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  View original topic: pop top hinge bracket bent
pgtips Mon Apr 22, 2013 1:41 pm

Hi,

The brood and I headed off for our first camping trip this weekend, temps still -2 Deg C at night but daytime its manageable.

When we got to our site it was raining and windy, not ideal but we knew it would pass over.

Unusually I struggled to get my pop top up, a good push and I finally managed to get the 'arms' to lock but when I looked at the rear from the inside I could see something wasn't right, one side the rear was sagged, the canvas was not taught.

I went outside and saw that one runner had got fouled out of the runner and bent the arm and the runner had opened up. I bodged this and supported the roof with a mallet but now I'm home I've got a problem I need to fix but I'm buggered if I can figure out why this has happened, the arms are very bent.

this is not my pic but one from the gallery of the offending area - no gas strut on mine


I don't recall, when I took the roof off to paint it, if the hinges fully unbolted.

My Qs.

Do the rear hinges fully unbolt away from the fibreglass roof.
Is this possible without removing the top completely
has anyone else experienced this, any idea why, how did you prevent it happening again, I can't find any posts on this problem but I can't be the first.

Many thanks

PG

Ian Mon Apr 22, 2013 2:13 pm

pgtips wrote: Hi,

The brood and I headed off for our first camping trip this weekend, temps still -2 Deg C at night but daytime its manageable.

When we got to our site it was raining and windy, not ideal but we knew it would pass over.

Unusually I struggled to get my pop top up, a good push and I finally managed to get the 'arms' to lock but when I looked at the rear from the inside I could see something wasn't right, one side the rear was sagged, the canvas was not taught.

I went outside and saw that one runner had got fouled out of the runner and bent the arm and the runner had opened up. I bodged this and supported the roof with a mallet but now I'm home I've got a problem I need to fix but I'm buggered if I can figure out why this has happened, the arms are very bent.

this is not my pic but one from the gallery of the offending area - no gas strut on mine


I don't recall, when I took the roof off to paint it, if the hinges fully unbolted.

My Qs.

Do the rear hinges fully unbolt away from the fibreglass roof.
Is this possible without removing the top completely
has anyone else experienced this, any idea why, how did you prevent it happening again, I can't find any posts on this problem but I can't be the first.

Many thanks

PG

Yeah, you can unbolt the hinge pretty easily using a 1/4" drive and 10mm socket with extension. Get a couple blocks of wood to support the roof.

Get a replacement hinge.

Not sure why this happens, but the last time I fixed it the Bus had all kinds of junk on the top of the top bunk; 2 comforters, 2 quilts, the table top and leg, pillows etc. I think someone then forced the roof down with all the junk on top of the bunk.

Later!!!

pgtips Mon Apr 22, 2013 2:45 pm

Lucky me, it came off quite nicely and I was able to bend it back into pretty much perfect shape.
It moves very nicely, tightened up the rivets a bit too, the difference is night and day in the pop top operation.

Note to self, remember to lube/check it regularly

pgtips Tue Apr 23, 2013 2:06 pm

If anyone reads this and has fitted their pop top could you tell me, do you have any clearance at the rear of your top where it sits/hinges onto the back of the roof when the roof is popped down/closed ??

mine is very tight against the roof and i think it is causing a bit of a bow and the hinge problem most likely stems from this.

I plan to insert some plastic strips underneath the brackets/hinges to lift it away a bit.
.
thanks
PG

Ruffturn Tue Apr 23, 2013 2:58 pm

Ian wrote:
Not sure why this happens, but the last time I fixed it the Bus had all kinds of junk on the top of the top bunk; 2 comforters, 2 quilts, the table top and leg, pillows etc. I think someone then forced the roof down with all the junk on top of the bunk.


This little golden nugget is worth the cost of my ISP for the month. Make sure LOML doesn't stuff that thing full like she does everything else. :wink:



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