Gotta make a cover for my RTT. Material suggestions?

[Skillet]

The zip on cover that came with my 2nd generation RTT sucks. It gets wet when it rains. The 1st generation cover with the bungee around the bottom was much better and more durable.

I am going to have a new one made so I am looking for suggestions on good, tough, waterproof material...

Any ideas?

 

[MrWwindow]

Skill
I had a cover for a metal break that stayed outside ,made out of the same material that truckers use for their tarps.
Real heavy vinyl like stuff and in between is kinda like ripstop webbing, really strong and durable.
It lasted outside for 9 years before it cracked and turned color and brittle.
Come to think of it just today considered having another made!
Your local canvas company can make one for you I'm sure.

HTH
James

 

[Bogo]

Second the truckers tarp material, however I'll admit I don't use it.

For temporary waterproof tarps I use Ag-Bag* plastic as I end up with pieces of it leftover on the farm. The stuff is strong enough to stay put on a truck doing 80MPH down the highway. Also you can tie it down anywheres by just punching a hole in it and using rope to tie it down. I punch the hole about 6" in from the edge. Cost for a 9' diameter tube 200 feet long has been under $350, but it may go up due to oil prices. Exposed to the elements it has a 2 year life expectancy for holding silage. The smallest tube size I know of is 8' diameter by 150' long. For use in the back of my pickup or on trailers I'll lay a sheet on the bed pile my stuff in. Then fold the sides and back up over the load, and use twine to tie it together. Then I'll take the front flap over the top and tie it down to the tie downs. I'll still use straps as needed to secure the load. I've hauled some valuable antique furniture 1400 miles this way and had near constant rain without any getting in. To give you an idea of the strength of this plastic, if you securely hold a piece, and try to poke your finger through it, you will most likely jamb you finger. It is also good enough to bounce nickel sized hail. Oh yeah, it has a light side and a dark side. At the link above you can see one of the bags in use at the top of the page. As for getting rid of it when you are done, send it to your local incinerator. It burns real nicely when supplied with enough air.

 

[hydrogeo]

Surlast or Sunbrella would be my choice. These guys Industrial Fabric-Equip. Sales have a good selection of the kind of fabrics your looking for. The Surlast is probably a bit more abrasion and puncture resistant, the Sunbrella may hold up to fading a little better. Either way you can't go wrong. I'd stay away from cotton canvas as it tends to fade pretty quick in the sun.

 

[2ndGenToyotaFan]

Jeb, I have a piece of surplus military tarp that's about 10x10 feet, black on one side orangish tan on the other. I got it to make a soft top out of, but plans have changed, it's yours for $20 plus shipping, or you can pick it up if you pass by this way... Here's a pic of the whole thing before it was cut up.... Looks like a nylon/synthetic core that was rubberized....

 

[Skillet]

Jeb, I have a piece of surplus military tarp that's about 10x10 feet, black on one side orangish tan on the other. I got it to make a soft top out of, but plans have changed, it's yours for $20 plus shipping, or you can pick it up if you pass by this way... Here's a pic of the whole thing before it was cut up.... Looks like a nylon/synthetic core that was rubberized....

So, it is fairly waterproof?

I kinda like it.

 

[REZARF]

Sunbrella fabric- It is what I bought to make a new rain fly/awning for our RTT.

 

[Tentsontop]

x2 on the sunbrella.

 

[2ndGenToyotaFan]

I just pulled it out and did some measuring, there is some sort of attachment point (That has been trimmed off) a few feet in from one side that basicly has 2 pieces of nylon strap on either side that's sewed on. If you avoid that you can get a peice 6x10 with no defects, if you pulled the straps off and patch it up, the good peice is 8.5x10 ft once the seams and such at the edges are trimmed off, or maybe you'll want to use them... One side has a rope pocket (for sinching like you were thinking) sewed on with rope still in it...

It's currently going through a "water test" Lets hope that cats don't drink out of it.... My thought is it's fully water proof, but we'll see.

 

[2ndGenToyotaFan]

Water test: I tested one spot on a factory seam and got a small amount of seepage over a half hour (Size of a quarter...) that may just have been a weak spot..., and then checked a spot "in the field" for a half hour and there was none.

 

[MrWwindow]

Caution on the subrella!
It may last in the sun for lawn funiture and such but is not designed for any hiway speed of flapping in the breeze, it will chafe and get a hole in it.
Been there done that with my pontoon boat Bimini and covers. Driving down the road coverd mind you they buffet in the wind and chafe together and voila holes in both That was with them bungied so that would'nt happen. Looks nice but I still would go with the trucker tarp, done right it will out last and still look good.
James

 

[alia176]

is it easy to sew a cover out of Trucker's tarp? Wonder if the wife will kick my arse if I try to use her sewing machine!!

 

[SOCALFJ]

Im interested to see what you do Jeb, im on my second cover myself for the same tent.

 

[Mike S]

Hypalon is the material that inflatable boats are made of. Very Tough waterproof fabric. PVC is also good for this application.

Mike

 

[sirenmoses]

x2 on hypalon. find a local marine shop to do the sewing.

 

[alia176]

Siren,

PM me with shop info in the ABQ area if you got any names pls! Thanks.

 

[sirenmoses]

Done, w/ approx locations. Couldn't remember names, sorry.

 

[Skillet]

Well, dropped the old cover off today, having a guy make me a new one out of 1000 denier waterproof cordura. Gray / green color.

Lightweight, waterproof, extremely abrasion resistant rip-stop.

We will see how it turns out.

I will post pics when he is done.

 

[NorCalDoug]

yo...what's the price on the new cover?

I abraded mine to the point I got several holes in it. I was gonna get around to patching it, but you know how that goes.

In the mean time, NorCalSam wanted to borrow my tent cover so his mother (or mother-in-law) could sew one for his RTT using mine as a pattern of sorts.

Well...when I got my cover back, all the holes I had were patched up
A fully professional job too.

to NorCalSam and LittleBoss for making my POS cover more than usable again



but...knowing how easily these suckers wear, I wouldn't mind having an idea of the cost of a replacement.

 

[Skillet]

yo...what's the price on the new cover?

I abraded mine to the point I got several holes in it. I was gonna get around to patching it, but you know how that goes.

In the mean time, NorCalSam wanted to borrow my tent cover so his mother (or mother-in-law) could sew one for his RTT using mine as a pattern of sorts.

Well...when I got my cover back, all the holes I had were patched up
A fully professional job too.

to NorCalSam and LittleBoss for making my POS cover more than usable again



but...knowing how easily these suckers wear, I wouldn't mind having an idea of the cost of a replacement.

Don't have a price yet. I never ask this guy .

My Uncle uses him for his hot rods and he always says..."don't ask him how much until it is done." so I don't and the guy has always been more than fair.

I will let you know when it is finished.