Tonneau Cover Balloons Up When Traveling

[gr]

We just purchased a 2016 LivnLite 8.1 Pop Up. When traveling down the highway the back of the tonneau cover fills with air and balloons up. It does this to such an extent that it blocks the view of traffic behind the trailer. The cover is snapped down securely but really has a very loose fit.

Has anyone else experienced this problem?
Or is our cover not fitted properly?

Thank You
GR

[slipvain]

I have a 10.0 and it does the same thing. We tow with a RAV4 so if a car is following less than probably  3 car lengths or less I can't see it.

It bothered me at first, but I figure even if I had a large truck and big camper the side mirrors are all I would use then also.

[admin]

My 10.0 bubbles up a little as well. Its just physics at work...

If you were to put the snaps on to a point where it minimized the bubble, it would be so tight that it would be near impossible to actually snap it.

Just think of it as "a quicksilver thing"

[rob]

I have a 8.1 and it does the same thing at +60 km/h. As I tow with a car, my rear view mirror is useless. I purchased tow mirrors.

[sandyu]

After watching the same thing on my trailer for thousands of miles I have figured something out. It's not air under the cover causing the ballooning. It's air rising over the back half of the trailer lifting it up. Notice next time out how the front canvas is completely pushed down hugging the front of the trailer and the air lifting coming off the back.

[vmcmn]

Try this,it helps the cover not balloon as much and it also helps the cover from rubbing on the brackets. Just pieces of a pool noodle slit down one side.

[a href="http://s429.photobucket.com/user/HHRnole/media/DSCF1860_zps662c8c9a.jpg.html"]
[img style="max-width:100%;" src="http://i429.photobucket.com/albums/qq11/HHRnole/DSCF1860_zps662c8c9a.jpg"][/a]

[a href="http://s429.photobucket.com/user/HHRnole/media/DSCF1859_zps3cf5872b.jpg.html"]

[sandyu]

Pool noodle idea is one of the best things you can do to preserve the cover. Honestly the camper should come with some.

[ocd]

I use the noodle and works great . I have also installed a velcro strip in the rear of cover close to edge. Since doing this no ballooning occurs anymore. It was very aggravating for sure with the obstructed view before doing so

[dp]

I put the noodle on this morning and tomorrow I am heading out to do a few days camping in Colorado, Denver area and Durango and maybe a couple more places. I'm 50 miles west of Chicago so this should be fun. See y'all when I get back.  

[cowfly]

When I picked up my QS 6.0 (w/off road package)I had a 4" drop hitch I use with another trailer, the cover was flat against the top of my trailer during the drive home.  In order to make my QS 6.0 (w/off road package) level to the tow vehicle, I installed a 0" drop hitch.  Now the cover balloons.  The cover also ballooned with a 2" drop hitch.  

So if the ballooned cover bothers you, a greater drop hitch may correct this.  With my QS 6.0, I don't have to unhook from my jeep to setup so I like the trailer level and my cover ballooning:)    

[dp]

You know, I actually got use to it. Funny, when I first got my 10.0 I was in a panic about everything. Never pulled a trailer before. I'm like, why is that balooning, am I going too fast, do my turn signals work, is there anything in the other lane, lol. And a whole bunch more. Now I get in and just go. It is what it is. Just like anything, you get use to it.
I must add, never get over confident. 

[walt3]

I have never used the noodle fix and no damage to the cover. It blows up before it can touch on mine so no damage can happen.

[chuck893]

[quote source="/post/14627/thread" timestamp="1440689013" author="@gr"]We just purchased a 2016 LivnLite 8.1 Pop Up. When traveling down the highway the back of the tonneau cover fills with air and balloons up. It does this to such an extent that it blocks the view of traffic behind the trailer. The cover is snapped down securely but really has a very loose fit.

Has anyone else experienced this problem?
Or is our cover not fitted properly?

Thank You
GR[/quote]I believe Kybrowns is correct; the ballooning is primarily due to Bernoulli's principle, what gives birds and airplanes lift. Some air may be getting under it, but I think most of the balloon is caused by the air passing over it. We tow our 2010 8.1 with a 2007 Ford Escape, which sits up pretty high. I noticed the ballooning within minutes of taking possession of the trailer. Our hitch has a slight drop so the balloon only starts at about the midpoint of the cover. The Escape is high enough that I can see over it well enough, and my side mirrors are adequate for the rest. I have not felt the need to add towing mirrors.

All of that said, every tow vehicle and hitch is different. If you can't see over your trailer because of the ballooning, and you can't see adequately around it with your factory side mirrors, I'd suggest adding a set of tow mirrors. Judging by the reviews I've read, some of them can twist or come off at speed so you want to be careful you get a set that is solid. I don't need them so I have no recommendations but I bet somebody here does.

In six full seasons of hard use (last year we were out 99 consecutive days in 30 different camps over 16 states) we are still on the original tent and tonneau. I have never done anything to protect the cover from the fittings. The balloon has been taking care of it. Our tonneau never touches the fittings while underway at anything over 20 mph. Just yesterday we were returning from a 15-day outing and ran through two blinding thunderstorms. Once the rain stopped the cheerfully ballooning cover dried off within five minutes at highway speed. No water ever gets under it. In six seasons we have been through more terrific storms than I can remember. There is never a drop of water inside. I had been losing some snaps on the tonneau over time, and last year I lost enough that I feared loss of watertight integrity so I had them replaced by a tent-and-awning guy (I'm not very handy but if you are you can do it).  [span]   [/span]