Installing awning rail on 1976 Scamp

[Nancy.]

Anyone know how to pop rivet an awning rail onto a fiberglass trailer? Must you remove the elephant skin where the pop rivet enters or can you go through the elephant skin and fiberglass with one of those nuts on the end on the rivet on the interior ceiling. I am just concerned about the insulation being a problem.

[alan H]

Originally Posted by Nancy.

Anyone know how to pop rivet an awning rail onto a fiberglass trailer? Must you remove the elephant skin where the pop rivet enters or can you go through the elephant skin and fiberglass with one of those nuts on the end on the rivet on the interior ceiling. I am just concerned about the insulation being a problem.

I was lucky I guess
After a lot of careful measuring I was able to use stainless steel bolts and all of the nuts are hidden inside of cabinets

It worked out great
No rivets / no insulation

My trailer was a Perris Pacer
That I wish I never sold
Huge windows

[floyd]

I installed an awning Rail on my 1973 LoveBug.
I used rivets which were the right length to reach through the rail and the fiberglass only. I then coated the backside of the rail with silicone and carefully drilled through the fiberglass without going through the elephant hide. Then simply riveted the rail to the shell. There was no noticeable impact on the elephant hide. It did stretch a little when inserting the rivet but rebounded as the rivet was compressed.


I probably used more rivets than needed out of caution, but we installed a bag awning and left it in place during towing.


This project was done many years ago and is told from memory.
I do remember that I could afford to be careless with the drill when the rivets went inside the closet!

It was odd but every time I left home or a campsite, the bag would flip up and lay above the rail. It would then just stay there until the next time it was deployed....

[Bob & Jackie C]

Originally Posted by Nancy.

Anyone know how to pop rivet an awning rail onto a fiberglass trailer? Must you remove the elephant skin where the pop rivet enters or can you go through the elephant skin and fiberglass with one of those nuts on the end on the rivet on the interior ceiling. I am just concerned about the insulation being a problem.

We use stainless steal bolts hidden in cabinets. Works great and no leaks or rivet failure.

[Gerry]

Years ago I replaced mine on my old boler and just use rivets into the fiber glass but on the front and rear ends I used SS bolts with fender washers and acorn nuts on the inside for the extra security around the bend of the roof line.

[mary and bob]

Originally Posted by floyd

It was odd but every time I left home or a campsite, the bag would flip up and lay above the rail. It would then just stay there until the next time it was deployed....

I had the same problem with the bag awning on our Uhaul 13, it would flip up when traveling. I eventually decided to slide it off the rail and put it in the pickup bed when traveling. Before installing the new awning rail with rivets I did an experiment with a 2 foot piece of rail on a piece of fiberglass that I had cut off the trailer for another mod. If I put proflex under the rail piece and held it there with two rivets I could move it on the fiberglass. With no sealer the rail was tight and couldn't be moved. I did put sealer on the rivets.