Waterproof

[tpoole]

Hi all
I am drawing on the experience of those that have driven their soft tops in considerable showers or in rain over a period of time/ days. How waterproof are they. I have to purchase a new canvas and was thinking if they hold up in the rain then I will otherwise I might enclose it.

What are your experiences/ thoughts.

Is there a better/thicker grade of canvas or type of canvas that you would recommend.

Cheers
Tim

[usi]

I have driven mine in torrential downpour ran out of wiper speed and had to stop, no water ended up inside. slept in the back with various brackets jammed into my back and got out dry. also driven it with no canvas and all the water ended up in it and on me. I'm looking to have a bikini style canvas cover made up that will roll up onto the windscreen for quick redeployment with a light duty drop sheet to stop the rain getting sucked in from the rear onto the inside of the windscreen.

[Blknight.aus]

even in the hard tops.

landrovers are to waterproof as sieve is to bucket.

[ajge]

Hi Tim
My canvas leaked big time. Even the slightest shower water dripped through. Do yourself a favour and by some Joseph Lyddy Dry-Seal. Two coats inside and out. No more leaks (from the canvas) even in the heaviest rain.
I removed the canvas and washed it. After it dried in the sun coated twice inside and out. All good.
Regards
Andrew

[cummo]

Hi Tim (tpoole)
Not sure how bad your present Perentie canvas is – if it’scompletely shot then maybe a new one is the go. If it’s salvageable, like Andrew(ajge) I’ve just finished waterproofing the canopy on my GS Perentie and Ithought what I learnt may be of help.
My canopy had mildew marks inside and out; the truck wasbased in Townsville I think and that may have contributed to it. It also hadsome pinholes in the canvas aligned with the side rails of the roof rack – my guessis that water dripping from the rails made the mildew worse in these areas.

I removed the roof rack and pulled the bolts holding therack out of the ROPS frame, and then loosened the front canopy clamp and allstraps and rope so that I could access all the canvas surface while it sat onthe truck as it was going to be a one-man exercise, and laying it out onto aconcrete surface big enough to accommodate it wasn’t an option.
On the advice of a local canvas goods manufacturer I washedthe canvas inside and out with a solution of water and bleach at a 5 to 1 ratioa panel at a time. The external camo-painted surface was oxidised a bit - as aresult the mix gets real dirty real quick. Accordingly to stop just moving dirtaround I changed the wash mix a lot – I used almost 20 litres of bleach. Ifound some of the mildew marks come away, some faded out whilst some remainedno matter what. I used a Chux cloth to washdown; I found scrubbing didn’t getit any better than the cloth. Following washing I rinsed the canvas with cleanwater and let it dry.

I applied a coat of Joseph Lyddy Dry Seal to the canvas bothinside and out as per Andrew’s (ajge) advice, using a 3” paintbrush to work itinto the surface, all seams and all straps. It soaked up 1 x 1.7kg and 1 x 0.8kg tin of the stuff. I also waxed all the ropes with SnoSeal, a waterproofing wax for boots.
After letting it dry off I re-clamped the front end, re-installedthe roof rack bolts and rubber bushes (no roof rack atm), tightened all strapsand ropes and hit the road. The Dry Seal stiffens the canvas a bit and as aresult it doesn’t flap as much and is noticeably quieter (at least for now). Norain yet, but fingers crossed it’ll be worth the effort and hopefullyforestalled having to get a replacement canopy for a while. Good luck withwhatever you decide to do about your canopy.

Cheers, Dave