Foretravel Motorhome Forums => Foretravel Tech Talk => Topic started by: Mr B3 on February 18, 2016, 06:39:57 am
Title: Removing the Micro wave unit from the wall,
Post by: Mr B3 on February 18, 2016, 06:39:57 am
I have decided to remove the 110 volt gear out of my Coach as it is too hard to get it all running properly, I will replace it all with 12 volt gear, I have removed the ice maker, as I dont need that much ice ever, hahahaha. The freezer can make enough ice for me,
But now I want to remove the Microwave, I have pulled all the screws I can find out of it, But it is still in there rock solid,
I have read the manual on it, But I still cant get it free, any help would be appreciated, Thanks,
Title: Re: Removing the Micro wave unit from the wall,
Post by: Dave Cobb on February 18, 2016, 08:39:46 am
I found top screws pointed down in the area above the oven. I found screws pointed up, from the unit into the top shelf. I also found on our Sharp unit, that there were very long bolts, angled from the bottom front up and back towards the upper rear wall. They were maybe 10" long. It was not till I took off the light lens, and the two grease screens that I finally found them hidden up inside the bottom of the unit.
Title: Re: Removing the Micro wave unit from the wall,
Post by: red tractor on February 19, 2016, 08:23:21 pm
There are screws coming from the cabinet insides into the sides of the microwave. One of them may be under a speaker cover and also as has been mentioned the 2 long angle screws that are accessed by removing the vent screens at the bottom of the unit
Title: Re: Removing the Micro wave unit from the wall,
Post by: Mr B3 on February 19, 2016, 10:14:23 pm
I have come to a sudden stop, Hahahaha, It has screws in it that we dont use here, So I will have to go and buy some adapters, I have a heap of these different screw heads, But not for this baby, It is different, It has four square sides in it,
As you can see in the piccys, The two at the back have to come out, The two with the square heads, Do I have to take out the top ones as well, Or will it slide out with out removing them,
Is there any thing else that I have missed,
Title: Re: Removing the Micro wave unit from the wall,
Post by: Michelle on February 19, 2016, 10:19:21 pm
I have come to a sudden stop, Hahahaha, It has screws in it that we dont use here, So I will have to go and buy some adapters, I have a heap of these different screw heads, But not for this baby, It is different, It has four square sides in it,
Ah, the famous Foretravel square drive screws... There are thousands of them (it seems) in the coaches, so pick up a few extra bits and one of those magnetic quick-change screwdrivers ;)
Title: Re: Removing the Micro wave unit from the wall,
Post by: TulsaTrent on February 19, 2016, 11:27:26 pm
Brian,
Most of them are square bit #2, but there *might* be some #1's on smaller screws. I do not think I have found any #3's yet.
Good luck,
Trent
Title: Re: Removing the Micro wave unit from the wall,
Post by: Mr B3 on February 19, 2016, 11:40:59 pm
Ah, the famous Foretravel square drive screws... There are thousands of them (it seems) in the coaches, so pick up a few extra bits and one of those magnetic quick-change screwdrivers ;)
I have the magnetic quick change screw driver, But not the heads to go with the screws, Hahahahahaha
Title: Re: Removing the Micro wave unit from the wall,
Post by: Mr B3 on February 20, 2016, 01:25:09 am
Home again with the correct screw removers, I must be missing something, Its still rigid as, it wont move, Does the unit come out complete or does it sit in a box,
The outside case has screws coming into it from the shower recess, and thru the cupboards, Which dont seem to be accessible with out pulling walls out,, I dont want to go there, hahahaha
Title: Re: Removing the Micro wave unit from the wall,
Post by: John S on February 20, 2016, 05:44:07 am
It is usually on a hanger that is screwed into the back wall you have to lift up before you pull out
Title: Re: Removing the Micro wave unit from the wall,
Post by: Michelle on February 20, 2016, 06:57:05 am
Home again with the correct screw removers, I must be missing something, Its still rigid as, it wont move, Does the unit come out complete or does it sit in a box,
The outside case has screws coming into it from the shower recess, and thru the cupboards, Which dont seem to be accessible with out pulling walls out,, I dont want to go there, hahahaha
It does come out as a whole unit. Here's another thread with some descriptions of screw locations (albeit for newer units) Removal of Microwave (Sharp R-1870) (http://www.foreforums.com/index.php?topic=13433.msg74207#msg74207)
Title: Re: Removing the Micro wave unit from the wall,
Post by: its toby on February 20, 2016, 07:02:05 am
And those are called Robertson head screws, they come in number 1, 2, 3. Number one is also known as green handle number 2 is red and number 3 is yellow. I am somewhat suprises this Canadian invention is used way down there. Up here pretty well any screw into wood has them
Title: Re: Removing the Micro wave unit from the wall,
Post by: Tigratrus on February 20, 2016, 01:44:13 pm
Square drive screws are excellent. Much more resistant to stripping than slot or phillips, better even than posidrive in my experience. :-) And yes, there are literally POUNDS of them in your Foretravel. We removed a partition wall in the process of removing the closet in the back of our rig and I ran through several battery charges pulling them out. There were big honking square (#2) drive screws every 1/4" (seemed like) along all sides and each interface between parts of the wall etc. I was amazed at the sheer weight of metal when I had them all in bags at the end. These beasts are built to LAST. :-)
Title: Re: Removing the Micro wave unit from the wall,
Post by: GregThrun on February 21, 2016, 05:32:22 am
The microwave will come out as a complete unit it will have two screws on the top of the microwave towards the front of the cabinet inside the cabinet loosen the screws and remove them the microwave will tip down left at the back to remove it from the bracket look at the instructions on your new microwave it'll help you understand how to remove your old one
Title: Re: Removing the Micro wave unit from the wall,
Post by: TulsaTrent on February 23, 2016, 12:28:45 pm
The microwave will come out as a complete unit it will have two screws on the top of the microwave towards the front of the cabinet inside the cabinet loosen the screws and remove them the microwave will tip down left at the back to remove it from the bracket
I removed the THREE screws at the top front (much easier after opening the door). I have checked above and to the side (above the sink) and can find no other screws.
Unfortunately, it feels solid as a rock. It does not want to budge in *any* direction. I was expecting the front to tip down and then lift it off the back rack. No joy!
What am I missing?
Thanks,
Trent
Title: Re: Removing the Micro wave unit from the wall,
Post by: TulsaTrent on February 23, 2016, 12:31:05 pm
I also found on our Sharp unit, that there were very long bolts, angled from the bottom front up and back towards the upper rear wall. They were maybe 10" long. It was not till I took off the light lens, and the two grease screens that I finally found them hidden up inside the bottom of the unit.
Dave,
Do these two long bolts need to be removed?
Can I expect to be able to remove the Sharp microwave after doing that?
Thanks,
Trent
Title: Re: Removing the Micro wave unit from the wall,
Post by: Michelle on February 23, 2016, 12:36:57 pm
I removed the THREE screws at the top front (much easier after opening the door. I have checked above and to the side (above the sink) and can find no other screws.
Unfortunately, it feels solid as a rock. It does not want to budge in *any* direction. I was expecting the front to tip down and then lift it off the back rack. No joy!
What am I missing?
Try the topic referenced earlier, specifically George Hatfield's "instructable" post in that topic Removal of Microwave (Sharp R-1870) (http://www.foreforums.com/index.php?topic=13433.msg78725#msg78725)
Title: Re: Removing the Micro wave unit from the wall,
Post by: Dave Cobb on February 23, 2016, 12:41:38 pm
The long bolts are "captured", and don't fall out when loosened, and travel with the unit. If you have found the heads recessed in the bottom of the unit, and angled towards the back wall, support the front of the unit to take the weight.
Foretravel had also added some screws thru the unit, pointed upward, at the top, found behind the top face grill. These were of course not on any info drawing.
Title: Re: Removing the Micro wave unit from the wall,
Post by: John Haygarth on February 23, 2016, 01:43:36 pm
Trent there may be one under the material in the cabinet top right of Micro. It is screwed thru the shelf support side wall and comes out into cabinet. If you look thru the upper grille on right side you may see the pointed end of it. I would pull any material away from this side inside cabinet as I am sure yours should be same as mine was. JohnH
Title: Re: Removing the Micro wave unit from the wall,
Post by: nitehawk on February 23, 2016, 02:48:03 pm
I find it a bit strange how an inquiry from Mr B3 about removing the microwave from his 1989 Foretravel morphed into removing a microwave from a 2000 Foretravel. Are the mountings EXACTLY the same? Has anything changed in eleven years? Was Brian (MR B3) able to remove his microwave with the same instructions as needed for the much later coaches? I have noticed this gradual move away from the original posting when it applies to coaches as old as Brian's and ours, and the original questions seem to get lost and go unanswered.
Title: Re: Removing the Micro wave unit from the wall,
Post by: John Haygarth on February 23, 2016, 04:06:12 pm
Well my answer to the posting was because I have actually had a couple of early 90's models of GV and I found that in general there are similarities on the location of these "hidden" screws. The intemtion of mine was to make people aware that you MUST look under every possible item as FT did place them in strange places, to spread the load factor I guess. Many screws in our MHs are hidden under cloth and panels as most well know, and having "been there, done that" a few times I thought it was necessary to include my post. To answer your Q on Mr B3 there have been many times when Brian has not had time or? to post his reply till a long time later, therefore leaving it up in the air so to speak. Just my thoughts. JohnH
Title: Re: Removing the Micro wave unit from the wall,
Post by: Barry & Cindy on February 23, 2016, 06:43:27 pm
Earlier Sharp microwave convection ovens were spring latched to the wall bracket. Latches released by loosening two small screws under bottom rear of microwave and then while pressing microwave toward wall to relieve latch pressure, pull firmly down the latch that was secured with the two small screws mentioned above. Later Sharp microwave models were held to a different style wall bracket with two long angled bolts. Bolt heads are accessible above each air filter located under microwave. Hold microwave to wall and then unscrew the bolts to release microwave. Both microwave models have steel wall brackets securely bolted to motorhome wall. Each bracket has a bottom lip that carries the weight of the microwave. Both style wall brackets are not interchangeable. For extra security as mentioned every installation is different because of additional random screws that go through cabinet into microwave sheet metal.
Title: Re: Removing the Micro wave unit from the wall,
Post by: TulsaTrent on February 25, 2016, 08:41:55 am
The long bolts are "captured", and don't fall out when loosened, and travel with the unit. If you have found the heads recessed in the bottom of the unit, and angled towards the back wall, support the front of the unit to take the weight.
Dave,
Those were the two screws that I had not yet removed. I removed them and the microwave came right out.
Try the topic referenced earlier, specifically George Hatfield's "instructable" post in that topic Removal of Microwave (Sharp R-1870) (http://www.foreforums.com/index.php?topic=13433.msg78725#msg78725)
Michelle,
Your reference to George Hatfield's message did the trick. The important picture was his picture of the backplate, shown here:
What I discovered was that Foretravel had used FORTY-TWO screws to attach that backplate to the wall!
I have removed those screws and am working to install the new backplate for my new Whirlpool Over-the-Range Microwave/Convection oven. More info and pictures to follow.
Hope this helps someone else,
Trent
Title: Re: Removing the Micro wave unit from the wall,
Post by: Mr B3 on February 29, 2016, 10:16:07 am
Sorry I took so long to get back to this, But I gave up on it and left it, It was getting at me, Grrrrrr,
There were 3 hidden screws that I found, two were in the spice rack which came out easy and one was hidden in the back of the cupboard on the right hand side, It was a cow to remove as I couldnt even see it, It was all feel, It was right on the edge of a timber strip and I only found it by perserverence, There must be some thing in there holding it solid, Once I got it out, the unit moved a bit, so I knew I was on the right track, Then I took the two out of the spice rack and it dropped down, Its a very heavy unit, But with a bit of a struggle, but I got it down and out, Now, after thinking about it, I dont need a Microwave as I have the stove,
Are there any suggestions to what I can fill the hole up with, A cupboard of some sort, ??????????
And thank you all for your help, It does make it easier,