Newbie pop top questions

[Pete24]

Hi, bit new to all this camper stuff and already getting stuck into various odd jobs around our new camper. I have a few questions regarding pop top maintenance.... I have done a bit of reading but not found answers to everything, so I thought I'd start a thread.

Wind deflector - we have the typical rubber profile strip along the top of windscreen, but it is coming away at both ends. Looks like it could do with replacing as opposed to re-bonding. Where might be the best place to source the correct replacement? Is there anything else people use which is more durable (e.g. plastic)? The current rubber strip is only 4 years old.

Roof sealing - I have noticed that, no matter how hard I strap the roof down, I'm left with a 2-3mm gap (at it's widest) along the passenger side between poptop roof seal and van roof. The gap is widest in the middle, and it doesn't take a lot of force with the hand on top of the roof to close the gap. The roof is definitely clear of the canvas or any other obstructions; it is like the GRP has warped slightly over time. Is this something to be concerned about? I notice there is a large drainage channel just inboard of the seal.... If it is, how could I go about fixing?

Roof seal maintenance - do people treat the rubber seal with anything to prolong longevity/sealing?

Scissor hinge - I have read that these need regular inspection and that the fixings can sometimes work loose over time, so I got the step ladder out with spanners in hand to set about checking. It then occurred to me, you can probably over-tighten these fixings - am I right? If so, any guidance on how tight they should be? Also, what do people use to lubricate the hinge and nylon bushes?

Thanks in advance

 

[AndyVanT6]

Hi Pete24.

I have used Wickes All Weather Polymer sealant in black for my 4 year old wind deflector. Works a treat for around £6 a tube. But beware its messy and sticks to everything it touches. Put some masking tape on the glass and try not to use too much. Peel back the rubber just enough to clean the dirt out. I believe a new rubber is too expensive to consider.

With the roof sealing could yours have always been like this or could the fibreglass be pulling away from the frame? When the roof is up can you lift the roof off the frame and see any movement? I have a Hi-Lo roof and it has a rubber c section trim around the edge of the roof moulding which seals the gap.

I've not tried maintaining the rubber seal on my camper but from past work I used to use MEK (methyl ethyl ketone) to rejuvenate rubber although it can dissolve some rubbers and is hard to get hold of.

The scissor hinge should be loose enough to move freely but not too loose that wobbles, vibrates distorts. I do check mine occasionally but have not had to adjust it ever.

Also that Wickes Polymer I mentioned is good for sealing small holes that appear in the corners of the canvas.

Hope this is of use.

Andy

 

[Pete24]

Hi Andy,

Thanks for your reply. I couldn't find any of the Wickes sealant in black, so I got No Nonsense X8 hybrid sealant instead. Hopefully it will do the same job.

So I began peeling back the deflector, but it was previously stuck down with double side 3M tape or similar, and as I peeled it back, what remained of the adhesive tape was messy and not really sticky anymore. So I decided I might as well re-stick the whole bloody thing.

Getting the old adhesive and sealant off is proving to be a pain in the arse. Going at it with tar remover but it's not easy. I did consider using some carb cleaner but thought it may damage the paint.

Couple of further issues...
1. It was only after half the strip was peeled off that I realised how difficult it is going to be to re-stick it neatly. I can just about reach the mid point on a step ladder, so I can imagine the process is going to be a nightmare! Any tips?
2. Under the strip I noticed there is a bit of surface rust, see pics. What would be the best thing to do to treat this and prevent it from getting any worse?

 

[Pete24]

Edit: Luckily it wasn't rust! Turned out to be some old residue from a previous application.

 

[Ayjay]

I'll chip in my amateur views but firstly, have you thought about taking it back to where you got it from and asking them? If it's a business, you have some consumer rights but it's not quite so good if you bought it privately.

As Andy suggests, it could be that the rubber seal on the side of the roof has never really sealed and, assuming it's not an issue with the roof itself warping, you could always try to stick a strip of rubber seal along the side affected - a piece of thin profile door seal would do it or even a strip of the sort of stuff used on double glazed window panels. On your difficulty in getting up high enough to reattach the wind deflector - have you thought of getting up on the roof and doing it from there? If you do, be careful and also put some boards or similar on it before climbing up to spread the load a bit. It might also be a good idea to put something under the boards to protect the paintwork. Also, one of the sikaflex products will do the job of bonding the wind deflector but 3M VHB tape is very good stuff as well provided both services are prepared properly. That said, be careful if you do buy it as there seem to be some fakes out there. If it seems very cheap to buy in comparison to others, it might just be best to look elsewhere and pay the extra.

Apologies if I have misunderstood anything - wouldn't be the first time!

 

[Pete24]

Ayjay, thanks for you reply. The van was bought privately so that's not an option. I don't mind tinkering anyway.

That was my next quandary.... as well as the X8 sealant, and also have some ultra strong 3M tape (10kg rated stuff). Which should I use? Or a combination of both?

The old application appeared to use 3M tape (but the lesser 5kg stuff) to stick the strip down, plus there was a bead of black sealant on the rear edge. But this method failed for some reason. Looked like moisture got in underneath and compromised the 3M tape where the strip crosses over the drainage channel either side.

 

[Ayjay]

I'm nowhere near an expert in any of this stuff and I really don't know what the 10Kg rated capacity indicates. I would have thought that the adhesion rating would have been more to do with load capacity of a given tape width by the inch (or centimetre) of the run and would also suggest if you go for VHB, that the width of tape used should match the width of the deflector as closely as possible. I do recall seeing something a while back when I was looking into it for a job that talked about using 25mm tape on a 2 metre run but don't take that as gospel. Also, don't forget that it does have a shelf life, albeit probably quite a long one, so if you've had the stuff lying around for a while, it might just be best to just buy some new. The cost will be insignificant compared to the cost of the van and all the other stuff that you will find to buy for it in the coming months. Also I think there's a few different types of VHB so it might be worth looking at the 3M website for the right one. As to using the X8 sealant as well, IMHO there's never much wrong with belt and braces - in this case I really wouldn't think that a bead of sealant all around the edge(s) once it's stuck down would do any harm so why not? BUT there are more expert people out there than me who might also offer advice over the next day or so.

Whatever you do, good luck.

 

[Pete24]

The 10kg rating is given as 10kg/30cm run.

I ended up going belt and braces with the 3M tape plus the sealant to all edges - turned out alright!

 

[Ayjay]

Looks like a good job there.