attachment 91491

Unfortunately Yes, or a DIY repair.

Sliding table hinge fixed

Well after nine years and 96 thousand miles the hinge finally fractured! After reading other posts we decided 500 quid for a new table was not an option…… so we found an old threaded bolt from our box of bits and cut off a piece of steel tube to the length of the fractured hinge and set to work...

vwcaliforniaclub.com

Fixed the sliding table hinge

Hi all, We're renting our camper and have had quite many families and couples in our camper during 2020. I knew it was only a matter of time until the hinge was going to fail and sure enough, when I had a look, it was already cracked and close to breaking. A new table at VW is about 450...

vwcaliforniaclub.com

 

[GrumpyGranddad]

This seems to be a problem a few people have suffered.
Does the damage occur when the table is moved forward/backwards when the leg is down?
Maybe the friction of the leg on carpet causes the failure of the hinge?
I wonder if a small castor type wheel fitted to the bottom of the leg might reduce the chances of damage?

 

[GrumpyGranddad]

Something like this?

 

[WelshGas]

This seems to be a problem a few people have suffered.
Does the damage occur when the table is moved forward/backwards when the leg is down?
Maybe the friction of the leg on carpet causes the failure of the hinge?
I wonder if a small castor type wheel fitted to the bottom of the leg might reduce the chances of damage?

Yes, it’s moving the table forwards or backwards without lifting.
A castor wheel could work, but:
A. It would raise the height, so the leg would have to be shortened to maintain the level.
B. ? Would the table still be able to be locked in its storage place.

You could fit one of these. Cut down to size.

909034 | Guitel Hervieu PTFE Slider Pad | RS

uk.rs-online.com

 

[Kenb17]

Johnboy has been working on a solution to this with my table as the guinea pig.

He has engineered a new hinge and is working on a repair process, there is more on a thread titles ‘Table Bracket’ (dont know how to link it)

The original hinge is cut back and removed and new machined hinge glued and riveted in place.

I think Johnboy is hoping to refine into something he can provide for members and no doubt it will be a lot more reasonable (and robust) that a new VW table

A couple of pictures of the repair…

 

[Johnboy]

Hi, as Ken suggests it would be good to get some of those broken hinges out there repaired.

I did a few tests and there was a big difference in both glue and preparation. What I couldn't test is how strong the original is... so even a poor glued joint may be stronger than the original.
My final test was getting close to the strength of the table leg, so I concluded this was ample ... !!

Having worked up what I think is the best repair, there are two ways it could be done...

The first is to provide the bracket and repair procedure and the recipient would have to cut the original bracket, use their own glue (epoxy type is probably best), and hole drilling and rivet gun.

The second would be to send the broken table to me and I fix it and send it back. The dis-advantage is obviously a bit more cost + the postage (I think Evri will be about £6 each way). The advantage is that I have the preferred glue and dispenser nozzles available.....

I have one bracket available at the moment so if anyone wants to give either of the above a go then let me know. I do have material to make more brackets but its a bit of a fiddle at the moment. Once I have nailed the manufacture a bit better I would intend to run a batch when I know roughly what the demand is.

I have a Beach so I don't have one of these tables, but I would not be happy buying a new one knowing that it could happen again....

Any more Guinea pigs out there ??

John

 

[BeeBee]

Just used our indoor kitchen table for the 1st time and heh ho one of the wee studs that hold the hinge just fell off. It doesn’t appear to screw back on and also doesn’t look like it has sheared. Almost looks like it was pushed on, just to stay in place … but won’t go back on .
Any advise welcome. Pic for inf .

 

[Meoncoast]

Just used our indoor kitchen table for the 1st time and heh ho one of the wee studs that hold the hinge just fell off. It doesn’t appear to screw back on and also doesn’t look like it has sheared. Almost looks like it was pushed on, just to stay in place … but won’t go back on .
Any advise welcome. Pic for inf .

They look like the push-on studs often seen to hold the wheels on child's toys I am sure if you cannot get them from VW a good DIY shop may have something

 

[Meoncoast]

They look like the push-on studs often seen to hold the wheels on child's toys I am sure if you cannot get them from VW a good DIY shop may have something

@BeeBee like these

3/8" STAR LOCK DOME END AXLE CAPS FOR BIKES TRIKES WHEELED TOYS PRAMS GO KARTS | eBay

These Are Widely Used On Many Types Of Axles From Pram Buggies, Mowers, Trikes, Karts, Models & Kids Bikes.

www.ebay.co.uk

 

[BeeBee]

Thanks we'll have a search when we get home… in the Yorkshire Dales at the moment

 

[Kenb17]

I had to replace these when Johnboy fixed the table, I ordered ‘capped star lock washer 4mm‘ from ebay.

Hope that helps
Ken

 

[BeeBee]

I had to replace these when Johnboy fixed the table, I ordered ‘capped star lock washer 4mm‘ from ebay.

Hope that helps
Ken

Thanks, I see I can get pack of 10 on Amazon.

 

[Osian]

Hi, as Ken suggests it would be good to get some of those broken hinges out there repaired.

I did a few tests and there was a big difference in both glue and preparation. What I couldn't test is how strong the original is... so even a poor glued joint may be stronger than the original.
My final test was getting close to the strength of the table leg, so I concluded this was ample ... !!

Having worked up what I think is the best repair, there are two ways it could be done...

The first is to provide the bracket and repair procedure and the recipient would have to cut the original bracket, use their own glue (epoxy type is probably best), and hole drilling and rivet gun.

The second would be to send the broken table to me and I fix it and send it back. The dis-advantage is obviously a bit more cost + the postage (I think Evri will be about £6 each way). The advantage is that I have the preferred glue and dispenser nozzles available.....

I have one bracket available at the moment so if anyone wants to give either of the above a go then let me know. I do have material to make more brackets but its a bit of a fiddle at the moment. Once I have nailed the manufacture a bit better I would intend to run a batch when I know roughly what the demand is.

I have a Beach so I don't have one of these tables, but I would not be happy buying a new one knowing that it could happen again....

Any more Guinea pigs out there ??

John

Hello John, can you please give an update on your excellent repair programme. Much appreciated. Gerry

 

[Johnboy]

Gerry, thanks for your interest. The situation hasn't changed since my last post.

I had a several go's at making the bracket and settled on one which I fitted to Kens table. I made two of these brackets only.

If there was more demand then I could maybe make a batch of them, but there still remains the two options of making the repair. Either the table could be sent to me for repair and posting back, or I could send the parts with a repair procedure for owners to do their own repair.

If I was to do the repair, then I would use the stronger glue that I tested (having already bought the kit and dispenser for this adhesive which I think is a bit expensive for a single repair - circa £40+vat etc) - whereas for owners to do their own repair would be based on their own epoxy glue.

The strength of the joint depends entirely on the glue because there are no bolts or rivets going through the table, so when in use it looks the same as original.

Also, if anyone has any spare tables with a broken hinge then I would be interested in these also.

Regards

John