The FlipPac info thread.

your comments are worthless without a price

 

Oops, you’re right I forgot to mention price, $3,000 YotaBro, thank you.

 

Hey flip pac-kers,

I am weighing a torsion bar replacement versus just selling my flip pac as is. Its currently on a low miles 2wd Nissan Frontier. Camper is in good working order other than the broken bar. I am getting older and I'm not in love with using the pole to flip it over.

Could peeps weigh on what would be a reasonable price for the camper if I sold it. I live in Oregon. Also, I have read about the sway-a-way (now x-sway) torsion bar surgery but strangely never seen a posted video of someone actually doing it. Any references for such a thing?

Thank you!

 

Not sure what the going rate is now for a good flippac, but I would guess in the 4-5k range. Subtract $500 for the broken torsion bar.

You won't see videos of people replacing torsion bars because all 5 or 6 people involved are too busy screaming at each other, with one team trying holding the lid vertical, while the other team members trying to hammer through the new rod. No time for pics and videos.

Edit: it would be a lot easier to replace if the topper is not on the truck.

 

Thanks! I figured I'd take it off first. Main concern is knocking out the old bar. If it resists too much it's a lot of force on the hinge brackets. Seems like if you can get the old one out without destroying the camper, fiberglass, or other hardware, getting the new one in would be the easier part...?

I am not necessarily looking forward to the procedure, although I think I can do it. In the meantime, I am open to offers

 

If it's already snapped, the old one should pop out pretty easy. Hit it with some pb blaster, but if it's broken there's no tension, and should slide right out.

 

Thank you for the guidance! Maybe I'll make a video...lol

 

If you have FaceBook you should also look in to the "Flip pac owners USA" group. You can probably get a better sense on pricing.

As far as the torsion bar replacement goes it's not super difficult. If you have the ability to remove the FlipPac and place it on the ground it makes the work much easier to do with three people. Otherwise you may be able to use the building you have behind your truck or even a tall tree to "hang" the lid while you do the replacement. If you go through with the replacement just remember that the lid must be at 90 degrees when inserting the new bar otherwise the preload will not work. My first FlipPac had a broken bar and flipping the lid was a pain but you'll be presently surprised how much easier it is with a working torsion bar.

 

Yeah, that's what I am hoping for... You can see in the cover tube where the breakage was, the tube is slightly deformed. I have read that it is recommended to put the new bar through the old cover as a safety thing. Guess we will see how it goes. I will need a handle too, probably would have to have it fabricated...? I saw a guy that mounted a handle on some kind of ball joint about half way down the top. Any ideas on this?

I don't FB but my wife does, we could connect with flip pac people through her. Thanks for that suggestion!

 

I’ve seen some people leave the cover tube on the torsion bar, while others remove it. I opted to leave mine on, but it’s worth noting that some remove it because it can trap moisture. That said, the newer torsion bars have a better exterior coating that helps prevent moisture-related damage. I also had to replace the splines on my handle due to damage. At the time, Sway-A-Way was able to sell me a single hinge, which I cut and welded onto the handle. It’s held up well, but I’m not sure if the new ownership would be willing to do that again.

As for quick disconnect options, I’ve seen people use these (https://midwestcontrol.com/shop/Qi500) mounted at the corner using a 2"x2" piece of angle iron. Depending on the size of the disconnect, you can attach it to a steel post or conduit.

 

Alright! Thank you