Wildernest Spare Parts Info

DaveInDenver

Middle Income Semi-Redneck
Yeah, your back window looks very similar to mine. I need to get some shots of what I've got going, I need to figure out a way to reinforce things. I starting to think my back window will come out, I broke the 3 rivets that hold the lower lift spring bracket and haven't come up with an easy fix. Previously I've drilled out all 100 billion of the rivets out around the frame, got it our and did a permanent fix.

BTW, Yak is looking good!
 

Clutch

<---Pass
Finally part of the WN club.

Thanks for the info on the bulb seal, needs replacing.

Any info on replacing the tent itself. I really don't know how old mine is. It already has a bunch of patches. I figured it will make it this season. Then this winter, I am going to redo the whole thing.

Would like to find someone to sew me a new tent with modern material. Maybe put another large screen in too.

The fibeglaas is in good shape, but the rear of the shell is spread a bit, so much the latch wont catch the side extrusion. I want to pop out the screens then tie a ratching tie down between the pillars to pull the sides in, then bolt the shell to the bed of the truck. I fear I will damge the fiberglass.

The left side pillar was broken at the base of the shell, but, the old owner fabbed up a some angle iron and bolted it through the pillar then along the length of the shell...very srong fix, but, it is interfering with bolting it to the bed of my Tacoma. I have clamps, but would like to use bolts. I may redo this with either flat steel or aluminum.

I'll take some detailed pictures in the morning.

Oh yeah...the tent smells like an old boat...and the best way to rid this smell? We already tried bleach water.
 

DaveInDenver

Middle Income Semi-Redneck
Kermit said:
Finally part of the WN club.
Welcome!
Any info on replacing the tent itself. I really don't know how old mine is. It already has a bunch of patches. I figured it will make it this season. Then this winter, I am going to redo the whole thing.

Would like to find someone to sew me a new tent with modern material. Maybe put another large screen in too.
There isn't a source (yet) for replacement canvas. My best lead is to take the old one to a boat canvas shop, the ones who sew covers for them. Also there are a few places that still make circus and big event tents, that is another option. In most cases they wanted the old one as a pattern and it's likely that they'd have to at least rip out all the seams. Yours sounds pretty tired, so that's probably not much of a problem. People don't realize that the fabric is more than just heavy nylon, but has a urethane coating on the inside that keeps it waterproof. That coating doesn't take a lot of abuse to ruin (see below).
The fibeglaas is in good shape, but the rear of the shell is spread a bit, so much the latch wont catch the side extrusion. I want to pop out the screens then tie a ratching tie down between the pillars to pull the sides in, then bolt the shell to the bed of the truck. I fear I will damge the fiberglass.
That's probably mostly because of the installation. When the 'Nest is closed, there are two big springs that are loaded, one in front and one in back. There is structural reinforcement moulded into the shell, but since the top flips over, there's not much to keep the sides solidly connected. Oh, those springs are there to sort of help you open it, but mostly to keep the top from slamming shut when you close it. They are important. The back one is particularly bad because there's a huge void in the shell where the back window is. So as a result you need to make sure to pull the sides in a bit when you locate and drill (you did drill and use bolts to mount it right?) your holes. It will spread the sides of your box a little, so there's something of an art and balancing act to get it right, close enough that the gap on the 'Nest is even and seals, not so snug that the box walls are spread. There is a visibly widen from bottom to top (like a wedge) gap when you look at my passenger's side box-to-tailgate. My guess is you need to bring in the sides a bit. I do that when I mount a 'Nest by popping out the screens and using either a long bar clamp or a ratcheting strap, just like I think you are describing. It helps to undo the two latches and let the top prop up a little, this takes most of the tension off the springs and then you don't need much force to get the gap right. Then drill and bolt 'er down!
The left side pillar was broken at the base of the shell, but, the old owner fabbed up a some angle iron and bolted it through the pillar then along the length of the shell...very srong fix, but, it is interfering with bolting it to the bed of my Tacoma. I have clamps, but would like to use bolts. I may redo this with either flat steel or aluminum.

I'll take some detailed pictures in the morning.
If I understand it, that is actually probably not uncommon. There is a lot of steel moulded in the shell and when water finds its way inside, that steel (and wood for that matter) rot and rust. He probably had a break and that fixed it. I would have cut back the fiberglass, but with the steel parts that is much harder to do than with the wood sections.
Oh yeah...the tent smells like an old boat...and the best way to rid this smell? We already tried bleach water.
That is VERY common with 'Nests. They get closed when wet and mold starts. Replacement is the best way... This is incidently the #1 thing that ruins 'Nests. That mold starts in the nylon, which stains it and makes it smell. But worse, the mold causes the urethane coating to crack and peel from the nylon, which quite effectively ruins the fabric. Generally once you seam seal the fabric, it is very waterproof. You'll get condensation, but the tent itself will not leak. You hear it all the time where people throw a tarp over their leaking 'Nest and 92% of the time their coating has gone to the great RV heaven and the other 8% is because their seam need to be resealed (or maybe even sealed, my current 'Nest never got its original seam seal, it was almost pristine when I bought it).
 

Nonprophet

Observer
Kermit said:
Finally part of the WN club.


The fibeglaas is in good shape, but the rear of the shell is spread a bit, so much the latch wont catch the side extrusion. I want to pop out the screens then tie a ratching tie down between the pillars to pull the sides in, then bolt the shell to the bed of the truck. I fear I will damge the fiberglass.

Hey Kermit,

I have the same problem with mine--and mine is a '95, one of that last ones they made. I use clamps on mine instead of bolts as I think good clamps hold just fine, and I take my WN off and on fairly regularly (I built a rack/stand for it--I just backup to the stand, lift up the corners of the WN, slide 4 8' lengths of 1" PVC pipe between the 'nest and my truck rails, and then roll the 'nest right off onto the rack. As you know, the 'nests are pretty heavy, but this way I can take it on and off by myself...).

Anyway, I have the same spreading problem, I just use a 6' pipe clamp (the clamps are vinyl-coated so they won't scratch the shell) on the outside bottom edges of the shell to draw it in tight (with the rear window open), then I tighten down the rear clamps and I'm good to go.

Oh yeah...the tent smells like an old boat...and the best way to rid this smell? We already tried bleach water.

I spend a fair amount of time around boats (I'm a captain) and I've found that the best product for removing odors from fabric/foam rubber is Fabreeze. You can get it at your grocery store.


NP
 

DaveInDenver

Middle Income Semi-Redneck
I can tell you with some certainty that those aluminum jaw clamps are a bad idea for the WilderNest. I got a 'Nest cheap once from a guy who had his break. This was the driver's side and it gave way with the 'Nest open and him in the bed. It did not collapse, but the fiberglass had been cracking and finally crumbled. The clamp dug into the plywood, which is why I cut and replaced the pieces. He was using 2 clamps on each side.

I attached a picture after I started cleaning up the broken section of the rail and cutting into the wood reinforcement. I epoxied in a new piece of plywood and recoated the fiberglass. There are a couple of photos of the repair in process. I ended up using a belt sander to level the mounting surface and a random orbital sander to shape the top side.

I personally use three 3/8" bolts on each side, a 8" or so long piece of flat steel drilled in the middle as a big washer under the bed rail and a climbing bolt hanger as a washer on top.

BTW, I ended up with pretty much the same method for removal as NP. I use 72" Yakima bars as rollers and have a couple of eye bolts screwed into the ceiling of my garage. I have a couple of pieces of 2" webbing that work as slings and I have a block-n-tackle to get it up and off the bed and drive out from under the camper.
 
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Clutch

<---Pass
Nonprophet said:
Hey Kermit,
I spend a fair amount of time around boats (I'm a captain) and I've found that the best product for removing odors from fabric/foam rubber is Fabreeze. You can get it at your grocery store.

I have a bottle of that already, getting ready to do that today.

Thanks.

Here is picture of the angle iron fix the previous owner did, effective, but, his bolt holes miss my bed rail. So I may use a a peice of flat steel or aluminum in conjunction with the angle iron/aluminum and 'glass the flat rail in. I really don't care about looks though. If you click on the picture, it will show photos of the fix.



The spread..



I also found these adjustable poles at an army surplus store for only $5 a piece.

 
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erod

Adventurer
Dave, as always, a wealth of knowledge. It seems like you could start a small buisiness repairing these things and do pretty well with all your experience. We appreciate the advice. This has been a helpful thread and I have much too add (questions that is) however I am limited by what I can post since I am on a work computer with none of my photos (crucial to this discussion)...soon enough. Replacing the tent is an interesting idea..."seams" like a lot of work and likely a lot of money to have someone do it custom...Have you replaced the black zippered fabbric that supports the tent when folded? It appears like mine has been replaced with screws and a few are starting to come loose...not a big deal but something to keep an eye on...anyway, thanks again guys. Kermit, still haven't been able to check out yours pics due to lack of software on this machine but would be really stoked to see a rebuild of a wildernest thread! cheers!
 

erod

Adventurer
Kermit, finally saw the photos once you attached them to a post...looks like its in pretty good shape...especially the exterior! I didn't have too much of a spreading problem when I installed mine...there is a minor spread off the bed rails of the truck but too late now since its already bolted on, but the door closes just fine with a little gap when locked but no biggie. Thoses poles are sweet, I have some I use to set a tarp up coming off the back of my truck when camping but (as Dave said in an earlier thread) they aren't needed...the canopy holds up to 1000lbs so I don't even bother...seems like they may even fall out if its windy or the canopy is moving around. Anyway, I already overcooked one batch of pasta going back and forth from this thread...its worth it though. Cheers!
 

Clutch

<---Pass
I fixed most of the spread, enough to get it to latch. Everything is bolted down with cadmium coated grade 8 bolts.

Well....I got the "old boat" smell out. Now how do I get rid of the "FeBreze" smell?:p

A friend knows a guy who can redo the marine coat on the shell, which really isn't too bad. I may also color match it this winter when I do the total rebuild.

It was quite windy today, those poles really helped keep the truck stable, enough for me to take an afternoon nap in there. :)
 

Nonprophet

Observer
Kermit said:
I also found these adjustable poles at an army surplus store for only $5 a piece.

Those are great poles! I'll have to check out my local Army/Navy store and see if they have some. My stock WN poles are in good shape, but the only thing that sets the height on each pole is a ring clamp--kinda cheesy if you ask me......

My next project is getting someone to make me a zippered cover out of mosquito netting that I can put on the WN lid when open and let hang down to the ground crreating a "bug-free room" under the lid when open. There's room for two people/chairs under there, and when the bugs are bad at least you'd still have an outside "room" to sit in without getting eaten alive. :snorkel:

I'm heading up to Alaska this summer, so I think it will really come in handy......I might even rig a pole and extend the mosquito netting room out a little bit.


NP
 

Clutch

<---Pass
I was at Sportsman's Warehouse today buying a new sleeping pad for the WN.

I also found this rebuild kit for the fiberglass poles for under $7.00. It had steel ends that fit perfectly into the tent's upright holes. The new poles are the same diameter as the old ones, and since the ends are steel rather than the aluminum ones, they "should" take more abuse.

 

Clutch

<---Pass
Those cheap $5 adjustable poles didn't last long...They fell apart the second night.

I am going to have to make my own heavy duty ones.

We did run into another couple this past weekend with a full size Wildernest on the their 1976 Ford 250 Ranger....very cool. That was the exact truck my dad had when I was growing up. Same color too, rootbeer brown.

I always wanted to get one of those and restore it like my dad's.
 
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DaveInDenver

Middle Income Semi-Redneck
Kermit said:
Those cheap $5 adjustable poles didn't last long...They fell apart the second night.

I am going to have to make my own heavy duty ones.
What broke on them? Maybe it was the poles and the ends made it through. I've had to fix the ends on my poles, but the poles themselves have been tough enough. There is a place here in Denver called Plasticare that sells rod stock and it's very good stuff. But the ends have been a tougher thing to replace. I epoxy on a sleeve (or the broken tip part) and back drill the pole. I then epoxy in a piece of rod stock, trim and smooth it. I once looked into having those end caps made, even made up a AutoCAD drawing to have them quoted. To make it cost effective I had to have 1000 made up and they were still going to cost a couple of dollars each! I ended up just turning a new one, which would be too expensive to do, even piece wise.
 

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