Holes in siding too large/worn

[RickH]

I have a hot Tub, and it has a standard lid lifter swing bar.
the sides of Hot Tub are solid plastic ‘shiplap’ strip glued to each other and a sub frame.

The bar has a large ‘hinge’ plate, that is screwed to the plastic ‘ship lap’ with a large number of self tapper screws.
Not a great design, as each time you want to remove panel for access you have to undo all the screws …..already a couple now just spin on doing them up.

As this is a solid panel, looking for suggestion on plugging the holes and refitting loose screws.

The old approach of a match stick while it may work, introduces wood into a non wood structure, so prefer to find something else.
I have a hot melt glue gun, and some of ‘glue sticks’ are for filling holes in walls where a wall plug has failed, I could try that, but maybe there is a better option ?

The pic attached is not my hot tub, but shows the hinge plate & fixing.

 

[Wayners]

Try some Milliput.

Can getting in different colours

 

[RickH]

That’s a new name to me, I’ll go Google.

(I did). described as 2 part epoxy, but Putty state would makes it easier than for example Araldite, (can imagine that being messy)

Ill get some.

 

[RickH]

Quick follow up on using Lilliput ….. appreciate it sets hard, will the self tapping screw go in OK ..or do I need to pilot drill ?
Just unfamiliar with the product.

 

[Wayners]

Probably have to make a pilot hole.

Maybe put screw in when soft. Tighten when set.

 

[RickH]

Yep - and I can put some oil on threads to act as release agent

 

[Old Salt]

Why not use a shoulder type rawl plug.

 

[Wayners]

Can plug.
Plastic or cigarette filter shoved in then drip super glue on.
Then drill pilot hole, however you need a bigger hole to start with

 

[RickH]

Why not use a shoulder type rawl plug.

As it would mean drilling hole large enough to take plug … don’t want to risk weakening, plus panel is only 8mm thick so not much area for a plus.

 

[Rodders53]

I've used Milliput to re-fill screw holes in the GRP inner walls of my caravan successfully. I usually refix after a couple of hours of hardening. Screws are only No6 sort of size and holding the blinds frames in place at silly angles in some cases.
It takes something like 24 to fully harden. (Even then it's not that hard a stuff as it can be 'worked' with model-making tools.)

In this Hot Tub use I suspect the screws are a bit larger so I would use a pilot to start after leaving it to fully cure.
Sounds like the lifter has been affixed to the wrong side of the tub if a panel it is fixed to is also removable for maintenance?

 

[RickH]

Screws without measuring look like M5 (no 10's), so assuming using a pilot hole will go into this product when fully hardened ?

Lifter is in the correct place, 3 of the 4 panels are removable for maintenance there are pumps / controls behind them (only rear is unlikely to be removed) Just the layout.

 

[conny]

We used to have this problem at Center Parcs. When it happened they would move the lifter slighty and drill fresh holes. After a while they would get the joinery shop to knock up a new panel.
I suggested instead of moving it around, (and thereby having the lid slightly out of position), we fasten a batten on the inside of the panel and screw the support through the panel into the wooden batten. Of the three that we did while I worked there they were still as good as new when I left after nearly 2 years.
The biggest cause of them working loose is people raising them and then letting them drop to the open positioning instead of holding them and lowering into position. Had my tub for nearly 2 years now and they are secure as the day it was installed because we lower it by hand, not flip up and let it drop.

 

[RickH]

We are certainly very gentle with our HT ..... the screws that are loose are as a result of either original over-tightening, or the removal twice on engineer visits.
I may well install threaded inserts when a few more go.