Using keder rail

grubbster

I am going to try to use the keder rail on my camper to secure my TV mast to the camper while camped.  I am curious what people do with the black plastic piece that comes in the rail.  Do you pull the whole thing out and leave it out?  Or so you just cut and remove the part where you need access?  Are there any issues with leaving it out?

Sharon_is_SAM

Most owners remove it and discard.

norwood

I pulled ours out and hung it in the garage attic. For what purpose remains to be revealed🤔 DW questions many of my motives.

ScottG

Don't feel bad, @norwood. I saved mine, too. I paid for it, after all!  :-)

atlasb

I cut out the section needed to install our visor.  After installing the visor, I replace the short section at the back to keep the visor centered.  By removing the section where the visor fits and leaving the rest in at the front, this allows me to install the visor in the same location each time.  And replacing the rear portion after installing the visor keeps it centered and does not allow it to move fore or aft when installed.  Kept the removed section in case we need a piece later.  (Another thing in the garage to get in the way!)

GibW

Mine's in a box in the basement. Not sure why I'm saving it 

Hoogie69

I'm new to the T@b.  How do you get anything into the keder rail?  There are no spaces at the ends into which to insert anything.

Sharon_is_SAM

You need to bend the metal at the rear of the TaB.  Just open it enough to introduce the tent/visor cording.

https://tab-rv.vanillacommunity.com/discussion/5180/keder-rail-question

pthomas745

There isn't a slightly wider section about 3 inches long towards the rear of the trailer in the rail?  Mine has one on the door side.  There was no "gap" on the other side, so I found some type of flat, wide plier and "carefully" made a gap big enough for the keder things. PS: my tool isn't as wide as the "welding pliers" in the linked thread, but it still worked.

GatorEgg

After being waved down on interstate because most of the drivers side was flapping loose I pulled it out.  When I got home I put all of both sides in the recycle bin.  The door side is always used for the XL Visor and I have plans for a couple of additions to the drivers side.  So the rail will be frequently used for "things".

ChanW

"keder things" piqued my curiosity...

A Search brought me to 'Keder Solutions', pretty handy stuff for do-it-yourself folks:
https://www.kedersolutions.com/

pthomas745 said:

...... a gap big enough for the keder things. .......

jgram2

Like @pthomas745, our rail has a “threading” gap on the passenger side but not the driver’s side. 

I was was surprised when we removed the black plastic insert, expecting to find a hollow rubber tube type thing, but found this flat black plastic which folds into the keder rail. Is this what everyone has? DH insisted I save it and I’m insisting he figure out where to keep it AND, should he decide he wants it back in the rail, that’s on him.

pthomas745

@jgram2 , allegedly it is just a "space holder" to protect the aluminum rail during shipment.  There was a survey a few years ago:

https://tab-rv.vanillacommunity.com/discussion/4997/what-do-you-do-with-the-black-vinyl-keder-rail-strip-once-you-remove-it

jgram2

Thanks @pthomas745 I’d forgotten that poll. We’ll see if it survives the garage purge!

BrianZ

On our last trip, we were only under way for about 15 minutes when I noticed in my driver side door mirror that a strip of something was flapping around near the driver side edge of the roof.  I pulled off the highway to check what it was, thinking it might be the rubber trim from the roof edge trim, but didn't even think of the Keder rail plastic filler.  I was relieved that it wasn't roof trim, and later during a gas stop, I found the lower one was also pulling out, so I discarded that too.  The passenger side doesn't have any, since we discarded it long ago when we got a visor, so our rails are totally naked now.