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drj434343
Samba Member
Joined: January 31, 2016
Posts: 399
Location: Portland, OR
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 Posted: Wed Apr 04, 2018 8:08 pm Post subject: Getting the Westy pop top to park on its rubber seals |
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I removed my Westy pop top for paint, new rubber seals, and a new tent. Upon re-installation, I couldn't get the rear driver's side corner to park tightly against the roof.
I know the rear hinges have adjustment forwards and backwards, but adjusting there doesn't seem to affect how far down the top goes when everything is latched.
I don't see any other adjustments in the rear hinge that might affect this. Any advice? |
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Corwyn 
Samba Member
Joined: December 29, 2009
Posts: 2237
Location: Olympia, Washington
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| Posted: Wed Apr 04, 2018 8:31 pm Post subject: Re: Getting the Westy pop top to park on its rubber seals |
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Mine does the same thing on the right rear. No clue . . .
_________________
'90 White Westy ("The Longship")
FAS Gen V 2.0
The Annual Baja Rally
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=604813&highlight=baja
"If anything's" gonna happen, it's gonna happen out there"
~ Captain Ron ~ |
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ledogboy
Samba Member
Joined: September 19, 2005
Posts: 578
Location: Scappoose, OR / Oakland, CA
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| Posted: Wed Apr 04, 2018 8:46 pm Post subject: Re: Getting the Westy pop top to park on its rubber seals |
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This just started happening to me, and I have no idea why. It is driving me bonkers! I get a howl from the wind, and I just hate that it isn’t “right”. If anyone has input, it sounds like several of us would be all ears.
_________________
1986 Westy Weekender
Now a full camper
1.8t Syncro conversion
Some people call him Maurice... |
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drj434343
Samba Member
Joined: January 31, 2016
Posts: 399
Location: Portland, OR
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| Posted: Wed Apr 04, 2018 9:04 pm Post subject: Re: Getting the Westy pop top to park on its rubber seals |
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| Do either of you that report that same issue carry any load on your pop top? If so, where and how much? |
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ledogboy
Samba Member
Joined: September 19, 2005
Posts: 578
Location: Scappoose, OR / Oakland, CA
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| Posted: Wed Apr 04, 2018 9:51 pm Post subject: Re: Getting the Westy pop top to park on its rubber seals |
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Often, yes, but at the time this was first noticed I hadn’t carried anything in a long while (van was parked) and hadn’t yet reinstalled my crossbars and solar panel (now reinstalled on passenger side). My fist guess was that something was off with my JB pop top install, but I can’t find anything amiss. I also changed my seal (not to solve the issue, but because the glue-on section never adhered right and was flapping uselessly  )- no change.
_________________
1986 Westy Weekender
Now a full camper
1.8t Syncro conversion
Some people call him Maurice... |
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djkeev
Samba Moderator
Joined: September 30, 2007
Posts: 32598
Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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Vanagon Nut
Samba Member
Joined: February 08, 2008
Posts: 10371
Location: Sunshine Coast B.C.
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| Posted: Wed Apr 04, 2018 11:25 pm Post subject: Re: Getting the Westy pop top to park on its rubber seals |
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This is a long shot guess but could excessive wear at pop top strut hinges cause this?
Neil.
_________________
1981 Westy DIY 15º ABA
1988 West DIY 50º ABA
VE7TBN |
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ragnarhairybreeks
Samba Member
Joined: October 26, 2009
Posts: 1890
Location: Sidney B.C. Canada
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| Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2018 9:29 am Post subject: Re: Getting the Westy pop top to park on its rubber seals |
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Hi,
A couple of things could be involved. First, did you use new bolts for the hinge to top connection? If so double check that the bolts aren’t too long and are hitting the hinge arms on closing.
Second, there is a degree of adjustability between the hinge and the pop top. I think, not sure, that it’s the front two bolt holes that are ovalized to allow movement.
The trick is to have the bolts tight enough that they don’t move when opening closing the top, but loose enough to allow the hinge - top connection to move to adjust... when top down. Getting up there and pressing down on corner when the bolts done up just so...
Get what I mean?
Don’t have the lift assists connected during this.
And i am assuming you did not touch the hinge to van connection. That affects things too, but if you didn’t touch that then don’t now.
Good luck
Alistair
_________________
'86 7 passenger syncro, converted to westy pop top, project still in progress
'82 westy, diesel converted to gas in '94, now gone...
https://shufti.blog/
Old address still works...
http://shufti.wordpress.com |
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drj434343
Samba Member
Joined: January 31, 2016
Posts: 399
Location: Portland, OR
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| Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2018 9:59 am Post subject: Re: Getting the Westy pop top to park on its rubber seals |
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To address some questions:
- I have no assist kits installed, and I don't think one has ever been installed.
- I have solar on my roof, but noticed this gap before the solar was installed. I don't carry any other loads.
- I completely removed the rear hinges because the van got painted to.
- P75.4 in the Bentley suggests that if I need to "realign" the roof, I can move the rear linkages in the elongated holes along the roof. This is the part that I have attempted to adjust repeatedly.
I didn't notice the hinge to pop top had adjustment. I will check that and check the length of the new screws I used when reattaching everything. |
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davevickery
Samba Member
Joined: July 16, 2005
Posts: 2887
Location: Fort Collins, CO
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| Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2018 10:03 am Post subject: Re: Getting the Westy pop top to park on its rubber seals |
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I did a Westy top transplant and I noticed it wasn't closing perfectly side to side in the front. So I loosed up the rear bottom bolts and tweaked the position of the hinges on the roof just a little bit and noticed the rear was sticking up a bit on one side. I just kept messing with the location of hinges on the roof until it was good in the front and flat in the back.
I'm not really sure what caused it or what fixed it, I just messed with those rear hinge positioning bolts until it was good. |
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davevickery
Samba Member
Joined: July 16, 2005
Posts: 2887
Location: Fort Collins, CO
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| Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2018 10:06 am Post subject: Re: Getting the Westy pop top to park on its rubber seals |
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| drj434343 wrote: |
I didn't notice the hinge to pop top had adjustment. I will check that and check the length of the new screws I used when reattaching everything. |
Alistar could be right about the hinge bolts that go through the fiberglass. I swapped mine and noticed a couple were hitting the hinge when I was trying to close it. If that is the problem you should be able to see it pretty easily. |
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ragnarhairybreeks
Samba Member
Joined: October 26, 2009
Posts: 1890
Location: Sidney B.C. Canada
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| Posted: Sun Apr 08, 2018 9:11 am Post subject: Re: Getting the Westy pop top to park on its rubber seals |
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Hi,
Just a couple more points.
The hinge to steel roof adjustment, yes they are fore and aft. Can adjust to get the front edge if the pop top aligned to the luggage rack, both on fore and aft postion and squareness.
But there is a little added complication. As the steel roof at the very rear is a curved surface, adjusting fore and aft will place the rear corners of the pop top in different positions over that curved surface. I’m not doing a good job describ8ng this, but the further back the pop top sits, the further down it has to go to seal against the curved steel roof.
I’d concentrate on getting the pop top square to the luggage rack and the front seal with the correct overlap. I think Bentley has some pics , 75.4.
Once happy with that adjustment then look to the hinge to pop top adjustment. Simply put, it’s adjusting the “pitch” of the roof when closed.
It might take a few tries, it certainly does for me. But when it’s right, the rear corners seal to the roof *AND* the front corners of the pop top are tight to the luggage rack. The test for the latter is just prying up that corner with finger and noting how easy it is to move. I bet if you surveyed, you’ll find a few westies that have less than tight front corners.
The latch can be adjusted to hold the top down harder. Yes, makes latching harder and is no real substitute for getting the pop top aligned correctly.
Good luck
Alistair
_________________
'86 7 passenger syncro, converted to westy pop top, project still in progress
'82 westy, diesel converted to gas in '94, now gone...
https://shufti.blog/
Old address still works...
http://shufti.wordpress.com |
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jackbombay
Samba Member
Joined: October 19, 2007
Posts: 2723
Location: Eastern Idaho
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Westaru
Samba Member
Joined: October 10, 2016
Posts: 189
Location: Utah
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| Posted: Mon Apr 09, 2018 6:39 am Post subject: Re: Getting the Westy pop top to park on its rubber seals |
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I had the same issue as the OP - painted the top, new seals, new tent, new hardware throughout the top. When I reinstalled I had a gap exactly where the OP did.
I pulled the rear mounting bolts from the top and hinge and cut them down as they were sticking out of the inner nuts by 1/4". I then made sure the rear mounts against the top were 'pivoted' closer to the vehicle. The rear mounts allow you to change the swing and where the top meets the rear of the vehicle (front holes are slotted).
I'm not sure which of the 2 fixed it but this worked for me.
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djkeev
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Joined: September 30, 2007
Posts: 32598
Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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