How to remove a stove hood in a Uhaul

[Brandiwhne]

I am trying to remove my stove hood in my Uhaul CT. Looking under the hood, I can see 4 bolts. I removed those but the thing doesn't budge. Does anyone have any advice??

[mary and bob]

Took ours out, trying to remember exactly how. I think it just had the 4 bolts that went up through the bottom of the cabinet. But it also fits into a rectangular extension that is part of the outside louver. Other than disconnecting the wires to the fan and light that should be it. I don't recall any screws into that short vent extension, but it could just be stuck at that point as one part slides into the other. Or it could be stuck to the fiberglass. Gently pry and wiggle it and it should come loose.

[Brandiwhne]

Ok great. I'll wiggle it a bit. My idea was remove the hood to clean it and to find the source of a drip on the back corner of my stove cover. I figured that was easier than drilling out the rusty stripped screws on the outside vent. Maybe I should just do that anyways to replace with stainless steel screws.

[mary and bob]

Another typical Uhaul leak! What I found with ours was; if rain is driven by wind at an angle it will come in the outside louvers and drip on the stove. To solve that problem I bought a plastic outside vent, cut away part of it so I just had the outer hood part, and put it over the louvers. Since then we decided to remove the stove and hood permanently so I removed the outside louvers which was not easy due to the hardened sealer they used. I then cut off the extension piece, made a gasket to cover the hole, and put the louver piece back on. Used a small plaque to cover the inside hole. I wouldn't try drilling out those screws that hold the louver piece on. They are sheet metal screws that just go into the fiberglass. Other screws with philips heads that were stripped I have used a thin cut off wheel on an air powered die grinder to cut a slot for a regular screw driver, and got them out that way. On a couple of my marker lights I ground off the screw head, removed the light, and got the screws out with vise grips. This probably won't work with the stove vent. Our Uhaul has a flimsy thin aluminum louver and bends easy, but saw another that had a heavier made one.

[Brandiwhne]

Sounds like a plan. I will cut the slots. I hate the look of those rusty screws. I would like to replace my marker lights with LEDs also.

I just finished fiberglassing the back of my water/electric access hatch. The PO had broke it almost completely out. We plan on adding a plug directly to this instead of pulling out cords. I eliminated the water fill hatch. Just no need for it.

[mary and bob]

Our water tank has also been removed, along with all the piping and fill hatch. I riveted in a piece of plastic to fill the hole. I don't pull out the cord. I have replaced the original power converter, rewired the whole trailer, both 110 and 12 volt. I'm using the original marker lights, or replacements from Uhaul. Have had some leaks at some of them. One problem I had removing the marker lights was, the plastic insert that pops into the fiberglass and the screw goes into it, that insert would turn when you try to remove or tighten the screw. To resolve that problem I found some inserts made for a square hole, filed my holes square, and now the insert can't turn. The lights have to be sealed good to the trailer, otherwise rain will leak in .

[Brandiwhne]

I've had the same problem with those plastic inserts. When I can reach it, I've had someone hold the insert with pliers as I've screwed it in from the other side. Not the best method. I know I'm making tons of mistakes but I don't care. I'm tired of being afraid to do something because I don't want to mess up. I have OCD tendencies. Lol

Part of me wants to keep it original looking and the other part says that's stupid. I never plan on using the stove or stove vent but I just can't bring myself to remove them yet. Lol. I took off the propane. Now I'm researching the best way to put a small tongue box up front. It would be much easier if the tongue was triangular in shape!

[mary and bob]

Most parts that I have removed can be put back without too much work. Our stove and vent hood are out. Stove space is now a storage compartment made from a wire basket with a hinged cutting board to cover it. Ice box is removed and replaced with a dorm fridge. Furnace is out, that space has a slide out storage rack. Didn't have the front bunk when we got it. Not a good enough trailer to worry about keeping it original, just want to make it work for us.

[Brandiwhne]

Id like to see a picture of that stove basket.

[mary and bob]

I don't know if I took any pictures of installing the basket in place of the stove, and now I lined it with scrap carpet leftover from the headliner replacement so not much to see. I'm a scavenger, and found this large wire basket that attached to pegboard. It is slightly larger than the opening for the stove. I used a piece of 1/2" plywood under the fiberglass counter with the opening cut out. Attached the plywood with screws, which don't show with the cutting board cover in place. Cut the pegboard hooks off the basket, used loop clamps to attach basket under plywood, lined basket with carpet, put hinges on a cutting board for a lid. Originally I was going to make a sheet metal open top box to mount in place of the stove with the cutting board for the lid, but found I had this basket that was the right size so used it. Also considered taking all the parts out of the stove and using the bottom of it, but the basket worked out better. Somewhere I have pictures of how I installed my tongue box. I cut off the propane tank mount but left a couple inches sticking up. Used some 2" angle and 1" square tubing to make a support for the box I used. It's all bolted on, could be removed and tank mount welded back if necessary. There's a picture already posted here somewhere, I'll look for it.

[mary and bob]

If you go to the camping, campout reports section and look at the thread jekyll island ga you'll see a picture of our haul and the tongue box. I'll try to find the installation pics I took. Taking pics is easy for us, posting them can be a challenge.

[mary and bob]

Originally Posted by Brandiwhne

Id like to see a picture of that stove basket.

I finally found out how to get pictures out of my camera and into my album. you can see them there, pictures of the storage basket and tongue box in my "Modifications" album