Go to 3M's site and look at their panel bonding. There's a lot of prep involved to make sure the tape does its job and lasts.

 

I converted a 2002 pace 44' living quarters trailer from screwed to taped, it was a lot of work but well worth it. Like quoted above, you need to prep it correctly or don't even bother. I spoke with 3M techs quite a bit before deciding to do it, also there are quite a few videos and text online to get a good idea on how to do it. The hardest part for me though was the stringers that you attach panels to on my particular trailer were not originally painted and totally rusty, which took a lot of time to repair before even starting.

I learned a lot of 'tricks' on the way to installing the panels, one of the most important was using narrowed strips of duct tape (about 3' lengths of 1/2 width, then folded over pieces of duct tape) on the top of each of the 3M taped stringers to be able to pull the plastic 'protect' strips off the tape 'after' you set the panels in place. There is no way to just pull the plastic protect strips off first and just slap the panels in place .... it is just not gonna work consistantly.

If this 3M tape was good enouch to hold the heat tiles on the front of the space shuttle, it will definately hold aluminum panels on at 75 mph . There are other manufacturers of this type tape, but the 3M is definately the best, it is kinda hard to purchase if you are not a manufacturer of trailers etc, as I imagine they don't want laymen trying to use it and not being diligent on the way they prep and having crappy results from poor prep. I would imagine the couple of stories i hear about the tape panels coming loose are from some of the factories not prepping correctly (some of the videos i saw looked like that could be the case in some of the production shops).

One of the other main things to consider is your panels are now made to 'float' and not be constrained by binding them up by using any screws that will not let panels give a little. There are 2 different thickness of the tapes to use. thin for the end of the panels where they attach to next panel (.045) and then thicker .065 for attaching to the stringers.

It took me about 4 weeks of night times after work and weekends to do mine, but i also fabricated and widened my side door from 36 inches to 50 inches so i could load a golf cart in the side door during the repaneling.


I may down load a lot of pics on a hosting site of the proccess as pics are a lot easier to explain than just telling how to do it, as soon as i get a chance.

Randy

 

Thanks,
My trailer is screw-less now and has a 60" opening with double doors now (for golf cart). I was thinking about changing the front two panels.

 

.


The more I hear about loose panels, and what a pain it is to replace a panel, I don't think it's worth it!!!!
A trailer is a tool, nothing more.
I understand not wanting to pull a POS looking thing, but the screw heads corroding or falling out is a small price to pay.
Sure sounds like for a basic trailer the screws or rivets would be a better solution????


.

 

Mine came out killer, looks a lot better than tons of screws and distorted wrinkled panels, just long smooth paneling. Don't think i will ever have another screwed trailer, looks like night and day, also they claim taped panels make trailer a lot stronger from testing results (some good online videos of that testing).

I put a couple of scrap pieces of 3M strips on my ladder when i was installing, and just recently tried to pry those pieces back off my ladder a year later.... used a putty knife, and a sharp screwdriver..... and still didn't get it all off !

Again, it is all in the correct prep for a permanent installation.

 

.



I thought a few guys posted the screwless get wavy also???
Even the 1 piece panel will show some distortion over time???


.

 

.040 thick panels screw-less stays really straight if you spring for the .050 stays really really straight. But the .030 looks like crap when you pull out the gate. IMO

 

.


AH, I really didn't pay attention to gauge, just think everyone uses the same???
Maybe they cheaped out and were disappointed it didn't last as long as they expected!!!

Again, to me it's a tool, as long as it isn't a POS falling apart, I just want to get my junk to the track!!!!


.

 

screw less panels are a little loose on my 7 year old trailer. Panels are .040 and nice and flat. But if you touch the edge of the panel where the tape was bonding it, it pulls away from the panel below. Should I remove the panel and re-glue? Or is there an easy solution?

 

Try and get a cloth soaked in thinners between the 2 surfaces and saw it back and forth to clean it.
try and cut out any tape [I use a bit of mig wire between 2 pieces of 3/4"tubing for handles]
Then use a caulking gun with the Bostik ISR 70-03 product mentioned previously ^^^^

If it is an outside gluing job where the glue edge can be seen ,run a strip of masking tape along the edge and pull it off about 30 minutes later when the glue skins up a bit.
this will pull off the excess [don't let it fully cure]

Bostik ISR 70-03 cleans up with wax and grease remover before it cures

 

Thanks. I'll give it a try

 

Well that sucked. I waited for a day that was overcast and in the 70's. Tapes and cleaned up the first panel. Then I opened the tube. It was hardened in the tube with an exp date of 9/26/11. Just my luck I finally find someone who will sell it to me and in grey. Then I find out this stuff expired 5 years ago. No wonder it's hardened. This stuff is a little tough to get in the US unless you want to buy large volumes.