Bolt under linoleum

[Bolo4u]

I know this topic has been discussed here, so I understand what the problem most likely is. Yesterday we arrived at our destination after a ~10 hour trip, set up, put the slides out and saw a "lump" on the floor, and realized it was under the linoleum.... WTF? Anyhow... it's in the middle of the walkway between the center island and dining table.

Based on what I've read here, I know it is most likely a self tapping bolt, but don't know if it stripped or just unscrewed itself...

Since were here about 7 days, I want to try to repair this myself. I have a good assortment of tools with me. Couple of questions:

Assuming it's a bolt used to secure the subfloor to the frame, any guesses on the type of head? Torx? Large Phillips? Regular hex? Allen Head? I have not yet sliced the lino to find out.

When I do slice the lino, what's the best glue to use to repair the cut?

My underbelly is covered, and since I'm at an RV park, I don't think they'd take kindly to me ratting around under my rig.

Another option for a quick fix is to slice the link and completely remove the bolt until I get home and can open the underside, then make a better repair. But, will that cause other issues with the floor when we head out, and traveling over the various road surfaces/conditions?

Luckily we're within a few minutes of places I can get the parts, tools, I might need to fix this.

I want to address this now, because it's in the walkway and it's under a slide when the slide is pulled in, and I don't want to damage the lino more than making a razor cut to repair.

Thoughts? Ideas?

[Frank G]

All fasteners use the square drive. No Idea how it popped up. If it is stripped I would remove it and think about a larger diameter fastener when I got home.

[Bolo4u]

Originally Posted by Frank G

All fasteners use the square drive. No Idea how it popped up. If it is stripped I would remove it and think about a larger diameter fastener when I got home.

Thank you. All fasteners? I know the various screws and such holding the fixtures, hinges and trim are square drive. You think even a larger bolt (the head feels like it's about 3/8-1/2" across) would be a square drive?

[travelin texans]

Lay a block of wood on it & lightly tap it down til you get to where you can do something permanent & go enjoy your week.

[Bolo4u]

Originally Posted by travelin texans

Lay a block of wood on it & lightly tap it down til you get to where you can do something permanent & go enjoy your week.

I thought of that too, but I have a couple of concerns doing that. One being the linoleum getting punched out in the shape of the bolt head, even if using wood, and the bolt working it's way back up on the return trip, and getting stuck in the underside of the slide floor when it's in.

The route we took yesterday was a big detour due to the ongoing fires in Northern California. If the routes we normally would take heading home are still closed, then it's back on the twisty, windy, sketchy roadway.

[Frank G]

I've seen carriage bolts used on the perimeter to bolt the floor frame to the undercarriage. In the two assembly facilities I have visited and the You-Tube videos, the wood floor material is glued and screwed to the floor frame and then it is covered with the vinyl? flooring. This sub assembly is assembled off line then placed on the undercarriage and bolted with carriage bolts. Somewhere in the floor sub assembly all the holes are cut out as the undercarriage will be finish plumbed and wired and the leads must pass through the floor assembly.

The head of the screw giving you fits may approach 3/8" dia. Let us know if it is something else, we are all here to learn. Years ago they sold a solvent to stitch vinyl floor together. I would be tempted to try Crazy Glue.

[Ken / Claudia]

I would make a guess the screw came up and was applied down into the floor before the floor covering meaning going under the trailer might not get you anywhere. Here is my thought, if left as is the flooring will likely split and or someone will trip over it and rip the floor besides falling.
I would get a razor knife and make a straight cut next to it and remove it. That way it would be easy to glue down and maybe only noticed by you. Maybe not even trying to install that screw again as I think that would mean a larger cut or more than 1 cut in the flooring. My thought would be do as little damage as possible to fix the problem.
My information is based on a screw lying lose on the floor, if it just backed out alittle, you might need to cut around the screw head and remove a small area. Than you can remove it completely or retighten. The flooring is not glued down now, not sure how well glueing down a area removed would work out.

[chuckster57]

deleted, mind wasn’t thinking properly.

[willy3805]

I fixed mine by cutting a x in the linoleum across the top of screw head. Took phillips self tapping screw out put lock tight on threads and squirted some down hole. Screwed it back in and glued seams from the x back together. Thats been 10000 miles ago. Had a second one do it and did the same and both are staying in after repair.

[Bolo4u]

Originally Posted by willy3805

I fixed mine by cutting a x in the linoleum across the top of screw head. Took phillips self tapping screw out put lock tight on threads and squirted some down hole. Screwed it back in and glued seams from the x back together. Thats been 10000 miles ago. Had a second one do it and did the same and both are staying in after repair.

What did you use to glue the linoleum down?

[Ken / Claudia]

Never thought about a x cut, that would be how it's done properly.

[JimMach1]

We found the same in ours today after a 1500 mile trip only the third trip since we bought it but it is common according to local Rv shop wth. I hate the thought of cutting the flooring but that’s what they are going to do to it at the dealership so I think if someone is going to cut my flooring it is going to be me.

[chuckster57]

You can get seam glue at most any big box hardware store. Use a new razor blade as it’s easier to seam a “clean” cut.

[JimMach1]

Thanks chuckster57 I bit the bullet x cut over screw. My comment although is most say Robertson screws in Rvs mine has all been philips. Again thanks for the reply. This was a very large screw head about 1/2 inch across.

[chuckster57]

Originally Posted by JimMach1

Thanks chuckster57 I bit the bullet x cut over screw. My comment although is most say Robertson screws in Rvs mine has all been philips. Again thanks for the reply. This was a very large screw head about 1/2 inch across.

My original response said most likely a carriage bolt, then my heatstroked brain cooled off enough to realize your right. Roberts head #2 is common for everything BUT the floor.

[JimMach1]

Yea I knew what you meant. Man what a great site I’m liking this more and more a lot of knowledge here.

[Bolo4u]

Quick update. I just finished making a slit in the floor over the bolt. Since the pattern on my lino is a wood grain style, I made the cut going with the grain, about 2 inches long, rather than an x cut.

I removed the bolt and it is in fact a flathead phillips, with a countersink, and it's about 3 1/2" long. Since I don't have a large enough Phillips head driver to drive it back in, I'm going to buy one tomorrow. I used a regular Phillips to remove it, since it was already loose. It looks like a standard thread pitch, but it is a thread cutting bolt, as it has the small drill-bit style chamfers at the end.

Then I'll glue the lino back in place using a good quality adhesive.

Thanks for the help and info, and I'll update again tomorrow...

[chuckster57]

Ah, the ever famous self tapper. I might be inclined to put it back in, use threadlock and make it tight.

[Bolo4u]

Originally Posted by chuckster57

Ah, the ever famous self tapper. I might be inclined to put it back in, use threadlock and make it tight.

Since the area of California where we're currently camped (eureka) does not have a big box home store, there are a couple of local hardware stores. So far I haven't found a small bottle of linoleum glue, and I don't meet a quart. Chuckster, what are your thoughts on crazy glue, or another adhesive that is readily available?

[chuckster57]

I would wait until you can get the linoleum sealer. Maybe a small throw rug over the area to keep it clean. Are you getting any smoke from the Carr fire?