Damaged James Baroud rooftop tent worth fix ?

[daluobo]

Hello all, my friend drove my vehicle to a covered parking garage and lose the battle... I was out of the states and when I heard the news I was like getting a heart attack. The solar fan was badly bent and some holes on the top (the part covered in duck tape) , cracks all over the place...
Not sure what to do now.. send pics to boat repair shop and they said would be at least $2500 worth of work. I have 0 experience with repair fiberglass but some youtube videos out there seems maybe can get it a try, but the cracks are all over the place... If to list in the FB market I might can get it sold for a few hundreds.

I live in Seattle area and it rains a lot. I am planning to do some longer trips this summer and really worried about if it will hold up if not fix properly. Maybe getting a new tent is a better idea? What will you do if you are in my shoes ? Thanks in advance for your input.

 

[Fishenough]

Great tents, regular camping friend has the same.

How do you like sanding? Lifetime of repairing boats, can say that would be repairable. Lots of prep, ensure the shape and structure are exact, carefully layup and resin mixing, and then more sanding, and then carefully painting. That's incredibly simplified, but the boat shops quote seems fair, there's a lot of labour.

Oh and dust, lots and lots of dust.

 

[acg]

Replacement fan:

New Solarmade Sunvent SVT-224S Solar Ventilation Fan Stainless Steel w/ Battery 21419566277 | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for New Solarmade Sunvent SVT-224S Solar Ventilation Fan Stainless Steel w/ Battery at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

I've replaced my original Baroud fan with this one. Exact replacement.

 

[OverlandNA]

There is the dust, toxic fumes/ horrible smell.
Use a NIOSH approved respirator.
Check with Baroud to see if a replacement roof is available.

 

[JackW]

I kind of ran into an overhanging tree with my Maggiolina a few years ago. Here's how I fixed it:
First I took a die grinder and opened up the cracks so I could fill them with a two part epoxy filler.





Then I riveted a strip of stainless steel across the back of the gap and filled the crack with two part epoxy filler - let it cure and sanded it smooth. I fixed a few other small cracks and filled in the holes where the roof rack had been mounted as well.
The roof rack was another victim of an earlier encounter with an overhanging tree.







Them overlaid a couple of layers fiberglass cloth and painted on some fiberglass resin.



Then sanded everything smooth and rolled on some textured bedliner paint that matched the Land Rover.



then we reinstalled the roof tent using a friends two post lift (cheating)



It was all pretty easy for someone who was enlisted as a kid to help his dad and some buddies to build some fiberglass sailboards.
Total cost of repair including the special paint - under $150.

 

[MogsAndDogs]

I kind of ran into an overhanging tree with my Maggiolina a few years ago. Here's how I fixed it:
First I took a die grinder and opened up the cracks so I could fill them with a two part epoxy filler.

View attachment 788183

View attachment 788184

Then I riveted a strip of stainless steel across the back of the gap and filled the crack with two part epoxy filler - let it cure and sanded it smooth. I fixed a few other small cracks and filled in the holes where the roof rack had been mounted as well.
The roof rack was another victim of an earlier encounter with an overhanging tree.

View attachment 788185
View attachment 788186

View attachment 788187
View attachment 788188

Them overlaid a couple of layers fiberglass cloth and painted on some fiberglass resin.

View attachment 788189

Then sanded everything smooth and rolled on some textured bedliner paint that matched the Land Rover.

View attachment 788190

then we reinstalled the roof tent using a friends two post lift (cheating)

View attachment 788191

It was all pretty easy for someone who was enlisted as a kid to help his dad and some buddies to build some fiberglass sailboards.
Total cost of repair including the special paint - under $150.

Thanks for the detail. I am curious how the fiberglass mounted roof rack held up. I am thinking of getting an Evasion and want to mount crossbars and solar.

 

[blacklbzbeauty]

I would file an insurance claim, have the repairs/replacement done by a professional, and have your friend cover the deductible.

 

[JackW]

The roof rack on the Maggiolina was a pretty light duty tubular aluminum perimeter frame with some vertical uprights at the front corners. It had gotten snagged on a vine and twisted even before I ran under a low branch and thoroughly bent it. Since I only used it one time in eight years I figured removing it and plugging the mounting holes with the epoxy was the right solution.

 

[CMARJEEP]

Have you contacted JB to see if they can send out a replacement lid and how much it would be? It might be more reasonable than you think.

 

[daluobo]

Have you contacted JB to see if they can send out a replacement lid and how much it would be? It might be more reasonable than you think.

I contacted them and they don't seem to mention that is a option. They have helped me get a quote from the repair shop for about $2500~ $3000

 

[daluobo]

I kind of ran into an overhanging tree with my Maggiolina a few years ago. Here's how I fixed it:
First I took a die grinder and opened up the cracks so I could fill them with a two part epoxy filler.

View attachment 788183

View attachment 788184

Then I riveted a strip of stainless steel across the back of the gap and filled the crack with two part epoxy filler - let it cure and sanded it smooth. I fixed a few other small cracks and filled in the holes where the roof rack had been mounted as well.
The roof rack was another victim of an earlier encounter with an overhanging tree.

View attachment 788185
View attachment 788186

View attachment 788187
View attachment 788188

Them overlaid a couple of layers fiberglass cloth and painted on some fiberglass resin.

View attachment 788189

Then sanded everything smooth and rolled on some textured bedliner paint that matched the Land Rover.

View attachment 788190

then we reinstalled the roof tent using a friends two post lift (cheating)

View attachment 788191

It was all pretty easy for someone who was enlisted as a kid to help his dad and some buddies to build some fiberglass sailboards.
Total cost of repair including the special paint - under $150.

Thanks for sharing! I'm got motivated. I am thinking if I can get away this summer with RV roof tape to cover the holes and do a permanent fix during winter. Maybe the best way to dealing massive hairline cracks on the gel coat is to sand down the entire area and do the new coat altogether ?

 

[daluobo]

Replacement fan:

New Solarmade Sunvent SVT-224S Solar Ventilation Fan Stainless Steel w/ Battery 21419566277 | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for New Solarmade Sunvent SVT-224S Solar Ventilation Fan Stainless Steel w/ Battery at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

I've replaced my original Baroud fan with this one. Exact replacement.

Thank you! I have replaced the fan with a white plastic variation product. One question though, have you done anything to the air ventilation channel that under the top cover? I have noticed the OEM fan has some black silicon there but not sure if they just use it for the area that facing front to block water leaking while driving. I have put silicon all around then I realize it does not make sense , then I had cleared out the backside and hopefully no leaking.

 

[revrok]

You have gotten some great advice. The only option I would add is Flexseal Spray which comes in white and black and is very effective at sealing cracked fiberglass. I would glass over the larger holes, but the fine cracks will not even be visible after 2 coats of Flexseal.

 

[daluobo]

You have gotten some great advice. The only option I would add is Flexseal Spray which comes in white and black and is very effective at sealing cracked fiberglass. I would glass over the larger holes, but the fine cracks will not even be visible after 2 coats of Flexseal.

It looks very easy to apply and the results seems promising. I will give it a try . Thank you!