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Fri Jun 20, 2008 5:03 pm

Hello All,
I have a 71 Westy. I installed a new canvas and it looks and works great. My problem comes when I get going fast on the freeway and the top starts lifting up an inch or more. It settles back down when I slow down. I have 3 rubber hold downs in place and have fiddled with the bracket in the front under the pop top but it still ride up. Is there any fix for this or is this one of those things you live with?
Thanks
Kman
PS -- I can't believe that in this forum Westy is considered misspelled.

Fri Jun 20, 2008 5:10 pm

This should not be happening, and I'd say it is a dangerous condition that needs immediate attention. There is supposed be a hook sort of thing in the front under the top, on the roof of the bus, that a correspondingly placed metal thing on the top slides into as the top is lowered. This is what keeps the front of the top held down. Makes sure these parts are in place and properly adjusted.

Fri Jun 20, 2008 5:37 pm

More than likely, your hinges are shot. Too much wear on those aluminum tubes. Is the center pivot on the hinge loose as a goose?

Fri Jun 20, 2008 5:53 pm

I have rebuilt my hinges and they are in good shape. I think I need to adjust that bracket on the front of the bus that is meant to engage the one that is it's counter part on the roof. I was hoping someone could give me some guidance on how to go about it. They seem to be made out of spring steel and hard to bend. There is not much room in there to work either. I have tried but each time I do it doesn't seem to be the right fix. I am glad to hear that if it is adjusted right it should work.

Fri Jun 20, 2008 7:51 pm

You don't bend it. One of the brackets is slotted, the roof one. Loosen the bolts and slide it forward a little at a time.

Sat Jul 26, 2008 3:20 pm

Thanks fellow TheSamba folks,
I checked things out and found out that my hinges were bad. They didn't look that bad but when I installed a newer set everything worked right again. Thanks for the steer.
I would still be chasing a wild goose.
Kirk

Sat Jul 26, 2008 10:09 pm

kirklarson wrote: Thanks fellow TheSamba folks,
I checked things out and found out that my hinges were bad. They didn't look that bad but when I installed a newer set everything worked right again. Thanks for the steer.
I would still be chasing a wild goose.
Kirk

good ... cuz you would have looked like an airborne steer eventually after that wild goose in flight. :shock:

sorry, these images just come to me sometimes. I'll stop now.
dp

Sat Jul 26, 2008 10:45 pm

I bought my '71 from my uncle who purchased it new. One thing he did with in a few weeks of buying it was install some hold-downs on the front corners of the westy top to help hold it down at highway speed. They are the same as the kind used buy baja bugs & jeeps to hold the hood down.

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