Replacing -----------Roof vent cover

[Kevin K]

How do you replace just the 15"x22" plastic roof vent cover leaving all the hardware and screen intacted? What I want to do is, take off the cover and cut off the point and leave 1" all the way around the vent to attach a sheet of lexan ,this way I will have a clear sky light and it will lower the overall height by 3" so the trailer could fit in my garage..
See photo
http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h296/imp...n63/ventcut.jpg

[Greg A]

Could you just de-air your tires and clamp the door in the highest position to clear.
The vent as it sits is a pretty functional piece of our Scamp.

[james kent]

What about using a small rotary hand tool with a small cut-off wheel like a Dremmel? That area is subject to all the weather so make sure to waterproof well.

[Kevin K]

Greg A
I need 2 1/2" of clearance to get it in my garage. I can't get that with the tires. I would use Butyl Tape around the opening and lexan never cracks.

[jhornsby]

Having a clear skylight cover sounds like a great idea. I wonder if anybody makes a "clear" cover as an option or replacement, if desired. Now, I know that doesn't solve your height problem !! My personal belief is that you can carefully trim away the existing top portion as in your diagram, replace with lexan, seal with silicone sealer and butyl tape, and be "good". However, conventional wisdom tells me to "slightly angle" your rt. & lft. sides exacly the same slant so tht water wouldn't puddle on the flat lexan surface, but run off (either front or back). Thus much less chance of (installing a leak). Doesn't have to be much, 1/4-1/2 inch to promote runoff. Keep everybody posted on decisons and progress.. Jeff

[Benny K]

Hi Kevin, if you have access to a sheet metal brake you could add one inch on each side of your Lexan and notch the corners and then bend the Lexan 90 degrees to fit over the remaining skylight.....if you try this, set back the clamping part of the brake about 1/4" so that you get a decent radius on the four bends.....if the corners are bent too sharp it could damage the Lexan....alternatively you could bend it in small increments of a few narrow brakes to achieve the desired radius....that will work also....assume that you`d use about 1/8" Lexan.....doing the mod this way, you`d only have to seal the corners against water leakage and use silicone to cement the Lexan to your dome around the one inch wide section and where the Lexan contacts the flat part of the remaining dome....I also wouldn`t worry about water run off since it`ll be stored in a garage and while driving water should be blown off or run off when you start to open the vent.....good luck... ......Benny

[efawcett]

Greg A
I need 2 1/2" of clearance to get it in my garage. I can't get that with the tires. I would use Butyl Tape around the opening and lexan never cracks.

This is an excellent idea... I think I'm going to try it myself!

I have a question though, I've seen a couple of people mention butyl tape. What is it? How would you use it in this application and is it strong enough to keep the lexan on going 65 MPH down the highway?

Last of all, where does one get some of this miracle tape?

[Kevin K]

You put the Butyl Tape http://www.austinhardware.com/product.asp?...&pf_id=3250 down around the outside first,now put the lexan on top of the Butyl Tape now fasten 1" aluminum flat stock around the edge of the lexan. The Butyl Tape acts like a gasket . I might tryThis---->Vac forming for the clear vent top cover. Check out this video on YouTube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGBRiYhxRTM

[Robert W.]

anyone ever try putting automotive sun roof type in one of these ??? and if so how is it clear glass or tinted a cover to for shade lot of junk suv s out there ????

[kentj]

anyone ever try putting automotive sun roof type in one of these ??? and if so how is it clear glass or tinted a cover to for shade lot of junk suv s out there ????

I have an email and pics from a guy at did it will a boler, let me know if your interested and i'll past it your way.

Kent

[Donna D.]

anyone ever try putting automotive sun roof type in one of these ??? and if so how is it clear glass or tinted a cover to for shade lot of junk suv s out there ????

Yep.

All I think about when someone mentions doing it... is did anyone ever see a sunroof in a car that didn't leak? I had two different cars with sunroofs and after about the second year... Yeow! Needed a plastic garbage to lay over my lap when it rained.

I'd certainly hope you'd have better luck!

[Carol Ann in TO]

did anyone ever see a sunroof in a car that didn't leak? I had two different cars with sunroofs and after about the second year... Yeow! Needed a plastic garbage to lay over my lap when it rained.

My car is just shy of ten years old and the sunroof works perfectly. But I'm not sure I'd want to add that weight to the roof. I realize that people have AC on roofs but if I was going to do the add-on, I'd at least want the cold air of AC and not just a pop open roof.