Zipper on camper trailer cover not working properly

[Reddirtroaming]

Well after our 12 month trip around Australia we are home & the big clean up of the camping gear begins. Today was the trailer. We put the tent up & vacuumed & mopped everything on the inside & hosed & brushed down the canvas. Washed all linen. All good.

Went to pack it all away again & just put the cover/cosy on & the zipper won't do up properly.

Zips around the back fine but when we get to the side it gets caught & if you force it, it won't zip the teeth properly.

We washed all the zipper out with water, brushed the teeth with soapy water with a old toothbrush & rinsed & even tried Dry Glide spray & nothing worked. We can't see any physical damage on the teeth or the zip, but there is a bit of wear in places.

Anyone got any other ideas we can try? Really don't want to have to look at a canvas maker replacing the whole thing, I am guessing it would cost a fair bit.

[brickiematt]

We had the same problem with the zip on our cover after the Red Centre trip.
Try closing the slider up a bit with some pliers. Sometimes the slider can open up and not mesh the teeth together properly.
If that doesn't fix it, you can get new sliders from places like Spotlight or haberdashery shops. I ended up doing this on ours and it was like a brand new zip!
Good luck

[NewieCamper]

If that doesn't fix it, you can get new sliders from places like Spotlight or haberdashery shops. I ended up doing this on ours and it was like a brand new zip!

Or you might even be able to switch the slider out from one of the other unused/rarely used zips. I did this for two malfunctioning zips on ours. One unused wall zipper (I think) to the cover and one from the room divider we don't use to the spare pole bag.

[dirtpilot]

Silicone spray?

[suby]

A puff or two of graphite powder ?

[Pog]

x2 for Silicone Spray.

I had our camper out today as the kids wanted to sleep in it last night on the front lawn... (The things we do for the kids)

When I went to pack it up, the zipper was getting stuck, and generally being a pain. Our last few trips have been on very dusty roads, with very fine dust.

I sprayed silicone spray on the zip as I did it up, and it works like a dream.

I need to keep a can in the camper.

[feisty]

Selleys make a product called zip ease or similar.  Works well.

[jwb]

Sounds like a worn slider to me

[Reddirtroaming]

Thanks everyone. Great ideas.

Think we will try the silicone spray if we can find it & try to get a new slider.

The teeth look fine so hopefully replacing the slider will work. Will let you know how we go.

[Green rv]

We had the same problem with the zip on our cover after the Red Centre trip.
Try closing the slider up a bit with some pliers. Sometimes the slider can open up and not mesh the teeth together properly.
If that doesn't fix it, you can get new sliders from places like Spotlight or haberdashery shops. I ended up doing this on ours and it was like a brand new zip!
Good luck

pliers trick x 2
used this trick on lots of tents ect


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[Ratbag]

OzTrail recommend adjusting the jaws of the slider with pliers in the OM. Even give accurate measurements for their zip sliders, IIRC.

Adjust it a little bit at a time until it just works ...

A dry lubricant won't hurt, but probably won't fix the problem by itself. Adjust first, lubricant second ...

Attempting to adjust the slider will give you practice on one that's already not working. If the adjustment works, it will save you all the hassle of replacing it.

[brighty]

Interested to see how this panned out as Im in the same situation with our CT..... had two small sections about 3 inches long that wouldn't mesh together but now, once it won't mesh it just can't get started again and continues on.

[JCAT]

Pinching the back of the slider works for a while then you have to pinch again, so on and so on


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