Pop Top Canvas Repair

Andrew Wilkinson

Andrew Wilkinson

Member
Hi guys, we have a T6 with a Hilo roof fitted. We love the roof and have just been to Scotland in superb weather. Waking up in the roof in sharp sunlight we noticed tiny pinholes in the canvas where the zips are sewed in. Does anyone know of a product which can seal the holes? We're concerned that we might get water seeping in when Scotland returns to its normal weather!
 
Tiny holes in canvas are ok and probably won’t equate to water ingress. Some of the holes may even disappear as the canvas weathers and the fibres swell. I’d leave it and see how it is when it gets wet before worrying and trying to fix anything.
 
Andrew Wilkinson said:
Hi guys, we have a T6 with a Hilo roof fitted. We love the roof and have just been to Scotland in superb weather. Waking up in the roof in sharp sunlight we noticed tiny pinholes in the canvas where the zips are sewed in. Does anyone know of a product which can seal the holes? We're concerned that we might get water seeping in when Scotland returns to its normal weather!
Click to expand...
I have just had a Hilo installed and have the exact same thing. It’s just where the stitching goes through as it needs such a big needle to do it. If it leaks then you could just spray some waterproofer over the area. The sort of stuff you can buy in Millets to re-proof tents etc.
I however have an even bigger problem in that I couldn’t get my roof to lock down properly last week when we were away, so it was going up and down like the proverbial fiddlers elbow. On one of those occasions, as the air was starting to turn blue and the red mist was descending I must have not been quite as thorough at tucking all of the fabric in, as the nearside got nicked in the scissor hinge and put two holes in it.:mad:.
Now gonna have to get that fixed.

Out of interest who installed your roof @Andrew Wilkinson? Also, do you struggle to pull yours back down? Does it freak a lot when driving? And finally is it steel or one of the brand new Aluminium versions?
Cheers.
 
Hi DavyB, My roof was fitted by Crystal Custom Campers near Leeds. It doesn't creak when on the road and I'm really pleased with the quality of the roof. It is one of the new aluminium ones.
Last weekend we did have a problem when the roof wouldn't drop into place properly but we put that down to very tight tolerances it being exposed to really high sunshine thinking that maybe there was a tiny amount of expansion. It was cured by a light adjustment to the tie-down/T-bar.
Does your roof canvas not have the elastic system to put the canvas away from the hinges when it lowers?
 
Andrew Wilkinson said:
Hi DavyB, My roof was fitted by Crystal Custom Campers near Leeds. It doesn't creak when on the road and I'm really pleased with the quality of the roof. It is one of the new aluminium ones.
Last weekend we did have a problem when the roof wouldn't drop into place properly but we put that down to very tight tolerances it being exposed to really high sunshine thinking that maybe there was a tiny amount of expansion. It was cured by a light adjustment to the tie-down/T-bar.
Does your roof canvas not have the elastic system to put the canvas away from the hinges when it lowers?
Click to expand...
Interesting that yours is Alu as well, mine creaks terribly. Yes it has all the straps, and they were done up, so gawd only knows how it got pinched.
 
Who fitted yours? Mine is very quiet, I haven't heard any noise from it at all despite about 300 miles of Scottish B roads last weekend. Sorry to hear that.
 
DaveyB said:
I have just had a Hilo installed and have the exact same thing. It’s just where the stitching goes through as it needs such a big needle to do it. If it leaks then you could just spray some waterproofer over the area. The sort of stuff you can buy in Millets to re-proof tents etc.
I however have an even bigger problem in that I couldn’t get my roof to lock down properly last week when we were away, so it was going up and down like the proverbial fiddlers elbow. On one of those occasions, as the air was starting to turn blue and the red mist was descending I must have not been quite as thorough at tucking all of the fabric in, as the nearside got nicked in the scissor hinge and put two holes in it.:mad:.
Now gonna have to get that fixed.

Out of interest who installed your roof @Andrew Wilkinson? Also, do you struggle to pull yours back down? Does it freak a lot when driving? And finally is it steel or one of the brand new Aluminium versions?
Cheers.
Click to expand...
Hi, did you manage to repair your HiLo canvas tear? We did similar thing with ours. Didn’t pull the final bit of canvas far enough forward and the handle that locks it in to place has put two small holes in it. What did you use?
 
Hi @Ann, waiting to hear back from the installer over their recommendations in how best to resolve this. Thing is it is all related to issues associated with how difficult it is to rehouse the roof. So gonna have to wait and see how it all pans out.
 
DaveyB said:
Hi @Ann, waiting to hear back from the installer over their recommendations in how best to resolve this. Thing is it is all related to issues associated with how difficult it is to rehouse the roof. So gonna have to wait and see how it all pans out.
Click to expand...
Okay. I may contact HiLo direct to see what they recommend to do to repair it.
 
We sound like we're grumbling a bit but it has to be said that they're a fantastic bit of kit and still the best looking roof on the market. :)
 
Andrew Wilkinson said:
We sound like we're grumbling a bit but it has to be said that they're a fantastic bit of kit and still the best looking roof on the market. :)
Click to expand...
I do not disagree at all, in that as far as I always was and still am, concerned, these are fantastic roofs. That is why I went for a Hilo.

I personally don’t think I am grumbling though, others may disagree - so be it. All I am trying to do is explain factually my findings relating to my new roof, to try and identify how to fix it. I know these “teething” issues will get rectified one way or other and I am working with the installer to get to this point. That is why I deliberately haven’t pointed any fingers of blame nor named the installer (because at this time I have nothing to blame them for). If the installer can’t figure out what is wrong then I will take it directly to Hilo. I am working to try and figure out if it is something relevant to it being the brand new aluminium product, as everyone I have spoken to with the steel unit say it is easy to rehouse and it doesn’t creak. That is also why I asked if yours is alu, which has thrown me off a bit as I was thinking that it could be down to the gas struts needing to be lighter weight units as there is not the same dead load in a steel roof compared to an aluminium one. But thanks for sharing that yours is fine, as it reinforces that what I am experiencing isn’t normal, if that makes sense.
Talking to one of the chaps at the installer today on the phone they thought that there may be an adjuster on the gas strut to alter the damping force. If that is the case then that could resolve that part of the issue. If not i’ll get it escalated to Hilo to discuss and come and measure the force it takes to pull it down, but I am not exaggerating when I say that I am literally hanging all of my 15st off the grab handles and it won’t rehouse. I know that I am one of the first people to have the Alu unit as I requested it specifically and before Hilo were marketing it, so by me identifying these teething issues and working with the fitter/ Hilo, as far as I am concerned I am feeding back real life test data to them to ensure others get it right first time.

I love the roof, the scenic canvas, the low profile; everything. At the end of the day I am a realist (even though I do have high expectations and requirements) and know the roof is bound to creak when the van is transitioning between extremes of body roll and twist. Let’s not kid ourselves we’ve had the solid rigid metal roof removed, it’s bound to creak in certain manners of use. But even based upon some of the pretty shocking A-Roads and motorway surfaces that we are plagued with in this country, I really don’t think that those roads would qualify as being those to provide such an extreme (unfortunately mine creaks constantly on the motorway - yes in a straight line before anyone pipes up and says that since it’s a white van it’s undoubtedly snaking back and forth between all three lanes plus the hard shoulder:p).

Really glad yours doesn’t creak though @Andrew Wilkinson, gives me something to hope for. Don’t suppose you fancy swapping vans for a bit......:whistle:;)
 
Hi @DavyB, I'm sorry that you're having teething troubles but pleased to hear that you have confidence in the support you're getting from your fitter and Hilo.
As I said, mine doesn't creak at all. I agree that bringing to roof down is a bit of a struggle and my wife has real problem with it. When we picked up the van after the fitting we were asked if we wanted the gas struts to be adjusted (let some gas out) so I assume that there must be adjustment somewhere.
Good luck with getting it sorted.
Thanks for the offer of swapping vans but I'll give that a miss, cheers. :thumbsup::)
 
Gas struts often (usually?) have an (Allen key) valve that you can use to release some of the gas and soften them up. Be careful doing it on a hot day though as you may end up releasing too much gas, ie. temperature will affect the pressure of the gas meaning that when the temperature drops the struts may not exert enough force to hold the roof up.
 
Thanks.
@Insert Coin, don't let anything said in this thread put you off. The roof is fantastic. The panoramic canvas is superb and the profile of the van with the roof down is exactly what it should be. I wouldn't change the decision. :)
 
Andrew Wilkinson said:
Thanks.
@Insert Coin, don't let anything said in this thread put you off. The roof is fantastic. The panoramic canvas is superb and the profile of the van with the roof down is exactly what it should be. I wouldn't change the decision. :)
Click to expand...

No problem, just interested to see how the installer and manufacturer deal with it. :thumbsup:
 
@Insert Coin, totally agree with @Andrew Wilkinson, it’s a great product, stealthy when down, enormous when up, with the ability to use the roof as a panoramic viewing/ suntan gallery.

Yes there is always teething issues, and it generally is always me that finds them (just like having a Propex heater that is permanently telling me that it is either under 10v or over 15v and therefore won’t work; even though my battery monitor is reading around 13.5v!!!!).

Just had a call from my installer saying that they are equally discussing with Hilo. Trying to work it that I can get the van over to them as Hilo are actually due to see them on a different matter this week, so really want to be able to stand there with both of them and get it addressed.
 
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