Holey moley......

[B.A Eauty]

Hi, i have hole in the hi top to my autohomes komet, it's where the awning rail has pulled away. Doesnt look too great!! Best solutions to sort it as water is creeping in through it.cheers darren.

[jimpainter]

Fibreglass.

[B.A Eauty]

Cheers for that, is it a case of stick a strip over or fill it, can you recomend a kit? Does it come in white?

[1664]

I think this is one of those occassions where a couple of photos would come in useful

[B.A Eauty]

erm, not sure how to pop em up, i know you have helped me out in the past, can you oblige 1664? i will send em to ya.

[billybigspud]

to get it white it needs to be gel coated. as said before, put up some pics. open a photobucket account and upload to that then copy and paste the img code. lots of threads on how to do it.

[1664]

erm, not sure how to pop em up, i know you have helped me out in the past, can you oblige 1664? i will send em to ya.

Well yes, but have a go yourself first (you're gonna have to learn eventually)

Open a Photobucket account. Up load your photo(s). Hover your cursor over the image you want to paste into your post and a drop down menu of choices will appear. Left click on 'Image code' (second up from the bottom of the list) and the word "Copied" will briefly appear. Simply paste the copied code into your post text and the picture will (should) appear when you click post 'Preview' or 'Submit'.

If after trying you still can't, send them to me and I'll pop them up..........

[B.A Eauty]

Ok THINK I'VE GOT IT, THE AWNING RAIL HAS PULLED THE POP RIVET ALONG WITH SOME OF THE PLASTIC, THE HI TOP LOOKS MORE LIKE IT'S MADE OF PLASTIC THAN FIBREGLASS??? HERE'S THE PIC HOPEFULLY, IF THIS WORKS WILL STICK A PIC OF THE KOMET UP TOO.

[B.A Eauty]

THE GANG IN GLOUCESTER.

[DavidPallister]

If you're looking to reattach the awning rail, personally, I would drill out the offending rivet from the rail, and bolt it back on with a big washer on the back to spread the load, and seam sealer between rail and outer surface to ensure a good water tight join.

If you're looking to ditch the rail, then a patch of fibre glass on the inside to cover the hole and give a solid base, then fibreglass filler on the outside, and repaint it (and do the same with the rest of the holes)

Dave

[1664]

If you're looking to reattach the awning rail, personally, I would drill out the offending rivet from the rail, and bolt it back on with a big washer on the back to spread the load, and seam sealer between rail and outer surface to ensure a good water tight join.

If you're looking to ditch the rail, then a patch of fibre glass on the inside to cover the hole and give a solid base, then fibreglass filler on the outside, and repaint it (and do the same with the rest of the holes)

You can't access the back of the fibreglass due to the inner trim/cupboard construction. First question is do you actually use the awning rail? I suppose you must do since it's parted company with the fibre glass. I must admit I haven't paid much attention to the rail as I don't use mine but I've always assumed it was stuck on - certainly looks that way on my van - and I've had the outer fibreglass skin completely off. Note the lack of screws/rivets under the hole for window.

[1664]

Mine is definately stuck on - some kind of double sided adhesive strip. Since you won't be able to get behind the fibreglass I'd remove the rest of the screws, take off the rail, fill that hole, thoroughly clean before running some double sided tape and using the remaining screw fixings to refix the rail.

That's what I'd do at any rate. Bare minimum is fill the hole to stop water getting in...........

[billybigspud]

buy some p40 fibre glass filler and fill it with that then redrill the rail in a different place and rerivet it there. try to get the p40 as smooth as possible but you can sand back if you need too.

[B.A Eauty]

Thanks for suggestions, will cover it until i can take the lot off, the rail could do with being abit higher up in all honesty, getting a paint job over the winter so can do the filling and painting then i guess. Darren.

[VWGeoff]

buy some p40 fibre glass filler and fill it with that then redrill the rail in a different place and rerivet it there. try to get the p40 as smooth as possible but you can sand back if you need too.

I agree with you on that advice. Ashame you cant get behind it and apply fibreglass matting to strenghen it. Which I did when putting new hinges on my poptop. Don`t under estimate the strengh of fibreglass. Use big washers, as advised above.