Hope someone can help, fairly new to camping and just bought a trailer with a hard top as with all the kids in the car we can't fit the tent in as well !
doing some minor repairs to the trailer and realized that the hard top is brittle and has a small split in it but also the surface seems to be flaking worried about whether it's going to be waterproof as we need to store the camping gear inside it.
Does anyone know how to repair the split and also whether we should be treating the hard top with something to stop it being so brittle and flaking. Thank you.
the split is an easy one to repair, by getting a cheap plastic bucket and then cut out the size you need x 2 place one patch on the inside and then the other on the outside and "stitch it together using cable ties, you can use sealant between the sheets to maintain waterproofing,
as for the flaking, well thats due to the sun on it and drying out the plastic, the flaking can be stopped by heating up with a hot air gun, then you could try painting/spraying it over with plasticote but keep to a silver colour as black will just get way to hot
Hard tops are usually ABS plastic or sometimes GRP, it sounds like yours is really on its last innings with UV (Sun) damage and has denatured to an excessive extent.
Best to avoid putting any additional holes in it as they will be initiating points for further cracking in an embrittled material, far better to stick patches over the cracks (make sure patches do not interfere with its fit with body!) to reinforce them.
You may be able to extend its life a little longer if you prep and paint it to reduce further UV damage, choose the right type of paint, some will attack the plastic! https://paintguider.com/how-to-paint-abs-plastic/
As mentioned above, a light colour is preferable to a dark colour to minimise how hot it will get in the sun.
Whilst the top may well be waterproof, many trailer bodies are NOT! They were never built with entirely waterproof joints, and some wicking/leakage may be expected. Various methods have been used by folks to waterproof leaky bodies, from totally dismantling and reassembling with sealant on all the joints, to overtaping joints with something like aluminium duct tape. What suits your trailer best depends on its construction. Always good to have some drainage in the base just in case some water does enter, otherwise it may fill to some depth! Best to ensure any drainage points cannot allow rodents in as they may wreck your camping gear when stored!
Quote: Originally posted by Monty15 on 24/3/2024
Whilst the top may well be waterproof, many trailer bodies are NOT! They were never built with entirely waterproof joints, and some wicking/leakage may be expected. Various methods have been used by folks to waterproof leaky bodies, from totally dismantling and reassembling with sealant on all the joints, to overtaping joints with something like aluminium duct tape. What suits your trailer best depends on its construction. Always good to have some drainage in the base just in case some water does enter, otherwise it may fill to some depth! Best to ensure any drainage points cannot allow rodents in as they may wreck your camping gear when stored!
i didnt get the feeling that they where talking about the trailer in any way really, just the hard top of it, and its not unlike a roof box. another thing i would be doing is to put a proper cover over the lot, esp when not in use if stood outside, but also when on the move too as that will take the worst of the weather but also ease some of the pressure from the wind on it when travelling
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Topic: Trailer hard top repair
via mobile 24/3/2024 at 9:37am
