Broken chain on roof vent - Boler 1975 - Fiberglass RV
Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 07-02-2018, 02:30 PM   #1
Senior Member
 
Name: Sylvio
Trailer: 1975 Boler
Quebec
Posts: 220
Broken chain on roof vent - Boler 1975

Hey guys! Thanks for still talking to me after my absence of 2 years...

My roof vent's chain has broken. You know those little beady chains? To close the vent tight, we need to bring in the second bead inside the little stopper. Guess where it broke? Right between bead #1 and bead #2!

I got one of those little "bead unions" and finally manage to put it in. But now the roof vent doesn't close tight. I'm fairly sure that driving in the rain would bring water in.

Bead #1 is set in some contraption in the vent. I would have to cut the little aluminum protection or undo the rivets, but it seems to be soldered there.

I really don't know what to do.

Taking off in 24 hours.

Thank you beforehand for those of you who are about to work your magic!
Uncle Cereal is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-02-2018, 02:37 PM   #2
Senior Member
 
Alex Adams's Avatar
 
Name: Alexander
Trailer: 1979 Boler B1300
New Hampshire
Posts: 1,140
Just guessing here that the bead union is before where you clip the bead to shut the vent. After putting in the bead union does it look like you are 1/2 a bead off? If so you could put another bead union in and then you should line up. If you are 1/3 a bead off then put in 2 bead unions, etc.
Alex Adams is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-02-2018, 02:53 PM   #3
Senior Member
 
Name: Sylvio
Trailer: 1975 Boler
Quebec
Posts: 220
Alex, to close the vent tight, bead #1 needs to be outside and bead #2 needs to be inside. The union is making it impossible to put bead #1 and bead #2 on each side of the stopper. So the vent is now partially closed: beads #1 and #2 (united by the union) are outside and bead #3 is inside...
Uncle Cereal is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-02-2018, 02:58 PM   #4
Senior Member
 
Alex Adams's Avatar
 
Name: Alexander
Trailer: 1979 Boler B1300
New Hampshire
Posts: 1,140
Ah, I get it now. The PO on my Boler replaced the original chain vent. I don't see a way out of your predicament. If you can, post some pictures showing the attachment point of bead #1 and what the lid looks like when closed. The only other possibility I can think of would be to put some sort of seal on the lip of the vent lid to close the gap.
Alex Adams is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-02-2018, 03:31 PM   #5
Senior Member
 
Name: Sylvio
Trailer: 1975 Boler
Quebec
Posts: 220
Here are a few pics. One from the inside, two from the outside. I think I might have to cut a slot in that little metal "box" and, somehow, fasten a bead above the "box".
Attached Thumbnails
Roof vent 1.jpg   Roof vent 2.jpg  

Roof vent 3.jpg  
Uncle Cereal is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-02-2018, 05:08 PM   #6
Senior Member
 
John in Santa Cruz's Avatar
 
Name: John
Trailer: Escape 21, behind an '02 F250 7.3 diesel tug
Mid Left Coast
Posts: 2,940
above that bracket, I see the chain goes through a small tapered spring, and then is anchored by a sort of cupped washer. I bet the cupped washer has a slot the top ball of the chain is secured through....

I think I would take a pair of long skinny needlenose pliers, compress that spring, and try and fish the washer and chain out from the top... then put a new chain on the washer and feed it back through...

this might be easier to do if you can remove the hinge pin and take the whole top off the trailer so you can work with it on a table while seated
John in Santa Cruz is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-02-2018, 05:22 PM   #7
Senior Member
 
Name: Sylvio
Trailer: 1975 Boler
Quebec
Posts: 220
OK, John in Santa Cruz, I'm going to give it a shot right now! But FORGET about taking it off!
Uncle Cereal is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-02-2018, 08:38 PM   #8
Junior Member
 
Name: Rob
Trailer: Bigfoot
Alberta
Posts: 13
Registry
add a string and lace lock in place of chain

My Trillium 13' has the same vent, chain was broken however previous owner used a string in place of the chain from a hooded sweat shirt I add the plastic spring loaded lace lock found at outdoor stores or on your shoes or jacket draw string. Gently pull the string down to close the vent then push the lace lock toggle in slide it up tight to hold the vent and release.
RB Arthur is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-02-2018, 01:57 PM   #9
Junior Member
 
Name: Ed
Trailer: Boler
British Columbia
Posts: 14
Quote:
Originally Posted by John in Santa Cruz View Post
above that bracket, I see the chain goes through a small tapered spring, and then is anchored by a sort of cupped washer. I bet the cupped washer has a slot the top ball of the chain is secured through....

I think I would take a pair of long skinny needlenose pliers, compress that spring, and try and fish the washer and chain out from the top... then put a new chain on the washer and feed it back through...

this might be easier to do if you can remove the hinge pin and take the whole top off the trailer so you can work with it on a table while seated
I had this break on me a couple times and this is exactly how I fixed it. The chain is attached to a bell shaped fitting on the end. this is the part that fits in the spring. I had to use the needle nose pliers to pry open the bell end to get the ball out. I had to deform the metal of the bell slightly to get it open far enough, so there will be a limit to how many times you can do this before the metal fatigues. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find a replacement for the bell part, so I'm still using the original. The ball size on the chain is 3/8", I believe, which is the size that is used on window covering chains.

Once I get the old ball out of the bell end, I pop the new chain in and pinch it back together. Then I feed the chain back through the spring and into the trailer.

Try doing that in the middle of a downpour!
skedius is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
boler


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Removing Roof Vent in 13' 1975 Scamp Lydia W Problem Solving | Owners Helping Owners 31 11-20-2017 03:53 PM
1975 Boler propane heater: broken thermostat Uncle Cereal Care and Feeding of Molded Fiberglass Trailers 3 10-17-2017 12:04 PM
Anyone know how to fix a saggy roof in a Boler??? (around roof vent) idiotsniff Problem Solving | Owners Helping Owners 31 11-17-2014 06:50 AM
To Roof Vent, Or Not To Roof Vent Frederick L. Simson Problem Solving | Owners Helping Owners 5 02-22-2009 05:41 PM

» Upcoming Events
No events scheduled in
the next 465 days.
» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 07:13 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.