 |
04-29-2022, 04:19 PM
|
#1
|
Junior Member
Name: Cooper
Trailer: Trails West
Washington
Posts: 11
|
Trails West Campster Pop-Top Rebuild
Hello. I recently purchased a 1971 Trails West Campster and am in need of advice regarding replacement/rebuilding of the pop-top roof.
The pop top does not have the original fiberglass roof. It does have lifting and lowering hardware similar to the original for the campster. The hardware is firmly fit to 2 mounted wood frames. The frame dimensions are roughly 60 L x 28.5 W x 17 H. I’ve included photos.
I would love some advice/ideas for building a roof replacement for my pop top! Any ideas are welcomed!
I’m uninterested in paying the high costs for a roof from a company like Dub-Box.
I’ve seen one users thread which touched very lightly on how they used ABS Plastic over marine plywood. I messaged them asking for some more specifics.
I was wondering if anyone had good results with these materials or if they had any alternative methods they would suggest! Please let me know!
Also if any Campster owners with original or rebuilt roofs, could please send me the dimensions of their roof I would appreciate it so much!!
|
|
|
04-29-2022, 07:12 PM
|
#2
|
Senior Member
Trailer: 2009 17 ft Casita Freedom Deluxe
Posts: 857
|
I see you are in Washington. Depending on where, you could stop by a look at ours sometime. It would be a good way to get a look at and measurements from an original. I don't think our top has been rebuilt although most of the trailer has been.
We are on Whidbey Island.
|
|
|
04-30-2022, 10:39 AM
|
#3
|
Senior Member
Name: Terry
Trailer: 1971 Hunter compact Jr, 1979 Terry 19', 2003 Scamp 16'
California
Posts: 201
|
Coleman pop-ups used abs roofs from 1996 to 2003. My daughter has a 2002 . The roof began cracking in 2017 and is it bad condition. Two weeks ago on a trip to Carpinteria saw tow others in worse shape. I don't know if this will relate to your process. You might consider using fiberglass. You would need to make a form.
|
|
|
05-02-2022, 12:26 PM
|
#4
|
Junior Member
Name: Cooper
Trailer: Trails West
Washington
Posts: 11
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave Fish
I see you are in Washington. Depending on where, you could stop by a look at ours sometime. It would be a good way to get a look at and measurements from an original. I don't think our top has been rebuilt although most of the trailer has been.
We are on Whidbey Island.
|
I appreciate the offer! I may take you up on it closer to my build date, I’ll let you know.
|
|
|
05-02-2022, 12:31 PM
|
#5
|
Junior Member
Name: Cooper
Trailer: Trails West
Washington
Posts: 11
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Terry in Fowler
Coleman pop-ups used abs roofs from 1996 to 2003. My daughter has a 2002 . The roof began cracking in 2017 and is it bad condition. Two weeks ago on a trip to Carpinteria saw tow others in worse shape. I don't know if this will relate to your process. You might consider using fiberglass. You would need to make a form.
|
This info is actually pretty helpful thank you! Unfortunately working with fiberglass is beyond my current skill/knowledge, and having it made in shop is too costly.
|
|
|
05-02-2022, 03:52 PM
|
#6
|
Member
Name: Elizabeth
Trailer: TrailsWest
Washington
Posts: 61
|
I'm not sure of the exact dimensions on my pop-top. I could measure it if needed. You could do pretty well by just making it enough bigger than the mechanism that the top can seal outside.
Your mechanism looks a bit different from mine, I'm curious how it works.
I'm also in WA but on the eastern side of the state. Any further east and I'd be in Idaho...
__________________
Elizabeth in Eastern WA
|
|
|
05-17-2022, 01:14 AM
|
#7
|
Junior Member
Name: Cooper
Trailer: Trails West
Washington
Posts: 11
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Elizabeth EWA
I'm not sure of the exact dimensions on my pop-top. I could measure it if needed. You could do pretty well by just making it enough bigger than the mechanism that the top can seal outside.
Your mechanism looks a bit different from mine, I'm curious how it works.
I'm also in WA but on the eastern side of the state. Any further east and I'd be in Idaho...
|
No need to take measurements, thank you! My mechanism is definitely different in size from the original, but mirrors the original in its function. My mechanism just seems to extend taller than typically.
|
|
|
05-17-2022, 06:27 AM
|
#8
|
Senior Member
Name: Brian
Trailer: '73 & '74 Hunter
Oklahoma
Posts: 279
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cooper B
. . . Unfortunately working with fiberglass is beyond my current skill/knowledge, and having it made in shop is too costly.
|
I have the same feeling as you about working with fiberglass. But, I've been watching videos. Maybe we should both jump in and try it? Nothing ventured . . . ? On the other hand, constructing a form does seem a big step for a beginner.
|
|
|
05-17-2022, 10:51 AM
|
#9
|
Senior Member
Trailer: 2009 17 ft Casita Freedom Deluxe
Posts: 857
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Brian G.
I have the same feeling as you about working with fiberglass. But, I've been watching videos. Maybe we should both jump in and try it? Nothing ventured . . . ? On the other hand, constructing a form does seem a big step for a beginner.
|
If I had to build a new lid for mine, I would probably make a wood frame with a marine plywood sheet and fiberglass that. It could be finished to look close to original. The plywood kayaks we built using this approach are still watertight after 20 years. Not "molded fiberglass" but functional.
|
|
|
05-17-2022, 06:22 PM
|
#10
|
Member
Name: Elizabeth
Trailer: TrailsWest
Washington
Posts: 61
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave Fish
If I had to build a new lid for mine, I would probably make a wood frame with a marine plywood sheet and fiberglass that. It could be finished to look close to original. The plywood kayaks we built using this approach are still watertight after 20 years. Not "molded fiberglass" but functional.
|
I'd probably take a similar approach. Back when I was looking a building a trailer, I remember seeing projects built out of foam to reduce weight so that might be a possible idea.
__________________
Elizabeth in Eastern WA
|
|
|
05-18-2022, 01:30 PM
|
#11
|
Junior Member
Name: Cooper
Trailer: Trails West
Washington
Posts: 11
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Brian G.
I have the same feeling as you about working with fiberglass. But, I've been watching videos. Maybe we should both jump in and try it? Nothing ventured . . . ? On the other hand, constructing a form does seem a big step for a beginner.
|
Yeah. Constructing the form was my main deterrent. I was about to pull the trigger on utilizing either Superflex or ABS Plastic over marine plywood, but Dave’s comment about working with fiberglass has me doing more research now.
|
|
|
05-18-2022, 01:34 PM
|
#12
|
Junior Member
Name: Cooper
Trailer: Trails West
Washington
Posts: 11
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave Fish
If I had to build a new lid for mine, I would probably make a wood frame with a marine plywood sheet and fiberglass that. It could be finished to look close to original. The plywood kayaks we built using this approach are still watertight after 20 years. Not "molded fiberglass" but functional.
|
I appreciate this. I’ve just started looking into fiberglassing plywood and it seems doable. Do you think that fiberglassing the inside of the roof would be important? I plan to use a rubber seal around the pop-top so I don’t foresee water reaching the inside, and the plywood would be marine plywood so it could withstand a bit of moisture if needed.
|
|
|
05-18-2022, 10:36 PM
|
#13
|
Senior Member
Trailer: 2009 17 ft Casita Freedom Deluxe
Posts: 857
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cooper B
I appreciate this. I’ve just started looking into fiberglassing plywood and it seems doable. Do you think that fiberglassing the inside of the roof would be important? I plan to use a rubber seal around the pop-top so I don’t foresee water reaching the inside, and the plywood would be marine plywood so it could withstand a bit of moisture if needed.
|
Ours has a lip that comes up from the body to prevent water from running in. The folding mechanism is outside the lip with the top covering everything. We have a rubber seal on the lower rim of the top which needs to be replaced. Both the body and the lid have a wood frame that the lift mechanism attaches to.
On our kayaks, we only put cloth on the joints but epoxies the entire surface in and out. I've heard that you should only fiberglass one side to let the wood breath, but that didn't seem to be a problem. Realistically, I don't see why you would need to epoxy the inside. You could just paint it.
|
|
|
05-18-2022, 11:59 PM
|
#14
|
Senior Member
Name: John
Trailer: Escape 21, behind an '02 F250 7.3 diesel tug
Mid Left Coast
Posts: 3,031
|
Plywood is heavy. I would shape some rigid foam, and fiberglass that, surfboard style. Use a polyester resin, not epoxy, it's easier to work with.
|
|
|
05-19-2022, 06:38 AM
|
#15
|
Senior Member
Name: Brian
Trailer: '73 & '74 Hunter
Oklahoma
Posts: 279
|
I agree with John about the weight consideration when you think about plywood. Try to judge how effective your lift mechanism is when bearing the load of the top. Maybe you could temporarily hoist the plywood on top and do some trial lifting to see what it feels like.
|
|
|
05-19-2022, 09:33 AM
|
#16
|
Senior Member
Name: Terry
Trailer: 1971 Hunter compact Jr, 1979 Terry 19', 2003 Scamp 16'
California
Posts: 201
|
I believe my Compact jr has a similar pop-up. The pop-up is all molded fiberglass of apparently the same thickness as the body. What gives the pop-up extra rigidity is a 1/4" sheet of plywood cut to fit the flat portion of the roof of the pop-up. The mechanism is bolted through both the fiberglass and the plywood. The ply wood is not adhered to the fiberglass and can be replaced.
If you use foam to build your form research what type to use. Resins will melt many. Even spray adhesive melts the common shipping type. There are types of foam that will work.
The last time I did any fiber glass work was 40 year ago, but if I had your problem I would go with fiberglass. It will last. It's not hard, but will be time consuming to get a nice job the first time. For something like this I generally think of building a form and fiberglassing over it, but for the best finish you build the form with as few imperfections as possible to fiberglass into. You spray the form with a release chemical first. YouTube had a lot of examples.
Form out will be much easier and faster, but harder to get a smooth finish.
|
|
|
05-21-2022, 10:52 AM
|
#17
|
Member
Name: Elizabeth
Trailer: TrailsWest
Washington
Posts: 61
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Brian G.
I agree with John about the weight consideration when you think about plywood. Try to judge how effective your lift mechanism is when bearing the load of the top. Maybe you could temporarily hoist the plywood on top and do some trial lifting to see what it feels like.
|
My approach to building this would be to build the frame (including the attachment points for the mechanism). Then attach to the mechanism and verify that everything is working correctly. This will allow you to verify the dimensions needed for the plywood/foam covering. You could also add weight test the mechanism and your ability to lift it. This will give you a good idea of maximum desired weight.
Depending on how you build the frame, you may not need the plywood/foam to add much stiffness.
__________________
Elizabeth in Eastern WA
|
|
|
05-21-2022, 06:14 PM
|
#18
|
Senior Member
Trailer: 13 ft Boler
Posts: 1,212
|
I would promote getting to know fiberglass.
Small repair kits can be had at hardware stores etc. Watch a few youtube vids get an old plastic bowl to use as a form and mix it up.
I think youll be amazed at how simple the stuff is.
I dont know the shape of what you need but alot of times something can be sectioned down and glassed together to make something else. Im thinking of a 'glass truck bed cover. A perfect example is my propane cover on the front of our boler. It started life as a truck canopy!
Browse through link in my signature, near the back of is the conversion fron canopy to tank cover. Any questions shoot me a pm.
Good luck with your decisions.
|
|
|
05-22-2022, 09:31 AM
|
#19
|
Senior Member
Name: Terry
Trailer: 1971 Hunter compact Jr, 1979 Terry 19', 2003 Scamp 16'
California
Posts: 201
|
Their is an extensive and detailed thread if you search for it. It was started by D White in 2010. It has 184 posts and is good place to start.
What can be used to repair flat sections is fiberglass shower material cut to fit very closely. It already has a good finish on one side. In your case it would also strengthen the top. I see them from time to time on community clean up days.
|
|
|
 |
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
|
|
Thread Tools |
Search this Thread |
|
|
Display Modes |
Linear Mode
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
|
» Recent Discussions |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
» Upcoming Events |
No events scheduled in the next 465 days.
|
|