Changing from Carefree to Zipdee- what do I do with old Bracket holes?

[Mixter]

Shell is off; Frame is getting fixed; Meanwhile, taking care of a few shell issues while I wait. I was lucky enough to find a deal on a used Zip Dee that is too long, and needs some hardware. So need to figure out what to do with the old Carefree stuff.

The old Carefree awning brackets on rub rub rail were all pulled through, and holes all messed up. Good thing is they will be hidden behind the new rub rail. However, I still need to fill them up... thinking maybe cut a strip of aluminum as a backing plate in between the C channel and skin?? Sandwich it together when I rivet the skin back to the C channel? (with lots of vulkem of course). Not really sure how I like that idea...

The other place I need some input is the upper brackets (the ones at eye level that have the little teeth). These are not pulled through, but they are mounted right in the rivet line on the rib, with huge lag bolts- look like 3/8. When I remove these, I will have 2 huge holes in the rivet line. The only thing I can think of is to use same diameter bolt in a more aesthetically pleasing head and bolt/ screw it through the hole. Use either Stainless, or Aluminum (do they make an Aluminum lag/ bolt?) This way it would just look like it is holding something.... The location in the rivet line on the rib, does not lend itself to a patch..

Any ideas are appreciated!
Thanks,
Micky

[Mixter]

Anyone? Still stumped...

[dznf0g]

Pics might help...if I understand you correctly, one of two things(or both)
Any old rivet holes can just have a rivet installed to fill and seal hole.
Any "torn up" areas can just have an aluminum patch installed and riveted over the area. You could even get creative with the shape of the patch.

[Mixter]

Here's some pics. I have 2 that are right in the rivet line (attached a pic of one of them and also a pic of the back side where they come through), so patching would probably require drilling out a series of rivets above and below, then re- riveting a 1.5" patch strip through the good rivet holes.

They currently dont leak, so all I can think of is to get some better looking stainless or alumimum 3/8" screws and vulkem them in without the bracket....

The other pic is of a 3rd bracket above the window. I suppose I could use a patch there, but thinking a patch would look like a flaw, where a couple of clean screws would at least look like they have a purpose.

Ultimtely though, they are all 3/8" holes so replacing with a rivet is not an option to my knowledge.

[featherbedder]

I replaced care free with zipdee last spring I have a neighbor that used to work AS factory service Dept. had piece of AS aluminum cut small piece between window and panel lap used olympic rivets & par bond zipdee techs did not even notice patch I also think a larger Olympic rivet would fill holes but all ready had patch before going to zipdee factory to install awnings also bracket for rafter in middle olympic rivets will fill these holes with no patch required