Curtain side semi-trailers are common in our daily lives. The goods it transport are similar to dry van trailers, which are daily necessities, such as tissues, clothing, or food with a long shelf life.
The difference between a tautliner trailer and a dry van trailer is that it is more convenient to load or unload goods. Dry van trailers can only load cargo from the rear, and loading must be done after unloading. But curtain side trailers can load and unload the goods on the side of the trailer, and some can also load and unload from the top.
The curtains of tautliner trailers can not only protect the goods from the weather, but also serve as a good advertising opportunity. However, with the passage of time, even the most durable curtains can be rips due to daily use, and the curtains may need to be repaired several times a year. If we know the method of curtainsider repairs, we can save a lot of money.
Three ways to repair curtainsider
1. Heat Gun (Recommended)
Prepare materials:
- Industrial model heat gun
- Vinyl patches (Curtain material)
- Paint reducer
- Roller
- Flat board (FRP)
The price of the industrial model heat gun ranges from $200 to $500. If you don’t want to buy it, you can also choose to rent one. Whether you decide to buy or rent, please note that you must choose an industrial model heat gun, not a non-industrial gun. Because of its low heat, it will prevent the materials from bonding.
When choosing paint reducer, you need to be careful not to use lacquer thinner. Because it is a highly flammable item, it is easy to cause fire when using a hot gun.
Repair steps:
- Thoroughly clean the area around the tear with a paint reducer. This is an important step. Please don’t skip it because of trouble, otherwise it will affect the firmness of the repair.
- Cut the vinyl patch into a suitable shape. You need to cut out at least two inches extra on the basis of the crack for fitting. For example, your crack is one inch wide by three inches long. When cutting the patch, you should cut three inches wide by five inches.
- Place the patch inside the curtain and the flat plate outside the curtain. If the patch is placed outside, the traces of repair will be easily seen, which will affect the appearance. And the patch needs to be in the center of the tear, ensuring a two-inch overlap.
- Place the roller on the patch in the two-inch overlapping area.
- Turn on the heat gun, place the heat gun with the flat nozzle tip between the curtain and the patch. You may need to warm it up before using it to ensure that it blows out hot air. Hold the heat gun until you see the patch and curtains are starting to smoke, which means they are stuck together. In this process, you need to move the heat gun and roll it with a roller to stick the patch on the curtain more firmly.
- Swap the position of the plate and the heat gun, that is, the plate is inside and the heat gun is outside. Repeat the above steps until all edges fit together.
2. Vinyl Cement (Temporary emergency repair)
This situation is usually suitable for repairing small holes. Before using vinyl cement, it is also necessary to completely clean the dirt and debris. If the surface is not clean, the adhesive will not produce such a strong bond. Some drivers will use glue instead of vinyl cement, which is not a good idea. If glue is heated by the sun during travel, it tends to lose its efficacy, so in most cases, it can only be used as a temporary solution.
3. Sewing the patch
For larger holes and tears, cement and glue won’t be able to keep the patch in place. However, it is inconvenient to use a heat gun on the road, so you can only use a strong thread and needle.