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Old 10-11-2018, 06:04 PM   #11
Orv
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I don't normally go crashing through the brush, but I do handle communications work for rally races on occasion, so encountering a low branch on a forest road is always a possibility. It's probably not worth worrying about, to be honest, but I don't like the idea of stressing that old fiberglass by drilling it and then putting a point load on it.

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Old 10-11-2018, 08:40 PM   #12
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I don't like the idea of stressing that old fiberglass by drilling it and then putting a point load on it.

I completely agree, Fiberglass is strong, but easy to damage.

Anyway, have you ever been to the Big White winter rally in Kelowna? I'm going to that one.

https://carsrally.ca/rally-events/bi...-winter-rally/
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Old 10-11-2018, 08:57 PM   #13
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I haven't -- I've never ended up doing one in Canada. I did the Lake Superior Pro Rally a couple times when I was in college -- that was what got me into rally to start with. Once I moved to Washington I helped with the Olympus Rally several years, as well as a few other local ones like the Doo Wop Rally and Wild West Rally. Now that I'm settled in down in California I'm looking to get back into it.
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Old 10-12-2018, 05:24 AM   #14
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VHB tape is an interesting thought. I've never used it in exterior situations. Does it really stand up to weather? It would have the advantage of being able to attach to fiberglass without drilling it and creating a potential stress point.
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Dude, people use it to mount solar panels without screws in a van and rvs roofs,
this tape is used to hold windows in buildings... I know I was skeptic when I read that, then I tried myself and I was impressed by how strong the bond is.
Is the same stuff in gopro sticky mounts.... easy to use just peel and stick, super hard to undo...
As always preparation of the surface is really important, but you'll probably rip the paint\primer off the metal sheet before the foam in the tape gives you a chance to peel a corner, give it a try.
I use it for everything even at home.
3M's VHB tape has a few formulations so there should be something suitable for your ultimate bond strength goals. Yes it is substantial stuff, some enclosed utility trailers have their side and top panels attached using VHB instead of rivets.

I use VHB GoPro mounts to re-attach mandated dash cameras to the windshields of FedEx Ground big trucks---when installed correctly it just doesn't come loose without significant for or action. Yes it has the potential to remove paint but 3M also makes a few solvents that would be automotive friendly able to remove the adhesive without damage.

FWIW when I'm applying it I'll thoroughly clean both surfaces to be free of all dirt and debris including greases etc. Right before applying VHB I'll clean both surfaces with alcohol but immediately wiping it away with a clean paper towel---if alcohol is left to dry in place a white film is left behind which can prevent a good firm bond.

VHB forms a quick bond with firm pressure to set it in place. Within a day or so that bond is significantly strengthened to the point it won't come loose all on its own.

HTH
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Old 10-12-2018, 12:38 PM   #15
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Thanks. I also found a post in the forum on solar panel mounting with VHB that had good information on tape formulations, etc. It's not quite the same application -- solar panels have gravity holding them down and the tape only acts in shear -- but after looking up some specifications for peeling strength I think it will work.

I'm leaning toward mounting to the fiberglass with VHB, which will spread out the load a bit and avoid creating any stress concentrations. Wiring will probably follow the example of the existing TV coax, which comes inside at the top of the canvas and is simply pulled inward by the bungies as the top goes down. This'll avoid penetrating the roof in a spot that's exposed to weather. My testing shows these lamps draw about 700 mA each so the wiring doesn't need to be very beefy.

I think my next step will be to get some VHB and mount one of the brackets, to verify it's going to be strong enough. (If not I'll need to increase the surface area.) The lights aren't heavy but I want a substantial safety factor to allow for vibration, since I expect to be on washboard road sometimes.

This is also giving me excellent ideas for mounting my backup camera.
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Old 10-23-2018, 07:56 PM   #16
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So, the suggestions here guided my thinking toward VHB tape. What I ended up doing was making an L-shaped bracket out of aluminum to sit at the upper edge of the fiberglass top, touching both the roof and the side. By putting tape on both sides of the L, the normal weight and vibration forces put the tape only in compression and shear. This avoids the "peeling" mode where the tape is weakest, which would be the primary mode if I just stuck the bracket to the vertical part of the fiberglass. (It's a significant difference; ~9 lbs peel vs. 22 lbs shear for one square inch, if I remember right.) It also spreads out the stresses, and avoids the point load that would happen if I drilled and bolted to the fiberglass.

Each leg of the L is about three inches, and it's quite solid. I'm pretty sure the hardware holding the lamp to the aluminum bracket would pull out before the tape gave up.
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Old 10-23-2018, 10:10 PM   #17
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That sounds like a good solution. Post some photos of the completed project when you get a chance.
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Old 10-24-2018, 04:35 PM   #18
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Mounted ON the PH top...guesstimate it doubles illumination by 2x when top is up...wiring is on both sides with cover...so far no kinks etc...uses one of my dash toggles...reverse lights (two floods) accidentally wired to be able to use another one of my toggles (whoops) and front floods in bumper
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Old 12-06-2019, 12:21 PM   #19
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Guess I never did follow up on this.


Here are pictures of the bracket design I used, and a (not very good) picture of one on the van. This setup has held up fine for over a year now, including some driving on rough gravel roads.


The lamps themselves are "Nilight" brand 18-watt, six-LED off road lights. These are like $25 for 4 at Amazon. My expectations weren't high, but I figured for that price I didn't have much to lose. They've worked out very well. They're extremely bright, but with a very sharp edge cutoff, which is nice for illuminating my campsite without annoying my neighbor. I'm using one over the side door, one over the rear door, and one underneath the rear bumper as a reverse light. None have any dead LED chips or any condensation inside, not even the reverse light that gets spray and mud from the rear wheels.
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