Flip Pac Fiberglass

[kevek]

Hey all Flip Pac owners...Just installed new Flip Pac and have a few questions.
1. The fiberglass on top of the pac, the part that springs over the hood, looks different than the glass on the sides. You can see the actual fibers. Normal?
2. When in the Flip Pac, on the sleeping pad, the fiberglass under the pad makes cracking noises under point loads like when I'm on my knees. Is that normal for new fiberglass? I'm concerned there may be a defect with the roof of the Pac since I can see the fibers in the glass and the glass itself is cracking when weight is applied to it.
3. Also does anyone have their Flip Pac set up where the struts (the ones that connect to the hood) carry slight load. I know they are only suppose to keep the Pac from closing shut, but my fender clips are mounted in an area where the struts at their current length are actually supporting the roof.

 

[VinceDee]

Hey all Flip Pac owners...Just installed new Flip Pac and have a few questions.
1. The fiberglass on top of the pac, the part that springs over the hood, looks different than the glass on the sides. You can see the actual fibers. Normal?

Not normal. The top fiberglass should look just like the main body fiberglass

2. When in the Flip Pac, on the sleeping pad, the fiberglass under the pad makes cracking noises under point loads like when I'm on my knees. Is that normal for new fiberglass? I'm concerned there may be a defect with the roof of the Pac since I can see the fibers in the glass and the glass itself is cracking when weight is applied to it.

Definitely not normal. The flip-pac bed should feel very solid under you. No cracking sounds.

3. Also does anyone have their Flip Pac set up where the struts (the ones that connect to the hood) carry slight load. I know they are only suppose to keep the Pac from closing shut, but my fender clips are mounted in an area where the struts at their current length are actually supporting the roof.

The struts will inevitably carry some weight in most cases...you just don't want them to be holding up the entire weight of the roof (and your own body weight).

-Vince

 

[suntinez]

Welcome to Expo! Post some pics when you get a chance.

1) My flippac has two rectangle shapes on the top of it that appear to have a different texture than the smooth sides. Since I had them paint it before delivery, I don't see the actual fibers. I'd take a pic for you but all you'd see at the moment is dirt. :costumed-smiley-007

2) When I had the mattress out of mine I heard alot of that cracking going on. Once in a while with the mattress in, I hear that sound if I'm kneeling in the middle of the mattress. VERY disconcerting, but no cracks developing (I looked), it feels solid, and Diane at FRP said no worries. I do still worry about it, but could just be the flex over a large area (mine's a longbed).

3) My struts lay almost flat so I got nuthin here.

 

[Nullifier]

Hey all Flip Pac owners...Just installed new Flip Pac and have a few questions.
1. The fiberglass on top of the pac, the part that springs over the hood, looks different than the glass on the sides. You can see the actual fibers. Normal?
2. When in the Flip Pac, on the sleeping pad, the fiberglass under the pad makes cracking noises under point loads like when I'm on my knees. Is that normal for new fiberglass? I'm concerned there may be a defect with the roof of the Pac since I can see the fibers in the glass and the glass itself is cracking when weight is applied to it.
3. Also does anyone have their Flip Pac set up where the struts (the ones that connect to the hood) carry slight load. I know they are only suppose to keep the Pac from closing shut, but my fender clips are mounted in an area where the struts at their current length are actually supporting the roof.

I used to work for a composite company and can tell you this. A large flat composite surface hooked to a hinge will flex a fair amount . This not abnormal and I would expect a fair amount if eeking and creeking to be normal.

As for "seeing the fiberglass", this is usually a product of up to 3 things. First is that some colors are very transparent like red or yellow for example. They can be difficult gelcoat colors to spray and hit the sweet spot between a little thin and transparent, and to thick where it will alligate during the curing process. This is caused when gelcoat is sprayed to thick. Heat builds up and will seperate the gel from the mold causing a nasty scaly appearance which is time consuming to fix. This is why companies love to shoot in white it is easy to work with. what color is your unit? if it is a transparent color then it is really hard to yell about a blem imo. It is truely the nature of certain gelcoat colors.

Now they may have just shot the gel to thin despite the color as option 2

Another option could be that they forgot to lay down a light 6oz. layer when they laminated it. Thick 10-20oz. or mat layers are very rough and can absorb enough gelcoat into the weave that it will create a slightly textured surface and i mean slightly. If you can feel the glass then this is most likely your problem and is a definate blem. Most likely more cosmetic then structural depnding on the rest of the laminate.

So for what it is worth from a guy who does not own a flippac but worked in composites. :costumed-smiley-007

 

[Bella PSD]

Sound normal to me. Or to put it better, mine does the same if I walk on top of it when the roof is in the closed position. Mostly when I kneel down and rest on one knee, I get a little bit of a snapping sound. I have only noticed this inside the flip when it’s opened up and I have the mattress out. Same sound as when I walk on the outside closed up. But when the mattress is in and I kneel down on one knee the mattress must be enough to distribute the weight to not make the stress popping sounds.

I now have a 3’x3’ flat ¼ board a set on the roof to walk on. Works fine. I can even jump or bounce the truck around with no popping sound.

I am considering some kind of a thin/light covering on the outside or inside.(bathroom vinyl wall covering maybe??) Manly to make it easier to walk on top of the camper.

Louie

 

[kevek]

Thanks for the responses. I'm a concerned about this...I had the Pac shipped new to the East Coast and it was a large purchase for me so I'd hate to think it was defective...I wonder if Flip Pac would warranty something like this?

I've posted some picts of the fibers that you see on the top portion of the camper. These fibers are not visible on the sides or anywhere else of the body of the camper. This thing makes cracking sounds like crazy even when on the mattress. It literally sounds like I'm stepping on pine cones. My girlfriend, who has had a wildernest, questioned the construction when she first say the Pac and then got very wide eyed when she heard the Pac make cracking noises even under her weight. I'd like to give Flip Pac the benefit of the doubt here, and chalk this problem up to just being new fiber glass, but perhaps it's not...that's why I wanted to ask other owners of their experience with a new Flip Pac/Fiberglass before I spoke with Daine

As you can see in the attached picts, the pack was painted Toyota's Darker Gray color and the fibers show through. The Flip Pacs are originally gel coated white but I've never seen the top view of other Flip Pacs so I don't know if the way mine looks is normal or not.

Suntinez, my Pac also has those two rectangle shapes you were talking about. This is where all the texture/fibers are. Bordering and separating these two textured portions, the glass gets more smooth...I think you can see this in the picts I attached.

Nullifier, what do you think about the construction by looking at the picts. Red Flags?

Vince, Louie... you guys are really familiar with the Pac. Have you seen any newer versions? I wonder if they have changed the construction a little which would cause the glass to look like this or make these noises. I wonder if it sounds so bad because it's just new.

Thanks again guys.

 

[elcoyote]

Thanks for the responses. I'm a concerned about this...I had the Pac shipped new to the East Coast and it was a large purchase for me so I'd hate to think it was defective...I wonder if Flip Pac would warranty something like this?

I've posted some picts of the fibers that you see on the top portion of the camper. These fibers are not visible on the sides or anywhere else of the body of the camper. This thing makes cracking sounds like crazy even when on the mattress. It literally sounds like I'm stepping on pine cones. My girlfriend, who has had a wildernest, questioned the construction when she first say the Pac and then got very wide eyed when she heard the Pac make cracking noises even under her weight. I'd like to give Flip Pac the benefit of the doubt here, and chalk this problem up to just being new fiber glass, but perhaps it's not...that's why I wanted to ask other owners of their experience with a new Flip Pac/Fiberglass before I spoke with Daine

As you can see in the attached picts, the pack was painted Toyota's Darker Gray color and the fibers show through. The Flip Pacs are originally gel coated white but I've never seen the top view of other Flip Pacs so I don't know if the way mine looks is normal or not.

Suntinez, my Pac also has those two rectangle shapes you were talking about. This is where all the texture/fibers are. Bordering and separating these two textured portions, the glass gets more smooth...I think you can see this in the picts I attached.

Nullifier, what do you think about the construction by looking at the picts. Red Flags?

Vince, Louie... you guys are really familiar with the Pac. Have you seen any newer versions? I wonder if they have changed the construction a little which would cause the glass to look like this or make these noises. I wonder if it sounds so bad because it's just new.

Thanks again guys.

Those aren't fibers showing through. That is a pattern from the mold to give it a leather look. Exactly the same as mine. Don't worry, nothing defective, all by design.

 

[suntinez]

Those aren't fibers showing through. That is a pattern from the mold to give it a leather look. Exactly the same as mine. Don't worry, nothing defective, all by design.

Yep that's what mine looks like too. Leather huh? Never knew that

 

[VinceDee]

Those are not fibers, man, that's just the texturing that they did to the Pac. If that's what you were talking about then don't worry about that. The cracking sound would worry me, though, but I have a feeling that it's probably something to do with it being new.

-Vince

 

[kevek]

Talked with Diane over at Flip Pac...she must be getting tired of fielding my calls at this point. Heres the deal:

1. She confirmed the texture on the top is just that...texture. She says it's for snow and ice although it's kind of entertaining to think of it as faux leather. I think I would have preferred ostrich though.:ylsmoke:

2. Cracking sound...she says it's not the fiberglass cracking but the foam insulation between the fiberglass shells. She says that this will go away over time...I guess as the foam gets more and more compressed? It's pretty sketchy sounding, but apparently all good. Whew!

 

[suntinez]

I seem to remember her saying something like that to me also about the foam. My flippac is about to have its 2nd birthday, and I hear it less now than before - for whatever that's worth :elkgrin: - and no cracks.

So you gonna keep it? Hope so, post some pics, we like pictures. And always interested to see what the inteior build turns out like.