The FlipPac info thread.

Lookin Good!

 

I knew it was coming, but I have been dreading this day since I bought the flippac and read/heard about the torsion bars over time. Mine finally failed this weekend on my first camping trip of 2023. Appears to have rusted through and sheered off. Womp, womp.







Time to learn myself on the process for the sway-away replacement.

 

well shoot dang, hopefully you were still able to enjoy the trip. The lid is quite a bit heavier to open/close without the bar huh?

Anyway, if you’re only replacing the bar it really isn’t too bad, the hinges are a huge pain in the ass.

- Try your best not to mess up the plastic spacer as you’ll have to reuse them. New spacers only come with the hinges.
- When you are removing the bar it’s easiest to move the bar from passenger to driver. Also remember to remove the set screws in the collars or the bar won’t move.
- The lid definitely needs to be at 90° when you’re installing the bar. I had a couple of friends hold it for me at 90° while I tapped the bar in. I’ve seen people hang the lid from a tree, garage truss, ladders, etc.
- While you’re installing the bar, use a rubber mallet or a block of wood on the end to tap it in place and to protect the splines.

good luck and let us know how it goes.

 

Really appreciate this!

Not to worry, the trip was far from ruined. As planned, my dad slept in the bed on a foam mattress I brought for him and I threw up a hammock.

The lid is definitely heavy. I could not get the handle for the torsion bar to rotate at all with the way it broke, and didn't want to wind up not being able to close it if we had been able to flip it by hand.

I am thinking this will be a much easier project with the flippac off the truck, agreed?

 

Glad to hear the trip went well. It’ll definitely make your life easier if you can take it off but if you have somewhere tall enough to hang the lid I think you can get away with it still on the truck.

If you want to avoid the trouble of replacing the bar you can just buy mine, it’s for sale right now. I did the torsion bar and hinges in 2020, I’ll even meet you in the Springs!

 

Welp out with old and in with the new. I got the older FlipPac sold and the newer AT FlipPac mounted on my Datsun trailer. The plan is to keep the FlipPac in the trailer most of the time and then move it over to the truck if we are heading out for a longer trip or somewhere a trailer doesn’t make sense.

 

I know I’ve got a bit of a usual situation compared to others but figured I’d share some supports I made today. They are made out of 1/2” and 3/4” conduit, Bimini hardware, and some lock pins. They store under the hammock area.

 

I'm curious since ive seen a few setups with supports in the past, but i cant recall why. Isn't the lid supported by the hinges when open? I always thought the bars up front served as tent stakes for keeping the lid down versus supporting the lid and occupants.

Also, if you're like me and you are good at taking things from bad to worse, shower curtain rods are exactly this much longer than the aluminum casing that covers your torsion bar. The brushed aluminum finish should be a nice upgrade as well. You're welcome.

 

Ya you’re correct about that the bars are intended to hold the lid flat and the torsion bar is supposed to be able to hold the weight alone. However, my first FlipPac had a broken torsion bar until I replaced it but I’ve been using the support bars ever since. I’d like to think it helps the longevity of the torsion bar but that’s yet to be proven .

Either way finally got out to the great out doors. I still need to figure out the stabilizers so I can unhitch.

 

Is there any use for these (besides parts)if they are missing the tent?
Also, what is a complete useable unit going for these days? There is one on Marketplace for 4500.00

 

That’s about right

 

Ya pretty much just parts, if you are unable to come across someone to make a tent for it you could probably salvage it and make a wedge style tent pretty easy.

Depending on condition, but $4500 is close to the going rate for one in good condition. If it’s rough but usable maybe somewhere around $2000.

 

Rare sighting and combo

 

I'm hoping some people are still active on this forum as I've got some questions that I'm sure you guys have some answers to. Picked up the Flippac last December and lived out of it this summer river guiding out in Idaho, the absolute dream!! I pulled it off a few weeks ago and I'm getting ready to install it back onto the truck for the winter, and I'm curious if you guys ordered a specific bulb seal for the lid or just a generic seal? Another question, I was riding it with just 6 C clamps for the last 6 or so months and I don't feel like that is a permanent solution, as it can dig into the fiberglass. I've got holes already drilled in the flippac for a 1st gen, but I had some serious problems with leaking this summer. Do I just silicon the heck out of the holes and call it good? I'd love to see how people mounted them on first gens. I'm thinking just through bolts with washers on either side, but I couldn't fit my old washers/nuts on the underside of the bed rails.

 

Sorry! Can't help with first gen.

 

Did you ever figure something out?

 

I got a new to me what looks like a early gen flippac. It's in pretty good shape. I was disappointed to see that there was some cracking in the middle above the rear window. In tips on how to reinforce that area?
Just put it on .man it was heavy. Lol

 

Where'd you get it and how much it run you? Looks clean, how heavy do you reckon? Rear doesnt look to be sagging. I had a wildernest and boy was that thing heavy, even with 4 guys it was tough to lift onto the truck

 

I actually found it on FB marketplace. I got it for 4250. It was heavy. We had 4 people to lift it and almost droped it 3 times. I think it's listed at 325lbs.ish.
I have aftermarket alcan springs. Their ment to carry some weight

 

Is it a crack in the fiberglass or just the gel coat? The gel coat on my Wildernest has cracks all over but I'm not seeing any on the inside where the fiberglass is exposed.