Nah, spend most of your time putting the bit back either in the ratchet or back in the screw head, bite the bullet, wash your hands & push the offending material out of the way..... I say!
What's this plastic tack strip thingy, please? Should I order a new one, reuse existing one, or does it come with the new canvas?
It's a white strip 3mmx 25mm I think I would get a new strip. It's a soft bendy plastic that's not brittle
To do it properly the roof needs to come off. You fix the canvas to the frame the wrong way. The plastic strip goes over it so the canvas then hides the strip as it hangs down.
I heard mention of taking the roof off, can you elaborate, please. I am a bit confused about "fix canvas to the frame the wrong way"...
I bought a Jaffa one 15 years ago made by the same ladies in the original westy sewery . Never fitted it as never got round to it .. cost a fortune
I am genuinely intrigued by this....how do you then get the plastic strip seen to the canvas at the bottom to sit nicely under the aluminium strips, also how do you tension the canvas?
I left the roof not quite upright only by a inch or 2 it is then quite tight but not too much, I wasnt concerned about the plastic at the bottom, the metal holds the material well enough. Here his an early done correctly (in my opinion) so the material covers the plastic strip. http://thelatebay.com/index.php?threads/westfalia-roof-canvas-fitting-guide.10843/page-2
I fitted an NLA one - roof off and upside down, folded it over on itself to hide the plastic trim and then fitted it with canvas dangling. I found it to be slightly larger at the base and has to bunch it up in the corners and cut some of the plastic piping but its a good quality piece of kit. Mind you you'll want to kill yourself when led down on the top bunk tring to screw down the trim at the very rear (especially corners) - try to do it on a dry but colder day or you'll lose 1/2 stone in sweat.
I took the bed out - only takes a few minutes. Was yours a central lock roof, or has the two hook locks things, one each side?
They are as stated above a flat 2mmx25mm extruded plastic strip, cost about £1.75 each but you usually have to buy in bulk (online anyway).
Of a 1" white plastic strip?? I have some, how many do you need? Well actually you need 3! Two for the sides & one cut in half for the front & rear. I would imagine p&p would be prohibitive though which is why they sell in lots of 25
Happy to buy some, just don't know what I'm looking for . I am trying to avoid having the roof of the Bay all exposed while I collect all the parts required, so whatever I can get ready in advance is worthwhile... Is is just a simple 1" wide flat plastic strip? Perhaps I am over thinking this.....
I reused the original plastic strip but JK usually sell it in 10 metre lengths (back in stock in 14-21 days, if you believe their website). https://www.justkampers.com/253-070...-roof-canvas-t2-1968-1979-t25-up-to-1985.html It has to be a roof off job, it would be very difficult to staple the strip under the canvas otherwise and impossible if the bottom is screwed to the bus first.
Yes I just searched 1" extruded plastic strip & chose what I needed, I can't remember who from, sorry.
Mine was a central catch. Taking the bed out would have been more of a ball-ache as it also meant dropping the headbanger - I suffered in silence.