This is a "re-build" of last year's page...that page was lost when I changed internet providers....this was rebuilt with the original photos, but I'm working off memory now. If anybody spots any errors or inconsistencies, please feel free to let me know and I'll review it. Thanks!
WORD OF WARNING: Get a can of bee spray and make sure you check for wasp nests under the ends of the slide-out beds (in the corners especially!) I had four wasp nests; one was in each corner. Since you'll be pulling off the corner end caps, you'll want to spray the nests the night before to avoid getting stung! For some reason, the wasps love those underneath corner spots for building a home!
For those of you wondering "what's living hinge???"...
It's the plastic hinge that allows the side ABS panels to fold down at the pull-out beds, and allows the bed ends to fold up when you set your camper up. When these crack, it makes set-up difficult, and you run the risk of your bed ends "falling out" of your camper and smashing on the ground.
Feel free to take a look and find out how simple replacement is!
Parts List for this project:
Living Hinge (check ebay and search for "Apache camper" and you just might find it for sale...enough to replace all your hinge at once!)
Living Hinge Retainers (also called "stops") This is an optional purchase, but there's a good chance yours will be cracked. You should replace these if you can find them (search on ebay as mentioned above.)
Bed End Caps (These may be available through ebay, or from Tim Schaefer, also known as timsch on this site.)
Slotted and Phillips Screwdrivers
Drill with carbide (metal) bit to drill out rivets
"Pop" Rivet gun and rivets (available at hardware store)
Silicone Lubricant ("Dry" silicone spray if you can find it)
Needle-Nosed Pliers
Duct Tape
This is what broken living hinge looks like! You can see the separation of the plastic hinge, allowing the folded bed end to be "lifted" away from the base...living hinge also tends to crack at the bed end walls. You might notice it when you try to slide the bed end walls back and then into the grooves when you set up. If it's cracked, it will eventually break off completely!
Okay...the first primer is on on removing and replacing cracked living hinge at the base of the bed end wall (below the window).
**Get a friend to help with this if you can...it might help prevent you from having your bed end take a big fall! **
I recommend setting up your camper completely for this project. I left my side walls open for light for photos, and it helps give better light for working as well...When replacing the hinge at the end of your bed ends, use duct tape to secure the bed end wall to the bed assembly.....remember that if you remove the living hinge you'll still need something to keep the two pieces from falling apart....this is where the duct tape and the friend come in!
First step is to remove the screws which hold the retainer (stop) in place. This will allow the living hinge to slide. **Save the screw...you'll replace it later!**
Once the screws are out, you can slide out the retainer/stops. This is the piece which was held by the screws you just removed:
Here's a picture of the removed stop: **Save the stops if unbroken...you'll reuse them...if they're broken, you may be able to get replacements from Tim Schaefer (timsch on this site, or thru his ebay sales)
Now remove the bed end caps (the grayish caps at the ends of the bed end rail.) These often crack, and you may be able to get new ones from Tim Schaefer (timsch on this site, or thru his ebay sales.) First you'll need to drill out the rivets on the bed cap. Start with the outside top.
Then the bottom rivets:
Now break off the back end of the rivets:
and pull off the end caps:
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ENSURE that you have secured the bed end wall to the bed end base before you take the next step! Duct tape the pieces so that they won't separate. Have a friend stand ready to ensure there are no mishaps! Oh, and if it's really windy, wait until the wind stops!
Now, remove the broken living hinge from the bed end. First, remove the top half of the broken piece, if it's split in half:
Next, remove the bottom half piece:
Next, you'll need to slightly widen or "open" the end channels of the grooves to slide in the new living hinge. **Never attempt to widen or open plastic or ABS channels...this is for metal channels only.**
Now you'll need to feed the new living hinge into the open channels. I recommend spraying some dry silicone spray onto the living hinge and even in the channel openings (this is available through most auto parts stores...if not "dry" purchase "quick dry, no drip" type.) You'll need to push the ends in with a small screwdriver or fine awl:
Now pull the new living hinge across the bed end with a pair of needle nose pliers. It helps to have a friend push the hinge in the opposite side. Remember that if you will reuse your plastic stops you'll have to leave the living hinge a few inches short to leave room to slide the stop back in. My stops were broken, and I left them out, replacing the screw right through the living hinge to keep it from sliding. I recommend contacting Tim Schaefer, however, and getting the new stops before you start this project.
So, now that the new hinge is in place, you need to relace both screws that you removed, as well as the stops if you're replacing them. Place the bed end caps (or new ones, if you've purchased them) back on and use rivets or screws to secure. I HIGHLY recommend "pop" rivets to replace these, since you won't have to worry about sharp screw ends sticking in toward the mattress. If you use screws, file off the sharp ends once they're in! You can also remove the duct tape holding the bed end to the base, and get your invaluable friend a nice cold beer (or mountain dew if it's Tim!)
Now on to replacing the bed side wall living hinges!
If your bed side wall living hinges are cracked, you know it every time you maneuver the sliding ABS panels in....they pull away from the base when you try to slide them into the recessed bed end panel. And if they're not completely cracked yet, they soon will be....nothing like having the side panel fall out when one of your kids kicks it during the night.....better to replace them all now!
The first step in replacing the cracked bed side panel living hinge is to remove the screw holding the old hinge in place. **Keep this screw...you'll need to replace it later!** This phillips-head screw is located just below the mattress line on each side:
With this screw removed, you should be able to slide the old living hinge out...if yours isn't completely cracked, you can slide the ABS panel back (as you do when you set the camper up) and keep sliding it back....the living hinge should all come out. Otherwise, slide your ABS panel all the way back and off and use a pair of pliers to remove the cracked hinge from the channel. (You may need a small screwdriver to remove any small pieces in the channel.):
You may want to slightly widen the channel at the far end of the bed side groove to facilitate sliding in the new living hinge:
At this point, I slid the new living hinge into the channel. Again, some dry silicone lubricant sprayed on the living hinge and into the channel makes this easier.
Now slide the hinge into the channel:
Pull the new hinge all the way across and replace the screw that holds the hinge in place:
Once the screw is in, trim the opposite end of the living hinge. I left about an inch of over hang beyond the ABS piece at the end of the channel:
Now slide the ABS bed side panel onto the top half of the new hinge. Again, spray some silicone lubricant into the channel of the ABS side panel to make it easier to slide it on. Have a friend help by using needle-nosed pliers to hold the end of the living hinge while you slide the panel onto it: (** In this photo, you'll see the mold on my rubber seal on the ABS panel...use a mild bleach/water solution to clean this nasty stuff off...I should have done mine while it was off, but I was lazy and did it later.....)
Now slide your ABS panel all the way in.....it should slide freely, and now there's no worry that it will fall out while you sleep!
