$150 Flip Pac Build (sort of)

[labbe66]

Any progress updates on the fiberglass repairs?

I have found a Flip-Pac locally that I am looking into purchasing. The sealant is missing around the hinges and I can tell things are a bit rusty. I haven't investigated too thoroughly eyt but i would like to know what it would take to fix the hinge if it blows out like yours.

Thanks!

 

[ntsqd]

Mike,
I hope Red87 doesn't mind me detailing the process that we've worked out. The end of the 'key' (if you will) is inserted inside of a rectangular steel tube that is laminated length-wise into the top section. In Red87's case the key and the tube rusted out and broke loose. I machined the key & the CRS blank to make a lap-joint weld, rather than a butt-weld, to extend it back to were I guessed the original length might have been. Going longer didn't seem like an issue and was a bonus to the application, so I wasn't too concerned or particular about OAL.

The next step is to drill the tube and thread the key to bolt them together. I'm hoping that we'll get to that this weekend. I'm planning to add some spacers to the outside of the tube around the holes so that the bolts will tighten directly onto the tube and not onto any composite. Then the job is to cut out the old tube remains and laminate the new one into place.
Note that the top portion of the shell is itself a two piece assembly bonded together. It appears to have some form of honeycomb material between the outer surface and the inner surface that the mattress lays on. This failure has already disturbed that, but if you're starting from less damage you may have that to contend with as well.

The way that the tube is placed in the top section and the way that the key attaches to it is what prompts me to caution owners that missing sealant should be addressed promptly. That is assuming that all are built the same way as this unit. If you can get light down into the gaps then look for rust in there. I'd also tilt it 1/2 way (straight up) and see if any water works it's way out. That would be a big indicator to me that it need more probing. Not sure about the anchor (pass.) side. Can't easily tilt it & can only assume that it is built the same way.

 

[red87]

Couldn't have said it better myself

 

[homemade]

The picture looking at the inside front of your flippac with the window partially removed and the carpet pulled back seems to show bare plywood. Is the lower portion of the flippac plywood covered on the inside with carpet and on the outside with a thin skin of fiberglass? If so, how thick is the plywood? Is the roof (which becomes the floor of the bed portion) a plastic honeycomb material with thin skins of fiberglass or is there plywood in the roof also? Thanks for the information, forums like this are often the only way to get any in-depth information about products without a manufacturer’s spin. The more I see of the flippac construction the less I like it, at least at the prices they command.

 

[ntsqd]

Quite contrarily, I've been impressed with what I've seen of their construction. Given a blank sheet I don't know how I might do the torsion assembly differently. With reasonable preventative care I don't think that this would have become the problem that it is.

 

[Bella PSD]

I have ripped apart my Flip Pac to build the rear camper door and other things and I have to say, the Flip Pac is build very, very well.

Louie

The more I see of the flippac construction the less I like it, at least at the prices they command.

 

[red87]

The picture looking at the inside front of your flippac with the window partially removed and the carpet pulled back seems to show bare plywood. Is the lower portion of the flippac plywood covered on the inside with carpet and on the outside with a thin skin of fiberglass? If so, how thick is the plywood? Is the roof (which becomes the floor of the bed portion) a plastic honeycomb material with thin skins of fiberglass or is there plywood in the roof also? Thanks for the information, forums like this are often the only way to get any in-depth information about products without a manufacturer's spin. The more I see of the flippac construction the less I like it, at least at the prices they command.

The yellow color is from the carpet adhesive I believe; the shell is 100% fiberglass. Also, it's good to keep in mind that my shell in particular is of a similar vintage to my truck (late 80s). It took 20+ years for the shell to fail in the way it did with the PO's poor maintenance. I wouldn't have any of the problems I'm having if he had replaced the sealant around the hinge at some point and replaced the weatherstripping when it wore out. When I picked it up, it was just sitting in the dirt with mice "evidence" all over it. One of them chewed up the mattress too to make himself a nice little bed.

 

[homemade]

The yellow color is from the carpet adhesive I believe; the shell is 100% fiberglass. Also, it's good to keep in mind that my shell in particular is of a similar vintage to my truck (late 80s). It took 20+ years for the shell to fail in the way it did with the PO's poor maintenance. I wouldn't have any of the problems I'm having if he had replaced the sealant around the hinge at some point and replaced the weatherstripping when it wore out. When I picked it up, it was just sitting in the dirt with mice "evidence" all over it. One of them chewed up the mattress too to make himself a nice little bed.

Thanks for the clarification, the picture seemed to have the color and texture of plywood.

 

[red87]

Sadly, the time has come for me to sell my flip-pac. My recent trip to death valley has shown me that the flip-pac isn't for me and I'm just tired of it being broken. I'll be posting it up the classifieds shortly.

Linky to the for sale thread: http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=598469#post598469

 

[FlatBlak]

Sorry to hear that. Your build was one of the main factors of my purchase. I have rebuilt a lot of things, cars, trucks, rv's, houses, etc. The FP's of this era with the double rear doors are most definately in need of a complete restoration. My rear doors were completely rotten and a few other things needed attended to.

If parts were more easily accessible I would have done more to mine. However I am over trying to deal with the poor service from the Flip Pac company. I am going to try AT and hope for the best.

Good luck with the sale, hope someone here picks it up. It is an ingenious design and absolutely perfect for my application, not everyone's, but for me I would even consider buying a new one if this one doesn't hold up.