Rexer said:
Dont suppose you took more photos while doing your bellows did you mate?
I hear its a right bitch and i have to do it soon !!!
Hi Mate,
Oh yeah, not a job I want to do in a hurry. Sorry bud,didn't take mid way photos, too engrossed !
Tips?...get the roof off & on its top, much easier to work on.fix the bellows to the roof first right the way round.if you're having candy stripe,have the minimal possible waste at the top with the stripe lining up with the straight edge of the aluminium securing strip ( you can trim the access later,with most of it at the bottom). With as many hands as possible,offer the pop top to the roof & secure hinges & struts.
Now the fun starts! Straighten it all out as best you can.Start by securing the highest hoop so the bellows are fairly flat & straight between the pop top and top hoop. Obviously it's wrinkly & stiff so it's not going to be tight & flat like a board,same again with next lowest hoop until they are all attached to the bellows & it looks like it should. the Original Dormobile replacement bellows have markings where to rivet the Velcro hoops straps to - check you have the strap the right orientation to go around the hoops as once they are riveted you cannot twist them round (ask me how I know!
)
Now hopefully, the stripes should line up with the body & the bellows to body securing strip evenly.stick with the long side above the slider for now, get that right as the curve is more forgiving fir a mistake.use the old self tapper holes and loosely pin the bellows in place, letting the excess hang free.this is the stage where you go steady, pull a bit here & there until you're happy that the bellows are fairly tort and the stripe runs parallel with the Ali strip on the body,when happy,it's the point of no return....screw the Ali strip & bellows down.do the same on the curves,but you'll have to put cuts into the material to allow it to go over the curvature of the roof,don't go too far into the material as you don't want you're cut to go beyond where the curved Ali strip will sit.once again,a little pull here,cut there until the bellows are where you want them.the curves probably took the longest,just go steady.
Once it's done,cut off the acess,watch your paintwork! PU sealant around e Ali strip & let it go off. I suggest leaving he roof up over night to let the sealant cure.by the way, once that stuff dries - its there for good so water gloves and have some panel wipe to hand. (thinners will take the pattern off the bellows!!)
Hope that's helped?! Any Q's, pm me!
Cheers - Rob
