HGTV stars Ben and Erin Napier shared earlier this month that they would be taking their 2010 camper, dubbed “Gru” by the couple and their daughters Helen (6) and Mae (3), on the road for Christmas. While the camper is new to the Napier family, it is still subject to the regular wear and tear of a nearly-15-year-old vehicle.
In a December 19 Instagram post, Ben asked fans for “HELP!!” by posting a video where he explained that “after a few trips,” the metal panel that juts out in the front of the camper (so that the whole unit can connect to a pick-up truck) “came loose and I was going to try and fix it but all of my lathing strips under here, which are just 3/8-inch plywood, have come loose [and are sagging down].”
In another Instagram post from December 20, Ben was able to share a positive update with his followers, confirming he was able to secure the panel back in place thanks to input from his following.
How Did Ben Napier Fix His Camper’s Loose Panel?
In his update video, Ben explained what he did to secure the loose panel in place to avoid it sagging and causing any issues while on the road.
“So what I’ve done is I’ve got self-tapping screws that I’m screwing through the sheet metal and lathing strips to the actual steel frame of the structure of the trailer,” Ben explained, showing visuals for the steps in his video. “You’re going to need a drill, self-tapping screws, if you’re a big person you need a heavy-duty furniture dolly [to sit on] like I’m using. You can adjust your height so it gets to your working level, and then you just roll around here putting in all these screws. It’s not perfect, you know, but it’s better than it was and it will get us to Mama’s house for Christmas.”
One fan asked a follow-up question of Ben, commenting, “Brilliant-how did u locate the steel joists?”
“It had separated SO badly that I could see up in there. So then I made some marks,” Ben wrote back.
Why Did the Napiers Name Their Camper ‘Gru’?
In his original video, Ben also explained that while he and Erin still have their Airstream camper, Jolene, they aren’t bringing her on this trip as she isn’t quite big enough for the family of four. He then explained how Gru got his name, saying, “This is our new camper, it’s 15 years old, it’s a Jayco Eagle. Beautiful on the inside, big and white and cumbersome on the exterior, so we’ve named him Gru, because big and pale but really sweet on the inside – has a good heart.”
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Ben Napier Gives Update After Asking Fans for Help With Problem