Trailer cover (1 Viewer)

[alia176]

Dudes,

Got a question on trailer/camper cover. My local surplus store has two kinds of really nice material for a cover: one is a waterproof heavy tarp and the other is a super heavy canvas material. Of course both are dark olive color. The canvas material is sorta oily and I'd guess to be about 18 oz canvas material.

My question is which one would hold up to the hot sun abuse up here at 7,000' elev? I'm more interested in sun UV protection than rain/water protection.

Thanks a bunch.

 

[alia176]

labor day bump!

 

[titanpat57]

I'm going out on a limb and go with the heavy canvas. Most plastic tarps (barring fiberglass) will break down from the UV...esp. at 7,000. A good oiled heavy canvas will last for years with a little care, far longer than a plastic tarp, and probadly longer than a good vinyl one too!!! Hell, I didn't even know they still made a good quality oiled canvas....ask that dude if he ships to NY....lol.

Just my 2 cents, Pat

 

[alia176]

Ok, that's what I thought.

I assumed that most military surplus store can acquire the oily canvas, but perhaps not!

Thanks.

edit: the waterproof tarp feels very "rubbery" to me if that's worth noting.

 

[TEXASLAWMAN]

Using canvas tarp as transportation cover, like truck cover. When canvas covers or tarps are tied down and used as truck covers or truck tarps, canvas covers and tarps may tear. This is because tension force on the canvas tarps can be well over a few hundred pounds when trucks are moving at over 65 miles per hour on highway and canvas tarps may not withstand that type of force. For covers or tarps to cover goods on your trucks, please consider our high tear strength 18 oz Coated Vinyl Tarps. From mytarp.com

 

[gavman]

I would definitely go with the canvas, I have a few tarps similar to what you describe and love them, and they take amazing abuse for a canvas material...

 

[TEXASLAWMAN]

I wanted to go with canvas myself but mytarp.com seems to think the canvas will rip at highway speeds.... Im looking into a sunbrella tarp like the ones on the canbacks covers... Anybody out there have a canvas tarp that regulary sees 80 mph on the highway and dosent rip???

 

[Bossman]

I wanted to go with canvas myself but mytarp.com seems to think the canvas will rip at highway speeds.... Im looking into a sunbrella tarp like the ones on the canbacks covers... Anybody out there have a canvas tarp that regulary sees 80 mph on the highway and dosent rip???

I never found one that would do 8o mph but the old Duce and a half trucks we ran around in in the AF years ago had oiled canvas tarps covering the cargo area and I can't remember ever having one rip.

 

[TEXASLAWMAN]

Talked to a local tarp/awning company they are going to make a 5 side 18oz coated vinyl top. Its what they use to make 18wheeler tarps. The owner used it to make a soft top on his jeep that has been on there 5 years now.

 

[taquito971]

What are they charging for a custom tarp? I've been trying to decide whether I should just get one of the replica canvas M416/M100 tarp on ebay, a custom one locally made, a generic "close enough" tarp, an original M101 CDN tarp, or now a custom tarp from mytarp.com It's hard for me to justify a $100 bucks for a tarp, but maybe that's the price to play the game.

Brian

 

[TEXASLAWMAN]

Mine is going to be close to $200 I think. That gets me the thick material, a custom fit over the rack and around the 4 tent mounts, 4 roll up sides with rain flys sewn in, gromets at least every two feet, and the hooks to match the gromets installed on the trailer. Its not just to cover the lid I would get a generic canvas top for that mine has a rack pic below. He said leaving it outside everyday should take 5-6 years before it starts to get brittle. So that works out to $40 a year I can live with that. He also has matching color patches if something does tear. And the shop is only a few miles from my house.

 

[sseaman]

that seems like a reasonable amount

 

[taquito971]

Not bad deal at all. I always like the safari roll-up sides. Very nice.

Brian

 

[Box Rocket]

I'm debating this issue as well. I plan on building a steel cover for my trailer soon but I might need a tarp cover for a short time while I figure out my lid. I've been going back and for between canvas and other material. The heavy vinyl sould like a good option. My main concern is anywhere it overlaps corners on the tub. Those can be sharp and really put some stress on the material, especially at highway speeds.

Hopefully this isn't much of a hijack of the thread but I think it closely relates. Could some of you share pictures of how you are tie-ing down your canvas/tarp covers on your trailers? I'd like to get some ideas on what works.

 

[TEXASLAWMAN]

For pictures of canvas covers do a google image search of militay troop covers. As soon as I get the vinyl one ill take pics. I can tell you this the guy took a 4" x 4" peice of the vinyl cut it half way with a knife then gave it to me and asked me to finish tearing it. I couldnt.

 

[CO_Hunter]

I just picked up this trailer this past weekend. The canvas frame sits on the bed and it is all held down by the ties, the canvas frame is not connected to the trailer. It has been in storage recently but the guy said he made several trips (highway) with that cover shown with no problems at all. I'm guessing the vehicle blocks a lot of the road wind. He included the smaller tarp thats sits nearly flush on the top of trailer on the ribs (one can be seen in the photo). He put foam pipe insulation on the canvas frame to protect the canvas. I'm not sure yet if I'm going to keep the canvas as I'm thinking of making a locking lid for security (people and bears).

 

[TEXASLAWMAN]

Yep thats almost exacly what Im going for just add a roof top tent to the mix!!! Thanks for the pics!!!

 

[taquito971]

That's a pretty nice setup.

Brian

 

[CO_Hunter]

Selling tall canvas cover for M416

Trailer cover in post 16 is for sale. I'll be posting in for sale section but figureed it may be better exposure for trailer folks here. I'm in CO.

What I'm wanting to sell is the the canvas and cage, including the frame that fits around the bed rail. The bows on the inside for the more flush mounted tarp is not for sale, yet. Based on what I've seen others discussing $250 seems a fair price as the canvas is like new, may consider trades. Nice youth 20ga pump shotgun?

The conduit is not screwed to the fittings, the canvas really holds it all in place. The fittings are welded together to form the hubs. The cage then sits on 1.5 X1.5 1/8 angle steel welded at the corners and that fits on top of the tub rails with the vertical leg on the outside edge of the tub. There are vertical fittings screwed into the angle that then joins the angle frame with the conduit cage. The measurements on the frame are 54 x 78 3/4 on the inside. Hope all this makes sense.