How to Determine Which Replacement Vent Lid for 2005 Lowe's 6x10 Utility Cargo Trailer  

Question:

Helpful Expert Reply:

It sounds like you're just needing a replacement vent lid. If just the existing lid is damaged, you can just replace the lid instead of the entire assembly. In order to determine the correct replacement vent, you'll first need to examine what's left of the old vent cover and the vent itself. Look for any brand name or part numbers.

Most roof vents are made to fit an opening that is approximately 14-1/4 x 14-1/4. This size is often referred to as 14 x 14. The old vent in your trailer is most likely made for an opening this size. If it is, you can just match up available lids with the lid on your old vent to find a replacement. If you want to verify the size of the opening, you can remove the garnish from your vent to measure the opening from the inside. Once you verify that your vent fits a 14 x 14 opening, you can match the hinge and the operator attachment.

Only a small number of hinge styles and operator attachments are found on roof vents. Because there are so few styles of vents, you can visually compare lids and confidently choose the correct style as a replacement. The critical parts to compare are the hinge and the operator attachment. (The operator is the mechanism and arm that lift the lid.) Some hinges are made of metal tubes that are riveted to the plastic lid. Others are molded into the lid. Then look at the bottom of the lid to see how the operator attaches. Some lids have a metal bar running along the length of the lid; others have an attachment point molded into the lid. Lastly, to verify correct replacement, you can measure the length and width of your old lid and compare these dimensions with those of available replacement lids.

If you click the link I provided, you can see the different replacement lids we offer. Unfortunately, I don't have any access to documentation that shows what particular vents Lowe's used in the trailers they sell.

expert reply by: Mike L

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