Ceiling fan- attaching the ceiling plate

[kennyjh]

I have purchased a Hunter Fan to replace an existing ceiling fan. The instructions stated to drill two pilot holes into the wood support structure through the outermost holes in the outlet box to install the ceiling plate. However the when I removed the old fan's ceiling plate (which was smaller) was attached to two small threaded holes at the opening of the electrical box. When I look up inside the box there are only two small opening close together in the middle. Because of the size of the new ceiling plate can holes be drilled directly into the wood support outside of the electrical box? Thanks for any help!

[RBM]

How do you know you have wood over the box? Is it visible? Personally I hate Hunter ceiling fans. Practically every other fan made, mounts directly to the fan support outlet box, but Hunter has to be difficult. I would return it for any other fan, but if I had to install it, I'd attach the bracket to the box using the same screws the old fan used, then I'd run additional screws up into whatever wood support you have, outside the box or inside

[RayV]

Didn't know Hunter used non-standard mounting. Thanks, I'll keep that in mind when shopping for fans.

[trader4]

I would say yes. But I would also make damn sure that the outlet box is fastened to something secure enough to hold a fan, even it it held the existing one. It's not unheard of to find fans hung from a box with hardly any real support.

[Steve Thrasher]

I'll second that! I've been going back through and putting a couple of wood screws into each of the (three) ceiling fans hanging from boxes that were nailed in place.