I've finally got round to removing my canvas for cleaning. Not for mould removal but we commit the heinous of cooking in the van Dust is sticking to a greasy area near the cooker so off it came. Following Randa's excellent how to (HOW TO remove the pop top canvas) the canvas has been washed successfully and awaiting a delivery of Fabric Guard 303 for re-proofing.

My question or observation is that the flattened bit of beading that facilitates removal and replacement appears to be in the wrong place. Like Randa's, mine is located on the opposite side of the van from the insertion bulge in the aluminium track. So, if I use the flattened part of the canvas bead to start in the insertion bulge I will have to drag the canvas around a lap and a half!

I shall most likely unstitch and remove about 30mm of bead in the right place unless somebody else can shed any light on this discrepancy.
Thanks

Correction: had it upside down. The flattened part of the bead is in the same side as the bulge but still 150cms away.

So, I decided to cut the bead at the place where it would end up in the bulge.
I decided to re-proof the canvas off the van, it was easy to peg around a rotary washing line and spray on . Weather was warm, dry and reasonably still. It took about 1 and 1/2 a 473ml bottle. That leaves half a bottle to take away with me to touch up if the canvas leaks anywhere.
Loosley fitted a new 4mm shock cord. It's a swine to tie the two ends together, the knot just slips apart. I fabricated an eye at one end by using whipping skills learned in the scouts many years ago!
Re-fitting was also a swine. I removed the canvas on my own but no chance on replacement. Even with a liberal application of silicone spray to the alumimium channel it took a huge amount of effort by two of us to get it back up. Replacing the aluminium trim was fiddly but eventually all finished.
I'm not sure that I would struggle with removing it again. Maybe next time I'll clean it insitu.

Hi Ray - so tomorrow is the day i take off my 2007 puck L canvas. My'Bulge' is in the middle opposite the triangles, not above it. i have already tried to pull out a bit and it liiks like it will just yank out all the way around.

What im dreading is putting it back, surely if you can pull it out without cutting it then you can put it back without cutting it.

Im not sure about Randas way - did he hold the empty canvas chanel in the aluminium top rail and then push the beading through?

I was thinking of just pushing it back in with a teaspoon going all the way around as aopposed to pulling the canvas around? Every one oon her eis being so hlepful but there doesnt seem to be a definitive way to do it!!

I think it might be too easy to damage the aluminium trim if you try to lever the bead back in.

I sprayed the channel with a silcon spray, silicon furniture polish would probably be ok if careful. It was then a question of tugging it round. Two sets of hands were best. One to guide the bead in to the bulge as the other pulled it round in short spurts. I found it quite hard but succeeded in the end.

thank you so much for your reply!! its out!!

I dont know if you are on the facebook page but i posted there. whilst yanking it out of the chanel, on the very last corner, my mother yanked it form a strange angle and ripped a big flap out of the beading channel canvas. I kep my cool just about and have just handsews it before i put it in the bath to soak as I didnt want it to fray anymore - unfortuantely it made the channel a lot tighter.

Im hoping to soak in liquid soap, put in washing machine, then dry it to check what stains are left, then spot stain remove. plan is to get it back on Friday morning. Ddi you tie the pop top handles down to stop the wind blowing it up??

Last question.. whilst its off i am going to give the hinges and springs at either end a good clean and then re oil, wha twould you sugges toiling it with? i was thinknig about just WD40?

just reading back up the page - you cut yours to get it back on the channel? I checked before washing, but mine ( the cord inside the canvas) will go back into the channel bulge - i dont think there is a flatter piece of the rubber cord and if there was, there rest has still hot to be yanked round - so does it really make any difference?

When my canvas was out I cleaned all the old grease off the scissor mechanism. I put a small amount of lightweight grease on the sliders and a drop of general purpose lubricating oil on the pivots. My oil can has 20/50 motor oil in it!

WD40 isn't really a lubricating oil and wouldn't last long so I wouldn't use that personally.

I wouldn't oversew that tear, it will make it very tight to pull round the aluminium channel, it's bad enough as it is! I would be inclined to cut out that piece of beading and just sew the canvas closed at that point. It won't sag or fall out at the point as it appears to be only about 30mm long.

excellent idea - -will cut out when i try to pull around if it is too tight

White lithium grease is generally used on the scissor mechanism..

Lechlade always used Vaseline for the scissors mechanism.
Dave