Hi all. My name is Jim and I am new to big caravaning. How do you fix the anti flap support clip to a fibreglass van. I feel self tappers and pop rivets might not hold. Any suggestions?
Yuglamron said
04:07 PM May 28, 2018
My Motor Home has fibreglass composite walls. Fibreglass outer wall Polystyrene core and a Plastic inside wall.
Virtually all the clips, brackets on my MH are Pop riveted on with a sikaflex base. Haven't had a problems and it's now 12 years old. I did have two Locker door clips that broke. I drilled out the rivets and used a single sided razor blade to cut off the Sikaflex. Riveted the new ones with a slightly larger rivet. Still no issues.
Daryl620 said
07:09 PM May 28, 2018
My clips are screwed into sail rail that holds the top of the awning.... does that help?
iana said
08:15 PM May 29, 2018
I have a fiberglass walled van, and if I were to do that job, I would get some aluminium plates cut, rivet the bracket to the alloy plate so the head was against the fiberglass wall (countersunk), then glue the plate to the caravan wall with Sikaflex. Glue has strength with area, screws and rivets have little strength through fiberglass.
WAssa41 said
09:25 AM May 30, 2018
There is a special rivet you can get for fibre glass which folds out like a peeled banana and spreads the load.
wassa
jx2mad said
09:02 AM Jun 20, 2018
Thanks for suggestions. However I was just wondering how the anti flap devices that loop around the top spreader bar go. Jim
Delta18 said
10:02 AM Jun 20, 2018
jx2mad wrote:
Thanks for suggestions. However I was just wondering how the anti flap devices that loop around the top spreader bar go. Jim
They are not actually attached to the van. As you said they loop around the spreader bar then clamp to the awning material.
jx2mad said
12:39 PM Jun 20, 2018
Thanks, but what I meant is are they as good as the fixed ones
Kebbin said
12:54 PM Jun 20, 2018
jx2mad wrote:
Hi all. My name is Jim and I am new to big caravaning. How do you fix the anti flap support clip to a fibreglass van. I feel self tappers and pop rivets might not hold. Any suggestions?
You could try load spreading rivets as Wassa suggested.
jx2mad said
03:47 PM Jun 20, 2018
I think I will start again. S far as I am aware there are two type of anti flap devices.The first type clamp onto the edge of the awning and are attached to the van and roller. The second type loop around the spreader bar and attach to the sides of the awning. Is the second type as good as the first or should I just get the first type?
KevinC said
09:08 PM Jun 21, 2018
The long ones that support the entire length of the awning are the best. The short ones (maybe less than a foot long) are OK if there's no wind. But then why would you bother. There's a huge price difference, but in my opinion there's no contest
Hi all. My name is Jim and I am new to big caravaning. How do you fix the anti flap support clip to a fibreglass van. I feel self tappers and pop rivets might not hold. Any suggestions?
My Motor Home has fibreglass composite walls. Fibreglass outer wall Polystyrene core and a Plastic inside wall.
Virtually all the clips, brackets on my MH are Pop riveted on with a sikaflex base. Haven't had a problems and it's now 12 years old. I did have two Locker door clips that broke. I drilled out the rivets and used a single sided razor blade to cut off the Sikaflex. Riveted the new ones with a slightly larger rivet. Still no issues.
My clips are screwed into sail rail that holds the top of the awning.... does that help?
There is a special rivet you can get for fibre glass which folds out like a peeled banana and spreads the load.
wassa
They are not actually attached to the van. As you said they loop around the spreader bar then clamp to the awning material.
You could try load spreading rivets as Wassa suggested.