Bungee cord thingies for canvas on the lift panels

[shellback]

Rebuilding a 79 Grandby and there were no lift panels, but there were some eye's on the canvas for the bungees. Looks like there were 3 for each lift panel, and 2 others for each side. I surmise that the lift panels should have a hole drilled thru the lower panel up near the hinge, and the bungee pulled tight to the lift panel. Could anybody walk me thru this? I took some fabric and made up some tabs which I used some webbing a sewed a D ring to the tab. My plan is the use H-66 vinyl cement to glue the tabs to the side panels. For the lift panel ones, I'm thinking of using the short small bungees with the loop and plastic ball. I can untie the knot at the ball, thread the bungee thru the D ring and out thru the hole in the lift panel. Not sure how snug I should pull the bungee. When I know the proper tension, I can re knot the bungee. I don't for see the plastic ball interfering with anything on the inside of the lower lift panel. Would appreciate any direction I can get for this project. Thanks, Ron

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

Ron, I'm miles away from my camper, but I believe the front and rear cloth panels are riveted (well sealed) to the lift panels. I'm not familiar with what you're describing about the bungles and plastic balls. My only bungies are the two that pull in the sides when lowering the top. Maybe someone with a camper similar to yours can chime in. The best person to talk to would be a member of the ATC team.

 

[PokyBro]

Hi Ron,

Ron,

I didn't capture this in my thread, so no pictures. I went to the fabric store (ex Hancock Fabric) and picked up some 1" flat elastic strip, used for waste bands and such, for cheap. I cut them to about 3 inches in length and riveted them to lift panels facing the outside of the camper. I used a rivet washer on the elastic strip side to give it more grip. I estimated where to drill a hole through the center hinge, about a foot in on each side or so, and one in the center. when I installed the liner, and after I connected it to the roof with the outside ring installed, and before it was attached to the camper body below, I reached up and felt and looked where the elastic strips were located, and drilled a small 1/8" hole through liner and used a 1/8" rivet, with a rivet washer on the back of the elastic strip, and squeezed the elastic and liner together around the rivet, put the washer on and pulled the pneumatic rivet gun trigger to tighter the rivet. I was able to get the rivet into the elastic strip about 1 1/2" from the lift panel. its a little tricky because you can't really see what you are doing, but with patience you can get it done. Mine seems to be working well, and the linner folds with the panels as it should. Hope that makes a bit of sense and helps.

Poky

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

Poky, thanks for bailing me out!

 

[PokyBro]

Wandering Sagebrush suggested drawing a diagram, so here's an attempt at that, in relation to what I described above. Hope these photos are big enough to see.
I didn't show it, but there would actually be 2 rivets used. One at the top of the elastic strip, attaching it to the lift panel, and a second at the bottom of the elastic strip which attaches the liner.

 

[shellback]

Ron, I'm miles away from my camper, but I believe the front and rear cloth panels are riveted (well sealed) to the lift panels. I'm not familiar with what you're describing about the bungles and plastic balls. My only bungies are the two that pull in the sides when lowering the top. Maybe someone with a camper similar to yours can chime in. The best person to talk to would be a member of the ATC team.

Thanks! That may be how mine was done from the factory. On some places on the old liner there are rings, and other places a rusty stud. I imagine the rusty stud was a rivet for attaching at the lift panel. I'd like to avoid any penetrations of the sidewall.

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

Poky, thank you! I see how that works now. From just looking at the finished product on my Bobcat, it looked like the lift panel and vinyl were riveted directly to one another. What you did makes a lot of sense to reduce wear on the vinyl.

 

[shellback]

Image1506742837.532166.jpg

Image1506742837.532166.jpg

Wandering Sagebrush suggested drawing a diagram, so here's an attempt at that, in relation to what I described above. Hope these photos are big enough to see.
I didn't show it, but there would actually be 2 rivets used. One at the top of the elastic strip, attaching it to the lift panel, and a second at the bottom of the elastic strip which attaches the liner.

Thanks Poky, just the info I needed! I had made up tabs with D rings to glue to the sidewalls. I think I'll throw them in the scrap bin. If I can fit them, it's gotten pretty full during this project. LOL! I may try this, buy the elastic that you used, sew it to some 3x3 vinyl tabs, glue them to the side wall, then rivet them to the lift panel. Less holes in the liner, and that H 66 is some pretty good stuff.