20' Series New weather seal on Expanda bed end - HELP PLEASE!

[Flossymk1]

I was in at the dealer earlier sorting out a few things re my new van, and whilst there they pointed out that my van has the apparently "new" weatherproof seal on the bed end. I was all excited until I realised that the new seal is going to make installing the waterproof bed end cover basically impossible....

I took a couple of quick pics so you can see what I mean -

Sorry I didn't get a good close up shot as he was kinda rushing (maybe you can zoom in?), but you can that the new seal goes around the bottom edge of the lid, which is where the waterproof cover is supposed to go. I then asked how where they going to put it on and I don't think they really knew - the dealer started talking about it possibly being installed several cms closer to the actual bed end, to which I said no way, as if it was too close to the bed end canvas then it would render the cover useless due to seepage, and also the fact that it would look stupid as well..

Anyway I super stressed about it now, and asked the dealer to let me know their plans BEFORE they start drilling any holes..

Does anyone else have the new seal on their van, and if so do you also have the waterproof bed end cover?

Or alternatively does anyone have any ideas about how the cover can be attached?

Any help/advice would be much appreciated!!

 

[achjimmy]

Flossy long before anybody had bed end covers I made my own. They went on sail track that was fitted to the inside of that ridge on the lids. (The ridge where the press studs go) they worked okay there so I wouldn't stress to much. Actually if you think about it they would be more waterproof than the sail track on the outside, plus you could use alloy sailtrack not the plastic stuff. I am presuming they are the bed end covers like people have been fitting for a few years now?

 

[Marv_mart]

I don't see why. Attach it like this and it shouldn't be an issue. It is also how Jayco BEFs are attached.

 

[Smirke]

So that's what dagree found out for us. I thought it was a new lid, and was told there's no new lid so was stumped, but that's obviously what he meant. Damn! Also, our hws will be like yours. Apparently a new regulation. Not happy about it, but our guy is trying to get the battery moved so we have some more space.

 

[Flossymk1]

I don't see why. Attach it like this and it shouldn't be an issue. It is also how Jayco BEFs are attached.
View attachment 27590 View attachment 27591

Your rubber seal runs along the inside but mine runs along the actual end of the lid and comes up the outside (I hope that makes sense) - or are you saying you actually moved the seal?

 

[Flossymk1]

So that's what dagree found out for us. I thought it was a new lid, and was told there's no new lid so was stumped, but that's obviously what he meant. Damn! Also, our hws will be like yours. Apparently a new regulation. Not happy about it, but our guy is trying to get the battery moved so we have some more space.

Yeah too late for us re the hws - I took a pic of the cupboard where the hws used to be, and it's now more shelves -

 

[Marv_mart]

I see what you mean, ask the dealer how they would attach Jayco BEFs. I reckon it can still be done but would need a much closer look especially how much space there is to fit between Lid and body of the van when closed. Doesn't look like there is a lot of room, again, ask them how they would fit the Jayco BEFs, that should give you the answer.

 

[Flossymk1]

Flossy long before anybody had bed end covers I made my own. They went on sail track that was fitted to the inside of that ridge on the lids. (The ridge where the press studs go) they worked okay there so I wouldn't stress to much. Actually if you think about it they would be more waterproof than the sail track on the outside, plus you could use alloy sailtrack not the plastic stuff. I am presuming they are the bed end covers like people have been fitting for a few years now?

Do you have any pics @achjimmy? And yes I mean the bed end covers like the Holiday Annexes, Kakadu and new Jayco ones

 

[Flossymk1]

I see what you mean, ask the dealer how they would attach Jayco BEFs. I reckon it can still be done but would need a much closer look especially how much space there is to fit between Lid and body of the van when closed. Doesn't look like there is a lot of room, again, ask them how they would fit the Jayco BEFs, that should give you the answer.

Thanks @Marv_mart, yeah I've emailed the dealer to ask what their plan is, and to let me know before they start.

 

[Smirke]

Yeah too late for us re the hws - I took a pic of the cupboard where the hws used to be, and it's now more shelves -
View attachment 27592

Oh well, I guess they think we need more cupboards! Will be interesting to see how they put the new covers on the bed ends. We decided to just stick with the other type. If necessary I'll Velcro plastic ones to the outside. Luckily we head north for 99%of our holidays!

 

[Marv_mart]

Thanks @Marv_mart, yeah I've emailed the dealer to ask what their plan is, and to let me know before they start.

Yes, insist on that! Any chance of you getting in to speak to them and show you personally to ensure there is sufficient space between BE and BEF? If there isn't, you are correct, there will be an issue with seepage if they touch.

 

[Flossymk1]

Yes I hope they can sort it @Smirke - we will have the normal mesh ones on the van as well, which will stay attached like they normally do. But we really need the waterproof one as well for the rain up here - with our previous van every time we went away it rained and the beds got wet..

 

[achjimmy]

Do you have any pics @achjimmy? And yes I mean the bed end covers like the Holiday Annexes, Kakadu and new Jayco ones

These are the best I have, cropped out of some holiday snaps. They are baggy and loose because they weren't patterned to hang from the sail track but from the press studs, but they were to heavy so the sailtrack was then used, but the shape was then wrong. They did work though.

 

[rodney]

Haven't seen anything yet I was told you had to let them know and get the old style lid this is after they fitted them and released the covers
On yours I would remove the seal and pop rivit into place with sika with the opening at the top then reinstall the seal which you would end up with a few pop heads on the outside that's it

 

[Crusty181]

I was in at the dealer earlier sorting out a few things re my new van, and whilst there they pointed out that my van has the apparently "new" weatherproof seal on the bed end. I was all excited until I realised that the new seal is going to make installing the waterproof bed end cover basically impossible....

I took a couple of quick pics so you can see what I mean -
View attachment 27589

View attachment 27588

Sorry I didn't get a good close up shot as he was kinda rushing (maybe you can zoom in?), but you can that the new seal goes around the bottom edge of the lid, which is where the waterproof cover is supposed to go. I then asked how where they going to put it on and I don't think they really knew - the dealer started talking about it possibly being installed several cms closer to the actual bed end, to which I said no way, as if it was too close to the bed end canvas then it would render the cover useless due to seepage, and also the fact that it would look stupid as well..

Anyway I super stressed about it now, and asked the dealer to let me know their plans BEFORE they start drilling any holes..

Does anyone else have the new seal on their van, and if so do you also have the waterproof bed end cover?

Or alternatively does anyone have any ideas about how the cover can be attached?

Any help/advice would be much appreciated!!

Hi Flossy. Our van has the same new hard lid.

Its a little difficult to describe isnt it, but suffice say that the hard lid is completely different to what was used before this model. The seal is on the underneath and outside edge of the hardlid. When the lid is closed the seal fills the gap that the old lid has between the lid and body.

The rubber seal seems to provide a much better seal, completely filling the gap, but the lid itself is quite a floppy bendy hardlid with no real obvious place to mount the BEF track. One things certain, the packaged track will not be of any use.

 

[Crusty181]

I don't see why. Attach it like this and it shouldn't be an issue. It is also how Jayco BEFs are attached.
View attachment 27590 View attachment 27591

Hey Marv ..... the new lids are nothing like the old ones, and you certainly cant do what you suggest. It just a completely different design

 

[dagree]

Maybe take the photo (or van when you pick it up) to an upholsterer/annexe maker and see if they can come up with an option @Flossymk1 ????

 

[Flossymk1]

It's just bizarre.. I don't understand why Jayco would finally bring out their own waterproof bed end covers, then a couple of months later change the design of the lid rendering said covers effectively useless...

Anyway end rant - hopefully the dealer will contact me with a solution tomorrow.

 

[dagree]

Not sure how true but I was told a couple of weeks ago (By an expanda owner... not a Jayco related employee) that the canvas bed ends were a "one off" thing and were to be discontinued?

 

[Flossymk1]

Not sure how true but I was told a couple of weeks ago (By an expanda owner... not a Jayco related employee) that the canvas bed ends were a "one off" thing and were to be discontinued?

Hmmm interesting.. I might ask the question tomorrow when I speak to the dealer.