replacing torn windows

[cb]

Over the years, the plastic in our PUP "windows" has torn at the seamline....over and over again.  We've duct-taped them up, and then had them replaced with new tinted plastic....some replaced more than once.  Right now, 3 windows are badly torn, and camping season is coming, so it's time to fix them again.  I'm thinking that instead of using plastic again, we'll have them replaced with the same material that the tent is made of.  The reason they keep tearing is that the tent material stretches when it is warm and shrinks as it cools.  If we try to zip up after it is cool, the plastic can't take the stress and it tears.  I think the tent material is tough enough to take the stress and the Canvas Replacement people told me it's possible to do this.  As it is now, we can't see out very well when the plastic is zipped up, and since we mostly camp in remote areas, we don't care about strangers being able to see in.  (The only strangers around are usually rabbits, coyotes and rattlesnakes.)  About the only time we zip up during the day is if it rains, which is almost never.  Can anybody see any drawbacks to this?

[wavery]

Over the years, the plastic in our PUP "windows" has torn at the seamline....over and over again.  We've duct-taped them up, and then had them replaced with new tinted plastic....some replaced more than once.  Right now, 3 windows are badly torn, and camping season is coming, so it's time to fix them again.  I'm thinking that instead of using plastic again, we'll have them replaced with the same material that the tent is made of.  The reason they keep tearing is that the tent material stretches when it is warm and shrinks as it cools.  If we try to zip up after it is cool, the plastic can't take the stress and it tears.  I think the tent material is tough enough to take the stress and the Canvas Replacement people told me it's possible to do this.  As it is now, we can't see out very well when the plastic is zipped up, and since we mostly camp in remote areas, we don't care about strangers being able to see in.  (The only strangers around are usually rabbits, coyotes and rattlesnakes.)  About the only time we zip up during the day is if it rains, which is almost never.  Can anybody see any drawbacks to this?

I don't see a problem, I just don't understand why you keep losing your plastic windows :confused: . Do you leave the camper set-up year round??

I replaced the plastic windows in my yacht dodger about once every 5 years. That's with it being exposed 24/7/365 in the tropics.

Are you cleaning the plastic with glass cleaner. If you are, that's why it is happening. Never use any ammonia products on your plastic windows. It will ruin them over time.

[tlhdoc]

I also think it is unusual that they keep tearing.  What year is your PU and what is the tenting made of?:confused:

[mike4947]

JMHO but it's time to find a new supplier for the replacement windows. A good sewer when told the windows tear when the cover is zipped up will adjust the size of the vinyl window they sew in to prevent this.
I know they can do this as I've had this done to one of my PU's and had several other folks go there as well over the years. We use a local marine canvas supplier.

[cb]

JMHO but it's time to find a new supplier for the replacement windows. A good sewer when told the windows tear when the cover is zipped up will adjust the size of the vinyl window they sew in to prevent this.
I know they can do this as I've had this done to one of my PU's and had several other folks go there as well over the years. We use a local marine canvas supplier.

Our second sewer was a marine canvas supplier and he did a great job, adding pleats to the bottom of the window to decrease tension on the sides of the window.  But I was anxious to go camping and had him use a lighter guage plastic that was available without the dreaded "ordering from Los Angeles".  Big mistake!  It was just too flimsy.  
We went camping last week at the beach, where in the morning it was a little chilly and windy.  I realized that we look forward to the plastic windows warming up the PU while protecting us from the wind.  So....out the window (so to speak) goes the idea of replacing with tent material.  
Here's the latest:  Replace the three torn windows with heavy guage tinted plastic while increasing the area of the windows.  Will deliver tent sections to the guy on Friday (on the way to take guests to the airport..yeah!) and he'll have everything ready to go within two weeks so we can go camping in the desert.
Thanks for your help and I'll keep you posted.

[cb]

Forgot to respond re: care of plastic and type to tent material...Since one of the windows tore two days after replacement (there was huge fluctuation in temperature as a big storm approached), I doubt tears are related to care of plastic or the weather it has endured.  I don't know the name of the tent material, but it's whatever was used on a 1995 Rockwood.  Wish me luck with the latest replacement.