Canvas puking away from top

[larrie]

My E350EB has a older version of the CCV top. The mounting board for the canvas has started pulling away from the top in one area, see photo. I talked to CCV and they suggested using hot glue to reattach it. I asked about using construction adhesive instead. They were not sure it would work.

Has anyone else had this problem, if so how did you fix it?

Any suggestions on a construction adhesive that I can use.

Any suggestions for a commercial grade hot glue gun that can lay down a wide bead?

Note: “adhearted” in the photo should be “adhered.”

[REF]

And I also assume you meant “pulling” instead of “puking”……ha
This happened to ours as well, they have changed the design a bit since the early ones, with a thicker more structured, inlaid wood strip.
You’re going to want to partially open the top, about 2/3rds up, to allow some give on the canvass, remove the aluminum strip around that area that holds the canvas to the fiberglass top, enough so that you have all tension off of the wood strip that’s split and so that the canvas has enough give to create a gap large enough to the outside to get some clamps to fit through.
Clean out the old adhesive, get some structural or flooring adhesive, liquid nails will work and a few clamps.
Squeeze in a good bead of adhesive, enough to cover all surfaces and so that a little oozes out of all sides when you clamp it. Firmly clamp, don’t over crank it so that all the adhesive squeezes out, just some, clean up the edges before it dries. Let it cure over night and pull clamps.
Reattach the canvas, line it up properly and try to hit the existing screw holes, once you get one or 2, the rest go fairly easily. Adjust pop top height as needed. Use some spray adhesive to reattach any loose headliner.

[E-350]

I’m coming from the adhesive industry. I personally would not use a hot glue here. I assume the stress due to flexing of your Van is fairly high. In addition you have quite a temp range to cover going from freezing in winter (perhaps heading to Washington) to high temps in summer (SoCal).

In addition larger area and fairly large thermal expansion mismatch.

And where do you have a similar situation?
On your windshield.

I would therefore go with Sika Tack Safe. That’s also used in a high stress application.
Only thing I’d watch out for: on the outside, where UV can attack, you don’t want to have too much adhesive peeking out.
The MS polymers used today are not as sensitive to UV than the formerly used polyurethanes, but still react a bit with UV.

[REF]

Ya, I’ll follow up with also saying I wouldn’t use hot glue either, not really sure why they would even suggest that. E350, this is all inside, not exposed to uv. My fix is still holding strong using the same method I described above, I believe 1der also used the same method to fix his split backing strip.
You also might have to add a few more screws through the aluminum strip in that area if any of the screw holes are blown out, I also think we went with a slightly larger screw when CCV removed the canvas to repair the window screens.

[1der]

yes, as REF said, our top started to experience separation of the strip of wood that is glued to the interior surface of the fiberglass top. The sole purpose of this piece of wood is to provide a material which the screws holding the upper edge of canvas can bite into. Snd unless the canvas is unreasonably taught there really is very little force or stress applied to the strip itself.

REF's description of the fix is exactly what I did. A strong construction adhesive as E-350 recommended and clamping is needed to reattach the strip to the top. Hot glue is not going to work in this application.

[larrie]

Thanks for the encouragement and directions on how to do it. The SikaTack Safe 30 looks like an interesting product. Just need to find a supplier, it is not on Amazon.

[1der]

This worked fine for me:


Home Depot has this or equivalent by Sika

[larrie]

We are finely scheduled for two straight days of dry weather after five weeks of mostly wet weather. The dry days should be long enough for me to work on this.

Decided to use Sika Pro Select Extreme Grip polyurethane construction adhesive from Home Depot. It is so sticky that it would not squeeze out of my manual caulking gun. I cut the tube open and spread a thin layer on with a putty knife. Once it was spread I added clamps to hold it in place.

[REF]

That there’s a smorgasbord of clamps!

[shenrie]

taken the clamps off yet? either way, what a pita hoping this isn’t in my future as well, but at least I have a plan of attack if it does. appreciate the input gents.