Thermal Pack ripped!

[hoyden]

I think my thermal pack is getting caught when up and/or down and it's ripping. This is making me quite sad. Anyone have suggestions both on how to fix the hurt area and how to mitigate this?

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

Dawn, that looks like a rub issue to me. A top down while travel kind of event. I'd try putting some foam or another soft material on the cabinet edge to prevent abrasion when on the road.

 

[hoyden]

Hi!

I just put a washcloth there, but it moves around.
I have the memory foam I cut off the edge of my bed so maybe I'll see if that works.

 

[Wallowa]

Sorry for the rub through...but unless it tears completely the loss of any thermal properties will be negligible...this material was also used years ago in car covers. Really pretty tough stuff; but it doesn't handle abrasions all that well.

My right side [passenger] rear cover of the vinyl and thermal pack also binds and folds over the corner of the upper narrow cabinets when down...the lift panel actually pinches the materials between the panel and the cabinet top..so far I have yet to find a way to smooth out that area..pushing it up above the lift panel has not been successful, still working on a solution..the Velcro at the top holding the thermal pack in that corner is not really holding the pack tightly against the vinyl....left side rear above the ice-box lays flat and no pinching occurs.

Perhaps a small, thin sheet of fiberboard between the top of the cabinet and the edge of the lift panel would support the material and keep it out of the crease between the two.

My concern is more for the vinyl siding than the thermal pack.

Phil

 

[Stalking Light]

Do you close the 'latch' on the rear lift panel so it doesn't bounce around when you drive?


Charlie

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[hoyden]

Do you close the 'latch' on the rear lift panel so it doesn't bounce around when you drive?


Charlie

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All latches locked!

 

[Stalking Light]

Not the outside latches, the one inside by the mirror that keeps the folded rear lift panel from bouncing.

Charlie

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[PaulT]

Be sure that the thermal liner layer of the side window is velcro'ed tight. That would tend to keep random folds to a minimum.

Paul

 

[hoyden]

Stalking Light: Bother! I do often forget to latch that one! Argh! Stoopid user. (in fact, I just went out to check, and yep, forgot to latch it yesterday when I buckled up. Will make that a priority.)

PaulT: I've noticed that it seems to lack velcro around the corners. I tried adding some in, but the cheap stuff just 'migrated' when warm, so didn't really do any good. hm

 

[Stalking Light]

If you don't secure the lift panel it will bounce as you drive and rub on things, that may be your culprit.

 

[hoyden]

I am, apparently, my own worst enemy.

(at least as far as thermal pack ripping goes ;-) )

Hopefully, by locking that reliably from now on, the little damage already sustained is all that happens.

Thanks, Charlie!

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

Consider an iron-on or adhesive cloth patch over the affected area. My guess is that would keep anything from further fraying.

 

[Smokecreek1]

Nice !

Smoke

 

[hoyden]

Consider an iron-on or adhesive cloth patch over the affected area. My guess is that would keep anything from further fraying.

Great idea! (wonder if my neighbor has an iron I can borrow? ha!)

 

[Bombsight]

I have some very similar car cover material if you want to super glue it over problem area.

 

[hoyden]

I have some very similar car cover material if you want to super glue it over problem area.

That's not a bad idea. I don't have an iron, but I do have super glue!

 

[Bombsight]

I looked at mine just now and its very tight against my cabinet where the frame of the window is. One long washboard road and I will have the same issue. Thanks for alerting us all to the problem.

 

[Stalking Light]

Mine is tight against the cabinet too and I've been on many a washboard road with no signs of wear, but I always latch up my rear lift panel and use the bungee so nothing is really moving there.


Charlie

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[Wallowa]

The Thermal Pack at best is marginal help in keeping heat in or out of the camper [yes, we have one] and cosmetic damage or even a tear can be repaired and even if it isn't you will not be able to measure a thermal difference. The larger issue [See my #4 post] is the vinyl siding and window plastic behind the Thermal Pack in that corner. As described, in the right rear corner both materials bind [get pinched] between the edge of the upper cabinet and the lifting panel. Yes, leaving it un-latched will aggravate the wear in the pinched area but even when latched the materials can and often are folded, crimped between the lift panel and the cabinet. Normal bouncing/movement of the camper will abrade the materials at that pinched fold even when latched.

Soooooo, like on the left side above the ice box where the materials fold flat when the top is dropped since there is not enough space between the lift panel and the ice box top for the material to fold into; adding some form of a thin platform material between the top of the cabinet to the inside edge of the lift panel when it is lowered, that has enough rigidity to not allow the vinyl or thermal materials to fold down into the space between the cabinet and lift panel, should stop any undue wear on either material in this right rear corner of the camper.

But hey, I could be wrong!

Phil

 

[hoyden]

Mine is tight against the cabinet too and I've been on many a washboard road with no signs of wear, but I always latch up my rear lift panel and use the bungee so nothing is really moving there.


Charlie

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Bungee?