Kitchen Island collapsing - is it a thing of the past?

[mwdilday]

I repaired a friend's island a couple of years ago on a Solitude and there are some posts on the forum about island collapsing. There doesn't seem to be any posts in the last year or two on the subject so that makes me think it may not be an issue now. I have a Solitude 376RD on order and am trying to decide if I need to reinforce the island when it arrives. Does anyone know if the collapsing island issue has been corrected? Thanks.

 

[FT4NOW]

I don't know about collapsing island, but our island is very wobbly. I plan to reinforce it, just haven't had time yet. I'm not concerned it will collapse, but if you pushed on it hard enough it would probably come off the base. From my research, it's the way GD attaches the island to the base under the cabinets on where the issue is. I'm hoping I can reinforce it from the inside as opposed to other people who basically made new outside corners around the base.

 

[Canyonlight]

I repaired a friend's island a couple of years ago on a Solitude and there are some posts on the forum about island collapsing. There doesn't seem to be any posts in the last year or two on the subject so that makes me think it may not be an issue now. I have a Solitude 376RD on order and am trying to decide if I need to reinforce the island when it arrives. Does anyone know if the collapsing island issue has been corrected? Thanks.

As I recall, Rob [MENTION=870]Second Chance[/MENTION] may have dealt with the collapsing island on his 310 Solitude. It seems he (or someone else) also share that the problem with the occurring on some Solitude models was addressed by GDRV.....but maybe again, I just don't recall for certain.

Hopefully Rob will chime in at some point or others who have knowledge of this will do so to help. Thanks in advance, as always, Rob.

Dan

 

[Second Chance]

As I recall, Rob [MENTION=870]Second Chance[/MENTION] may have dealt with the collapsing island on his 310 Solitude. It seems he (or someone else) also share that the problem with the occurring on some Solitude models was addressed by GDRV.....but maybe again, I just don't recall for certain.

Hopefully Rob will chime in at some point or others who have knowledge of this will do so to help. Thanks in advance, as always, Rob.

Dan

Sorry - just now seeing this. No, we have not had that issue with our 310 (fingers crossed).

Rob

 

[ajg617]

Apparently was an issue. I know there was a YT video on it and some folks had added some support on both ends and limited the weight of items inside the island - we do limit weight based upon the prior reports. Believe GD added a third screw on the end of the island after viewing the YT video. But if it fails, plan on major plumbing repairs.

https://www.mygrandrv.com/forum/sho...tchen-Island-Collapse?highlight=island+screws

I believe [MENTION=1425]bertschb[/MENTION] had this problem. Good link below with ways to add structural support. Post #21 has the YT link.

https://www.mygrandrv.com/forum/sho...-Kitchen-Island/page3?highlight=island+screws

 

[mwdilday]

Thanks everyone.

 

[ajg617]

I added re-enforcement to the front of the kitchen island today. The entire island is elevated over a smaller built up frame and there appears to be cross bracing under the wall that would separate the dishwasher from under the sink (maybe two 1x3s sitting 3" high (one of mine not touching anything on the bottom) and another piece of bracing under under the large pull out drawer on the sink side. Both ends of the island are held to the box frame ends with three screws, two through the heat vent from the outside and one inside above the duct. I'm sure the box frame was meant to hold the dishwasher, but I don't think I'd want to hop on island to test it out. I took a couple of photos if anyone is interested.

 

[LMagelitz]

I added re-enforcement to the front of the kitchen island today. The entire island is elevated over a smaller built up frame and there appears to be cross bracing under the wall that would separate the dishwasher from under the sink (maybe two 1x3s sitting 3" high (one of mine not touching anything on the bottom) and another piece of bracing under under the large pull out drawer on the sink side. Both ends of the island are held to the box frame ends with three screws, two through the heat vent from the outside and one inside above the duct. I'm sure the box frame was meant to hold the dishwasher, but I don't think I'd want to hop on island to test it out. I took a couple of photos if anyone is interested.

I am!
It’s on my list of to-do’s before we leave again…
Thanks,

 

[mwdilday]

I guess I will be inspecting mine when it arrives.

 

[ajg617]

I am!
It’s on my list of to-do’s before we leave again…
Thanks,

A couple of posts with several pictures.

First picture is of the single inner screw on the end of the island closest to the coffee bar. The second picture is of the double screws holding the register in place which I assume go through to the inner box frame. The third picture is the block of 1x3 I added. The fourth picture was taking lying on the floor on the door side of the island with the camera facing up between inner and outer boxes at the point separating the dishwasher side from the sink side and showing the factory reinforcement there. The last picture, I snuck the camera between the boxes on the oven side of the island to take a snap of the factory reinforcements from underneath the false bottom and showing the same factory reinforcement of picture 4 from the inside of the island (basically other side of Picture #4 . Notice the staples in picture #4 . They attach a 1x3 (picture 5) which appears to provide something to screw trim pieces into which the island flooring is screwed into. I've tried to label the parts but near as I can tell the supporting cross frames are only stapled to the inner box frame underneath the separating walls on either side of the sink area. In Picture 4, A are just the supporting 1/2" or 3/4" strips that support the floor where the dishwasher would go. B is the supporting strip which the under sink luan floor is attached to. C is the luan wall separating the dishwasher and under sink areas.

I'll follow up next post with the drawer side.

View attachment 46309
View attachment 46310
View attachment 46311

View attachment 46313

 

[trailrydr]

A couple of posts with several pictures.

First picture is of the single inner screw on the end of the island closest to the coffee bar. The second picture is of the double screws holding the register in place which I assume go through to the inner box frame. The third picture is the block of 1x3 I added. The fourth picture was taking lying on the floor on the door side of the island with the camera facing up between inner and outer boxes at the point separating the dishwasher side from the sink side and showing the factory reinforcement there. The last picture, I snuck the camera between the boxes on the oven side of the island to take a snap of the factory reinforcements from underneath the false bottom and showing the same factory reinforcement of picture 4 from the inside of the island (basically other side of Picture #4 . Notice the staples in picture #4 . They attach a 1x3 (picture 5) which appears to provide something to screw trim pieces into which the island flooring is screwed into. I've tried to label the parts but near as I can tell the supporting cross frames are only stapled to the inner box frame underneath the separating walls on either side of the sink area. In Picture 4, A are just the supporting 1/2" or 3/4" strips that support the floor where the dishwasher would go. B is the supporting strip which the under sink luan floor is attached to. C is the luan wall separating the dishwasher and under sink areas.

I'll follow up next post with the drawer side.

View attachment 46309
View attachment 46310
View attachment 46311
View attachment 46314
View attachment 46313

Couldn't view your attachments... might check them out.

 

[ajg617]

Couldn't view your attachments... might check them out.

Interesting. I can, but I'll re-post.

A couple of posts with several pictures. I would say that the island is still wobbly side-to-side and I haven't figured out how to stabilize that yet.


First picture is of the single inner screw on the end of the island closest to the coffee bar.



The second picture is of the double screws holding the register in place which I assume go through to the inner box frame.



Block of 1x3 that I added for support (under cabinet floor - 4 screws and didn't have to remove cabinet doors)




The fourth picture was taking lying on the floor on the door side of the island with the camera facing up between inner and outer boxes at the point separating the dishwasher side from the sink side and showing the factory reinforcement there. Notice the staples in picture #4 . They attach a 1x3 (picture 5) which appears to provide something to screw trim pieces into which the island flooring is screwed into. I've tried to label the parts but near as I can tell the supporting cross frames are only stapled to the inner box frame underneath the separating walls on either side of the sink area. In Picture 4, A are just the supporting 1/2" or 3/4" strips that support the floor where the dishwasher would go. C is the supporting strip which the under sink luan floor is attached to. B is the luan wall separating the dishwasher and under sink areas.



The last picture, I snuck the camera between the boxes on the oven side of the island to take a snap of the factory reinforcements from underneath the false bottom and showing the same factory reinforcement of picture 4 from the inside of the island (basically other side of Picture #4 .




I'll follow up next post with the drawer side.

 

[ajg617]

These pictures are from the drawer side. I'm not sure how I'll increase any support on this side, but we don't put much weight inside of the three drawers. As mentioned previously, there appears to be very little island support side-to-side. I can gently rock the island.

Picture one is below the large drawer on the right side of the island (left side of drawer). The 1x3 appears to be stapled to the outer island box but I could not feel any attachment to the inner box below the 1x3.



The opposite side under the drawer with the small luan piece removed. Unlike the other end of the island, the duct is mounted to the inner box frame with the drawer slides attached above leaving no room to place a supporting piece of 1x3.



Picture taken from oven side of support under wall between sink and drawer cabinet. There appears to be no cross supports underneath the luan floor in the under sink cabinet.

 

[Leons_Bad_Side]

This is not specific to Solitudes, I have a Reflection and my kitchen island is very unstable. In fact just took it in to be corrected this past Monday.

 

[Kyprclan1]

Kyprclan1

I repaired a friend's island a couple of years ago on a Solitude and there are some posts on the forum about island collapsing. There doesn't seem to be any posts in the last year or two on the subject so that makes me think it may not be an issue now. I have a Solitude 376RD on order and am trying to decide if I need to reinforce the island when it arrives. Does anyone know if the collapsing island issue has been corrected? Thanks.

I have a 2021 solitude 310gk we left on a 5 week vacation first night out stepped into trailer and found island cabinet on the floor also, had only 4 screw’s holding this big cabinet onto the base. I’m not a woodworker but in my opinion very poor workmanship. Called a mobile mechanic out and he fixed by putting in 8 steel L brackets on the inside holding the cabinet to the base. Grand design is sending me check to cover the expense. But that’s not the only thing we have had , I was under the impression when I bought my trailer that grand design built quality trailers but I’m not so sure about anymore

 

[brandtb1919]

I repaired a friend's island a couple of years ago on a Solitude and there are some posts on the forum about island collapsing. There doesn't seem to be any posts in the last year or two on the subject so that makes me think it may not be an issue now. I have a Solitude 376RD on order and am trying to decide if I need to reinforce the island when it arrives. Does anyone know if the collapsing island issue has been corrected? Thanks.

The island on our 310 collapsed two trips ago. I had to scramble with what I had on hand to patch it up until I could get back to my shop to fix it properly.

What I wound up doing was using 3/4 in plywood pieces on the ends of the island behind the heat vents as a support for the ends. This placed the load of the island end directly on the floor instead of using a few screws to "levitate" it on the base. The middle of the island seemed to be supported on ours.

As for the "wobbly" feeling, I have observed that part of this is a function of the entire floor panel flexing as the island moves. I don't believe that the island is directly attached to any structural members below the floor. I believe that some movement is a good thing, if too ridged, something would eventually give.

This design sucks and as an Engineer, I would be embarrassed to have produced something like this. The more I poked around inside the island the more atrocities I found.

If they are still being built the same way, my advice would be to be proactive and make it right if you have the skills.

Brian